Guitar Myths: Richlite vs. Ebony Fretboards, Owner Review

I share an unbiased owner's review on Richlite vs. Ebony on fretboards leveraging my ownership experience across multiple brands (Gibson, PRS, Taylor, ESP, Martin). Hope you find it helpful.
Utkarsh Mohan is a Singapore based guitarist and author of the God of Sex & Gold and Rock'n'Roll

[@anouri9179]

The richlite is a multiple sheets of paper and phenolic resin highly pressed at a specific heat and pressure. Paper is made by woods, so richlite are made also from woods.

[@MAX96MENDES]

Exactly ! It is just that "some internet people" like to make controversies , when really there is none.

[@neilwarden]

Bought my first guitar with a Richlite fingerboard, Godin 5th Avenue Nightclub Indigo. I was very apprehensive about the 'board at first. But it feels and plays great, very impressed with this material. I've been playing for 40+ years and this is a great way forward in guitar building. I'm glad you have posted this video.

[@ministryofguitar]

Agree. Richlite is awesome. Glad you love your guitar

[@MrBighairyass]

I have a 2016 Gibson 355 with Richlite and it plays well. Ever notice amazing players focus on music and mediocre players are obsessed with gear? Just play it and let other people cry about things that don't make a difference...

[@guidedbyvoices23]

First richlite I played was a gibson midtown at guitar center, I had never really heard of richlite fretboards nor was I aware of the fact that Gibson was using it. I absolutely thought it was ebony, I have owned 3 customs, and to many ebony fretboard guitars to even count. I couldn't tell the difference, it rings beautifully and is comparatively just as comfortable and quick as ebony.

[@EggNebula]

One of the best objective narratives on Richlite.

[@jamesrogers2963]

Agree. However, as one who abhors the look of a well-used Fender Maple fretboard, my concern is how well it holds up to a lot of use or age...

[@ministryofguitar]

Thanks. My sense so far is that it holds up better than wood but let's see

[@MrRoberacer]

I think everyone that has to have a guitar with an ebony fret board should have to grow 2 ebony trees. 1 to replace the one they used and another to add to add to the population so that eventually they are not an endangered species.

[@ministryofguitar]

I think there definitely need to be consequences or incentives to drive peoples behaviour

[@veganpower7825]

Meanwhile Dude in video literally bragging about all the ebony he has. That dude got bodies under his belt and now he cares?Gtfoh.

[@jski718]

I own a 2018 Limted Edition LP and I love my richlite fretboard. It's very low maintenance and it plays really nice.

[@gordonsteeves9950]

Thank you for your unbiased review. I am building (from scratch) my first LP (sort of like) guitar, and the place here in Canada where I purchased timber for a couple of other solid body builds I have almost finished (necks came from China, maple, maple) but this time I have decided to try my hand at making my own 24.75" neck, anyhow this timber supplier sells Rocklite® Ebano and Rocklite® Sundari (a rosewood type) so I think I will have a go at that stuff for the neck and head-plate. Again thank you for your review

[@michaelstrickland6592]

Very well done and convincing. Thank you. You answered all my questions!

[@JohnStalzer]

Thank you so much for this video . I have a Martin GPCPA4 shaded. I love the guitar. It sounds and plays amazing . I was having second thoughts about it because the fretboard is richlite. Not because of anything that Guitar does or doesn’t do but because of this real wood versus richlite notion .Thank you for shedding some light on this issue for me.

[@breal1183]

Nothing beats Richlite. It holds the same sound, sustain and you never even have to oil it.

[@ministryofguitar]

Agree. Objectively speaking if we forget history and tradition, I think it's the best

[@ramencurry6672]

Richlite is the best

[@2216sammy]

@@ramencurry6672 No it's not .

[@2216sammy]

It sustains less actually .

