As more and more guitar builders use Richlite, I think it will become available in many different colors - possibly with faux woodgrain, sparkle, etc. Should eventually be for some really cool fretboard ideas.
Thanks Andrew, we try to think of ways to make the sucky jobs more fun. The unfortunate thing about that jig is you have to have a pin router. Now, I think everyone should have a pin router but what do I know?
@@TexasToastGuitars Hey Matt I really do think I want to switch over to Richlite instead of ebony.....Lizzy Hale swears by it on her Explorer and to be honest I want to move forward with innovation especially if it saves Trees cause I like those damn things (trees)😁! Thanks for doing this episode....where do you find Richlite in Indiana?
you all prolly dont care at all but does any of you know of a trick to get back into an instagram account?? I was dumb lost the account password. I would appreciate any tricks you can offer me.
@Xavier Richard i really appreciate your reply. I found the site through google and im waiting for the hacking stuff atm. I see it takes a while so I will reply here later with my results.
I found this very interesting. Years ago, when I lived in Tacoma, WA, a small company out on the tideflats started marketing this product in various thicknesses, although as I recall, at that time, it was always 'natural' (sort of an amber shade), and quite expensive. I remember that I thought it would be perfect for frequently-used jigs and templates, as it was far more durable than either MDF or plywood (which were the usual default choices). I'm not sure I'd want to use it for a fretboard myself, but a tip of the hat for ingenuity... Got a kick out of your compound radius jig. Years ago, Ken Warmoth's dad (rest his soul) devised and built one of these for their production facility...your vid brought back memories...I'd be curious to know how the paper plies in this material react when it's time for a re-fret...
A guy on TDPRI forum mixed up glitter and epoxy and filled the inlays. Since that's a test fretboard maybe try their process out, and run it on your radius sander after it cures. Nice machines you have in the shop.
HA! Glitter inlays sound cool, I'll have to give that a try. I was removed from the TDPRI forum for my controversial views on the Fender Custom Shop... My big mouth precludes me from going back . There are a lot of very skilled builders on that page though Thanks for the compliment about the shop set up. I do videos about tools all the time. If you would like to see something specifically please let me know and I'll make a video
Great video very informative, I just bought three Martin acoustics, and all of them have Rich light fingerboards, I really like the way they sound and feel, and they are very smooth on your fingers. I will have to say that I have noticed a brand new fretboard will give you dark stain fingers , i’m going to do some research on how to clean them because I know you’re not supposed to use oil on them. I guess if they are waterproof, you could just use soap and water . On a sidenote, could you tell me the artist and name of the pawnbroker song in the background? I was a pond broker for eight years, so it is nostalgic to me. Thanks for all your great videos
I am so excited about this richlite product. I have yet to work with it but can't wait. Already have an alternate product for bodies. I'd like to find an alternate for the neck shaft and have a 100% alternate material guitar.
Thanks for watching Christopher, I'm sure you know about many of cool designs with non wood options... Dan Armstrong and Travis Bean come to mind. Let me know what you come up with amigo.
Very cool. You are an artist.. I was skeptical using guitars with this material, but damn, it looks and feels real nice. Thanks for your work and this video. Peace
Thanks for watching Major, I still have not played a guitar with Richlite but it is something that I'm looking forward to doing a little more experimenting with. Worth a shot, right?
I'm not sure what the maintenance requirements are for Richlite. As far as luster and polish... I think you can sand with progressive grit abrasives and even buff? Oil should work fine too, though I would recommend a little experimenting .
I reckon Richlite can be described as synthetic wood. Paper after all is made from cellulose plant fibres. In natural wood those fibres are held together by lignin which is composed of cross-linked phenolic polymers. The paper layers in Richlite are glued together with phenolic resin.
I’m curious how it sounds; is it bright or warm? I have a Godin nylon semi hollow with a richlite board, and this guitar is incredibly lively. Open strings require constant dampening - much more than any of my other guitars, including other electric nylons. Of course that may be from the whole guitar design, not just the richlite.
I know this is an old post but ill give it a try. Maybe some one in the comments section can help. I've been shopping for necks for a build I'm working on. On some of the lower priced necks they claim the fretboard is made out of "HCL". I researched HCL and found it was basically the same as what is being used in this video. Is Richlite the same as HCL wood?
I'm not sure my friend but I can tell you that Richlite is a brand name and I would be shocked if there wasn't a competing product that was, essentially, the same thing with another name
Been hanging on to a some richlite blanks for about 5 years now. I just radiused one today and noticed it oxidized super fast and became chalky. Haven't taken it beyond 220 grit. I'm hoping it will clean up nicely as I move through finer grits
At 5:58 I'm talking. The songs on this video were recorded by the Outliers and they are all covers of blues songs... I used a song called pawn Shop Bound on this video
Wow, it was great to see you work on this fretboard with your pro-tools ^^ I've read about this richwood, which is superior to ebony, rosewood or any other kind of fret-board wood. Great!! And it safes endagered tree species too.. Eventually...
