Long-term prospects for an unfinished roasted maple neck

[fatleaf]

Hello all,

Wanted to see if it's a pretty safe bet that unfinished roasted maple necks are going to hold up as well as something like wenge or bubinga. I was sold on wenge (for a J-bass body that's a little less than 5.5lbs), but I'm a bit worried that wenge will be too heavy and cause neck-dive (I've had a bubinga neck before and it had just enough neck dive to bug me).

So, roasted maple seems like a great lightweight alternative, but I'm concerned that maybe it won't hold up as well.

Thoughts? Thanks

 

[Cagey]

It's one of those things like laser eye surgery, where they haven't been doing it long enough to have a reliable history of long-term effects. Too new a process. But, my understanding is they're supposed to be very stable. Thing is, even untreated Maple doesn't always go bonkers on you. It's only a percentage of the parts that head into the tiddlywads to start a new life as a very tough pretzel. Plus, Warmoth is pretty good about seasoning their wood, so the stress is relieved before they start machining the stuff.

I know I have high hopes. I have one coming Tuesday, and I have no intention of putting a finish on it. I wanna smell the maple syrup  :icon_biggrin:

 

[Surf n Music]

I got one coming too although I still don't have a date  but I am gonna take a page out of Cagey's book and burnish the hell out of it. Sould be good but only time will tell  :toothy10:

 

[musicispeace]

And I am about to order one once I settle on a fretboard and see what Cagey makes of the whole thing once he has his in his shop. I agree it is still too new to know the long term. But if Guthrie Govan has been playing roasted necks for three or four years or more at this point and is sold on them I think that may be about as good an indication as we are going to get at this point.

 

[fatleaf]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the insight. I feel pretty safe going with the roasted maple now. Now I just need to decide if I can live without the chocolatey beauty that is wenge.

 

[Cagey]

Why would you have to live without it? Just wait a bit until you can find/afford a piece. It's not like Warmoth won't make more of them or one won't show up on flea bay. Just put it on your bucket list. It's a fascinating wood species; everybody should have one at least once.

 

[Prometheus]

All this talk (here and there across the site) has me salivating for some of this maple-y goodness. I hope you fellas get yours soon, so I can see, and get your hands-on impressions.

 

[fatleaf]

I ended up going with a quarter-sawn wenge/wenge J-bass neck. Not because of any particular issue w/roasted maple, I just had my heart set on the feel and look of wenge. Now the wait.

 

[Cagey]

All this talk (here and there across the site) has me salivating for some of this maple-y goodness. I hope you fellas get yours soon, so I can see, and get your hands-on impressions.

Mine showed up an hour ago. Lovely piece. Surprisingly light, especially considering it's a "Pro" series neck w/ the dual-action truss rod. It's only 1.2lbs. No tramp stamp warning about hard finishes. Cream binding. I'll put up some pics as soon as I get my server to behave itself.

 

[Cagey]

I ended up going with a quarter-sawn wenge/wenge J-bass neck. Not because of any particular issue w/roasted maple, I just had my heart set on the feel and look of wenge. Now the wait.

I'm sure you're going to be very pleased. Wenge doesn't feel like anything else; it's unique unto itself. I'm surprised more high-end builders don't use it more often.

 

[musicispeace]

Sounds good Cagey we look forward to your assessment. And the wenge solution sounds darn fine. I've been gazing at a few options in the showcase. Takes some will power to hold off but so far I've been happy with what I've ended up with after a process. Not laying awake as much as on my first build...

 

[Cagey]

I'll get it burnished up, fretted and set up as soon as I get a couple other jobs out of here, but I don't know what to bolt it to yet. I really like this Velocity body currently in The Showcase...

...but I really don't need another humbucker-equipped fiddle and I'm not a big fan of the Tune-O-Matic/stop tailpiece bridge solution. I'll figger something out. Maybe I'll use that one anyway - I have a pair of Bill Lawrence L500XL pups sitting here just rotting. Might make for a real hellbeast.

 

[musicispeace]

How about humbucker sized P90s? But its good to hear you have the Bill Lawrence. I am looking at their single coils. Did you get all roasted maple on both sides or does it have a different fretboard?

 

[Cagey]

Here's what it looks like...

Roasted fretboard and neck meat, both. Stained with ferret piss, as per usual.

 

[Surf n Music]

That's purrty! Your stoked!!

 

[Cagey]

Yeah, I'm pretty pleased. I expect this is going to burnish up smooth as silk. Just have to find an appropriate body for it.

 

[Surf n Music]

Oh that can be tough. Lots of good looking bodies in the showcase. I am in the middle of a build and still find myself snooping around.

 

[musicispeace]

Nice! They did a good job with some tasteful looking wood.

 

[Prometheus]

All hail the Mighty Forest, mother of Tone and giver of woods hard and soft. She has smiled once more upon one of our brothers !

(I hope you guys know I'm kidding)

But seriously, that's sweet. Nice color, great looking grain. And as usual, impeccable quality. Yeah, she'll burnish up very nicely. Tell me ... how does it smell (yes, I know I'm strange)

 

[bagman67]

I dunno, Cagey, that candy-apple carved-top Velocity bod is really aching for the love only you can give her.  Which I believe would be well exemplified by that neck you're showin' off.  Just saying, is all.