Maple Fingerboards

[mica]

We've made quite a few basses with Maple fingerboards recently. At first, they looked totally wrong to me - nearly all Alembics have had Ebony fingerboards. But, I have to admit I'm getting used to these Maple guys.

This is one is leaving us today, and we're sad to see it go!

[tbrannon]

Ooooh. Is that a cocobolo top over a maple body?  More pics, please!   

[mica]

It is a Coco Bolo top and back with a Maple core, Toby. No accent laminates! Kinda old school cool vibe, down to the Retro Stanley body shape. Here's a closer view of the body.

[edwardofhuncote]

Maple fingerboard looks okay... the inlays show nice too with the lighter background. What I like most is that vintage style pattern. (but you knew I was going to say that!)

[mica]

The inlays are black mother of pearl, Greg. When you change angles, sometimes they almost disappear and then they pop with color.

[edwardofhuncote]

The inlays are black mother of pearl, Greg. When you change angles, sometimes they almost disappear and then they pop with color.

Very well thought out, and expertly executed.

One thing I'll say from personal experience, inlaying anything into a light colored fingerboard is much less forgiving than ebony. The relief cut outline has to be so precise, simply because any filler used shows so much. Pops used to tell me- "a little black epoxy covers a multitude of sins". Can't get by with that on maple.

[growlypants]

Wow.   I've seen some maple boards on recently made Alembics (Atlanta Bass Gallery) and they ARE pretty dang nice.  Strictly from an appearance standpoint, though.... I prefer the ebony.   But that's just me.

[jazzyvee]

Hey Mica, do you hear any difference in the sound of the basses with maple boards that you can attribute to that wood choice?

[mica]

Pops used to tell me- "a little black epoxy covers a multitude of sins". Can't get by with that on maple.

True that! There's always a little fill, but these are pretty tight.

Vince, I can't really hear a difference on a fretted Alembic bass. There's a different feel with the finish on the fingerboard, but what I heard on this bass is pretty much what I would expect from this neck and body combination. On a fretless, I can totally hear the different fingerboards, and people with better ears that me may be able to hear a difference on fretted Alembic basses.

[rv_bass]

Well, Mica, you are not making it easy for those who are trying to control the size of their herd!  Beautiful bass!

[mica]

In that last picture, you can see that we put a contrasting Ebony veneer under the fingerboard.

[StephenR]

Have there been any basses made with a maple board and bookmatched to center dark wood top? That seems like it might be a nice visual combo. Maybe with a maple accent over mahogany core to bring the color of the neck around the edge of the body.

For playing I definitely prefer ebony or rosewood fingerboards over maple but the maple board on this bass looks nice and complements the body wood choices.

[tbrannon]

My dream alembic is still a candy tangerine orange series II elan with cream pickups, maple fretboard and matching headstock.  Someday.......  haha!

[pauldo]

Just in time for Christmas GAS.  That really is a smart looking instrument.

[moongerm]

Lovely!