Thanks for watching Jos, It is pretty neat stuff for sure. I was talking to the rep at the NAMM show and he said it had been around since the 40's. I wonder if Leo Fender would have used that instead of rosewood when he switched from maple on the Stratocaster would it be the industry standard?
I think it has to do with the way of thinking. People take opinions of a handful of important people without hesitation, without further investigation. Thus, it is said that old wood sounds better than new wood, but after extensive testing, this doesn't seem to be true at all. A handful of people want to test this kind of old statements and often come to the conclusion that old thinking becomes obsolete. A nice example is that violins which are build nowadays sounds even better than old Stradivarius ones!
@@TexasToastGuitars It was slightly over 1/4 inch blank received and I read multiple places fingerboards blanks should be 1/4 to start with. Since this is so dense I put new blades on planer(not carbide) I did 8 passes and took off a tiny amount each time and got to exactly 1/4 inch. It planes well. At least with that technique of a tiny amount at a time.
Hi Cory, Thanks for watching. I'll ask Kevin if he is interested in making another one. I don't have any plans for the sanding jig. That was an "as build" project. It's a pretty straight forward operation though. The biggest improvement is the holes for the pivot pins. The slot in the factory unit was too tricky for me to master.
Hmmm, Interesting. Have you glued one up to a neck blank and if so what kind of glue did you use ? Seems to be, being a resin based product , that Titebond wouldn't hold.
Thanks for watching Lou. We have done a little experimenting with glues... very little. Here is a quick video from a while ago. th-cam.com/video/WgC_kHLUqoc/w-d-xo.html
We sell blanks down here in Richmond. You can order online or stop by our showroom: shop.ecosupplycenter.com/products/richlite-ebony-guitar-fingerboard-blank-22-x-4
Here's a link to the Fabrication and Finishing guide. It's mostly geared towards millwork and such, but I'm sure you'll find useful info: www.ecosupplycenter.com/assets/docs/Richlite_Full_Fabrication_Manual_16.pdf
I'm not sure if it would work in that capacity? It's pretty hard and would be well suited as a fret-less application if you were using nylon or gut strings. Steel strings can be pretty abrasive... if it were me I think I would still use some kind of hard barrier. Hope that helps
How resonate is this material? I've not heard anybody tapping on a raw piece. I'm curious if the thin sheets would work in a Danalectro type build or if it's rigid enough for acoustic backs and sides.
Hi Eb, thanks for watching I don't think this is going to win any tone tapping contests. I have thumped on it a few times and it wasn't anything like Paul Reed Smith gets on his videos. The real benefits to Richlite (as it pertains to guitar builders... or more specifically guitar manufacturers) is the color, ease of machining, cost (compared to the material it is replacing) and the complete lack of regulations, says me. I may have missed a few but you get the idea. Compared to wood it is heavy. and I have no idea how it will bend or if it will bend. Let me know if you find out brotherman.
Thank you for the thorough answer! I haven't heard any comments about those attributes anywhere else. 'i hope to get my hands on some. It would be cool if they made matching peghead overlays and binding, especially in their exotic colors.
Hi Bob, thanks for watching. I'm sure that would be a pretty straight forward woodworking operation. The Richlite will only be the fretboard and, I'm assuming here, that the neck is mahogany. The trickiest bit will be shaping a set neck without scratching up the rest of the guitar and re-finishing. I'm not sure where you are but there are probably some guys in your neck of the woods who could sort out that project for you.
Yeah, I don't know what that is either. When I look that guitar up is says the neck material is "select hardwood". I'm sure what you want to do can be done.
They apparently switched to hard wood necks later on that model. There are a rather bewildering number of different Martin models & variations out there.
I've used this stuff and there is nothing wrong with it at all but something in the back of my mind kept telling me it wasn't right so I won't use it on customer's builds but I'm weird about that kind of stuff and its just my hang up. That newer stuff I think it's called ebonite is really cool, it looks and machines just like wood. If nobody told you you would never know it's not wood.
What he's thinking of is rocklite. It's made from wood fibres and glued together,but actually has a grain. Kinda trippy stuff to use, but it's great for people who want the hippie aspect of richlite while still having a wood looking product.
Hi Donald, I'm not sure that you would need to take any special precautions but I don't know for sure. You might want to get in touch with the people at Richlite to be certain. Another good idea would be see what the guitar manufacturer recommends so as not to void the warranty
This question come up a lot... I don't know what y'all are doing to your guitars? According to their website it is water resistant and one of the applications is exterior cladding. I would imagin that is you got enough water on the guitar to damage this fretboard you would have totally ruined the rest of the instrument. I am not a spokesperson for Richlite and have only made 2 fretboards with it. I am probably the wrong guy to ask.
