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Zac Childs
Rosewood Fretboard Telecasters: Tone, Feel & History
20 minutes Posted Sep 9, 2025 at 11:00 am.
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When Fender switched the Telecaster from one-piece maple necks to rosewood fingerboards in 1959, the guitar’s sound and feel changed forever. In this video, I take a close look at the history of rosewood-board Telecasters, why Fender made the switch, and what makes them unique. I’ll also share my theory: it’s not just the rosewood itself, but the stiffness of the rosewood plus maple neck construction that really changes the tone compared to an all-maple neck. That extra rigidity shapes the a...