When did Gibson stop using ebony on the LP Custom fretboards

AndyK":25aggwco said:
So they replace ebony with paper machet?? Shouldn't the price of the guitars come down accordingly

Precisely - In the video Taylor even says that since they are using the "less perfect" ebony - it's now 10 times more abundent. So, what he and others are doing is propagating the myth that ebony is rarer than it really is while at the same time getting cheaper ebony to use on his guitars and still get the premium price. It's the same thing the diamond industry does. Convince everyone they are super-rare so you can charge an arm-and-leg for them. If ebony is so rare, why can you get it on a $400 Carvin Bolt kit guitar?? Listen - I'm not saying we shouldn't be cognizant of how we manage our resources like trees - but there is a balance between scorched-earth logging and not wanting to use wood for anything (as some nutty tree-huggers want). But with common sense management, there's no reason we can't still get great wood for use in building amazing instruments without using crazy government tactics to reward some, and punish others - based on politics and payolla.
 
they started using Richlite I think in late 2011. I personally wouldn't own one. A Custom has to have an ebony board for me anyway.

I think maybe now that Gibson has settled with the government, and will get the confiscated woods returned they'll drop the chemical epoxy and pulp boards... ;)
 
It's not just Gibson, and it's not just electrics. When I was recently in the market for a mid-level acoustic, I ultimately picked a Talor 416CE because of the fretboard material. Surprisingly, the Martin's in that price range had Richlite and you had to get above $2,000 for real wood. I just couldn't see spending that kind of money on something with a Richlite board. The 416CE has ebony :thumbsup:
 
chunktone":2zp2xsz5 said:
danyeo":2zp2xsz5 said:
chunktone":2zp2xsz5 said:
You can thank the Fed's for this. They seem to only be concerned with what wood Gibson uses. If you like this type of "help" from the government, vote democrat.

Watch the video that Lester just posted and you'll realize how misinformed you really are.
That's an old video, and yes I have seen it. If being "informed" means believing the government is out for the good of the people, or anything other than power and control, then I hope to never be as enlightened as you. :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

Make sure you keep your torch and pitchfork handy when the Democrats come knocking. Of course, this would never of happened if Bush were still in office.
 
Like I said in another thread, I think the Black Les Paul Customs are awesome guitars, but I could never own a Les Paul that doesn't have either Rosewood (not Granadillo) or Ebony. It's very unfortunate and I hope that Gibson can continue to use Ebony in the near future, even if it's spotted. I have no issue with the spotted ebony and I'm sure that it can be stained to look naturally black.
 
IceMan":24j4vq53 said:
danyeo":24j4vq53 said:
IceMan":24j4vq53 said:
chunktone":24j4vq53 said:
You can thank the Fed's for this. They seem to only be concerned with what wood Gibson uses. If you like this type of "help" from the government, vote democrat.

:thumbsup: Exactly. The Obama Adminstration and the jackbooted EPA confiscated all their ebony claiming it was obtained illegally. It wasn't. Countries like India and other nations that harvest ebony and other tonewoods have been able to get our government to work provisions into the Lacey Act to force companies like Gibson to hire workers in those countries to "finish" the wood before it is exported - essentially "sending jobs overseas". So, because Gibson doesn't use union labor after leaving Michigan, they have a big target on their backs from this president/Democrats. No other guitar maker was forced to hand over it's ebony. I have a feeling that once this president has been shown the exit and common sense re-enters EPA policies, they'll start using ebony again.


Where'd they get it from? Do you have the paperwork/facts to support Gibson on this? I imagine Gibson uses more Ebony than anyone else thus the target. Who else besides Jackson uses a lot of Ebony? Fender doesn't, some Ibanez but not many.

You guys just want the big company to go out and get the Ebony and it seems like you could care less where it comes from and how much of it is left.