Yeah, I think any of the common moisture on guitars would be no problem. Spill a beer on it accidentally (or on purpose) and you should be good to go after a quick wipe. Have a great weekend Larry
Another informative vid. Thanks nan. How do you think it would be to re-fret in a few years time? Do you foresee any issues or problems that might turn up.?
Hi Joe, That is a good question, I wish I had a decent answer for you. I haven't pressed frets into the Richlite board yet (I have been busy in the shop with a few rush jobs). When I do the other tests I'll press in some frets, glue in place and then heat a few up and pull them to test it out. I would imagine that Gibson, Martin or any guitar company is less concerned with repairs.
I see the new j45 custom has rosewood back and sides but a richlite fretboard. I think before I'd fork out a couple of grand for a guitar I'd like to know if there was gonna be trouble ahead when it comes to a re-fret.
I understand your apprehension and I also think you can buy with confidence if the J45 is an instrument you really want. The Richlite fretboards have several advantages over ebony in a manufacturing setting. We will get to the bottom of the ease of re-fretting question... of course, now that I think about it... it will probably depend more on the skill of the repair shop than the material. I should have tome to do some testing this weekend. Thanks again for watching amigo
Super cool video, Matt! I know it's been a while since this video was posted, but in that time, how has your experience been with wear on your gear? For example, I know you're not supposed to run MDF through a jointer because of all the glue in the substrate. Any similar problems with Richlite?
Thanks for watching Dan. I tell you, I really, really want to like Richlite as much in practice as I do in theory. It is very hard on the tools that we use. We burned up at least one 1/2" spiral cutter and a fret slotting blade with the 3 sample pieces we got from them. It is really neat stuff but the cost in tooling or maybe re-tooling. We use ebony so infrequently that the juice isn't worth the squeeze for us.
Texas Toast Guitars thanks for responding! That’s good to know, especially because I do a lot of my work at a cooperative workshop, I don’t want to be that guy burning through tools/bits. Such, a shame, it’s a really neat idea as a material, and I’ve always liked the end results on guitars I’ve played.
Why don't guitar makers take a clue from experimental guitar makers like BassLab and start making fully monocoque carbon-fiber guitars with integrated carbon-fiber fretboard? Of course it would be a pricey affair at the initial phases but the prices will become reasonable once it's done in large scale. Some people call Richlite eco-friendly, but do feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, I think manufacturing something like richlite with all those synthetic resin and stuff causes more pollution than cutting few trees for wood.
Guitar players are, for the most part, notoriously traditional. When it comes to experimental guitar designs there is no shortage of people to say they are cool but not always a long line of people wiling to pay for them. I don't know about the impact on the environment
Thanks for watching Patrick. I can tell that you are concerned for my safety... you must be a very caring person. I would have also accepted "dust mask!" and "hearing protection!"
You can always make your own. I have done a few fretboards and even a body. Here's a video showing a little of the process. th-cam.com/video/QFTfzGGLN6k/w-d-xo.html
richlite- paper fibre and glue. wood- wood fibre ( that makes paper ) and cellulose ( that makes glue ) its genius . im all for modern equivalents, if we ruined it for ourselves by taking down all the good trees and not replanting,
I like the idea but Richlite is hard on tools... Make no mistake it is not simply "a little bit of glue" it is a resin impregnated and compressed with high pressure to make a phenolic. Which as we all know is plastic. That is fine and looks cool but we have discontinued using it.
HAHAHA This 3M double stick tape we have been using is pretty good (it better be for 40 bucks a roll) it is made for machining and milling. Never say never I guess
Thanks for watching Tony, It is certainly cheaper than the fabulous black ebony that everyones wants... have you seen the price of fabulous these days? I like the streaky ebony but we have also used a lot of black die. Anyway, I agree with you.
I suspect what will happened is that guitars with Rosewood boards will rise in price and that the price point that they use to occupying will be filled by guitars with richlite, Gibson already does this with some Les Paul's.So ultimately the consumer loses out and ends up paying more for the same or less quality because no one can argue that Richlite is as good as Rosewood. 99% of guitarists would prefer Rosewood if they had a choice. Some guitar forum posts class richlite as an abomination, those guys need to get real because the overuse of Rosewood is currently unsustainable. Other alternatives have to be found but I don't agree with inferior products being used and the price remaining the same, that's profiteering.
@@Edward1312 I prefer Richlite over rosewood any day. Less drag on the fingers when bending and no maintenance required, plus no fret ends poking in the winter. I prefer maple ultimately, but Richlite feels better than ebony to me. YMMV.