[@ramencurry6672]

@@2216sammy huh? Where’d you come from all of the sudden

[@shred5]

Here's the #1 problem with Richlite. If I am paying a premium to get a guitar like a LP Custom which historically had an ebony fretboard, I expect it to be ebony which is an expensive wood. They switch to richlite, which is fractions of a penny to the dollar vs ebony but still charge the same price. In fact, Richlite is cheaper than rosewood or maple, so why am I still paying a premium for it?

[@mattfleming2287]

Great video! +1 for the Black Sabbath T-shirt!

[@ministryofguitar]

Thank you. Sabbath is a big part of my musical journey

[@flowerdoodle2438]

Thanks for the well reasoned video. Q: What about richlite on acoustics? I just bought a Martin mmv which turned out to have richlite. Do your thoughts still apply?

[@jamesrogers2963]

nice job of objectively setting out the pros and cons, thanks...

[@ministryofguitar]

Thank you

[@brendonsmall14]

Love the supreme! I have the white custom with Richlite fingerboard and it plays like a beast! I love it

[@drbonkerssoundlabllc]

Thanks for this info. I had never considered Richlite before. I love ebony fret-boards. My concern is that Richlite is a paper pulp product. So I wonder when exposed to finger acid, moisture, light, the gas that body finish gives off in the case if stored for a long time, and extended vibrato stress, will Richlite hold its structural integrity and not decompose or need to be replaced in 20 or 30 years? If if was something that was purely plastic, like a phenolic resin, I don't think I would be as concerned. After all, the original Steinbergers from the 1980's with that phenolic resin material have held up extremely well over time.

[@Melonos]

Great video mate. Really enjoyed it.

[@ministryofguitar]

Thanks you. Sorry for the late reply

[@bluwng]

Can rich lite be cleaned with a damp cloth or does it have the same weakness as natural wood?

[@bigvelvetdog]

I am a small shop custom guitar builder and I just tried Richlite for the first time a few weeks ago. I absolutely love it. In fact I hope to test Richlite as a full neck very soon. Ebony wood has been problematic for me as a builder. Seems like at least 15% of the time it cracks or bows or does something that is undesirable. Richlite is a very stable material.

[@jonq8714]

Same here. I'm actually going back and forth between Richlite and Rocklite.

[@kevinmusso2397]

I agree with you 100%. I just bought a Godin with richlite. The feel and playability is better than any wood Neck I have played, and I currently own. Smooth as glass👍🏼🎸

[@us4marine]

Great review!! Very, Very helpful. Thanks for sharing.

[@SeanAndrews]

Thanks so much! Really appreciate the insight and objective opinion! :)

[@eggypop09]

Does binding on ebony board guitars prevent that cracking you mentioned at the end of the video? I've never noticed it in guitars with bound necks. My Carvin has an unbound ebony board and there was indeed a little cracking in the paint between the neck and fretboard right by the nut (occurring less than three years after I bought the guitar new) but I've never seen a Les Paul Custom, for example, no matter how old or beaten up with that problem. Also, do rosewood, maple, and other fretboard woods not have the same issue? BTW, amazing guitars, cool shirt, and great video overall!! Cheers from Los Angeles!

[@ministryofguitar]

Hi thanks for the kind words. I haven’t observed it on a guitar with binding so your hypothesis could be right

[@MrMojabo]

I bought a strat knock off made by Dillion. I changed the bridge and pots and kept the Wilkinson pickups. I was looking for a vintage blues sound. I play through a 57 champ that was custom made for me. I paid 300 bucks for the guitar 200 to upgrade it. And I need to say the Richlite is impressive. It has a clean and even feel to it. It doesn't get marked up. And as far as tone goes. It's just another factor in the sound. It certainly isn't a deal breaker. If I think about a paper fret board , the paper does come from wood. So to reconstruct the material to me its must another way to get a solid sounding material for a fretboard. No biggie. So I did very much appreciate this video.

