Rabs Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Hmm.. I just found out about this stuff.. I reckon we will be seeing more of it soon.. https://www.rocklite.co.uk/ Here is one of our new ROCKLITE® SUNDARI faux Indian Rosewood fingerboards side by side with the real thing. January 4th 2017 saw the ratification of the CITES proposal to stop the free movement of all Rosewoods (Dalbergia species) around the world. All Rosewoods be they, raw materials, part finished or finished items now need export and import licences to legally move from country to country! January 4th 2018 sees the launch of ROCKLITE® SUNDARI our unbelievably realistic, faux Indian Rosewood range of products, for musical instruments cue making and other craft applications. This product is more stable and evenly coloured and has none of the grading issues expected with real Rosewood. One of the most amazing things about this product is not only is it made from sustainable real hardwood, but as a man-made composite one would expect every piece to be the same with identical grain structure. Nothing could be further from the truth, every piece is unique with its own grain pattern and personality! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Looks very interesting. The Ebano in particular seems to be - from the image posted - visually identical to ebony. I didn't have any problems when guitar companies used Phenolic Resin / Richlite so I'm not going to have any problems with this. Looking forward to reading more about the 'boards when they appear on commercially available instruments. Thanks for the head's-up Rabs! Pip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 pass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted October 3, 2018 Author Share Posted October 3, 2018 pass The thing is one day we may not have a choice... CITES will meet again next year and they may end up increasing the laws on Rosewood and Ebony.. There was also talk about getting musical instruments off the list, but we will see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted October 3, 2018 Author Share Posted October 3, 2018 Looks very interesting. The Ebano in particular seems to be - from the image posted - visually identical to ebony. I didn't have any problems when guitar companies used Phenolic Resin / Richlite so I'm not going to have any problems with this. Looking forward to reading more about the 'boards when they appear on commercially available instruments. Thanks for the head's-up Rabs! Pip. Well I have spoken to a few people about this now who have actually used Rocklite.. The general consensus is that its very good.. Apparently when it comes to Richlite, while its ok they have done stress tests and it will delaminate quite easily, plus they have tried a re-fret test and the Richlite isn't that good with that in mind.. This Rocklite stuff however fairs much much better in the same tests and apparently both the Ebano and the Rosewood substitute really do look like the best quality rosewood and ebony you can buy.. The thing is that we can still get both real Rosewood and Ebony so for us small builders while we can get the real thing we will. The Rocklite is not cheap either so unless you are exporting its just easier and cheaper to use Rosewood.. At the moment :) That could change any time though so its good to know this stuff exists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Looks ok actually...wonder why they chose that name? In the future guitarists may drool over high grade carbon fibre instruments with original Rocklite boards.... On the one hand there is relic-ing and on the other, this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted October 3, 2018 Author Share Posted October 3, 2018 Interesting videos.. One with Ebano and one with Sundari. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelT Posted October 4, 2018 Share Posted October 4, 2018 I'm ok with different woods as long as it feels good, sounds good and holds up over time. I can't say that I've ever bought or not bought a guitar because of the fretboard wood. I'm kind of the same way with the tires on my car. If they hold up over time, the brand and type doesn't matter much to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted October 4, 2018 Share Posted October 4, 2018 The thing is one day we may not have a choice... CITES will meet again next year and they may end up increasing the laws on Rosewood and Ebony.. There was also talk about getting musical instruments off the list, but we will see. You're right Rabs. Eventually, there will not be any alternative but something sustainable like this. and for the sake of Mother Earth, I am ok with that. At 61, I'm heading for third base, I have grand kids, (18, 14, 12, and 2). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted October 4, 2018 Share Posted October 4, 2018 The thing is one day we may not have a choice... CITES will meet again next year and they may end up increasing the laws on Rosewood and Ebony.. There was also talk about getting musical instruments off the list, but we will see. Yes Rabs, you are right. Maybe I should have said I will pass as long as I can! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted October 4, 2018 Share Posted October 4, 2018 Wow! That stuff is nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