Like a lot of things in the guitar world (including paying £1000's of pounds for a Gibson when the alternatives are just as good for a fraction of the price) rational choices are often not made because people want to believe what they want to believe. This is mostly because of years of having the top guitar brands propaganda shoved down their throats about the importance of Rosewood especially Brazillian. Richlite maybe overall a better product and certainly more sustainable, but you wont convince most of the guitar world by listing all the benefits of richlite as an alternative. A lot of guitar purchasing behaviour, especially at the higher end, is driven by irrational choices (influenced by the huge PR and branding budgets of the big 3 and greedy dealers and distributors selling rosewood as a luxury and hard to obtain product)
That is one way to look at it for sure Mike. I think companies like Gibson appreciate the ease and consistency of the product but forget about the end user might think... or try and convince people that it is better for them as well. I like it but at the end of the day we do not build enough guitars to justify the added issues surrounding it
I used to build guitars and have done fingerboards in rosewood, maple and ebony. I can appreciate the purist view and someone looking at resale value but I can tell you that I bought a black Les Paul Custom last year with Richlite and it is absolutely amazing from a player's perspective.
I don’t think the Ebony vs Richlite have much if any tonal influences, it all about spending large amounts of money and having a fret board made of paper and resin. You have high end guitars with body material made out of basswood, and nobody seems to care, because it’s wood , doesn’t matter that’s it’s a cheap softwood just as long as it was part of a tree.
That's good advice. The pin router still needs to have something effective for dust collection. The thing is came with is all but worthless. Thanks for watching amigo
The problem with Richlite is that it is a cheap, inexpensive industrial material. You would not expect to see this used on quality guitars costing in the thousands of dollars. Gibson and Martin would not be using Richlite if the United States did not sanction them for their import and use of ebony. Very importantly, there is the tactile quality of natural wood and its oils that are extremely important to the touch, feel and playability of a fretboard. Richlite may be a good alternative for inexpensive mass-produced beginner instruments, but should not be used by reputed manufacturers. Lastly, instruments made with Richlite are less desirable and valuable will not appreciate as well as their genuine wood counterparts.
I agree. I have a Martin with a Richlite fretboard. It actually has a dampened sound like you would expect from an instrument utilizing cardboard construction. I noticed this before I even knew what the fretboard was made of. (I bought it used and didn't know it was Richlite at the time of purchase)
Sorry to break it to you but more and more companies will be using "fake" materials as the years go on. As the snake oil wears off people will stop falling for marketing BS. Everything is headed towards environmentally friendly alternatives.
Awesome thanks.
As more and more guitar builders use Richlite, I think it will become available in many different colors - possibly with faux woodgrain, sparkle, etc. Should eventually be for some really cool fretboard ideas.
They have some neat stuff as we speak
BEHOLD! The end of fret sprout.
I love this material so much.
Excellent point, the Rihlite certainly isn't going to move around like wood in the humidity.
Thanks for watching
So cool thank you! Please do a million videos like this.
Wait, which part is the bit that you like?
I hope it is more pin router videos... I love making those
man you got some awesome jig/templates, that would be a cool template to own awesome video rock on brother
Thanks Andrew, we try to think of ways to make the sucky jobs more fun. The unfortunate thing about that jig is you have to have a pin router. Now, I think everyone should have a pin router but what do I know?
@@TexasToastGuitars Hey Matt I really do think I want to switch over to Richlite instead of ebony.....Lizzy Hale swears by it on her Explorer and to be honest I want to move forward with innovation especially if it saves Trees cause I like those damn things (trees)😁! Thanks for doing this episode....where do you find Richlite in Indiana?
you all prolly dont care at all but does any of you know of a trick to get back into an instagram account??
I was dumb lost the account password. I would appreciate any tricks you can offer me.
@Duke Jay Instablaster :)
@Xavier Richard i really appreciate your reply. I found the site through google and im waiting for the hacking stuff atm.
I see it takes a while so I will reply here later with my results.
Hey guys! Have you tried making a whole neck or guitar out of Richlite? Thanks! 🍻
I found this very interesting. Years ago, when I lived in Tacoma, WA, a small company out on the tideflats started marketing this product in various thicknesses, although as I recall, at that time, it was always 'natural' (sort of an amber shade), and quite expensive. I remember that I thought it would be perfect for frequently-used jigs and templates, as it was far more durable than either MDF or plywood (which were the usual default choices). I'm not sure I'd want to use it for a fretboard myself, but a tip of the hat for ingenuity...
Got a kick out of your compound radius jig. Years ago, Ken Warmoth's dad (rest his soul) devised and built one of these for their production facility...your vid brought back memories...I'd be curious to know how the paper plies in this material react when it's time for a re-fret...
Any of that phenolic material is hard on my tools but it is pretty neat stuff
A guy on TDPRI forum mixed up glitter and epoxy and filled the inlays. Since that's a test fretboard maybe try their process out, and run it on your radius sander after it cures. Nice machines you have in the shop.
