Does fingerboard wood matter? (A reasonably controlled experiment)

[drod2045]

Originally Posted by poolshark

No kidding. God forbid there be some good-natured discussion regarding guitars on, of all things, a guitar forum.

[lharp]

[QUOTE=mslugano;8105821]good grief...lighten up.

????

I can't. I find taking the imaginary for real a good source of grief, and a heavy task.

I gladly suspend disbelief to watch "Avatar," but not to evaluate guitar tone. Sue me.

I am being told to kid myself and enjoy it. And you are the second one.

Count me out.

[lharp]

[Balance]

Originally Posted by man_mars

Wonderful..Thanks for this...small difference, but i'd say Rosewood (low-mids on the first part of the clip) and then Maple (more presence I usually hear with maple) on the second part of the clip.

I thought the first sounded great, but the second guitar sounded even better. Like you said, it had more presence. I don't have any idea how this translates into fretboard wood.

[CyberFerret]

Interesting experiment in psychology as well as audiology - I listened to the clip immediately after reading Jim's original post, and thought maple/rosewood, but after reading 3 pages of other members' responses, I re-listened and now swaying towards the more popular opinion of rosewood/maple.

All I have to say in my defence is "Baaaaaaaaaaaa.."

[K-Line]

50/50 chance, so I say Maple then Rosewood. I heard a bit more hair on the second but it could be the same guitar with a slightly different setup. Crappy laptop speakers!

[dbeeman]

I thought the first one had a bit more sparkle. SO from what I have heard about boards I might say that was the Rosewood. But I really don't know. I think the board has an effect, but not the biggest tome shaper on a guitar - I am with Vaughn, more a feel and appearance thing to me than tone....but I only have some first hand / casual experience to tell me that. I have not built hundreds of guitars like Mr. Soloway.


So Jim, what say you? ... and which is which?

[drod2045]

Originally Posted by lharp

????

I can't. I find taking the imaginary for real a good source of grief, and a heavy task.

I gladly suspend disbelief to watch "Avatar," but not to evaluate guitar tone. Sue me.

I am being told to kid myself and enjoy it. And you are the second one.

Count me out.

Wow. Indescribable.

[Jim Soloway]

Originally Posted by dbeeman

I thought the first one had a bit more sparkle. SO from what I have heard about boards I might say that was the Rosewood. But I really don't know. I think the board has an effect, but not the biggest tome shaper on a guitar - I am with Vaughn, more a fell and appearance thing to me than tone....but I only have some first hand / casual experience to tell me that. I have not built hundreds of guitars like Mr. Soloway.


So Jim, what say you? ... and which is which?

The first is maple, the second is rosewood. And regardless of how well controlled (or not) that this experiment may have been, the results are entirely consistent with my experience gained over the years with maple and rosewood boards on our guitars.

And speaking of consistent, yet another indicator that no thread can get past three pages without boys behaving badly.

[DWB1960]

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

The first is maple, the second is rosewood.

YAH YAH YAH!!!! What do I win???

[Tinman]

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

The first is maple, the second is rosewood.

That's what I meant to say.

[CyberFerret]

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

The first is maple, the second is rosewood.

Tsk! I should have gone with my instinct, instead of following the herd..

[hudpucker]

Even after 30-ish years of playing I remain amazed that so many fellow players simply cannot hear the differences that, generally speaking, are tonally consistent (as described above).

If you can't hear a difference but I can how can you possibly be 'right'?

[atquinn]

Well, if even luthiers can't tell the difference, I'm just going to pick whatever feels best/looks coolest. Oh wait, that's what I already do.

-Austin

[Tinman]

Originally Posted by hudpucker

Even after 30-ish years of playing I remain amazed that so many fellow players simply cannot hear the differences that, generally speaking, are tonally consistent (as described above).

If you can't hear a difference but I can how can you possibly be 'right'?

If lovin' you is wrong, I don't wanna be right!