Would this fretboard put you off? (Gibson SG Jr)

TINMAN82

Considering one of these bad boys at £1000. The store have sent photos and while the body looks great the, erm, pallor of the fretboard is giving me second thoughts. Gibson seem renowned for dry looking boards these days but I’m not sure if this would be salvageable with Fret Dr.

I know it’s my call, I’m just curious to gauge the general opinion.

(before anyone asks, no I’ve neither played nor heard it because were on national lockdown!)

sweepy

It'd darken up after some playing and Fret Oil

ICBM

No, it wouldn't - it's easily fixable with some oil. I would use raw linseed oil or teak oil.

skunkwerx

Wouldnt put me off. I like the look of that actually! 

Visuals aside, I dont see dry boards as being a huge issue. 

Better than being too moist anyway. 

Some guys never oil their boards over many years and never have issues. 

I recently picked up a Gibson LPJ. 

Boards pretty similar. 

For me, I dont know what it is, but Epiphones and Gibsons boards when I've oiled them before just seem to go damp and like the oil sits there and makes playing feel weird no matter how little I use or how much I buff off any residue. Even if I use just enough to get a covering but not an excess. 

Other boards I'll oil, they'll go darker, feel silky smooth and normal. 

Not sure what it is. Tried dunlop, gibsons own etc. 

Anyway, heres a pic of my board: 

I've named it gizmo, because I intend never to oil it. 

We'll see over the years if it ever causes any issues. But, the amount of guitars out there that have probably never seen oil in their life vs the amount of cracked boards or fret issues is probably quite slim. 

+ my fingers are going to oil it whilst playing anyway. In fact they already have taken a lot of the 'dry' look away. 

After a couple of string changes and board wipe downs with a dry cloth (I wipe the strings, frets and all over with a dry cloth after playing every time) the stuff that turns the fingers black subsided. Which oiling usually cures from the get go.

Whilst yours does look lighter, I don't think it would put me off from a structural stand point. Visually I like it because its different and patterned, but I'm not fussed by having to have dark woods.

TINMAN82

ICBM said:

No, it wouldn't - it's easily fixable with some oil. I would use raw linseed oil or teak oil.

Cool, thanks. Out of interest, one piece or well hidden 2 piece body?

skunkwerx

TINMAN82 said:

ICBM said:

No, it wouldn't - it's easily fixable with some oil. I would use raw linseed oil or teak oil.

Cool, thanks. Out of interest, one piece or well hidden 2 piece body?

Be surprised if its 1, but that is well hidden if not! 

Mine above is a 2.

ICBM

TINMAN82 said:

Cool, thanks. Out of interest, one piece or well hidden 2 piece body?

It's almost impossible to tell with straight-grained mahogany like that, from face-on - looking at the endgrain is usually the only giveaway. I'd be surprised if it's one-piece at that end of the range though.

Doug

looks bloody lovely!

skunkwerx

Doug said:

looks bloody lovely!

It does! 

Not my thing sg's, but if I had to have one, this is quite sexy. The grain on the body is stunning and to me the fretboard looks great like that!

+ the strings line up well over the pole pieces whilst still sitting equidistant from fingerboard edges. Thats always a big issue for me haha.

Though the bridges arent notched on these so easy to make some adjustment. 

For me, if I was buying one, if this guitar is otherwise set up well and plays nicely (you can't tell obviously atm), based off of the above pictures I would be satisfied with that, and I'm pretty picky.

thebreeze

For me it would put me off, aesthetically.  It just doesn't seem in keeping with the look of the rest of the guitar.  So it would depend on how it played and sounded as to whether I actually bought it or not.

Loobs

Those bridges put me off more than the fretboard wood on this example. 

WezV

I would much rather have that board than much of the brazRW people pay a premium for.

Okay, could be a bit tighter grained, so I suspect it's not perfectly quarter sawn... but the majority of the grain lines make it from one end to the other with little deviation.   That's the most important factor for me

Philly_Q

I'd like the body to be less glossy, then the board wouldn't contrast with it so much.

TINMAN82

Thanks chaps, some interesting views here. I think the fact I’ve taken it to a forum probably already suggests it would bother me a bit over time. Might have to wait until viewing in person is doable.

axisus

I don't like it personally, I don't think the fretboard suits the body at all, but hey, just my opinion ...

Iamnobody

I like it!

Genuine question. Did anyone give a fuck about the colour of rosewood boards before the internet?

The thought had never crossed my mind until I started reading it on here. Honestly.

So do you care about the colour - or have you been conditioned to care about it?

TINMAN82

Iamnobody said:

I like it!

Genuine question. Did anyone give a fuck about the colour of rosewood boards before the internet?

The thought had never crossed my mind until I started reading it on here. Honestly.

So do you care about the colour - or have you been conditioned to care about it?

Fair point. However it’s not the colour that grates with me it’s actually the prominent, wavy grain which (as one or two others have said) doesn’t match the body too well. It’s very subjective, clearly.

dannyboy82

https://i.imgur.com/3ybtPyq.jpg

This is how my 2019 special came from peach. Maybe they oiled it?

Teyeplayer

TINMAN82 said:

ICBM said:

No, it wouldn't - it's easily fixable with some oil. I would use raw linseed oil or teak oil.

Cool, thanks. Out of interest, one piece or well hidden 2 piece body?


 

Hate to be the bearer, but it’s a three piece body. I can’t embed in here but can show you if you need via pm. Don’t let the number of pieces get you down though, it’s how the guitar sounds that matters.

Doug

Iamnobody said:

I like it!

Genuine question. Did anyone give a fuck about the colour of rosewood boards before the internet?

The thought had never crossed my mind until I started reading it on here. Honestly.

So do you care about the colour - or have you been conditioned to care about it?

Excellent!

SteveRobinson

Teyeplayer said:



Hate to be the bearer, but it’s a three piece body. I can’t embed in here but can show you if you need via pm. Don’t let the number of pieces get you down though, it’s how the guitar sounds that matters.

Now you say that it really jumps out of that picture