HA! Glitter inlays sound cool, I'll have to give that a try. I was removed from the TDPRI forum for my controversial views on the Fender Custom Shop... My big mouth precludes me from going back . There are a lot of very skilled builders on that page though
Thanks for the compliment about the shop set up. I do videos about tools all the time. If you would like to see something specifically please let me know and I'll make a video
hey matt where can ya buy richliteb 1x4x36'' boards to make binding out of
Great video very informative, I just bought three Martin acoustics, and all of them have Rich light fingerboards, I really like the way they sound and feel, and they are very smooth on your fingers.
I will have to say that I have noticed a brand new fretboard will give you dark stain fingers , i’m going to do some research on how to clean them because I know you’re not supposed to use oil on them.
I guess if they are waterproof, you could just use soap and water .
On a sidenote, could you tell me the artist and name of the pawnbroker song in the background?
I was a pond broker for eight years, so it is nostalgic to me.
Thanks for all your great videos
Richlite is awesome. I had a gibby custom with it. Very black, more so than ebony.
Thanks for using the Outliers cover of William Clarke's "Pawn Shop Bound"
That CD you gave me has no information on it, next time you come by the shop we should write that stuff down.
I am so excited about this richlite product. I have yet to work with it but can't wait. Already have an alternate product for bodies. I'd like to find an alternate for the neck shaft and have a 100% alternate material guitar.
Thanks for watching Christopher, I'm sure you know about many of cool designs with non wood options... Dan Armstrong and Travis Bean come to mind. Let me know what you come up with amigo.
Very cool. You are an artist.. I was skeptical using guitars with this material, but damn, it looks and feels real nice. Thanks for your work and this video. Peace
Thanks for watching Major,
I still have not played a guitar with Richlite but it is something that I'm looking forward to doing a little more experimenting with.
Worth a shot, right?
how do you can care maintaining richlite fingerboard? and is there any way to make this looks luster? use oil or not?
I'm not sure what the maintenance requirements are for Richlite.
As far as luster and polish... I think you can sand with progressive grit abrasives and even buff?
Oil should work fine too, though I would recommend a little experimenting .
I reckon Richlite can be described as synthetic wood. Paper after all is made from cellulose plant fibres. In natural wood those fibres are held together by lignin which is composed of cross-linked phenolic polymers. The paper layers in Richlite are glued together with phenolic resin.
We really wanted to like this stuff
I’m curious how it sounds; is it bright or warm? I have a Godin nylon semi hollow with a richlite board, and this guitar is incredibly lively. Open strings require constant dampening - much more than any of my other guitars, including other electric nylons. Of course that may be from the whole guitar design, not just the richlite.
I know this is an old post but ill give it a try. Maybe some one in the comments section can help.
I've been shopping for necks for a build I'm working on. On some of the lower priced necks they claim the fretboard is made out of "HCL". I researched HCL and found it was basically the same as what is being used in this video. Is Richlite the same as HCL wood?
I'm not sure my friend but I can tell you that Richlite is a brand name and I would be shocked if there wasn't a competing product that was, essentially, the same thing with another name
Been hanging on to a some richlite blanks for about 5 years now. I just radiused one today and noticed it oxidized super fast and became chalky. Haven't taken it beyond 220 grit. I'm hoping it will clean up nicely as I move through finer grits
I really want to like Richlite… I guess I do but there are some disadvantages as well. Keep us posted amigo
waht's the name of the song in 5:58 ?
At 5:58 I'm talking.
The songs on this video were recorded by the Outliers and they are all covers of blues songs... I used a song called pawn Shop Bound on this video
What about doing a re-fret on richlite? is it ok or not?
I have not done a re-fret an a Richlite board, but I did test it in another video, seemed okay
@@TexasToastGuitars thank you! in a guitar forum, a luthier said it ruined all his tools😅 and deformed where the fret was taken out.
@@slooky14 Oh it is pretty hard on cutting tools, I do know that.
It is hard enough for me to not use the stuff.
enjoyed the video Matt!
Thank you for watching.
05/21/2021: would sanding Richlite fretboard show the layers of paper?
Yes
@@TexasToastGuitars: Thank you for your fast reply!
Wow, it was great to see you work on this fretboard with your pro-tools ^^ I've read about this richwood, which is superior to ebony, rosewood or any other kind of fret-board wood. Great!! And it safes endagered tree species too.. Eventually...
Thanks for watching Jos,
It is pretty neat stuff for sure. I was talking to the rep at the NAMM show and he said it had been around since the 40's. I wonder if Leo Fender would have used that instead of rosewood when he switched from maple on the Stratocaster would it be the industry standard?
I think it has to do with the way of thinking. People take opinions of a handful of important people without hesitation, without further investigation. Thus, it is said that old wood sounds better than new wood, but after extensive testing, this doesn't seem to be true at all. A handful of people want to test this kind of old statements and often come to the conclusion that old thinking becomes obsolete. A nice example is that violins which are build nowadays sounds even better than old Stradivarius ones!
