New Epis turn your fingers black

[TheKat]

They put it there so the guitar can be carbon dated

That's really funny
But not necessary, since the wood of the guitar is made from mainly carbon and hydrogen

 

[Raiyn]

Dude...

 

[Keefoman]

Dye used on fretboards to darken or even out the color. Even high end guitar makers do this, but they clean them better before shipping. Rub down with a rag, oil your fretboard, repeat until the rags come clean.

My thought too. The two new Epis with rosewood or rosewood-like material fretboard I've ever bought new, quickly became considerably lighter in color than they were at arrival. The fretboard on the Flying V I got left now, shows more grain pattern and look more natural after several cleanings and some oil. When new, it looked almost ebony black.

 

[guitarlover]

Staining a fingerboard to make it look dark is one of the most ridiculous things ever. I’m almost offended.

Alternative guitar woods are the way of the future, and guitar companies are pandering to the notion that wood has to look like “ebony” or “rosewood.”

I’ll bet the relaxing of CITES for musical instruments has contribute to this nonsense, and wood is being marketed as different species than it actually is.

Pathetic really. Guitar players ought to be cool mofos, down with environmentalism, using richlite and other alternatives!

Nearly smdh, but not really surprised at all...

 

[Old Woody]

Staining a fingerboard to make it look dark is one of the most ridiculous things ever. I’m almost offended.

Alternative guitar woods are the way of the future, and guitar companies are pandering to the notion that wood has to look like “ebony” or “rosewood.”

I’ll bet the relaxing of CITES for musical instruments has contribute to this nonsense, and wood is being marketed as different species than it actually is.

Pathetic really. Guitar players ought to be cool mofos, down with environmentalism, using richlite and other alternatives!

Nearly smdh, but not really surprised at all...

I agree staining wood to change its appearance should be outlawed and all furniture makers should be taken out and hung by their Druids. Seriously as its impossible to seal a fingerboard after staining it and then lacquer it , wait a minute I seem to remember a G&L Commanche model with a stained maple fingerboard covered in shellac it was one of the best fingerboards I've ever played sooooo maybe its just really expensive to stain fingerboards and seal them the right way.

 

[The Convert]

Staining a fingerboard to make it look dark is one of the most ridiculous things ever. I’m almost offended.

Alternative guitar woods are the way of the future, and guitar companies are pandering to the notion that wood has to look like “ebony” or “rosewood.”

I’ll bet the relaxing of CITES for musical instruments has contribute to this nonsense, and wood is being marketed as different species than it actually is.

Pathetic really. Guitar players ought to be cool mofos, down with environmentalism, using richlite and other alternatives!

Nearly smdh, but not really surprised at all...

I don’t completely agree. I think someone could argue that this is no different than painting a guitar or leaving the wood natural. Wouldn’t it be more environmentally friendly to skip the bursts and gold tops and just have plain wood bodies and enjoy the natural grain?

in all seriousness, guitar players are a VERY conservative lot when it comes to gear. If I buy an LP today, there’s a reason there’s a selections of burts and colors, most of which hint back to 57-60 (and how those finishes aged.) I think wanting a deep colored fretboard is no different than wanting that burst or gold top you prefer. Because most people think a tan fretboard looks as awful as some orange-purple Easter burst.

Its tradition. It’s the alter we worship at.

 

[Raiyn]

Staining a fingerboard to make it look dark is one of the most ridiculous things ever. I’m almost offended.

Perhaps you'd like to speak to the manager?

Vote with your wallet. If you don't like something - don't buy it.

It's tradition. It’s the alter we most guitar enthusiasts worship at.

Fixed that for ya.
I feel more constrained by tradition than anything else. The St. Vincent signature model has been one of the most interesting models to come down the pike in quite some time.

 

[Old Woody]

Perhaps you'd like to speak to the manager?

Vote with your wallet. If you don't like something - don't buy it.

Fixed that for ya.
I feel more constrained by tradition than anything else. The St. Vincent signature model has been one of the most interesting models to come down the pike in quite some time.

I totally agree the St Vincent is one sweet guitar almost worth the asking price I also liked the Armada model as well but , I'll never own one being the cheap old basterd that I am.

 

[The Convert]

Perhaps you'd like to speak to the manager?

Vote with your wallet. If you don't like something - don't buy it.

Fixed that for ya.
I feel more constrained by tradition than anything else. The St. Vincent signature model has been one of the most interesting models to come down the pike in quite some time.

A playful reply:

Not to be contrarian, but since you raised the point: speaking for Americans, “we” are an obese nation. “We” are one of the chief polluters in the world. “We” have a shocking reputation for literacy and infant mortality, among Western nations.

That is to say, “we” is used to characterize a group, not not describe the beliefs or actions of every member of a group. I believe many things Americans believe and do should change. That doesn’t mean that it’s incorrect to say that Americans believe and cling to those things.

So, yeah...accepting who we are is not always pleasant.

oh and yes, I acknowledge the St Vincent but don’t love it, but I like a bunch of the Eastwood models that are very non-traditional. Just not more than my Teles.

Happy day.

 

[Davis Sharp]

Guitar players ought to be cool mofos, down with environmentalism, using richlite and other alternatives!

in all seriousness, guitar players are a VERY conservative lot when it comes to gear.

