Gibson get bakin'....

[Philly Q]

I don't know if it's connected with their recent "illegal" timber troubles, but Gibson have suddenly started offering various guitars with "baked" or "toasted" maple fretboards.  It began with the cheapo new Melody Maker models, but it seems to be creeping higher up the production line...

What do you think?  I don't like it.  It makes an LP Custom look like a cheapo copy.

http://www.guitarvillage.co.uk/productdetail.aspx?pid=11614&product=Gibson%3aLes+Paul+Classic+Custom+(LPCCTGTCH1)%2c+New%2c+Goldtop%2c+Inc.+Case

[blue]

if you look around, they're using a variety of materials.  the new Les Paul juniors have obeche 'boards, and i saw something else, but i can't remember what it was  :oops:

all their rosewood was confiscated, and i suppose if they bring more in from their suppliers, i suppose it would face the same issues.  so while this isn't something we want to see, i don't think you can really blame them.  continue production with an alternate material, or shut up shop?  not really a choice.  it's a choice born out of necessity.  i'll judge it for myself when i get a chance to try one of the guitars. who knows, they could be a revelation!

when they go back to rosewood, who's to say the current "law case material" guitars won't become collectors items?  :lol:

[HTH AMPS]

thats actually quite a tasty guitar - never seen a Gold Top Custom before, for £1399 thats a good price too.

fretboard is way too light though.

[Dmoney]

fretboard is way too light though.

+1

bit Bonamassa

[HTH AMPS]

fretboard is way too light though.

+1

bit Bonamassa

agreed.

[Philly Q]

if you look around, they're using a variety of materials.  the new Les Paul juniors have obeche 'boards, and i saw something else, but i can't remember what it was  :oops:

You're right, I saw one of those Juniors on a site the other day.  Took me a while to connect these developments with their wood being confiscated, though.  :oops: :roll:

I don't understand their "obeche" though - my Mira X is obeche, and it seems to be a soft, light (in weight and colour) wood.  Not at all suitable for fretboards.

I haven't been following the case really, couldn't they just get some Indian rosewood like everyone else?

[Nadz1lla]

Pardon my newbishness, but what is "Obeche"? Is it known by any other names? If not, what kind of tone does it give?

[tomjackson]

Looks okay to me, wonder if it's brighter that RW?

[gwEm]

it looks weird for sure.

i quite like the feel of the stuff though.

[Philly Q]

Pardon my newbishness, but what is "Obeche"? Is it known by any other names? If not, what kind of tone does it give?

Obeche is a soft, lightweight wood, from Africa.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triplochiton_scleroxylon

http://www.greatart.co.uk/OBECHEWOOD-wood-wood-carving-tools.htm

PRS used it for the bodies of the Mira X and Starla X models (when they first started using it they were calling it "African Basswood").  Tone-wise, my Mira X is very lively and resonant, acoustically loud and quite bright, but not thin sounding.  It's extremely light - the guitar only weighs 5 pounds.

So I'm baffled to see see Gibson using it for fretboards, it must be a different species.  :?


(Note - the Gibson in the link at the top of the thread has a baked maple board, not obeche!)

[Telerocker]

Baked maple, hmmm...  :?

[viking]

I haven't been following the case really, couldn't they just get some Indian rosewood like everyone else?

  That's what they did !It's a crazy story coming from a crazy US law "the Lacey act"...when you read it and look at the Gibson case,you really think they're out of their mind !Anyway,Gibson's Indian Rosewood has been confiscated ...

[blue]

yes, the bizarre part is that they're not saying the wood itself is illegal.  it's that Gibson are importing unfinished pieces of wood and turning them into fretboards in their US factory.  what they're saying is that the boards should be finished by Indian workers.  weird.  i have to agree with ol' Henry that to enforce such an edict with a raid with armed officers is totally over the top.  and does this mean the other guitar companies are having their fretboards (and rosewood necks)  made in India?  if not surely they're breaking the same law?

[Philly Q]

I hadn't appreciated that's what it's all about.  It makes no sense.

[Thrull]

dont understand why they dont just start using walnut, its beautiful.