I just got one of these boards. I have it ready to go but it seems thicker than should be for a fret board. Should I plane it?
I don't know how thick it is or how thick you want it?
@@TexasToastGuitars It was slightly over 1/4 inch blank received and I read multiple places fingerboards blanks should be 1/4 to start with. Since this is so dense I put new blades on planer(not carbide) I did 8 passes and took off a tiny amount each time and got to exactly 1/4 inch. It planes well. At least with that technique of a tiny amount at a time.
@@allisonspencer2021 That is a good way to go. Sometimes we use fretboards that are 5/16 thick
i have a pin router. how can i get one of those fretboard jigs?could you share your radius jig plans? That would be great!
Hi Cory, Thanks for watching.
I'll ask Kevin if he is interested in making another one.
I don't have any plans for the sanding jig. That was an "as build" project. It's a pretty straight forward operation though. The biggest improvement is the holes for the pivot pins. The slot in the factory unit was too tricky for me to master.
Hmmm, Interesting. Have you glued one up to a neck blank and if so what kind of glue did you use ? Seems to be, being a resin based product , that Titebond wouldn't hold.
Thanks for watching Lou. We have done a little experimenting with glues... very little. Here is a quick video from a while ago.
th-cam.com/video/WgC_kHLUqoc/w-d-xo.html
I'm starting out also and test to see how it takes clear coat. I am based in Fredericksburg where are u located
I am in Arvada Colorado. There is another guy who was wondering how it would take clear too. Please let me know what sort of luck you have.
We sell blanks down here in Richmond. You can order online or stop by our showroom: shop.ecosupplycenter.com/products/richlite-ebony-guitar-fingerboard-blank-22-x-4
That's good to know, thanks Eco Supply.
Here's a link to the Fabrication and Finishing guide. It's mostly geared towards millwork and such, but I'm sure you'll find useful info:
www.ecosupplycenter.com/assets/docs/Richlite_Full_Fabrication_Manual_16.pdf
Can you mill I on a planer?
I do not know for sure but I'd imagine you can
Question, does one condition a richlite fret board? Lemon oil etc.. Since it's essentially made of paper and glue? Thanks so much.
Hi Eric, in my limited experience with Richlite oil doesn't do anything
@@TexasToastGuitars yea that's what I figured.. Thanks for the reply
I would condition it with a band saw. When the fretboard is in about 100 pieces I would say it's just right.
@@j.d.leslie8458 ohh come on.. Richlite is just fine. It feels and plays just fine...lol
would it endure being used as a fretless board with roundwound stings?
Great question, I'm sure it would be suitable you might want to use some epoxy coating?
I meant as an alternative to epoxying a board, just bare richlite, ty for responding!
I'm not sure if it would work in that capacity? It's pretty hard and would be well suited as a fret-less application if you were using nylon or gut strings. Steel strings can be pretty abrasive... if it were me I think I would still use some kind of hard barrier.
Hope that helps
How resonate is this material? I've not heard anybody tapping on a raw piece. I'm curious if the thin sheets would work in a Danalectro type build or if it's rigid enough for acoustic backs and sides.
Hi Eb, thanks for watching
I don't think this is going to win any tone tapping contests. I have thumped on it a few times and it wasn't anything like Paul Reed Smith gets on his videos. The real benefits to Richlite (as it pertains to guitar builders... or more specifically guitar manufacturers) is the color, ease of machining, cost (compared to the material it is replacing) and the complete lack of regulations, says me. I may have missed a few but you get the idea. Compared to wood it is heavy. and I have no idea how it will bend or if it will bend.
Let me know if you find out brotherman.
Thank you for the thorough answer! I haven't heard any comments about those attributes anywhere else. 'i hope to get my hands on some. It would be cool if they made matching peghead overlays and binding, especially in their exotic colors.
Can you shave a richlite neck? I have a Martin with a modified low oval, and I'd like to make it into a soft V.
Hi Bob, thanks for watching.
I'm sure that would be a pretty straight forward woodworking operation. The Richlite will only be the fretboard and, I'm assuming here, that the neck is mahogany. The trickiest bit will be shaping a set neck without scratching up the rest of the guitar and re-finishing.
I'm not sure where you are but there are probably some guys in your neck of the woods who could sort out that project for you.
The neck itself on the guitar in question, a DRS2, is made of richlite as far as I know. It definitely is not wood.
Correction: The neck material is "Rust Stratabond" (what the heck ever that might be!)
Yeah, I don't know what that is either. When I look that guitar up is says the neck material is "select hardwood".
I'm sure what you want to do can be done.
They apparently switched to hard wood necks later on that model. There are a rather bewildering number of different Martin models & variations out there.
