Maple fretboards.......

[hat]

Other options are Persimmon, and Walnut. Both very hard. I think Walnut would be great if torrified. I wonder how well it would work to seal them with epoxy, or another hard coating.

[AndrewG]

Check this out; I think it both sounds and looks stunning:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11RwIozDwFo

[The Bard Rocks]

Originally Posted by hat

Other options are Persimmon, and Walnut. Both very hard. I think Walnut would be great if torrified. I wonder how well it would work to seal them with epoxy, or another hard coating.

Walnut is not particularly hard - especially if you compare it to wood from other countries. Hickory is the hardest commonly-found US wood and ranks well above walnut. Earlier someone (Otterhound?) mentioned black locust. That hardens a great deal as it dries and may work well, especially if torrified. Tim McKnight made a guitar with torrified locust and the wood mysteriously changed from the normal very light brown to VERY dark brown, which would take care of the complaints of anyone who did not like light-colored fretboard.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by lowrider

Maybe this is why;



or this;

I declare a misnomer.
I doubt anyone owns an acoustic that got played anywhere close to what this guitar was to get to that state

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

I declare a misnomer.
I doubt anyone owns an acoustic that got played anywhere close to what this guitar was to get to that state

Yep, check the divots in the frets of the Telecaster!

[drive-south]

My 1973 Telecaster has a little of that wear going on but no where near the ones pictured. Those guitars we're either reliced or played hard/put up wet.

This maple version of Richlite should make the traditionalists' heads explode.

[vindibona1]

I think part of the reason that acoustics don't typically come with maple FB's is that maple tends to lack warmth. I find that in electrics, in basses and I presume would be even more pronounced with acoustics. While I have two electrics and two basses with maple FB's I still prefer rosewood or ebony.

[rumble]

Here’s a unique offering from Ibanez; Cultured Maple. https://www.ibanez.com/usa/products/...d60_1x_02.html

[Rodger Knox]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

I declare a misnomer.
I doubt anyone owns an acoustic that got played anywhere close to what this guitar was to get to that state

Willie does!

[maxtheaxe]

I once had a high-end, all-solid, mid-to-late 70's Sigma (DT-something w/flamed maple back & sides) that had all the fancy Martin-style inlays, tortoise binding, etc. It also had a maple fretboard that had been "Ebonized", which is to say, 'dyed black'.

It was a fine player, hard to tell it was dyed maple on the 'board. One of those guitars that I wish I'd never sold. I do have to agree that acoustics just look better with a dark fretboard, but other than that, it seems to me that maple would be a viable alternative, especially since it grows very fast & isn't an endangered species of hardwood like so many of the "exotics" that we take for granted.

[SouthpawJeff]

My thought is the real reason maple is not used on acoustics as much is very simple.... it’s heavy! Maple is much heavier than mahogany, on an electric it doesn’t matter as the body is pretty weighty itself. On a lighter acoustic however the weight may feel a bit off balance.
As far as dirty fretboards that has more to do with care. I have a maple fretboard and it is very clean despite a fair amount of playing.

Good luck,
Jeff

[Rodger Knox]

Originally Posted by SouthpawJeff

My thought is the real reason maple is not used on acoustics as much is very simple.... it’s heavy! Maple is much heavier than mahogany, on an electric it doesn’t matter as the body is pretty weighty itself. On a lighter acoustic however the weight may feel a bit off balance.
As far as dirty fretboards that has more to do with care. I have a maple fretboard and it is very clean despite a fair amount of playing.

Good luck,
Jeff

Maple is certainly lighter than ebony, and in the same ballpark as rosewood, which are the traditional woods for fretboards.

Mahogany is used for necks, not fretboards.

[JonWint]

Maple is lighter.

Indian Rosewood 52 pcf

Ebony 60 pcf

Maple 35-45 pcf


Corrected per Mr. Knox.

[Rodger Knox]

Check your data on maple, it is incorrect. Maple is in the 35-45pcf range, depending on species.
80-115 is the height of silver maple