Roasted Maple Fretboard Electric Guitars

Roasted maple fretboards are a relatively new entry into the guitar world. They’re made through a scientific process called torrefaction (also known as roasting and baking), which removes unwanted resin and moisture from the wood. It also hardens the molecules, making it more resilient to temperature changes which could potentially cause tuning and intonation problems.

On top of the practical effects of torrefaction, the maple becomes darker in colour and takes on a completely new, unique look. As you might expect, this kind of treatment is an expensive process and means roasted maple makes an almost exclusive feature on high-end guitars.

You’ll find most roasted maple fretboard guitars are made by the likes of Ibanez, Music Man, EVH and Charvel. Reverend make roasted maple guitars at an incredibly tempting price.