muhua33 Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 I have an Ebony Epi LP Custom manufactured in Qingdao in April 2011, according to serial number. It has coil splitting and the fretboard looks like ebony but I can't find any literature on it other than the website and wiki that says that time was rosewood. Any ideas on how to find out for sure? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 You can usually tell by just looking at the wood. Ebony is very dark [almost black] and there is very little visible grain structure, where as rose wood is a dark brown, and you can see the grain in the wood very easily. If yuo can take a photo, and post it to a free photobucket account, (copy the img link in the yellow box to the right of your picture after you upload and paste that link here) once we see it, we can probably say for sure if it's ebony. not 100% sure, but I think as a rule tho. Gibson Customs have ebony fretboards, I don't know if epiphone spec'd them the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 I have an Ebony Epi LP Custom manufactured in Qingdao in April 2011, according to serial number. It has coil splitting and the fretboard looks like ebony.... I think it must be rosewood stained dark. I have a nice 2012 cherry Dot out of Qingdao with a nice dark fretboard that looks like ebony. Dark ebony is becoming very rare, and it must be significantly more costly than rosewood, so I just can't believe they'd be throwing ebony fretboards on very reasonably priced Epiphones out of Qingdao! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Pretty safe bet, that it's "rosewood," of some variety. It can be very dark, depending on the piece. What would be nice, is for Epi (and, Gibson too, for that matter) to replace the Ebony, with very dark "baked Maple" fingerboards. Some are quite dark looking, like Ebony, and they have a very similar tone, and texture, to Ebony. And, it's still actual wood, as oppose to "composite material like "Richlite." Though I don't really have a problem, with Richlite, personally, I just think it would be nice, to have a real wood board, on the "upper tier models," from both Gibson and Epiphone. But, that's just Me! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 I know we are getting off track but... What would be nice, is for Epi (and, Gibson too, for that matter) to replace the Ebony, with very dark "baked Maple" Fingerboards. Agree, a fine alternative to a composite. I like the baked maple fb on my SG standard. then again, what happens when Maple starts to run the same course as ebony and rosewood.... eventually, composites or "made w/sustainable materials" will be the rule of thumb. I don't think there's any way around it as time moves on. {thankfully I have a closet full of guitars that have rosewood/enbony fretboards which I do not plan on selling...} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muhua33 Posted January 7, 2017 Author Share Posted January 7, 2017 If yuo can take a photo, and post it to a free photobucket account, (copy the img link in the yellow box to the right of your picture after you upload and paste that link here) once we see it, we can probably say for sure if it's ebony. here are some pics i uploaded into photobucket. What do you think? http://s86.photobucket.com/user/muhua33/library/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muhua33 Posted January 7, 2017 Author Share Posted January 7, 2017 I think it must be rosewood stained dark. I have a nice 2012 cherry Dot out of Qingdao with a nice dark fretboard that looks like ebony. Dark ebony is becoming very rare, and it must be significantly more costly than rosewood, so I just can't believe they'd be throwing ebony fretboards on very reasonably priced Epiphones out of Qingdao! Totally agree with but was trying to find out for sure. It was late 2011 when the big crackdown on ebony happened. http://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2011/08/31/140090116/why-gibson-guitar-was-raided-by-the-justice-department Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 not 100% sure, but I think as a rule tho. Gibson Customs have ebony fretboards, I don't know if epiphone spec'd them the same way. Dark ebony is becoming very rare, and it must be significantly more costly than rosewood, so I just can't believe they'd be throwing ebony fretboards on very reasonably priced Epiphones out of Qingdao! I just think it would be nice, to have a real wood board, on the "upper tier models," from both Gibson and Epiphone. But, that's just Me! I don't think there's any way around it as time moves on.{thankfully I have a closet full of guitars that have rosewood/enbony fretboards which I do not plan on selling...} Well I guess it all depends on the model and what resources are available. Personally, I have never played a guitar with a Richlite fretboard so I have no idea how they compare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 I have an Ebony Epi LP Custom.... I guess I should have paid more attention to that "LP Custom." Gorgeous guitar! Looks like Supersonic gave us the definitive answer. Since you don't have the P90 soapbars, you've apparently got the black richlite fretboard. And it looks like it - black, looks like ebony, but perfectly smooth, no grain. I had one on a mid-range Martin. I liked it! (I totally love the ebony boards on my Guilds, though.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 I guess I should have paid more attention to that "LP Custom." Gorgeous guitar! Looks like Supersonic gave us the definitive answer. Since you don't have the P90 soapbars, you've apparently got the black richlite fretboard. And it looks like it - black, looks like ebony, but perfectly smooth, no grain. I had one on a mid-range Martin. I liked it! (I totally love the ebony boards on my Guilds, though.) Hi Cougar, I think I should have given a more detailed explanation in my post. Most Epi Les Paul Customs DO have rosewood boards and I haven't heard of Epi using "Richlite" (at least not yet). I was just trying to show how that $5k Gibby has a Richlite board, whereas that $800 Epi has an ebony one. That particular Epi that I posted the pic of may be an exception. The LP in question sure does look like ebony though, but as previously stated, it could be just a really nice, dark rosewood. Either way, it's a beautiful axe and the fretboard looks great whatever it's made of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muhua33 Posted January 10, 2017 Author Share Posted January 10, 2017 Thanks for the info and the compliments. I love the guitar; it plays great. I just wish I could find out about the fretboard. It's like she's keeping a secret from me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny 6 String Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 here are some pics i uploaded into photobucket. What do you think? http://s86.photobucket.com/user/muhua33/library/ In your picks the board sure looks like its ebony. I have 3 pup LP Custom and a 3 pup SG Custom and they are defiantly rosewood, but I also have a Prophecy LP Custom that has an ebony board. Epi has indeed used ebony on various runs over the years. Cant beat a black custom. Johnny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.