Rosewood is a common ingredient in guitar bodies, and is also regularly used in the fingerboard. It's resistant to stain and has a small role in tone quality, which is on the warmer side. It also has a really smooth feel, which is great for any fingerboard, Telecaster or otherwise.
If that's the specific recipe you're looking for, we've made this simple and updated list of Telecasters with a Rosewood fingerboard for easy browsing. Note that this is not a ranking or review, but rather a roundup of guitars with a specific features for easy reference.
Telecasters we did not include
Keep in mind there are some variations of Telecasters that have a Rosewood fretboard that we did not include, primarily because it would be redundant.
- Custom shop versions
- Left-handed versions
- Differing color variations
For example, we have multiple colors for most Telecaster models, but we only used one to represent a given series.
Simple List of 11 Fender Telecasters with Rosewood Fingerboards
- Kingfish Telecaster Deluxe
- American Professional II Telecaster
- American Ultra Telecaster
- Jimmy Page Signature Telecaster
- JV Modified '60s Telecaster
- American Performer Telecaster
- Jason Isbell Custom Telecaster
- Chrissie Hynde Signature Telecaster
- American Professional II Deluxe Telecaster
- American Performer Telecaster Hum
- American Ultra Luxe Telecaster
A rosewood fretboard (fingerboard) will always have a darker brown color, with an almost reddish hue, hence the name. Flickr Commons image via Freebird_71
Does rosewood make the Telecaster more expensive?
In most cases, the fingerboard tonewood is not going to have a major impact on the cost of a guitar, especially not an electric guitar. Body design, body tonewood, electronics, pickups/humbuckers, and the amount of by-hand work involved have far more to do with the final cost. It's also not going to be an expense issue because rosewood isn't particularly rare. No worries on cost.
Rosewood necks on Teles are just beautiful. Image via AugeGuitars
Does a rosewood fingerboard play better?
As I mentioned, a lot of people like the smoothness of the rosewood fingerboard, with maple being the primary alternative. Maple and Pau Ferro are the other two common fingerboard rosewoods, and while some guitar players have really specific preferences, the difference between the woods on a finger board is - in our opinion - going to be hard to notice. In most cases, preferring one over the other is an issue of aesthetic preference. Maple is lighter and rosewood is darker. It's usually that simple.
Can you get a Telecaster with a Rosewood neck?
Though it's hard to say for past year models of Fender Telecasters, we never see Teles with a rosewood neck. Maple is almost always used for Telecaster necks these days.
Where else can I find Telecasters with Rosewood fingerboards?
If you're going to look into the used market, we'd recommend starting with Reverb, then trying eBay. Amazon and Guitar Center are also good places to try, although their used markets are far more limited.
- Reverb
- eBay
- Amazon
- Guitar Center
The one problem with some of these sites, particularly used marketplaces, is that spec sheets are really hit or miss. They're often typed up by a third party that may or may not list something like the fingerboard material. If a rosewood fingerboard is a must-have, do some digging and thorough research just to be sure.
Conclusion
Rosewood is the go-to tonewood for Telecaster fretboards. But do your own research and browse through some of the Teles we've listed here. If you have suggestions of Telecasters with a Rosewood fingerboard, please feel free to leave those in the comments section below. Like we said, it'll get added in the user-submitted section if it fits the bill.
More Electric Guitar Roundups
Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Guitars & Roundups
Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Pickups & Roundups
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