Yet Another Richlite Discussion

[NighthawkChris]

I haven't seen any Gibsons advertising Richlite on their fretboards (FBs) anymore.  The LP Customs have seemingly all gone back to ebony...  I agree with this move. 

But I must confess, I have a LP Custom with Richlite, and can't say anything negative about it other than what the FB is made of.  It is one of the nicest looking/stable/playing guitars I have ever dealt with, but completely understand why this is so stigmatizing amongst Gibson customers.  I personally wouldn't buy another Richlite FB Gibson though - just because Richlite is used. 

So just going to keep my kitchen-countertop-fretboard guitar and I use it as a main-player guitar - no case queen.  Glad to see that Richlite isn't used anymore - as far as I can tell.  Looking at it from afar, no one can tell the difference.  Looking up close now, DEFINITELY can tell.  I even paid a pretty penny for it new, so if I sold it, would take a bath on it -  all because of the material used in FB construction that arguably resolves issues with wooden FBs adding much higher durability, stability, etc. 

If I had to do this over again, probably would have NOT bought guitar simply because of the distaste around Richlite.  So yes, some personal regrets.  I haven't ever tried to sell it, but luckily (lol) it is a great player despite the FB material.  People are stigmatized against the 2015 USA guitars, and there was even something I heard about 2012 (time period?) 2-piece FBs on some Customs and such (can't confirm), but the Richlite I don't think will EVER be something sought after.  I could be wrong (probably not though)...  I don't think ANYONE in the normal day-to-day discussions HERE will ever want a Richlite FB Gibson LP Custom.  Again, could be wrong - probably not. 

I don't have a pic of this to share at the moment, but it is a looker wrt the top - super flamey and 3-D like.  I believe I was enamored with the "bling", and a bit impulsive when I decided to buy the guitar TBH.  Not the worst thing I've done, but wrt guitar buying, I think it was something I would have rather spent on a different guitar.  I don't buy guitars for investment purposes whatsoever, but when you buy a Gibson, you'd hope that these guitars retain a good portion of their value - especially Custom Shop Gibsons.  I might have sold a couple guitars over the years, but for the most part, any Gibson I've had hasn't left my hands.  Sold Fenders, Epiphones, Jacksons, and 1 Gibson that I can think of that comes to mind...  I've returned Gibsons before though 😁

Edited June 27, 2023 by NighthawkChris

[duane v]

My 2014 Midtown Custom has Richlite and to be honest it plays just fine. I'm really not sure how the wood species plays into the tone, but if there is a wood species I do not like on a fretboard it's maple. As long as Gibson doesn't use that on the Customs there will be no objections from me. 

[SteveFord]

I remember going into Guitar Center when the 2015s first came out.

The sales lady asked me what I thought and I told her they look nice but it's going to be a bad year for Gibson.

[Rabs]

I also remember trying one out, might have even been the Midtown.. Cant remember now. But when I did I had that black residue o my fingers that some people talked about.. Which put me right off but it may just have been left over from sanding and not being cleaned properly.. Donno..

Either way we have various other real wood substitutes now.. Like this https://www.rocklite.co.uk/

Also from what I know Bob Taylor is the only place to get real legal Ebony now...

Yes..  After the government raids and confiscation of all their Rosewood Gibson had to resort to using laminated two pieces boards while it was all being sorted out.

Edited June 27, 2023 by Rabs

[sparquelito]

Wow, that Midtown is a smoking hot guitar!

Is it small bodied like the ES-339?

I sure like the looks of it, much better than the shape of the 335.

🫠

Edited June 27, 2023 by sparquelito

[merciful-evans]

I bought a new Gibson LP in 2015 and paid half price for it (yes after the 2016 sprint run). Since then I've seen used ones up for sale at the original RRP and more. They are now more attractive to people now than originally. I just checked and found two for sale in the uk. Both up for more than the original cost.  I'm glad I got one when I did.

Ritchlite? I would buy one in preference to rosewood every time. I have two guitars with artificial FBs (not Gibsons) and they are fine. Rosewood is not robust enough for me. 

Ebony & maple are hard enough. Ebony being my favourite. 