[@ministryofguitar]

Thanks. I am glad it was helpful. And I agree richlite is impressive

[@theflash1425]

I thank you for taking the time to make and post this video, but you didn't address any of the practical concerns I think are important. For example, over time, will the Richlite stay attached to the neck as well? What's the expansion and contraction differences between Richlite and various neck woods, like maple or mahogany? Will Richlite break down over time for any reason (UV light, organic oils, etc.)? BTW, for the Eco-psychos, ebony is a renewable resource, so it's not really in danger of "extinction", it just needs to be managed properly, just like any natural resource.

[@BruceWalker51]

I've played on ebony for years and went to Richlite because it's non-porous and is not effected by temperature changes due to absorbing moisture or drying out.I live in a very cold region and my ebony and rosewood necks are constantly changing due to the variation of temperature. I keep my room at 74 degrees F, but as soon as I go out of the door to the car bam neck changes. Richlite also plays better in my opinion because the neck is truer and consistent.Loved your video

[@TheMegaPhilko]

Thank you very much! You did help me to inform about Richlite, which will have a great influence on my next purchase (in fact a Martin 000)! But you are a very nice feller indeed and I LOVE to hear you explaining - so I made an Abo of your channel (which I seldom do)! You have the same taste of guitars like me and you own some of my own models, but in fact modells, I wish I'd had! Hope I can hear & see more of you! Good video, very nice fella - thanks and greetings from Hamburg, Germany :-)

[@bringupthesun8986]

excellent video my friend, thank you. Do you hear any discernible tonal differences between the two?

[@Cedarburger13]

What a great review. Thank you. Beautiful collection, and that woman was gorgeous, too. Seriously though, really great review and observations. Very articulate and addresses many questions I had. What remains to be seen is cheap knockoffs of Richlite material. I expect that as ebony becomes less and less the standard, some of the manufacturers will value engineer Richlite and use dodgy synthetic replacements.

[@DevinRyanVitek]

Thank you for your video Utkarsh, I’m looking at Les Paul Custom’s and there’s great deals on Custom’s with Richlite. If it’s less to worry about, I think it’ll be better in the long run.

[@nafis6668]

Thank you for this video Utkarsh Mohan :) I have a question, will richlite swell under the influence of moisture?

[@nafis6668]

tq for the reply! :)

[@umbutuuubnunga6587]

I’ve been interested in composite materials since I bought my Steinberger. It has a Phenolic Resin board, and it looks great, but it feels a little weird. Kinda grabby (not in a tacky, sticky way) when I try to vibrato or bend. I’m hoping to have a new guitar built with Richlite, and hope it can give the smoother feel of rosewood or ebony. As I want to be more friendly to our forests.

[@NealB123]

Excellent video with a balanced perspective. Well done.

[@ForbiddenKnowledge42]

Hey great video. There are so many myths like this in the guitar world. Can you explain what you mean when you say that the fretboard material affects the playability of the instrument? I have an MTD bass with a synthetic ebonal fingerboard. I think it plays and sounds great. But even on that instrument I don't see that the fingerboard material affects the playability.

[@edvogt4039]

I've owned Gibsons with ebony, and they're great. I didn't even know about Richlite till a year or two ago when I picked one up at Guitar Center. I immediately knew it was different and didn't feel the same. I may buy another Les Paul Custom, but it will have to be one with ebony.

[@realmusic21d]

A very good reasoned set of arguments. Thanks for posting this. I've subscribed too!

[@DrGlenGatin]

i have a couple of Godin guitars with Richlite, an A6 and a Montreal Premiere. I love the feel. I ordered a rRchlite finger board for a Frankencaster project I've got going. Looking forward to working with the stuff.

[@nalukeko]

I wasn't even aware of richlite so far. Thanks for the info. I'm quite fond of rosewood but that's not in a great state of resource either. I wouldn't mind the non-black ebony but would prefer it stained black. Not sure I'm into richlite as much with it being somewhat synthetic.

