djBeWilmingtonNC

Thanks Bobouz, do you think from the pictures the caps on mine look wider than on the gibson custom? and what about my fears that wear might occur at different rates since they are different materials, thus potentially creating a catch, plastic side wearing faster so string catches on the way back? i think i am going to get my gloss black gibson semi-hollow fix a different way, looking at a $300 epiphone es-339 and then buy some Gibson USA pickups (not sure which ones, recommendations welcome) and of course my trademark MIK-style GIBSON truss rod covers that i put on almost all my epis. Meantime, I've still got my Greg Bennett when i need a semi-holla

I also compared the midtown customs binding to a similarly-hybridized semi-hollow, my Greg Bennett Royale III (it too routs out sides from a solid mahogany block, but all the way through, the back is added.) The Greg doesn't have nibs or bumps. I guess this is a desired, upscale feature for some, not for me though. And maybe I just got one that wasn't sealed properly? Its very unsettling to be able to slide a string across the fret end and get tones. And these poor man's eyes just can't get used to that classy bumpy-ride look. };=D

@stein...it looks like you are right about other bound Gibsons having nibs or end caps, never being able to afford one i just didn't known. My four other Gibsons are unbound. I have bound epis, they do not have those nibs at the ends...just metal all the way. Here are closeups of Epiphone and Gibson Les Paul Customs...it still looks like there is more plastic across the top of the fret on the midtown the les paul.

OK here is a closeup for everybody....you can easily see the point where the fret meets the binding, not at the edge of the playing surface but a couple mills in. E-strings catch at that point, and they wouldn'[t on a tradionally fretted instrument. thats just how it is.

Gibson Midtown in action....

here's my xylophone, as requested!

@Peter thank you for saving me the trouble of posting a closeup of the midtown's richlite neck. it clearly shows the ugly plastic binding bumps at each fret. thats a couple millimeters of plastic across the top plane, scrape an e-string across where that plastic meets the metal and - on my midtown at least - "ping!". whereas with Gibson wooden fretboards - i have four of them - the frets go all the way to the edge of the board, they slopes off of course but it is an unbroken composition, meaning no place for the string to catch. Betterplayers than me might not have a problem, but I sure do. I'll wait for a Midtown Custom with awood fingerboard because I do like the size and look. But I'm betting this richlite version of the midtown will not hold its value so its a good thing you are satisified with yours! @flight959 thanks, but can't post elsewhere yet cuz I'm a newbie. @stein- I read that there's a groove for the frets of course but not a ridge below the groove to hammer frets into, so they are glued in place and that it has something to do with the composition of the richlite, thus the endcaps coming up from the neck binding to help keep them secure. There has been extensive bloggage about the difficulties that may arise from changing frets set in this manner but very little (so far) about how the construction might affect play.

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. }:=(