Sitedrifter Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 I have been reading about Gibson using laminate finger boards since their wood was confiscated by the feds a couple of years ago. I also read that starting in 2013 the fingerboards are back to being solid since Gibson has restored the inventory of fine woods. My question is, is this information accurate and if so, when did the laminated boards start and END production? I ask because one store I want to visit by me has lots of 2012 J200 models and I would prefer a solid fingerboard. Thanks Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telemaster03 Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 I bought a Les Paul Studio last year that had a baked maple fingerboard, I haven't heard anything on Gibson acoustics. Martin recently introduced a guitar that used Morado on the bridge and fretboard, the 000-17SM. Taylor bought a facility in Camaroon to source and sell ebony, and they have started using ebony that's lighter in color as opposed to the more desireable dark wood. I don't think the Gibson raid is what caused the use of alternate woods, it's that the resources are being depleted. Gibson just had to come up with other things since the gov't confiscated their supply. That was at their Nashville and Memphis plants, I don't believe Bozemean was affected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Politics. Wood is renewable. Henry was a target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 . Actually, Bozeman was affected. There were several threads here that discussed the "Lacey Act" guitars - including acoustics with laminated fretboards and laminated bridges. In one of the threads, someone pinpointed the time frame - something like some late 2010 to early 2012 (just a guess). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdd707 Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 My recollection is that the laminated "era" lasted only a few months in 2012. I remember that it was a result of the Feds confiscating wood that they (Feds) claimed violated the Lacey Act. Therefore, stocks were low for a while and the factory had to make do with what was on hand until "legal" wood was purchased. Gibson made a deal to pay a fine and promised be good boys from now on. But then I'm old and my memory is not too good. btw, I have a L-00 with a two piece bridge and I can't tell that it makes any difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telemaster03 Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Politics. Wood is renewable. Henry was a target. That's my belief as well. I missed the earlier discussions about acoustics being affected, interesting. I didn't get either my J45 or Woody SJ till later in 2012. Glad they were back to regular wood by then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Politics. Wood is renewable. Henry was a target. Not true. But I've given up any hope that folks will embrace the truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phelonious Ponk Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Fair, balanced and duplicitous. Of course wood is renewable. It grows. But its supplies are only practically renewable if it's harvesting is controlled. What the Lacey Act - a bipartisan bill passed with strong bipartisan support - does, is insist that American importers obey the laws of the countries they're importing from, so those countries have a chance to control the harvest and preserve a viable market in their own resources. Put more plainly, it makes bribing foreign officials and smuggling foreign products a violation of American laws. Fox really has a problem with that? Really? Who's being political here? And don't make assumptions about my politics. MSNBC is no more honest. If you want actual news, as always. you have to put on your big boy pants, turn that crap off and read. And not blogs. Rant over. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanp33 Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 This question is going to shed light on my ignorance on guitars but is there any way visually to tell whether your fretboard or bridge is laminate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sitedrifter Posted September 18, 2013 Author Share Posted September 18, 2013 This question is going to shed light on my ignorance on guitars but is there any way visually to tell whether your fretboard or bridge is laminate? From what I understand it was two pieces glued together versus what one normally thinks of laminate as (many thin layers. I am not sure you could see unless the grain of each piece was opposite to each other. But I have not owned one so I am just speculating and if I am wring I hope someone corrects me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 This question is going to shed light on my ignorance on guitars but is there any way visually to tell whether your fretboard or bridge is laminate? There are two pieces glued together to make the proper thickness for a fretboard or a bridge. Look closely and you can see the seams in the two pics I posted in comment #4. On a bound fretboard you can't see the seam unless the nut is removed. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanp33 Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 There are two pieces glued together to make the proper thickness for a fretboard or a bridge. Look closely and you can see the seams in the two pics I posted in comment #4. On a bound fretboard you can't see the seam unless the nut is removed. . Thanks. I'll look at my guitar when I get home from work. I got a Hummingbird TV made I believe in April of 2012 so it's possible that the fingerboard and bridge are laminate. Still love the sound but that would be just a little bit disappointing. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul E Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 I have 2 guitars with the laminated bridge (2012 Hummingbird TV and 2012 Keb Mo)can't tell if the finger board is because it's bound. I don't think it makes any difference in the sound of the guitar. I was reading a thread on the UMGF a couple of years ago and there were pictures of a couple of Gibsons from the 30's and 40's that had their bridges shimmed (looked just like my laminated bridges)by Gibson when they were sent in for repair. I give Gibson credit for making do and still producing a great guitar. I don't know but maybe one day these "Lacey Act" guitars will be collectable for what they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Politics. Wood is renewable. Henry was a target. I am with you, too. I think it was an intrigue of potential investors who wanted to bring Henry and Gibson down and to cash on the brand name selling foreign made guitars, and to blame the false for it all hypocritically. In the end they would have wanted to promote themselves as the saviours of another American brand sharing its fate with Epiphone then. You may believe me that I think this would be the worst scenario to happen to Gibson, and I wouldn't want it that way despite of the fact that the value of US made Gibsons for sure would rise dramatically in this case - I just don't want to trade them. Finally, I think I don't have to explain what political force is a compliant follower of hedge funds managers, and maybe put some to the political forefront. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 What? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The dman Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 My J45 was made in May of 2012 and judging from the previous pictures is not laminated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del Nilppeznaf Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 well here we go Again Im actually glad my HB tv has a 2 piece bridge...they must be the most ( in ) famous Gibsons of the last 60 odd years.;...,,and hse sounded a treat :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.