[@TheChicagoTodd]

Utkarsh....nice video. I have 3 acoustic guitars that use carbon fiber for the fingerboards, and I love them! Talk about smooth...strings will not catch on them like what may be possible with wood grains. Sounds to me like Richlite may be the way to go.

[@cardbored_]

Reading these comments makes me feel a bit better about my recent purchase. A 2014 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Custom in Ebony/Black. When I messaged the seller I asked if the fretboard was Ebony because I see a lot of them with Bolivian Rosewood and they said yes. Then I remembered Gibson was using Ritchlite and I believe the one I purchased is probably Ritchlite I started getting worried. The guitar comes on Friday so we’ll see. I have 14 days to decide but I always hate returning things. I got a pretty good deal, I guess considering the prices of Customs now. I paid $3995, the guitar is literally mint. I hope I like the Ritchlite.

[@johnb3194]

Did you like it?

[@Walkerbjj]

What did you think of it? I have 2 customs. One w/ ebony and one with richlite. I could hand you both and i'd bet my life savings you couldn't tell which was which. Feels and sounds the same. I actually prefer the richlite (if i had to sell one) because I know the neck isn't going to change due to temperature and humidity.

[@cardbored_]

@@Walkerbjj So ironically the guitar I ordered got lost in transit so I ended up getting refunded and found a 2006 Custom Shop 1957 Reissue ebony custom for the same price. The guitar I ended up with has an ebony board so ultimately I'm really glad I ended up not getting the original one because I'm fairly certain it was ritchlite. Not necessarily for the feel or anything but more for the fact that I think the 57 was ultimately a better investment and I love the neck shape.

[@Walkerbjj]

yeah man. I'd bet my life you couldn't tell a difference in person if two guitars were the same other then the fingerboards. I keep hearing the resell comments from people as well but pre and post richlite customs seem to be selling for the same price. I plan to keep my guitars for a very long time and i love that my richlite one isn't going to be affected like my ebony one. At the end of the day, I think people spending too much time talking about gear and their preferenes than actually playing the guitar lol @@cardbored_

[@LonelyRocker]

Have you seen any stats on the longevity of Richlite?

[@2216sammy]

It's recycled paper and should be dirt cheap .

[@psour33]

Thank's :) I'm very concerned by this technology on guitars. I was about to purchase a Gibson LP HP II when I saw this "richlite fretboard" so now I don't know what to do :/

[@toemasmeems]

psour33 lmao the boomer didn’t obtain any of the information did he

[@WarrenPostma]

So the resale thing is a reason not to buy new and a good reason to buy a used Les Paul with a fretboard in richlite.

[@jeanguion3223]

I agree totally...Richlite is awesome....ebonite is also another name for it. . it began life in the bowling ball industry... I had a cheap bolt on jackson soloist knock off with a ebonite/richlite fretboard.. very good playing guitar... From a luthiers point of veiw.. richlite is a better fretboard material based on the fact that if it is planned perfectly..your frets will be perfect..doesn't dent..fairly hard to chip...holds frets very well...polishes to extreme smoothness...it will never warp...it strengthens a guitar neck more than anything short of metal... Its one and only weakness is its ability to hold certain glues...but if installed properly that isn't an issue..

[@StickMan...77]

Excellent video ,thank you very much.

[@billhannum4117]

Very good and informative I have many les Paul's but I want a les Paul custom I have hesitated because of this controversy . Does ritchlite fade? Can it be refretted?

[@woodstockjs]

There is another youtube video on a refret of a ritchlite neck. the luthier that did the refret was absolutly blown away how easy it was and how clean the old frets came out.

[@shred5]

@@woodstockjs the problem with that is that the frets sometimes pop out when they shouldn't.

[@samanthony6282]

Well it all depends on the price. I wouldn’t pay the same amount of money for a guitar that doesn’t have an ebony fingerboard. In future guitars with ebony fingerboards should comparatively attract a much higher price , even higher than the current price difference.

