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

fretfinder · April 2020

That’s far too streaky a board for my liking. No amount of oiling it or playing it will change the fundamental fact that it is a very streaky (and unattractive?) piece of wood. Others may love it but personally I don’t.

stonevibe · April 2020

Looks like wood, so should be okay.

Sync · April 2020

Some of the greatest songs in history have been penned, recorded and performed on very average, bland or oddly finished and wired guitars.

That SG could sound and play like magic but we live in an era where that's irrelevant compared to the perfect grain.

skunkwerx · April 2020

Sync said:

Some of the greatest songs in history have been penned, recorded and performed on very average, bland or oddly finished and wired guitars.

That SG could sound and play like magic but we live in an era where that's irrelevant compared to the perfect grain.

Thats the thing, I find solid one dark colour boards quite bland. They're a dime a dozen.

I like my ebony streaky too.

I've got a spalted maple ibanez board. My explorer is pretty solid rosewood though.

JD50 · April 2020

Too light for me, subjective I know but it looks unbalanced or maybe I've been conditioned to believe so... either way I'm not feeling it.

stonevibe · April 2020

Sync said:

Some of the greatest songs in history have been penned, recorded and performed on very average, bland or oddly finished and wired guitars.

That SG could sound and play like magic but we live in an era where that's irrelevant compared to the perfect grain.

If it doesn't look good on Instagram...

Fishboy7 · April 2020

Looks fine to me. A bit of lemon oil and sweat and it'll darken for sure. But your going to play it not stare at the fretboard anyway.

TINMAN82 · April 2020

Thanks for the input chaps. Thanks also for the inevitable comments (which I vainly hoped to deflect in o.p.) about aesthetics being irrelevant. I can assure you if I bought it there would be no hit songs being written on it!

Its funny how it’s ok to have an opinion about the aesthetics of style, shape and paint colour (SG, firebird etc) but for some the aesthetics of the wood itself are untouchable.

Anyway, I’ve decided against this particular guitar but for anyone interested Nick at GAK was very helpful in providing lots of nice photos and they may well have this one still in stock.

GoldenEraGuitars · April 2020

@Tinman its a weird one. We’re all having to get used to looking at lighter rosewood boards these days. But as a painter/retailer of partcaster necks I have my way of getting them nearly ebony no matter how light they start. No dye required. We all have our own techniques I guess.

From a retail standpoint then yes, the general consensus is buyers prefer darker boards. That’s what we’ve found anyway. As far as I’m concerned the aesthetics of the raw wood are very much on the table when it comes to spending money. If you, as a buyer, don’t like it then alter it to where you’re happy with it. If you’ve walked away from this deal that’s cool but that particular board would darker down beautifully and very easily too.

WezV · April 2020

GoldenEraGuitars said:

@Tinman its a weird one. We’re all having to get used to looking at lighter rosewood boards these days. But as a painter/retailer of partcaster necks I have my way of getting them nearly ebony no matter how light they start. No dye required. We all have our own techniques I guess.

That we do. I like dye. I have tried other ebonizing tricks but come back to dye.

...

I don't think anyone was saying aesthetics of wood are not important at all. Sure, I put structure first, but the way it looks is still important.

It's also easily controlled with various methods. That's why it's not top of my list when deciding if a guitar is right

I wouldn't go straight for oil first as many here suggest. Problem with that is it can limit the success of other methods, so if it's not dark enough your making further tints difficult

Sync · April 2020

Nothing beats a good strong concentrated shot of nescafe azera instant coffee powder in some warmed danish or lemon oil.

Smooth dark rich roast right there.

StruanRobertson · April 2020

I have had exactly the same worry! I just bought an SG junior from GAK (2019 version - assume you're looking at the same). I asked the tech to select the best body (it does look really good!). He sent pics over email.

The first thing I said was that the board looks very light.

The guitar tech at GAK replied saying Gibson supply the guitar boards dry as it's better for transit, and he was going to oil it for me (as well as restring and set up with 11's for free).