american cheez Posted October 4, 2018 Share Posted October 4, 2018 i dont care what they make it out of ( well- i might pass if they used skin from living babies or something) as long as it sounds good, looks good, is durable, i'm ok with it. but i bet you $1 guys will still claim they need to slather it in lemon oil every time they get a wild hair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted October 4, 2018 Author Share Posted October 4, 2018 i dont care what they make it out of ( well- i might pass if they used skin from living babies or something) as long as it sounds good, looks good, is durable, i'm ok with it. but i bet you $1 guys will still claim they need to slather it in lemon oil every time they get a wild hair. This is what it says on their site ROCKLITE® Ebano & Sundari colour stability. ROCKLITE® products are more colour fast and stable than most exotic woods. The latest technology in Phenolic Ultra Violet light absorbers are used in their production. During pre production testing we subjected Rocklite products many times to extreme long-term UV exposure, and in each case they held their colour far better than the natural hardwoods we were using as a comparison. We would however always recommend that when finishing, with lemon oil, coconut oil, or any other finishing product that you use a finish containing a UV inhibitor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek R Posted October 6, 2018 Share Posted October 6, 2018 I’ve just bought a new guitar that uses katalox as a fretboard,seems to be like ebony,and playing it so far feels like ebony,my only experience with ebony fretboards was playing a Taylor guitar,was hoping to get a Gibson with an ebony fretboard but so far haven’t been able to find the right one for me yet.this new guitar needs a bit of playing ,but the fretboard feels like ebony,very hard compared to the rosewood fretboards of my Gibson guitars.these new woods or alternative woods seem to be the way forward with regards to guitars,I don’t have any problems with them as long as they do what they’re meant to do Cheers derekr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted October 6, 2018 Share Posted October 6, 2018 I've just bought a new guitar that uses katalox as a fretboard,seems to be like ebony, and playing it so far feels like ebony, my only experience with ebony fretboards was playing a Taylor guitar... I agree, Derek. Before Gibson started to use Richlite I had already played quite a few Hagstroms with their own type of phenolic resin 'boards and really liked them. When the Richlite Gibsons appeared I went in to town specifically to try the new 'board out and I really liked those too. I have a couple of ebony 'boarded guitars and if I had been blindfolded when playing either the Hag's or the Gibbies I would have sworn blind they, too, were ebony. They are (IMO) identical to the touch and visually the only difference is the lack of wood-grain pattern. I also agree with the posters who suspect that 'replicated wood' fingerboards are, in all likelihood, going to be our future. If Rocklite is as good as the publicity and reports claim then we should all be happy enough. It's made of wood and it even has wood-grain pattern! Pip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted October 6, 2018 Share Posted October 6, 2018 I agree, Derek. Before Gibson started to use Richlite I had already played quite a few Hagstroms with their own type of phenolic resin 'boards and really liked them. Pip. I still use a Hagstrom Pip. The company also use these 'resinator' boards on the European build 'Northen' series guitars. Its certainly not a 'budget' choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted October 8, 2018 Author Share Posted October 8, 2018 I agree, Derek. Before Gibson started to use Richlite I had already played quite a few Hagstroms with their own type of phenolic resin 'boards and really liked them. When the Richlite Gibsons appeared I went in to town specifically to try the new 'board out and I really liked those too. I have a couple of ebony 'boarded guitars and if I had been blindfolded when playing either the Hag's or the Gibbies I would have sworn blind they, too, were ebony. They are (IMO) identical to the touch and visually the only difference is the lack of wood-grain pattern. I also agree with the posters who suspect that 'replicated wood' fingerboards are, in all likelihood, going to be our future. If Rocklite is as good as the publicity and reports claim then we should all be happy enough. It's made of wood and it even has wood-grain pattern! Pip. How about an acoustic made of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 How about an acoustic made of it Interesting; he didn't play it enough to get any impression of the sound but you'd expect something like that to be bright with less sustain. It won't season so the tone won't change - just like an ES175 in fact, though it should sound better. If it's more stable than wood then humidity won't affect it either... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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