turtle Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Hey guys, thinking of a classic + 2011 model They do have the maple fretboard and wondering what u guys think. Can they really be oiled to deepen the color. Not sure that if I get it the caramel color will turn me off. Also I like it says les paul model and it's a 9pd chambered guitar. However if I had some insight from players who had this or similiar model, Id be more interested in sound/ stability than looks or "non traditional" fretboard . Cheers all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Hello Turtle! These came out at the same time with the Classic Customs. I saw a couple of those Classic Plus guitars in the shop when I bought my Classic Custom. Beautiful guitars, and - (not) surprisingly - they got sold out very quickly. I can't even see any to pop up in ads! I assume people who bought them are happy with them. The baked maple fingerboard feels exactly the same as ebony. As I stated many times here, if it was dyed black from factory, no one could tell it apart from the ebony. Our fellow member and friend, - Donny - successfully dyed it black with boiled mixture of leather dye and linseed oil. I liked the baked maple so much, that I have bought another Gibson with it, an L6S: These 2011 guitars are very-well made in general. I am happy with them. The Classic Plus has hot ceramic 496/500 pickups, and they are traditionally relieved, not chambered. Official info: http://www.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Les-Paul-Classic-Plus.aspx Good luck... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 This how the fretboard looks like after 3 years: Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I'm not sure but I thought 2012 was the "year of the baked maple"? My SG was from 2012, and has the maple fretboard. it plays great, and sounds great. I don't think the baked maple fretwork has one single negative impact. (I have quite a few guitars with rosewood boards, and ebony, as well as some fenders with maple boards, I do agree with Bence in that it kind of does feel like ebony if you had to make a decision one way or another) I've oiled it I think twice? even though it probably doesn't really need to be, I don't think it changes it too much. Do not fear the baked maple... most of the people whining about it are more likely doing so on substance rather than reality. I've been playing for 50 years, I think I would be able to tell the difference.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I'm not sure but I thought 2012 was the "year of the baked maple"? ... Hello Ray! It was 2011/2012 and from 2016 again. Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I don't actually own one with a baked maple board, but I would say maple is a very traditional and suitable wood for a fretboard. If you think it's going to bother you, it could be in your head. If you think it SHOULD be ebony, and you want to pretend it is, then it doesn't matter what color it is. But if you want to judge it on it's own merits, you are likely to be at least as happy with it. And if the guitar looks good as it is, there is no need to tint it or color it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I have 2 guitars, with "baked maple" boards! My '61 SG "Satin" finished, reissue, and my LP Classic Custom (Gold Top). Both play, and sound Great!! And, for what it's worth, I'd have NO problem, whatsoever, in buying another guitar with a "baked maple" fingerboard! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Two baked maple fretboards here. One is part of a 2011 L6S in Silverburst like Bence's, made in late November 2011, and the other one belongs to an SG Bass in Heritage Cherry made in the mid of June 2012. Their feel is close to ebony while their tone is somewhere between rosewood and finished maple. I own a 2011 L6S with finished maple fretboard, too, and a 2011 SG Bass with rosewood fretboard, and these are the basis of my personal comparisons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marius Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I do not mind the Maple Board if everything was all right With it. my BM Gibsons has the famous second fret, Third string Buzz. i have had the frets leveled and put on 011-049 strings and it has helped very much but it shouldnt have left the factory With this flaw. it has cost me a lot of Money for repairs . the positivwe side of it is that it is a delight to play on and the guitars sounds great,now that the intense buzzing has disappeared for the most part Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turtle Posted November 4, 2015 Author Share Posted November 4, 2015 Awesome. Now you guys got me gassing hard for this one!!!! Thanks again. I'll let you know how it works out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 In fact, I will go so far as to wish, and rather see Gibson, using very dark "Baked Maple" boards on all the guitars, that they now use "Richlite" on! I really don't have anything against Richlite, but it just seems the High End Gibson's should have real wood fingerboards, and not a "counter top" material. But, again...that's just me! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I have the 'torrified' (baked) maple fingerboard on my 339. It was a clever idea to heat treat the maple. Better than the heavy lacquer than Fender use as a sealant. It makes it stable, and yet still feel like wood. I haven't experienced 'Richlite' yet but I imagine it to be similar to Hagstrom's Resinator boards, which is used on all their guitars, including the premium European made Northen series. Both these types of fingerboard material feel very like ebony. If I could, I'd prefer these materials to be on all my guitars; other than the ebony ones that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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