I've used this stuff and there is nothing wrong with it at all but something in the back of my mind kept telling me it wasn't right so I won't use it on customer's builds but I'm weird about that kind of stuff and its just my hang up. That newer stuff I think it's called ebonite is really cool, it looks and machines just like wood. If nobody told you you would never know it's not wood.
I'm going to have to check that out, any ideas about where to get it?
What he's thinking of is rocklite. It's made from wood fibres and glued together,but actually has a grain. Kinda trippy stuff to use, but it's great for people who want the hippie aspect of richlite while still having a wood looking product.
How do you safely clean richlite fingerboard?
Hi Donald, I'm not sure that you would need to take any special precautions but I don't know for sure. You might want to get in touch with the people at Richlite to be certain. Another good idea would be see what the guitar manufacturer recommends so as not to void the warranty
You can clean it with alcohol, naptha or even warm soapy water.
With charcoal starter fluid and a match.
What happens if it gets wet?
This question come up a lot... I don't know what y'all are doing to your guitars?
According to their website it is water resistant and one of the applications is exterior cladding. I would imagin that is you got enough water on the guitar to damage this fretboard you would have totally ruined the rest of the instrument.
I am not a spokesperson for Richlite and have only made 2 fretboards with it. I am probably the wrong guy to ask.
I've just watched a video on how it's made. Resin impregnated paper. So it should be fine. I didn't know they use it for kitchen worktops too.
Yeah, I think any of the common moisture on guitars would be no problem. Spill a beer on it accidentally (or on purpose) and you should be good to go after a quick wipe.
Have a great weekend Larry
Another informative vid. Thanks nan.
How do you think it would be to re-fret in a few years time?
Do you foresee any issues or problems that might turn up.?
Hi Joe,
That is a good question, I wish I had a decent answer for you. I haven't pressed frets into the Richlite board yet (I have been busy in the shop with a few rush jobs).
When I do the other tests I'll press in some frets, glue in place and then heat a few up and pull them to test it out.
I would imagine that Gibson, Martin or any guitar company is less concerned with repairs.
Texas Toast Guitars
true.ill keep an eye out for the new vid about it.
Thanks
I see the new j45 custom has rosewood back and sides but a richlite fretboard.
I think before I'd fork out a couple of grand for a guitar I'd like to know if there was gonna be trouble ahead when it comes to a re-fret.
I understand your apprehension and I also think you can buy with confidence if the J45 is an instrument you really want. The Richlite fretboards have several advantages over ebony in a manufacturing setting.
We will get to the bottom of the ease of re-fretting question... of course, now that I think about it... it will probably depend more on the skill of the repair shop than the material. I should have tome to do some testing this weekend.
Thanks again for watching amigo
Super cool video, Matt! I know it's been a while since this video was posted, but in that time, how has your experience been with wear on your gear? For example, I know you're not supposed to run MDF through a jointer because of all the glue in the substrate. Any similar problems with Richlite?
Thanks for watching Dan.
I tell you, I really, really want to like Richlite as much in practice as I do in theory. It is very hard on the tools that we use. We burned up at least one 1/2" spiral cutter and a fret slotting blade with the 3 sample pieces we got from them. It is really neat stuff but the cost in tooling or maybe re-tooling. We use ebony so infrequently that the juice isn't worth the squeeze for us.
Texas Toast Guitars thanks for responding! That’s good to know, especially because I do a lot of my work at a cooperative workshop, I don’t want to be that guy burning through tools/bits. Such, a shame, it’s a really neat idea as a material, and I’ve always liked the end results on guitars I’ve played.
My issue is. If Im buying the best I expect the best woods. Putting this on high end 335 customs thats a Cadillac man, I expect actual wood
I have a Martin with a Richlite fretboard. It actually sound like it is made from cardboard.
Well... it pretty much is.
Why don't guitar makers take a clue from experimental guitar makers like BassLab and start making fully monocoque carbon-fiber guitars with integrated carbon-fiber fretboard?
Of course it would be a pricey affair at the initial phases but the prices will become reasonable once it's done in large scale.
Some people call Richlite eco-friendly, but do feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, I think manufacturing something like richlite with all those synthetic resin and stuff causes more pollution than cutting few trees for wood.
Guitar players are, for the most part, notoriously traditional. When it comes to experimental guitar designs there is no shortage of people to say they are cool but not always a long line of people wiling to pay for them.
I don't know about the impact on the environment
safety glasses!
Thanks for watching Patrick. I can tell that you are concerned for my safety... you must be a very caring person. I would have also accepted "dust mask!" and "hearing protection!"
You can always make your own. I have done a few fretboards and even a body. Here's a video showing a little of the process. th-cam.com/video/QFTfzGGLN6k/w-d-xo.html
Yeah man, if you're so smart build it yourself
richlite- paper fibre and glue. wood- wood fibre ( that makes paper ) and cellulose ( that makes glue ) its genius . im all for modern equivalents, if we ruined it for ourselves by taking down all the good trees and not replanting,
I like the idea but Richlite is hard on tools...
