Steinberger spirit freatboard

[CarlosG]

Hi!
I don't know what kind of wood the fretboard is made of on my Steinberger
They call it Satinwood or Engineered Hardwood.
Do you know what is that?

 

[ICTGoober]

Satinwood is real wood. Engineered hardwoods could be any mix of stuff and processes.

 

[Mincer]

The fretboard on my Synapse is phenolic, which is a man-made resin. 'Satinwood' is a name for various species of wood that can be dyed and polished to a gloss. Whatever Gibson uses on the Spirits, it is probably whatever they can get cheaply, I am guessing.

 

[jeremy]

engineered hardwood... sounds like a fancy name for sawdust and glue

 

[ICTGoober]

That is a composite, Jeremy.

 

[jeremy]

so its sawdust, glue, and pressure?

 

[Mincer]

so its sawdust, glue, and pressure?

That would be my guess...sawdust and epoxy, cut in sheets.

 

[Aceman]

so its sawdust, glue, and pressure?

Tone is in the glue.

 

[RanchManSandy]

so it's probably richlite or a richlite-adjacent material? neat

 

[ICTGoober]

so it's probably richlite or a richlite-adjacent material? neat

Richlite is a high grade composite. And I wouldn't assume the material (I need more info).

 

[Mincer]

Richlite is a very specific company, and that stuff is more expensive than most wood. I wouldn't guess Gibson spent that much money on one of the cheapest guitars they sell (they own Steinberger).

 

[Chistopher]

A Richlite blank costs about as much as a cut maple fretboard if you were to buy one yourself, so I wouldn't assume it would be too far out of line for Gibson to spend a couple bucks extra to make one of the more niche holdings standout more. If I'm in the market for a whacky guitar made of whacky materials, I would want the fretboard to be weird too.

 

[Mincer]

A Richlite blank costs about as much as a cut maple fretboard if you were to buy one yourself, so I wouldn't assume it would be too far out of line for Gibson to spend a couple bucks extra to make one of the more niche holdings standout more. If I'm in the market for a whacky guitar made of whacky materials, I would want the fretboard to be weird too.

It is true, but Richlite is a brand name, and I don't think Gibson is using that brand here. If they were, they would proudly advertise it. I have no problem with Richlite. It feels great to play on, and they do a lot of stuff from flooring to countertops. This is some dollar store knockoff, though.

 

[RanchManSandy]

Richlite is a very specific company, and that stuff is more expensive than most wood. I wouldn't guess Gibson spent that much money on one of the cheapest guitars they sell (they own Steinberger).

eh, close enough