[@carvelful]

tell me about refret... it is possible?

[@williampereira8868]

WOW great info I own two guitars with ebony fretboard but none with Richtlite but did try and yes to me not much difference and yes resale value could be a problem for the die-hard ones, in the long run, we need to get ready for it as you said ebony is getting more and more scarce

[@freesk8]

I bought a used Martin Road Series acoustic on Craigslist. Got a great deal on it! Played it for a year before I realized the fretboard is Richlite. Still sounds great! :)

[@thosch7237]

That was interesting! Thank you! I'd prefer ebony though

[@TheTaulusPaulus]

Hey!! Great article!! I'm in the market for a SG with richlite... Do you have any suggestions as far as models

[@woodstockjs]

Gibson 2016 SG Supreme is also Ritchlite.

[@kwyld]

Richlite does an amazing job on guitars. An environmentally friendly solution to a very scarce wood that pretty much beats out ebony in every way is amazing. Easily machined, is like a very dense hardwood, extremely durable, very very very low moisture absorbance, heat and fire resistant, comes in many different colors, AND will be around for your kids and grand kids to play on once ebony is no longer an option at all. I think you did an awesome review, keep it up!

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

grow ebony and rosewood trees- problem solved and we can have nice guitars with real woods and not fake paper machete.

[@dietersdawgs]

it's not eco friendly, it's made in factories with high heat and chemical treatments....are you brain dead lol? Show me ONE eco friendly factory that produces plastics ( it is a plastic ).....there are none.

[@michaelsutliffe5714]

Thank you for a truly excellent, objective and informative video.

[@ministryofguitar]

Thank you. Appreciate the kind words

[@kenq7948]

Thanks, I was wondering if you can tell if a fret board is richlite or not.

[@josephbrashears8558]

Yes. Richlite can have some of what looks like grain but you can tell close up that it is not ebony. Ebony is dense but still has a grain and coloration to it. Richlite is just as good in my opinion. You can more easily tell it's Richlite by the edge of the fingerboard, if not on a guitar with fingerboard binding. Feel and tone - you won't notice a difference.

[@Tull1996]

This was really a well done video....I'm currently in the market for an acoustic....and was going to rule one of them out, specifically because it had richlite vs a real wood....now, I'm not so sure.....again...very well done. Thanks....Oh...and nice T-shirt ;-)

[@philf915]

Thanks. Very fair and impartial review that helped me make a decision

[@ministryofguitar]

Thank you. Glad to help

[@leansephbishop4309]

Never knew about Richlite Wood Brazilian Rosewood sounds great, Do you think Indian Laurel Rosewood or Ebony Is better In comparison,

[@ministryofguitar]

In my opinion, fretboard Wood doesn't make a sufficient difference to the sound. Neck body and body wood differences can be heard to my ears but fretboard its more about feel and richlite has the best feel

[@auntie_social]

Excllent comparison and comparison.

[@Curtislow2]

Good information on Richlite. Great video presentation. Easily understandable accent. One of the best points being opinion and concept needs to improve.

[@tunesmith7437]

What about any potential toxicity from Richlite in contact with your skin? Any research on that? I hear that formaldehyde is one of the "chemicals" you mentioned.

[@codyjewell1460]

They make fucking countertops out of it 😂 just because formaldehyde is present in production doesn't mean there are traceable amounts of formaldehyde on the surface once finished or would even be enough to have any effect.

[@sv1201]

It still fumes, so yeah, a thorough research is yet to be done on long term health effects.