Oh my goodness! We are complicated people.

I'm OK with Sapele and Richlite on my Martin. I'm not really sure what my Squiers are made of (swamp ash? sawdust?), but I'm OK with them.

 

[The Convert]

Oh my goodness! We are complicated people.

I'm OK with Sapele and Richlite on my Martin. I'm not really sure what my Squiers are made of (swamp ash? sawdust?), but I'm OK with them.

I like McKnight’s perspective on Richlite. It’s great. It is awesome in terms of reuse and the environment, I just don’t like it showing up on an expensive prestige instrument. If I’m paying 3 grand, give me a slab of ebony. There’s no reason to want the ebony, but it seems like it should be there. It’s emotional, not logical.

 

[Bradley D. Lyons]

I didn't have this issue with my last Epiphone or my Gretsch, Gbsons or Squier Classic Vibe.

 

[BGood]

I didn't have this issue with my last Epiphone or my Gretsch, Gbsons or Squier Classic Vibe.

Didn't you tell me before you played with latex gloves ?

 

[Supersonic]

Staining a fingerboard to make it look dark is one of the most ridiculous things ever.

I don't know, your post is pretty high up there on the ridiculous list.

 

[Raiyn]

I'm OK with Sapele and Richlite on my Martin. I'm not really sure what my Squiers are made of (swamp ash? sawdust?), but I'm OK with them.

None of my axes are anything exotic, my older ones are some sort of Asian "mahogany" (I'm in a motel tapping this out quickly), and a butcher block Strat, both with rosewood boards. I love both of them. My latest is basswood with a maple neck and a "Brazilian Cherry" board (read Jatoba) and it's my favorite of the bunch. The Jag I have on preorder is Poplar, with a roasted maple neck (stoked about that) and an Indian Laurel board. I'm almost 100% sure once I do a couple housekeeping mods I'm gonna love that one too.

I must be easy to please.

 

[davesultra]

Staining a fingerboard to make it look dark is one of the most ridiculous things ever. I’m almost offended.

Alternative guitar woods are the way of the future, and guitar companies are pandering to the notion that wood has to look like “ebony” or “rosewood.”

I’ll bet the relaxing of CITES for musical instruments has contribute to this nonsense, and wood is being marketed as different species than it actually is.

Pathetic really. Guitar players ought to be cool mofos, down with environmentalism, using richlite and other alternatives!

Nearly smdh, but not really surprised at all...

I believe there is enough room for those who prefer traditional woods, and those who are okay with alternatives. I used to be a wood snob, but not anymore. My last 3 guitars have all been Epiphones, and they all have the Laurel fretboards. Still like Rosewood and Ebony better, but it’s not worth the premium to me these days. Besides, I’ve never found any truth to the notion that fretboard material has an effect on tone. As long as it looks decent, I’m good.
But to your first comment. Manufacturers have been staining both Rosewood and Ebony for Decades, including Gibson.

 

[The Convert]

I used to be a wood snob, but not anymore.

I find this interesting tome.

On the one hand, I’m not a wood snob, in the sense of the tone wood debate. That is, I think wood and many other things shape tone, but by how much, etc. is not an interesting discussion for me. I take instruments as complete single items.

BUT, a beautiful piece of wood is absolutely worth an up charge to me. I have guitars with rather plain maple necks, for example, and I’ve got a couple that are extraordinarily gorgeous. To me that’s not just worth the money, but conversely, that’s what a replacement material needs to compete with at the same price point.

So I personally don’t think of myself as a wood snob, but I think I should get wood of a quality that I pay for. To that end, I should expect to see Richlite on the tens of thousands of sub-$300 guitars, so that it has the best economic and environmental impact, but I’d expect real wood (laurel, etc) on most other Epis, And Rosewood or Ebony on just about every Gibson. I had a Gibson Traditional with Richlite. It was fine, but I eventually sold it, and one reason I did was because I thought for that investment, it shouldn’t have manufactured wood replacement.

It’s not a snob thing. It’s both an emotional thing and a sense of being ripped off.

 

[Supersonic]

I'm not a wood snob either. I just know what I like and what I don't.

I'm sure the newer fretboard woods are just fine or they wouldn't be making them. The color just seems to vary so much from one guitar to the next sometimes.

It's definitely a visual thing for me. I mean, come on, which one would you rather have?

Maybe I'm just picky but I doubt I would buy one of the brand new Epi's online unless I could see the actual guitar first. Seems too hit or miss.

 

[soulman969]

Pathetic really. Guitar players ought to be cool mofos, down with environmentalism, using richlite and other alternatives!

I'll have you know I am a cool mofo and a big time "tree hugger" to boot. All of my wooden guitars get tons of love and respect for their sacrifice in helping to make my instruments.

 

[Old Woody]

I'll have you know I am a cool mofo and a big time "tree hugger" to boot. All of my wooden guitars get tons of love and respect for their sacrifice in helping to make my instruments.

I love tree's they shelter us and make oxygen to keep us alive. That said if Epiphone used alternative fingerboard materials I could get behind that as long as they used aircraft grade aluminum necks / fingerboards and kept the prices the same. (Since I'm dreaming might as well dream big) I'm also down with Walnut , Cocobolo. Black Limba, Zebrawood and I'm ok with flame maple as well.