Make no mistake it is not simply "a little bit of glue" it is a resin impregnated and compressed with high pressure to make a phenolic. Which as we all know is plastic. That is fine and looks cool but we have discontinued using it.
Double stick tape..... Have you not seen the superglue and masking tape trick? You will never use double stick again.
HAHAHA
This 3M double stick tape we have been using is pretty good (it better be for 40 bucks a roll) it is made for machining and milling.
Never say never I guess
Texas Toast Guitars
th-cam.com/video/ub6PsY4cgwg/w-d-xo.html
It's well worth a try, no messy residue left behind.
th-cam.com/video/2B9rG6oKPXY/w-d-xo.html
Texas Toast Guitars lmao, would of been faster to say you have used it before hahah
Texas Toast Guitars you have fun at NAMM ?
Its cheaper than Rosewood so lower your prices if you use it.
Thanks for watching Tony, It is certainly cheaper than the fabulous black ebony that everyones wants... have you seen the price of fabulous these days? I like the streaky ebony but we have also used a lot of black die.
Anyway, I agree with you.
I suspect what will happened is that guitars with Rosewood boards will rise in price and that the price point that they use to occupying will be filled by guitars with richlite, Gibson already does this with some Les Paul's.So ultimately the consumer loses out and ends up paying more for the same or less quality because no one can argue that Richlite is as good as Rosewood. 99% of guitarists would prefer Rosewood if they had a choice. Some guitar forum posts class richlite as an abomination, those guys need to get real because the overuse of Rosewood is currently unsustainable. Other alternatives have to be found but I don't agree with inferior products being used and the price remaining the same, that's profiteering.
@@Edward1312 I prefer Richlite over rosewood any day. Less drag on the fingers when bending and no maintenance required, plus no fret ends poking in the winter. I prefer maple ultimately, but Richlite feels better than ebony to me. YMMV.
Like a lot of things in the guitar world (including paying £1000's of pounds for a Gibson when the alternatives are just as good for a fraction of the price) rational choices are often not made because people want to believe what they want to believe. This is mostly because of years of having the top guitar brands propaganda shoved down their throats about the importance of Rosewood especially Brazillian. Richlite maybe overall a better product and certainly more sustainable, but you wont convince most of the guitar world by listing all the benefits of richlite as an alternative. A lot of guitar purchasing behaviour, especially at the higher end, is driven by irrational choices (influenced by the huge PR and branding budgets of the big 3 and greedy dealers and distributors selling rosewood as a luxury and hard to obtain product)
.
If I was buying a high end guitar I would have a issue with richlite, but for a sub $500 guitar I would have no problem with it.
That is one way to look at it for sure Mike. I think companies like Gibson appreciate the ease and consistency of the product but forget about the end user might think... or try and convince people that it is better for them as well. I like it but at the end of the day we do not build enough guitars to justify the added issues surrounding it
I used to build guitars and have done fingerboards in rosewood, maple and ebony. I can appreciate the purist view and someone looking at resale value but I can tell you that I bought a black Les Paul Custom last year with Richlite and it is absolutely amazing from a player's perspective.
I don’t think the Ebony vs Richlite have much if any tonal influences, it all about spending large amounts of money and having a fret board made of
paper and resin. You have high end guitars with body material made out of basswood, and nobody seems to care, because it’s wood , doesn’t matter that’s it’s a cheap softwood just as long as it was part of a tree.
I would pay a lot of money and have a richlight fretboard. I don’t mind paying the money and supporting guitar makers. Plus richlight is better anyway
make sure you step up your dust collection, you don't want to breathe too much of that phenolic crap.
That's good advice. The pin router still needs to have something effective for dust collection. The thing is came with is all but worthless.
Thanks for watching amigo
The problem with Richlite is that it is a cheap, inexpensive industrial material. You would not expect to see this used on quality guitars costing in the thousands of dollars. Gibson and Martin would not be using Richlite if the United States did not sanction them for their import and use of ebony. Very importantly, there is the tactile quality of natural wood and its oils that are extremely important to the touch, feel and playability of a fretboard. Richlite may be a good alternative for inexpensive mass-produced beginner instruments, but should not be used by reputed manufacturers. Lastly, instruments made with Richlite are less desirable and valuable will not appreciate as well as their genuine wood counterparts.
I feel like I have read this somewhere before?
I agree. I have a Martin with a Richlite fretboard. It actually has a dampened sound like you would expect from an instrument utilizing cardboard construction. I noticed this before I even knew what the fretboard was made of. (I bought it used and didn't know it was Richlite at the time of purchase)
Sorry to break it to you but more and more companies will be using "fake" materials as the years go on. As the snake oil wears off people will stop falling for marketing BS. Everything is headed towards environmentally friendly alternatives.