[@djt6546]

Great video. I agree, more people should speak objectively about richlite in the guitar world. In the long term a great guitar will always be a great guitar. But being human I guess we will have to weather a rocky acceptance of none traditional resources for a few years to come. I bought a LP Custom Florentine 2014 recently from Thomann in Germany. I own a few guitars but had not heard of richlite until that point. The only thing I really thought about during my choice of guitar is that I preferred the feel of this guitar to the hit and miss finish quality of several LP 59 reissues I was trying. Then there were 2 identical custom guitars in stock and the one I got sounded more organic while the other sounded sterile by comparison, both acoustically and through an amp. So it was just another common occurrence of one guitar sounding different to another identical guitar. Like you say, let's just focus on what matters because alternative resources must thrive if we are to keep making guitars :-)

[@RByrne]

I got a great deal on a 2018 custom recently with richlite board. I'm fine with it. Compared side by side with my 2008 Supreme with ebony, it's not easy to tell. They play and feel very similar. I live in Toronto, and ebony can take a beating in the humidity swings. I would have chosen ebony over richlite if the price was the same, but for the savings I'm fine with richlite. I also don't think it will have any effect on the resale value of guitars that were only ever offered with Richlite, such as the Supreme Florentine, and the Modern DC Custom.

[@AndyNyle]

Does it age gracefully as the ebony (together with the body)?

[@universalmanchild]

It will last longer than any part of the the guitar.

[@sicmonic]

Great video! Thank you.

[@PedroCabralDutra]

thanks Mate! you made my life easier :)

[@sv1201]

The problem with richlite is that manufacturers position it as a premium material and charge extra for it, while as the reviewer had mentioned, its resale value was actually diminishing. Here is an example: 2018 Gibson SG Standard HP came originally with a rosewood fretboard and autotuners for $2199, but after a short run Gibson replaced it with 2018 SG Standard HP-II that was basically the same guitar but it came with a richlite fretboard and locking tuners for $2399. You can argue usability of autotuners, but it's a more expensive option for the manufacturer than the locking tuners, so what this means is Gibson thinks they can charge a lot more for the richlite fretboard and that is wrong.

[@dave63864]

i am and i have been getting more and more sick of the way guitar companies act these days. all they care about is fucking profit and will hire something like sammick or cort guitar to make their imports, these companies they hire have a huge problem with any workers demanding better treatment and wages and simply move to Indonesia as a response. it makes fucking sick personally however as a consumer i see some good prices but i can't stand a guitar that is not Japanese or American most of the time. . . . they don't feel right or something like those imports have scratchy frets or something

[@jesseallen38]

Thank you for a very informative video....

[@jeffreytelmo2135]

Richlight is made from paper compressed with epoxy as a binder. I want to see a tap tone test between the two materials

[@cardbored_]

But hey paper comes from trees so I guess it’s technically wood haha

[@OmarBhoo]

I love my fretboards as black as possible. But I really would prefer richlite now. I've got a couple 90s Carvins and Jacksons with ebony boards but at this point I would prefer buying richlite.

[@codybuffoord3172]

i have an oscar schmidt oghs has techwood neck and bridge. I beleive its similar ans its fine by me

[@Melonos]

Great video mate

[@jmc1000mickey]

Any probs doing a fret job on Richlite?

[@ny7294]

Not at all , in fact Richlite is easier to refret

[@jeffreydouglas351]

But especially, when it comes to acoustic's, which "sounds" better?

[@Bflatest]

wood adding tone to ELECTRIC guitars is a big myth

[@Brutalgruve]

Old and dispelled bflatest. If you cant hear then you don't understand tone. And that is unfortunate for you and your tone death spankers. Seen it, heard it, so don't bother water head

[@MarkoPavicMusic]

Nice info, thanks!

[@pete9639]

Very good video. Thanks.

[@bigdbearkiller5115]

i thought you were going to talk bad about richlite but you didnt. richlite might save some ebony trees if people would stop there ignorance. thanks for your honest opinion

[@GaryHudsonsMusic]

Great video.

