heymisterk Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 So I was reading on the Gibson website that the guitars with block inlays (and probably the dot inlays as well) use acrylic instead of real mother-of-pearl. I had to Google in order to actually understand what the hell MOP was. Is there any real difference between the two, other than being able to say, "Mine is REAL M.O.P...." Do any guitar makers still use real mother-of-pearl? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
six-string Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 didn't you know....real mother of pearl accounts for 99% of a guitar's tone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heymisterk Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share Posted October 15, 2009 didn't you know....real mother of pearl accounts for 99% of a guitar's tone! Right, that's kind of what I'm getting at. I just looked at the Heritage guitar website and it says, "Mother-of-Pearl inlays" on their 150CM models, so I don't know if this is just a cost-cutting move by Gibson, and if so, does it really matter... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Right' date=' that's kind of what I'm getting at. I just looked at the Heritage guitar website and it says, "Mother-of-Pearl inlays" on their 150CM models, so I don't know if this is just a cost-cutting move by Gibson, and if so, does it really matter...[/quote'] Notice the Pinnocchio emoticon. He's pullin' your G-String. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Unless I'm mistaken, Customs have real MOP inlays. Standards, Classics, etc., have acrylic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
six-string Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 you are probably right. i do have a couple Heritage 150CM models and they do have mother of pearl inlays. can't say i've notice that it makes a huge difference in the sound. it sure looks nice tho'! edit after R9: i believe you are correct about the Customs. or at least the Historic reissue Customs anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I would say it is most probably a cost cutting factor and probably only Eric Johnson could hear the difference. It seems to me that having real MOP or Abolone would raise the value of the instrument - Personally if I had the choice between to completly identical instruments where the only difference was that one had MOP and the other did not I would choose the MOP, but that's just me. I also wonder about long term effects of the acrylic? Will if fade or turn colors? I think MOP and Abolone have a long test period and they can mellow somewhat over the years - colorwise that is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bill Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Unless I'm mistaken' date=' Customs have real MOP inlays. Standards, Classics, etc., have acrylic.[/quote'] Tim, is this to include the Gibson logo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Unless I'm mistaken' date=' Customs have real MOP inlays. Standards, Classics, etc., have acrylic.[/quote'] Not a Gibson proper, but my Epiphone Elitist Dot does have a real MOP epiphone logo, but I'm not sure about the actual "dots." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 When I was looking at the Black Beauty '57, they clearly stated that it was acrylic. That was one thing I didn't like about the guitar was the inlays. I'd also rather have split parallelograms like on my ES-175. My inlays appear to be MOP. But I haven't verified that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
six-string Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 not to argue but i just pulled these specs off of the 12th fret website for a Gibson Custom ...but i guess that's the regular version not the R7 Les Paul Custom 490-R neck and 498-T bridge Alnico humbuckers double bound body w/maple top and mahogany back gold hardware 22 fret ebony fingerboard w/block mother-of-pearl inlays available in black, Wine, or Antique White Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepblue Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 What do the historics have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myspace.com/jessenoah Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 vintage les pauls standards inlays wernt made of mother of pearl, but rather a very flammable form of cellulite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I stand corrected. Customs also have acrylic inlays. Only thing that's MOP is the headstock inlay. http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-Custom/Les-Paul-Custom/Features.aspx http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-Custom/1957-Les-Paul-Custom-2-PU-VOS/Features.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
six-string Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 vintage les pauls standards inlays wernt made of mother of pearl' date=' but rather a very flammable form of cellulite[/quote'] i think cellulite is something Freddy Mercury was singing about in the classic "Fat Bottom Girls" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bill Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 i think cellulite is something Freddy Mercury was singing about in the classic "Fat Bottom Girls" :) I love Fat Bottom Girls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Natural Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 vintage les pauls standards inlays wernt made of mother of pearl' date=' but rather a very flammable form of cellulite[/quote'] Don't light a match around dem00n's girlfriend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbonesullivan Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 thread resurrection! So, anyone know why they use the acrylic? MOP inlay sets are, for the most part, cheap. The increase in cost would be marginal. There are huge amounts of MOP and Abalone produced as a byproduct from commercial abalone and oyster farming. It's just interesting that they use MOP for the Gibson logo, but not for the actual inlays. It's not a huge deal, but over years acrylic can shrink, and is softer than MOP, so it could wear. then again MOP could crack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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