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2012/ ... gered-wood
"This allows us to get back to the business of making guitars," he said, noting that the settlement would allow them to continue sourcing rosewood and ebony from India as it has for decades."

This is all politics and money - conservation has little to do with it.

That story is full of holes and leaves out a ton. I can't read that and really have a grip on what happened. If they can continue to source the ebony then why are they using Richlite? How much are they sourcing and how much are they actually allowed to take under the laws? Lot's of numbers here that were not being told. I'll take a guess and say they were probably hoarding a lot more than what the guidelines allow, but I doubt the powers that be in India really care. You're right about the money end of it, but believing that it's just a Democratic witch hunt to get Gibson sounds a bit much.
 
Zap":39x31p8c said:
Like I said in another thread, I think the Black Les Paul Customs are awesome guitars, but I could never own a Les Paul that doesn't have either Rosewood (not Granadillo) or Ebony. It's very unfortunate and I hope that Gibson can continue to use Ebony in the near future, even if it's spotted. I have no issue with the spotted ebony and I'm sure that it can be stained to look naturally black.

Just buy a used one. If Gibson stopped making Customs today there's still plenty of them hanging in every Guitar Center across the Country. But the prices would skyrocket on an already overpriced guitar.
 
danyeo":1docj922 said:
chunktone":1docj922 said:
danyeo":1docj922 said:
chunktone":1docj922 said:
You can thank the Fed's for this. They seem to only be concerned with what wood Gibson uses. If you like this type of "help" from the government, vote democrat.

Watch the video that Lester just posted and you'll realize how misinformed you really are.
That's an old video, and yes I have seen it. If being "informed" means believing the government is out for the good of the people, or anything other than power and control, then I hope to never be as enlightened as you. :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

Make sure you keep your torch and pitchfork handy when the Democrats come knocking. Of course, this would never of happened if Bush were still in office.
Well, at least we both agree things were much better under Bush.
 
Well I guess we all knew this would happen after a few raids at Gibson and all the other stuff about rare/exotic woods, I always said they should just go to maple fretboards for some and then one appeared at GC, purple flame-top, gold hardware, maple fretboard, one of thecoolest LP I have ever seen. More stuff like that and it wont bother us as much about the ebony. And FWIW I doubt the Pres even knew about the raids til after, hopefully he had more important things to do, everything is not his fault :D .
 
why would anybody buy a new $4000 gibson anyway?
that's why the used market is getting more and more expensive
we keep buying overpriced new gibsons with shady materials and they keep raising the prices
a few years ago, I could buy a freaking original silverburst for $1500 on gbase or ebay, now any used lp custom goes over $2200 cause the new ones are expensive as fuck

oh
and there's also the new acrylic block inlays, instead of real mother of pearl
now we can't even tell the difference between a real gibson and a $200 chinese copy
 
Rezamatix":1cwstmdf said:
I just got a new Custom shop custom. Came with an ebony board. It's for sale in the classifieds.
Shameless plug,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,ok, I'll check it out :LOL: :LOL:
 
You'd have to be retarded to pay $4000 to 5000 for a new lp custom that doesn't even have correct spec with the paper and resin faux ebony board when you can find mint used customs from the 90's to early 2000's for like 2k give or take a few hundred. I just picked up a custom authentic pre vos 68ri for $2200 on eBay and probably could have gotten it even cheaper if I haggled outside of eBay. One piece body, one piece neck and an ebony board. There was a nice 73 in black for 2400 in great condition, and many other nice deals. Gibsons recent lack of proper spec and quality control along with jacked up prices keep me convinced I will only buy used.
 
danyeo":2hpjiawu said:
chunktone":2hpjiawu said:
You can thank the Fed's for this. They seem to only be concerned with what wood Gibson uses. If you like this type of "help" from the government, vote democrat.