[@christianboddum8783]

My concern is that over time it will not cooperate with the wood of the guitar. I have watched instruments from the 70's and on, using epoxy products in various places, and problem occur over time, because epoxy doesn't yield to its sorroundings, causing cracks to happen. The aoustic properties may be great though.... FWIW

[@vashtidog]

Bought a Gibson LP with Richlite about 4 months ago. Did a lot of research on it beforehand. I must say I am very pleased. The look and feel is fantastic, and I have the comfort of knowing that my fretboard will not shrink. I also like the fact that I don't need to oil it either. I think this video mirrors my opinion, and I thank you for posting. Too bad that there are so many dumb people in the world that believe all the guitar myths out there.

[@rasinCaine_Gen]

I have a Richlite on my Seagull Maritime . I like it

[@Wargasm644]

It would have been interesting if you asked the lady to pick out her favorite looking fretboard without disclosing which is ebony and which is richlite. Or have her try to pick out the richlite amongst the ebony. I have a Les Paul with richlite and it’s fantastic. It sits amongst my ebony guitars and no one ever says “hey, that’s richlite!”. They just assume it’s ebony. It’s only an issue when you tell them it’s richlite. Lol. Mine has a sort of simulated grain. So it’s very difficult to tell it apart from real ebony. It’s consistency is the only way you can tell upon close inspection. Richlite haters are for the most part, ignorant. It plays like a dream and will continue to be eye popping for years. All my guitars except one (well 2 actually counting the richlite )has ebony. The other is a dark rosewood. Which plays pretty nice too. My least favorite material is Pao Ferro and baked maple. Other than that, I’m ok with most fretboard material.

[@dave63864]

so richlite guitars are cheaper! okay i'm gonna find one now. though the only guitars i like are the sololist and the dinky. one of which only uses ebony which i think that an sl2h would benefit from this newer and possibly darker materiel

[@BruceBurger]

I like my richlite es les Paul. It does feel smoother than all other guitars I’ve played, but shrug I’m not a good guitarist. My pro guitar friend said my guitar is crap because it doesn’t have real wood. 😓🎹

[@cardbored_]

You need better friends. The fretboard material doesn’t make or break an instrument unless there are significant issues which wouldn’t be specific to ritchlite anyway.

[@motavaper2613]

its not the same for me as rosewood i asked the sales associate what the heck it was made of because i knew it was not right sounding and played worse

[@motavaper2613]

just keep them off my j45 and 50's plz

[@boseifrit5480]

I like your accent. It makes it a little harder to understand you, but it makes you sound super interesting

[@ministryofguitar]

Thanks. I attempt to be understood;)

[@boseifrit5480]

@@ministryofguitar lol I gotcha man

[@michaelbentley4182]

This is excellent

[@jeetray11]

Nice collection of guitars. In general woods with grain look heavenly. Ebony is an exception cause you can't see grains. You can see some tiny specs/holes that probably can be used as an identifier that its wood but no functional aesthetic value. In this aesthetic regard richlite should score about the same as ebony. I don't play electric guitars. I always for some reason thought it doesn't matter what an electric guitar's body is made of. It could be a hunk of pastic and it would still sound great if the electronics is good. Perhaps good quality wood and construction matters a bit but I still feel it doesn't matter nearly as much as in acoustic guitars. That is the choice of wood won't matter much for electric guitars so I don't know if the fretboard is ebony vs richlite vs plastic, vs pine vs mango tree would make any difference. Thanks for the good notes on richlite. I am building a banjo and decided to use a richlite fretboard. My first build and first fretboard so I needed a bit of postive words.

[@bluwng]

I would thing a composition has better reliability and easy maintenance. I had a home with wooden floors and it is like a finicky old lady, now my composite floor doesn’t fear water, it’s tougher, better looking, longer lasting and durable.

[@DanielTPeace]

Richlite is sooooo sexy. I love ebony, most of my archies have it, but I now prefer richlite for its many positive attributes. It looks and plays most excellent, need I say perfect. Excellent video by the way, new subscriber here.

