Richlite fretboard.

Open lane

Open lane

New member
Hi. Does anyone here have experience with richlite? Was considering getting a LP with it, before i saw some guy on FB trolling over the fact it is made from paper and glue.

I know upon it's initial inception over a decade ago, people were concerned over the fact that it may not be easy to work with for maintence and adjustments down the line.

I tried a guitar with one a while ago and had no problems with it functionally.



People were also initially concerned that it would not hold up to climate changes well.

Does anyone here have or know knownsomeone who has had experience with it for a while? How's it hold up?
 
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Re: Richlie fretboard.

Re: Richlie fretboard.

I just sold a Hagstrom yesterday that had a "resinator" fretboard, which is a non branded Richlite. They knocked $50 off the price because they said that the neck was twisting to the side. I don't know if the richlite was the cause of it. That said it played well and sounded good. It's made from paper yes, but glue isn't quite what I would describe it as. Richlite is listed as being temperature resistant to up to 350 degrees and is recommended for food preparation, places that would likely see a lot of temperature fluctuation and humidity (trust me, I work in a restaurant), so I don't think that the issues are necessarily unfounded but I think that you should be fine. One of the first things that a company should be worried about, in addition to tone, is climate fluctuation, and I doubt if richlite couldn't hold up, that they would be selling it.
 
Re: Richlie fretboard.

Re: Richlie fretboard.

Very good insight. Thank you! That's exactly what i'm thinking. It's been around for so long now and they're not decreasing the production, they're increasing it. That inclines me to think it's fine.


I'm going to go off on a tagent here and ask, if a neck like yours, is shifting, can a pro reset it? Pretty sure my expesive v is well in need of an adjudtment. Is holding off potentially dangerous or are their ways itbcan traditionally be dealt with (this neck maple with an ebony board)
 
Re: Richlie fretboard.

Re: Richlie fretboard.

Its some POS manmade material.

Expect lots of other drastic costcutting shortcuts when you see it
 
Re: Richlie fretboard.

Re: Richlie fretboard.

Open lane said:
Very good insight. Thank you! That's exactly what i'm thinking. It's been around for so long now and they're not decreasing the production, they're increasing it. That inclines me to think it's fine.


I'm going to go off on a tagent here and ask, if a neck like yours, is shifting, can a pro reset it? Pretty sure my expesive v is well in need of an adjudtment. Is holding off potentially dangerous or are their ways itbcan traditionally be dealt with (this neck maple with an ebony board)
Click to expand...

I would take it in at the very least and have someone look at. Any reputable tech or luthier will look at it for free.
 
Re: Richlie fretboard.

Re: Richlie fretboard.

Adieu said:
Its some POS manmade material.

Expect lots of other drastic costcutting shortcuts when you see it
Click to expand...

Natural isn't always better. I'd rather have a concrete bridge than a wooden one any day of the week.
 
Re: Richlie fretboard.

Re: Richlie fretboard.

Adieu said:
Its some POS manmade material.

Expect lots of other drastic costcutting shortcuts when you see it
Click to expand...

I appreciate your input, as it is what i asked for. Really, though, there are korean deans and esps being made with ebony. I know the reason for this is probably because of the penalties gibson face for how/where they were sourcing it from. Really, though, i feel like there is a point where the usability of the product should be considered instead of tradition. I feel like all of the complaints i've seen comes from the loyalists and not those who've tried it.


You very well may be right about the cost cutting aspects, but i've seen very few reports of problems with the way it functions. This thread was intended to seek feedback from those who've used it. I do appreciate where you are coming from, however. Your opinions are honest and i understand that someone who invested in a product for $5000 would be inclined to speak with some bias. Still though, anyone here actually experience issues with it?
 
Re: Richlie fretboard.

Re: Richlie fretboard.

I'd be worried about a refret destroying it. AFAIK that's why Parkers have stainless frets.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
 
Re: Richlie fretboard.

Re: Richlie fretboard.

I actually have a Hagstrom semihollow that has that material. The guitar plays well, is straight in every way, and is way better than the Epi dot it replaced (yes with a rosewood fretboard).

The naysayers would say this cannot be true. They typically have not tried any guitar that actually has the material in question on it. So its an opinion generally born of ignorance.
Martin is another company that has adopted richlite too fyi.

As to cost cutting......well even an ebony fretboard bought at 'retail' level (as in someone like me buying from a luthier supply store) is only $20. The big boys would be getting them for a few steps below that - I'd guess $5 per board is what the importer types would pay. Thus its not an overly damning argument....the process needed to make richlite is such that you would not expect to see huge savings.
 