The nicest maple FB I have is the torrefied maple (heat treated and without lacquer) on my 339. Its dark in appearance and doesn't look like maple at all. .  

 

[Murph]

I would never buy a guitar with a Richlite board for the same reasons you mentioned. Its "status", plus the fact that I'm a bit traditional in my thinking.

Having said that, I have a friend with a Martin acoustic with a Richlite board, and I don't think he has had any issues with it, and he likes the guitar.

I've played it and never noticed a difference.

[Sgt. Pepper]

If its good enough for cabinets, it must be good enough for guitars. Wait they only did it cause they had to and don't anymore. Martin does it on thier Mex stuff to cut cost. I hope it not on USA Martins. Mine have ebony boards. 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper

[merciful-evans]

3 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

If its good enough for cabinets, it must be good enough for guitars. Wait they only did it cause they had to and don't anymore. Martin does it on thier Mex stuff to cut cost. I hope it not on USA Martins. Mine have ebony boards. 

Don't Martins use Micarta ? Its similar according to this. 

https://stringjoy.com/guitar-fretboard-woods/

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

3 minutes ago, merciful-evans said:

Don't Martins use Micarta ? Its similar according to this. 

https://stringjoy.com/guitar-fretboard-woods/

 

This once says FSC Certified Richlite.

https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/D-10E.html?dwvar_D-10E_color=sitka-spruce&cgid=guitars

 

[merciful-evans]

1 minute ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

This once says FSC Certified Richlite.

https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/D-10E.html?dwvar_D-10E_color=sitka-spruce&cgid=guitars

 

I suppose they are using both then. The link I posted says "It’s now become known as a reliable, sturdy substitute for ebony, conveying a highly similar playing feel and sonic response."

I take a simple view, if it works ok, then it is ok. 

[rct]

I have a micarta board'd American 000-16 and an ebony board'd M-36.  They are not the same.

rct

[CROWB8]

On 6/27/2023 at 2:39 PM, duane v said:

I do not like on a fretboard it's maple

Curious,

How do you feel bout Fender maple FBs?

Kinda of an apples and oranges Q. Different radius, bolt on neck, lends different playing experience. I prefer that over rosewood meself. On Fenders, for me, lends to an easier time at bending strings given the radius increase.

Honest Q. Not trying to be argumentitive.

[G Stone]

If I remember right Richlite is recycled paper soaked in resin. While it's still available, I'll get guitars with wood fretboards.

If I'm alive when wood is no longer available for guitars or parts of guitars, I'll get the synthetic ones. But I've got a pretty good backlog of guitars made of traditional  woods and I'll probly add to the backlog in the intervening years. So I may be able to get by without buying no new ones when there's no more traditional  wood guitars no more. I do like the carbon fiber guutars made by Rainsong though.

 

[merciful-evans]

1 hour ago, G Stone said:

If I'm alive when wood is no longer available for guitars or parts of guitars, I'll get the synthetic ones. But I've got a pretty good backlog of guitars made of traditional  woods and I'll probly add to the backlog in the intervening years. So I may be able to get by without buying no new ones when there's no more traditional  wood guitars no more. I do like the carbon fiber guutars made by Rainsong though.

 

I had been looking for a suitable non-wood solid guitar for quite a while. I feel that wood is the 'volatile' aspect in guitar construction. I've tried carbon fibre models. So far not found one that handles right.

I do have a Switch Vibracell. Its entirely synthetic. Its cheap and basic and I'd prefer something better. I use it when travelling as its the most robust guitar I have.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

19 hours ago, rct said:

I have a micarta board'd American 000-16 and an ebony board'd M-36.  They are not the same.

rct

I no longer see 000-16's on Martins site. But their 16 series stuff now say ebony fretboards.

They make a 000-17 and the board is R W.

Edited June 29, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper

[duane v]

12 hours ago, CROWB8 said:

Curious,

How do you feel bout Fender maple FBs?

Kinda of an apples and oranges Q. Different radius, bolt on neck, lends different playing experience. I prefer that over rosewood meself. On Fenders, for me, lends to an easier time at bending strings given the radius increase.

Honest Q. Not trying to be argumentitive.