[@ministryofguitar]

Thanks. You are right

[@user-nx6ci8lg4y]

i have a 2013 les paul custom with a richlite fretboard and a tribal v with an ebony fretboard, i prefer the richlite its just better

[@ministryofguitar]

Yes

[@joeballs5669]

good video thanks

[@reddoggie100]

Dude! Gr8 vid man. Appreciate the insights. I’m a huge fan but went to Gr8 lengths to get an older used LP Supreme just for the ebony board. It turned out to b my favorite thing about that guitar actually... lol

[@reddoggie100]

Meant to say huge fan of Gibson in that comment... Anyway, I’ve looked for comparisons & opinions on this and haven’t found too many so thanks for posting this.

[@alseick]

It's good that somebody has the guts to admit that expensive guitars also do have problems :)

[@ministryofguitar]

They do :)

[@Sabbra]

great video! Rich man...

[@metalmig]

ok ok richlite is a good alternative for guitar on the other hand ebony is very hard to find = more expensive than richlite then how come if they are using a cheaper material the overall price of the guitar remains expensive i mean gibson custom shop w richlite fretboard +6k

[@LedZeplican]

Phenolic Resin used in the making of richlite is literally a type of plastic. You can research the resin itself, it’s well known that is is plastic.

[@Wargasm644]

It is a type of plastic. But it’s used as a binding agent in richlite . Which is an organic material. So technically, yes, it’s a plastic. But richlite is a fantastic playing surface. My richlite Les Paul sits amongst my ebony Les Pauls and no one even knows it’s richlite. They just assume it’s ebony. Your guitar already has tons of plastic parts anyways. That never stopped anyone from buying guitars.

[@MrTurtleywasted]

Thanks for this great video mann, really help me out on the side crack between fretboard & neck. Recently bought 2 used Gibson Gothic series from japan and both had side crack, really worry about it mann now im clear with great information. PS. Not related to topic - You got really hot wife sir, Kudos!

[@SaintKimbo]

How could anybody even consider ebony when it is in danger of extinction? What's wrong with people, it's just ego that keeps this debate going, a beautiful wood is in danger of disappearing forever simply because self centered narcissists think they deserve a premium wood on their guitars ! "My fretboard doesn't feel or look as good as I want it to with alternate materials, so therefore the tree must be cut down," "yes, your Majesty, it will be done". Anybody that still demands an ebony fretboard is no better than those A-holes that think ground rhinoceros horn gives them virility, and don't care how many rhino's are left dying in the forests.

[@rosswilliam2472]

Very well said.

[@stonewoe1]

GO PUT YOUR TAMPOON ABCK ON AND STAY OFF KZbin

[@itsrob2321]

Yeah, let’s ban using materials from nature for the sake of mankind. Let’s ban using the wood that we have in abundance so it causes a real shortage. Let’s pile up politicians to the sky and make them rich writing legislation to stop man from everything that makes life palatable. Let’s stop production of oil and gas and move back in to caves without modern conveniences. Blah, blah, blah. Or we could just use the resources we have, keep planting and harvesting in a responsible manner, and try to live in peace with each other.

[@jackgrflunkin3764]

@@itsrob2321 Politicians get rich from preventing this legislation so that corporations can save a ton of money from not having to perform this "responsible planting and harvesting" you speak of. I don't think the guy said anything regarding banning all forms of resource utilization either so take your ridiculous strawman argument back to the right wing conspiracy forums where they belong.

[@itsrob2321]

Jack Grflunkin Haha! I see you missed the point of my exaggerated banter. (Or maybe you didn’t.) Ha! I used the inflamed reply in response to the absurd statement, “How could anybody consider using ebony...”. I’ll tell you something, Jack. Ebony grows on trees, sir. Plant a tree and save the world through adult action. Yes, these are real problems, but banning the use of our natural resources sometimes makes the problem bigger. Trees are best used in service to mankind. Knee jerk solutions like banning everything takes no thought to actual solutions that are possible. Chill, my tolerant friend. It’s okay if someone has an opinion different from yours.