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Re: Richlie fretboard.

Re: Richlie fretboard.

dystrust said:
I'd be worried about a refret destroying it. AFAIK that's why Parkers have stainless frets.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Parkers use a carbon fiber fretboard and the frets are instead glued on with a high tech adhesive.
 
Re: Richlie fretboard.

Re: Richlie fretboard.

Johnny the Kid said:
I just sold a Hagstrom yesterday that had a "resinator" fretboard, which is a non branded Richlite.
Click to expand...

One of my Hagstroms is a newer axe; had it for a couple of years and it plays pretty nicely. Had no idea Richlite is the same stuff that Hagstrom's been using. A bit dense, definitely slicker than ebony. No grain, which makes it smoother of course but even taking that into account the stuff is fairly hard. Feel-wise, reminds me of the resin fingerboard on a Kramer Duke I used to have back in the early 80s. I think I like wood a bit better but I find nothing wrong with this stuff. And it should last well, zero maintenance. No drying out at least.
 
Re: Richlie fretboard.

Re: Richlie fretboard.

eclecticsynergy said:
One of my Hagstroms is a newer axe; had it for a couple of years and it plays pretty nicely. Had no idea Richlite is the same stuff that Hagstrom's been using. A bit dense, definitely slicker than ebony. No grain, which makes it smoother of course but even taking that into account the stuff is fairly hard. Feel-wise, reminds me of the resin fingerboard on a Kramer Duke I used to have back in the early 80s. I think I like wood a bit better but I find nothing wrong with this stuff. And it should last well, zero maintenance. No drying out at least.
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Yeah, it's called "resinator" due to the resin and paper construction of the material. It looked really good and played like glass. I just ended up selling it because I haven't been playing it. When I want to play electric guitar, I pickup my seven string, although the money I made will be going towards a new six string guitar by the end of summer. I have $236 out of $900 put aside for it.
 
Re: Richlie fretboard.

Re: Richlie fretboard.

What is Richlite? See here:
http://www.richlite.com/what-is-richlite/

As for the snotty comments and references to trolls.... We are talking about a high quality material, very dense and dimensionally stable. My training was as a tool & die maker - high end machining. That is where I first discovered Richlite, and back then I surmised it would make a great fingerboard material. It's premium stuff, and many players don't even realize they've played guitars with Richlite fingerboards until someone points it out. A good pal of mine bought an ES-275 last year, and he'd never heard of Richlite. He has a very discerning ear, and could detect no lack of tone between the ES-275 or his many vintage L-5's. He's hard to please, let me tell you and if there was something off in the material - he'd know. I think Gibson made a good choice using Richlite on their topline instruments.
 
Re: Richlie fretboard.

Re: Richlie fretboard.

ICTGoober said:
What is Richlite? See here:
http://www.richlite.com/what-is-richlite/

As for the snotty comments and references to trolls.... We are talking about a high quality material, very dense and dimensionally stable. My training was as a tool & die maker - high end machining. That is where I first discovered Richlite, and back then I surmised it would make a great fingerboard material. It's premium stuff, and many players don't even realize they've played guitars with Richlite fingerboards until someone points it out. A good pal of mine bought an ES-275 last year, and he'd never heard of Richlite. He has a very discerning ear, and could detect no lack of tone between the ES-275 or his many vintage L-5's. He's hard to please, let me tell you and if there was something off in the material - he'd know. I think Gibson made a good choice using Richlite on their topline instruments.
Click to expand...

I played a Godin with a Richlite board. It felt great. As someone mentioned, the only thing that would have me worried would be if it ever came time to needing a refret. Still, the Richlite board wouldn't stop me from buying an instrument that I otherwise wanted.

BTW ... I have Micarta and G10 gun grips that hold up great. Knife handles are also commonly made of these materials. May not technically be the same as Richlite (brand name) but they are similar ... paper or fabric and phenolic resin or some type of thermoset plastic. It's tough, durable stuff and can be extremely smooth or heavily textured.
 
Re: Richlie fretboard.

Re: Richlie fretboard.

Not a damn thing wrong with it except idiots and cork sniffers like to complain.

One of the best LP necks I have ever played had it.
 
Re: Richlie fretboard.

Re: Richlie fretboard.

A friend bought one of thelose martins with composite back and sides and richlite board. It sounded really nice and was way less fragile than my traditionally built Martin....

I get it though... if I buy a guitar for more than about the price of a Les Paul Studio, I kind of want wood...
 
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