What happened is I played a guitar some time ago with a lacquered maple fret-board and the feel was awful. After that I avoided guitars with maple boards with the exception of a 2004 Gibson LPC I have that has one...... which I never play. 

[merciful-evans]

2 hours ago, duane v said:

What happened is I played a guitar some time ago with a lacquered maple fret-board and the feel was awful. After that I avoided guitars with maple boards with the exception of a 2004 Gibson LPC I have that has one...... which I never play. 

Ah that explains it. The lacquer does take some getting used to. I had a maple necked Strat for 25 years. Its all I played back then. 

These days I have 2 lacquered maple boards. The CoolZ tele and the Ric 650 C. My other Ric 650  (Dakota) is without lacquer. 

[Twang Gang]

Poor old Richlite.  Everyone knocks it, but for absolutely no good reason.  Oh it plays well, and is stable, and looks good, and will never warp or twist, but people say they hate it, and won't ever buy a guitar that uses it.  If there has ever been a case of blind prejudice against something, Richlite has to be the classic example.  Maybe we should go back to gravel and dirt roads - that asphalt and concrete is awfully smooth and durable, terrible, just horrible.  

[CROWB8]

7 hours ago, merciful-evans said:

Ah that explains it. The lacquer does take some getting used to. I had a maple necked Strat for 25 years. Its all I played back then. 

These days I have 2 lacquered maple boards. The CoolZ tele and the Ric 650 C. My other Ric 650  (Dakota) is without lacquer. 

For me I think because I'm old school using EB .008s with a very light touch, low action, along with the 9in radius, the lacquer was never in play for my style.

[CROWB8]

Nail in coffin.

I don't like Richllite. Won't play or buy a guit that has it. I can give no valid reason for that preference other than maybe I'm old school or it's not "earthy" or "authentic". What ever that means. No justification of any kind. Least nothing I can put my finger on. Pun intended.

There. I said it.

[Sgt. Pepper]

8 hours ago, Twang Gang said:

Poor old Richlite.  Everyone knocks it, but for absolutely no good reason.  Oh it plays well, and is stable, and looks good, and will never warp or twist, but people say they hate it, and won't ever buy a guitar that uses it.  If there has ever been a case of blind prejudice against something, Richlite has to be the classic example.  Maybe we should go back to gravel and dirt roads - that asphalt and concrete is awfully smooth and durable, terrible, just horrible.  

How many of your guitars have it?

If none then . . . 

[NighthawkChris]

I think it might have worked better if it were a cheaper guitar - not a Gibson CS guitar - then for the price people might be slightly more accepting. I don’t like how these guitar companies act like it’s a luxury material or something… it ain’t crap, but it ain’t ebony which IS and always will be the right fit for a “standard” Gibson LP Custom. That’s what I think of when I think LP Custom.

Gibson guitars to Gibson-guys are sort of similar to going to a restaurant you’ve gone to for years. You know what you want going in and if anything… ANYTHING changes, it’s a no-go. Not saying that’s bad or anything wrong with that - you know what you want and how much it sets you back.

[CROWB8]

42 minutes ago, NighthawkChris said:

ebony which IS and always will be the right fit for a “standard” Gibson LP Custom

Couldn't agree more on LPC products, cept to add MOP inlay and binding. Ebony, MOP, binding, and level goes up from that baseline. Save specialties-RIs/SIGs and such. But I'm kinda anal that way. I even believe grovers are a bad "fit".

Edited June 30, 2023 by CROWB8

[merciful-evans]

17 hours ago, Twang Gang said:

Poor old Richlite.  Everyone knocks it, but for absolutely no good reason.  Oh it plays well, and is stable, and looks good, and will never warp or twist, but people say they hate it, and won't ever buy a guitar that uses it.  If there has ever been a case of blind prejudice against something, Richlite has to be the classic example.  Maybe we should go back to gravel and dirt roads - that asphalt and concrete is awfully smooth and durable, terrible, just horrible.  

Had it been employed in 1959, players would use nothing else today.

There is nothing rational about looking backwards to a perceived golden age, whether its from the angle of personal nostalgia or an embraced meme.