FINGERBOARD ISSUES: The Gibson Midtown Custom goes back unfortunately. Blame on the Richlite board - not its controversial paper and goo composition which looks and feels fine, but it's construction....just finished a practice session, and the problem is how the frets have to be set in richlite (no ridge underneath like into real wood boards). Instead frets are WTFfully laid into grooves with plastic end caps coming up from - and part of - the binding (i guess all richlite boards have to be bound because of this). This means plastic meets metal across the TOP PLANE, where naturally, it can catch (and does) on every fret at that join point. And i realized, even if its as smooth as glass there at first (and it isn't), the two sides will wear down at different rates because plastic and metal have different compositions. It creates quite audible (and tonal) pings when soloing and a finger on the e-string goes a bit south of the stringline. Or when chording and your e-string note comes down a little off, you slide into place and - ping! - it catches as you do so. Very sad - and shocking, Gibson. You can actually play the joins like a xylophone with a hammer-slide action, except i don't need a $1500 xylophone. Sure, Martin and Gibson-owned Steinberger do plastiboards, but acoustics and basses are tighter, bigger strings, and going south of the board not as likely. Had high hopes for this one WilmNC music friends but final verdict is the Midtown is a letdown: NOT RECOMMENDED. }:=(