He could be talking rubbish, but I'm hoping not. Either way, I imagine it'll arrive to me darker than the pics and I'll slowly sweat all over it too to darken it further!

It arrives Tues, so I can put up some comparison pics if you like?

StruanRobertson · April 2020

@TINMAN82 ;

On closer inspection, that is the EXACT guitar I have bought! Luke at GAK said it was the best of the bunch (showing some consistency at the very least).

I'm not fussed about the colour or streaking, I'm just excited to hear those P90's through my AC30!

I'll post some pics, maybe even do my first ever NGD when it lands.

GAK offer a 30 day no quibble returns policy, even after new strings, setup and oiling, so I decided to take the plunge and relieve my lockdown GAS.

Philly_Q · April 2020

StruanRobertson said:

The guitar tech at GAK replied saying Gibson supply the guitar boards dry as it's better for transit

I've never heard that before!

StruanRobertson · April 2020

Philly_Q said:

StruanRobertson said:

The guitar tech at GAK replied saying Gibson supply the guitar boards dry as it's better for transit

I've never heard that before!

To be specific, and to not do the guy at GAK a disservice, he actually just said Gibson send the out dry - just reread the email.

I appear to have added the transit element in my lockdown stir crazy mind, sorry.

Philly_Q · April 2020

StruanRobertson said:

Philly_Q said:

StruanRobertson said:

The guitar tech at GAK replied saying Gibson supply the guitar boards dry as it's better for transit

I've never heard that before!

To be specific, and to not do the guy at GAK a disservice, he actually just said Gibson send the out dry - just reread the email.

I appear to have added the transit element in my lockdown stir crazy mind, sorry.

Lockdown stir-craziness is entirely forgivable.

OilCityPickups · April 2020

Philly_Q said:

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

Too glossy for me too ... looks cheap. The board looks fine ... or will with a bit of playing in ... but I'd have to take steel wool to that finish!

TINMAN82 · April 2020

StruanRobertson said:

@TINMAN82 ;

On closer inspection, that is the EXACT guitar I have bought! Luke at GAK said it was the best of the bunch (showing some consistency at the very least).

I'm not fussed about the colour or streaking, I'm just excited to hear those P90's through my AC30!

I'll post some pics, maybe even do my first ever NGD when it lands.

GAK offer a 30 day no quibble returns policy, even after new strings, setup and oiling, so I decided to take the plunge and relieve my lockdown GAS.

Awesome. I hope it’s a keeper, congrats.

StruanRobertson · May 2020

@TINMAN82 ;

It arrived last week.

It is indeed a keeper, thanks. So resonant, loads of top end and grunt from the P90's too. Volume and tone pots both very responsive - plenty of good tones from one pup.

The finish is a little thick, and there's a slight imperction in one place, but overall it ROCKS. I'm not too fussy about that. If I want refined, modern perfection I can play my American Ultra Strat.

Also, the board has darkened up but kept the streaking which I really like.

Some pics:

Sg Junior https://imgur.com/gallery/GwSJeMQ

TINMAN82 · May 2020

StruanRobertson said:

@TINMAN82 ;

It arrived last week.

It is indeed a keeper, thanks. So resonant, loads of top end and grunt from the P90's too. Volume and tone pots both very responsive - plenty of good tones from one pup.

The finish is a little thick, and there's a slight imperction in one place, but overall it ROCKS. I'm not too fussy about that. If I want refined, modern perfection I can play my American Ultra Strat.

Also, the board has darkened up but kept the streaking which I really like.

Some pics:

Sg Junior https://imgur.com/gallery/GwSJeMQ

Nice one! Looks very cool and the board is definitely improved.

Im still procrastinating about what sub £1k guitar to buy for slide. One of these (possibly too close in price to an SG standard to justify) or perhaps a Gibson copy from FGN. An Ibanez semi hollow or a Reverend Charger. Hmmm.

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

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