Sage-Tips

Is maple good for guitar necks?

Rock maple – often called ‘hard maple’ or ‘sugar maple’ – is a stable and strong tonewood that suits ideally to be used for bolt-on electric guitar necks. We offer maple also for fretboards, adding brilliance and clarity to the overall tone.

Is maple neck better than rosewood?

Some guitarists tend to avoid maple necks due to the fact the finish, which is applied to stop it from warping, can feel less natural than the likes of ebony or rosewood fretboards. However, those who want a brighter, zestier tone that offers greater sustain will often choose maple.

Does Martin make a maple guitar?

The Martin D-40QM “Quilted Maple” Well, they just aren’t made too often. Why Martin would produce this specific guitar for a few years, and then stop, another mystery altogether. Martin does have a custom shop, and so maple body Martin dreadnoughts can be had from there anytime a player wants one.

Why are maple necks finished?

Maple is the most common neck and fingerboard material that is finished as it lacks the density and oil content of rosewood and ebony etc and is thus finished to protect it from climatic change and decay.

Which is better mahogany or maple?

In the competition for density, maple wins out. Maple is a much more densely packed wood that is both heavier and harder than mahogany. Mahogany is not often used in flooring, but is only hard enough for accent woods such as molding and window trim.

Which is harder rosewood or maple?

Rosewood is known to be much mellower, and usually makes it’s way on mahogany bodies and necks. They definitely feel different too. A maple neck is harder and feels very smooth under your fingers, while rosewood has some sponginess to it due to the porous properties of the wood.

Do maple necks sound different?

The most common fretboard woods for electric guitars are maple and rosewood. There is a big difference visually, but sound and feel are what matter the most. As a newbie, it may not seem to make a difference whether your fingerboard is made from maple, rosewood, or anything else for that matter.

Is maple good for acoustic guitar?

That perceived brightness and lack of overtone complexity made maple guitars a great choice for acoustic players fronting a large band with many instruments on stage (since the maple sound could cut through the other instruments to the front of the mix and be heard more clearly), or for players who liked to blaze lead …

Is maple a good wood for guitars?

Maple is a very hard type of wood with good tonal qualities and good sustain. Maple is also often used as a top for the guitar body, partly because it is beautiful (think flame or quilted maple tops), and partly because it can give a bright sound that would otherwise be murky.

Should you finish maple fretboard?

Maple. Unlike Rosewood and Ebony maple fretboards do require sealing. If your neck is maple along with your fretboard you can finish your neck and fretboard at the same time. If using lacquer, you will need to apply your finish and then cut away the build up on top of the frets, so the fret wires are exposed.

Do you have to finish roasted maple neck?

Lots of roasted maple neck users on here have used them without a finish or “burnished them”. So no you do not need to.

Is Maple a good material for a neck?

Maple makes a very nice acoustic guitar neck. But most guitars have mahogany or rosewood sides and back and mahogany blends better colorwise. When I build a maple body guitar, I use maple for the neck. Maple can make a nice sounding guitar, but it needs to be braced a little differently than mahogany.

Does Gibson still make maple back and sides on guitars?

They do and have for a long time The Gibson J-200 is one of the most recognizable and iconic acoustic guitars and since 1947 it has featured maple back and sides with a maple neck… In recent years Gibson also introduced the J-15 which features Walnut back and sides with a maple neck.

Are maple guitars worth buying?

In conclusion, with all of the new and vintage maple guitars in the world, maple still doesn’t get fully acknowledged for the interesting tonal properties it possesses. Try to get past the appearance and appreciate the value of a body that lets the top get where it’s going with minimal interference.

What makes a good maple flat-top guitar?

In a good maple flat-top, the effect of maple can be like having an individual volume slider for the treble, middle, and bass register of the guitar. With fewer clashing overtones, it’s easier to lift up your melody over your accompaniment, emphasize some interesting middle movement, or break up your basso ostinato with a dramatic run.