Watch the video that Lester just posted and you'll realize how misinformed you really are.

you might want to inform yourself. Chunk is 100% correct. The democrats and behind this. Them and their union lobby.
 
joepete77":2zh0ku14 said:
You'd have to be retarded to pay $4000 to 5000 for a new lp custom that doesn't even have correct spec with the paper and resin faux ebony board when you can find mint used customs from the 90's to early 2000's for like 2k give or take a few hundred. I just picked up a custom authentic pre vos 68ri for $2200 on eBay and probably could have gotten it even cheaper if I haggled outside of eBay. One piece body, one piece neck and an ebony board. There was a nice 73 in black for 2400 in great condition, and many other nice deals. Gibsons recent lack of proper spec and quality control along with jacked up prices keep me convinced I will only buy used.

Some good prices on ebay if you look around. late 70's/early 80's LP's in the low 2's are a hell of a deal, compared to the new stuff. If I were inclined though to pay 4-5K for a new Les Paul, you can bet that sonofabitch will say Nik Huber on the headstock.... :D

Steve
 
Ebony looks nice but its an absolutely shit tone wood for an electric guitar. I love my old Les Paul Custom but I have no doubt that it would sound better with a rosewood board. If an electric guitar with an ebony board sounds great, its in spite of the ebony, not because of it. Acoustics are a different story.
 
rupe":35jbh2ap said:
Ebony looks nice but its an absolutely shit tone wood for an electric guitar. I love my old Les Paul Custom but I have no doubt that it would sound better with a rosewood board. If an electric guitar with an ebony board sounds great, its in spite of the ebony, not because of it. Acoustics are a different story.


It probably would sound better with a different cap or pickup too ;) I think you are only person I ever heard say ebony is a shitty tone wood. it may not be the case on every body wood type but in my experiments with swapping necks I found ebony can work better than maple. I tried it on two different strat type of guitars, a mahogany body with maple top and an ash body. I like ebony over maple on mahogany/maple body but liked maple over ebony on the ash body. Granted there are modest differences between the two but I honestly doubt guitar company's would be using ebony if it were a shit tone wood.
 
rupe":3mq25912 said:
Ebony looks nice but its an absolutely shit tone wood for an electric guitar. I love my old Les Paul Custom but I have no doubt that it would sound better with a rosewood board. If an electric guitar with an ebony board sounds great, its in spite of the ebony, not because of it. Acoustics are a different story.

What don't you like about the tone of an ebony fretboard on a LP custom? Have you tried one with Ritchlite to compare?
 
chunktone":2wwnq2pv said:
danyeo":2wwnq2pv said:
chunktone":2wwnq2pv said:
danyeo":2wwnq2pv said:
chunktone":2wwnq2pv said:
You can thank the Fed's for this. They seem to only be concerned with what wood Gibson uses. If you like this type of "help" from the government, vote democrat.

Watch the video that Lester just posted and you'll realize how misinformed you really are.
That's an old video, and yes I have seen it. If being "informed" means believing the government is out for the good of the people, or anything other than power and control, then I hope to never be as enlightened as you. :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

Make sure you keep your torch and pitchfork handy when the Democrats come knocking. Of course, this would never of happened if Bush were still in office.
Well, at least we both agree things were much better under Bush.


It was like this...Bush had a stick of Dynamite in his hands, lit the fuse, and ran and watched it blow up in Obama's face. However, I doubt things would be any different no matter who was in office then, or now. Both parties make me sick at this point.
 
thenine":xw0g4pf2 said:
danyeo":xw0g4pf2 said:
chunktone":xw0g4pf2 said:
You can thank the Fed's for this. They seem to only be concerned with what wood Gibson uses. If you like this type of "help" from the government, vote democrat.

Watch the video that Lester just posted and you'll realize how misinformed you really are.

you might want to inform yourself. Chunk is 100% correct. The democrats and behind this. Them and their union lobby.

But you know if Republicans were in office and this went down the Democrats would be the first one's to side with Gibson. Politics as usual and their best interests aren't what benefit you or me.
 
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