Soft maple vs. hard maple

[jay5]

I am starting mu first project and I need to get my wood for the neck. I will be making a 2 piece (neck and seperate fretboard) neck. I wnt to the local woodworking shop and they had soft maple and hard maple boards, both about the same cost. The sof maple was the color that I see all the neck blanks on stewmac and warmoth. The hard maple was a darker, "dirtier" color. Definately needed a little more planing/jointing. Does anyone know which would make a better neck or at least what the differences are? They were both flatsawn. Thanks!

[GuitarMaestro]

Soft maple is not recommended for necks. It is simply not stable enough for a guitar neck. It has more tendency to warp than hard maple and soft maple necks are very easy to bring out of tune by accident, as the neck is very easy to bend.

If you want to use soft maple you'll have to at least laminate the neck from three pieces. i.e. 10 mm Bubinga center strip or something like that. If you want to build a one-piece neck then use the hard maple. It is no problem that it is flatsawn. Quatersawn would be even better, but Fender for example makes all necks from flatsawn hard maple.

[daveq]

The hard maple was a darker, "dirtier" color. Definately needed a little more planing/jointing.

That's a bit surprising. Maples do vary in color but the soft maple on the east coast seems to be darker and dirtier. The hard maple here is much lighter and cleaner looking than the soft maple. Wierd.

Anyway, avoid soft maple for necks - hard maple is the way to go. Someone posted a similar question a few days ago concerning figured maple for a neck. The only figured maple that I have heard is no good for a neck is quilted. I don't know if it's a coincidence that quilted maple comes from soft maple or not but avoid soft maple anyway. I know someone out there is going to say that spalted maple should also be avoided also but it depends on the condition/extremity of the spalt.

[jay5]

Thanks for the help! The hard maple looked to be rougher cut and maybe as a result was actually a little dirtier. Who knows, I may have mixed the two up when I was looking at them . At least I know what to ask for now. I will try and take pics of the two when I go back. On a similar note, would it be worth the effort to re-enforce the neck with graphite strips or is the hard maple pretty stable on its own?

[daveq]

On a similar note, would it be worth the effort to re-enforce the neck with graphite strips or is the hard maple pretty stable on its own?

I think you'll get different opinions on this one. I personally don't think it's worth putting them in hard maple necks but I have put some in a birdseye maple neck just in case.

[GuitarMaestro]

I think you'll get different opinions on this one. I personally don't think it's worth putting them in hard maple necks but I have put some in a birdseye maple neck just in case.

All Fender necks are made from hard maple without reinforcements and the Strat proved for ages that it works....

[Devon Headen]

It depends quite a bit on how thin you want the neck, and how rigid. Some people have said they like to feel the vibration in the neck, and you just don't with carbon fiber rods. That can possibly be a plus side, so it's really just personal taste. The Hard maple neck should be stable enough for a normal sized (maybe even a thin) neck, although it won't be quite as stable as carbon fiber reinforced necks (duh ).

Devon

[GuitarMaestro]

As far as I know even the Ibanez Wizard necks are just made from hard maple without reinforcements. As long as you don't build a 7(+)-string guitar or a 4(+)-string bass I think hard maple will do the job just fine.

[Snork]

you might want to look into a laminated neck. Its more attractive and you wont risk your neck warping down the road. yes fender necks notoriously warp.

[GuitarMaestro]

yes fender necks notoriously warp.

Where are the facts to back this statement up? I never heard about this before.

All my 8 guitars have flatsawn necks. Three of them are Strats. Not one of these 8 guitars has a warped neck at all. I never saw or heard about a Fender with a warped neck. There are so many old Fenders still played that do not have any problem at all.

[Snork]

2 of my dads strats necks are screwed and he only got them 2 years ago. all 3 of my friends strats necks have warped and bowed to hell. maybe its our climate here but the flatsawn necks are screwed here.

[GuitarMaestro]

hmm....interesting....

[westhemann]

It depends quite a bit on how thin you want the neck, and how rigid. Some people have said they like to feel the vibration in the neck, and you just don't with carbon fiber rods. That can possibly be a plus side, so it's really just personal taste. The Hard maple neck should be stable enough for a normal sized (maybe even a thin) neck, although it won't be quite as stable as carbon fiber reinforced necks (duh ).

Devon

i have carbon rods in my neck on my v and it still has a "live" feel to it

[Bounty Hunter]

Clueless new guy here. . .

What about using soft maple for the fretboard or even the body? Any serious cons?

[GuitarMaestro]

for the body is used often....using soft maple for the fingerboard is kinda uncommon though....never heard about anyone attempting it. But usually only the hardest woods are used as fingerboards, so I would not recommend soft maple for that task.

[Scott Rosenberger]

I think you'll get different opinions on this one. I personally don't think it's worth putting them in hard maple necks but I have put some in a birdseye maple neck just in case.

Birdseye Maple is Hard Maple

[krazyderek]

the longest skinniest most essential part of the guitar, that you're trying to keep as staight, level, and twist free as possible...... and you don't know if you should use soft of hard maple?????

dUUH

lol sorry couldn't resist.... don't worry, i wondered the same thing about a year ago

[Page_Master]

The hard maple looked to be rougher cut and maybe as a result was actually a little dirtier. Who knows, I may have mixed the two up when I was looking at them  . At least I know what to ask for now. I will try and take pics of the two when I go back.

do not let the look of the wood determine which one to get, get the hard maple - and don't bother with soft maple for necks. better still, use a 3 piece laminate hard maple neck. it is stronger and looks more appealing. that is the same as my local wood shop, all the hard maple is cut really rough, and it does look really yucky. but by the time you plain it up, it will look beautiful.

[Lex Luthier]

fender necks notoriously warp

My three Strat's are fine, one of which I've had for seven years.

I like Rock Maple best for neck, I'd only use soft Maple with laminates.

[daveq]

Birdseye Maple is Hard Maple

Yes, I know. I think it usually (if not always) comes from sugar maple. The only reason I put the rods in is due to the fact that the grain/texture is not the same as a non-figured hard maple.

Sorry if leaving that out confused anyone.

[skibum5545]

As long as you don't build a ... 4(+)-string bass I think hard maple will do the job just fine.

But it'll do just fine for a 3 string bass, right?

[jay5]

Thanks again for all the help. I'll be picking up a piece this weekend!