#46
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Now, you've made it very clear that you find this practice outrageous as well as ethically dubious, and it angers you a great deal. Fair enough. I'm not going to try to convince you to buy a Martin guitar. But I think your anger is misplaced, partially because Martin has one of the best records in truthfully labeling what woods they use without resorting to misdirection of just about ANY of the major guitar companies. About the only other major acoustic guitar manufacturer that's equally open about which woods they use is Taylor. For example, if you go shopping for a mahogany guitar, most companies these days are using mahogany-like woods like khaya and sapele instead of Honduran mahogany, which is what most of us would expect. The scientific name for Honduran mahogany is Swietenia macrophylla, and it's a true mahogany. Khaya is in another genus, which is considered to be close to genuine mahogany but not quite, and sapele is even further from genuine mahogany. Neither is a Swietenia. Yet both of those African hardwoods commonly get used and described in these guitar companies' promotional literature as "mahogany," with no further explanation given. Yet Martin has never done that. They have been completely straightforward about the woods that they use, even though they have begun to use the phrase "select hardwoods" that offends you so much when it's used to describe the neck woods. I know better than to try to persuade anyone who's bound and determined to be angry about something that they shouldn't be, so I won't try here. But I'd suggest you get indignant about other guitar manufacturers' loose descriptions of the woods they use before you target Martin. Wade Hampton Miller |
#47
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One big difference is we are talking expensive guitars not a .89 cent can of food. I will just say in my line of work the hype and marketing of earth friendly products is used to increase profit and degrade product quality and reliability on a regular basis. So it doesn’t take much for my BS meter to go into the red and the term “select hardware” does it. Like most things these days it is what it is. Now I’m gonna play my D-41 sporting it’s Mahogany neck |
#48
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interesting Video on Richlite fingerboards
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I've owned a Jeff Tweedy Martin for about two years now and it must have been at least two months before I realised that the bridge and fretboard were Richlite , I really couldn't tell the difference . One strange offshoot with my Martin is that the strings last a lot longer then with my other Acoustics ( same strings same gauge ) all in all my Martins a keeper
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Martin OODB JT Gibson J45 Yamaha LLTA Yamaha SLG200S Yamaha NTX1200R Taylor GSMiniE Rosewood Joe Brown Uke AER Compact 60 Marshall AS50D Now 100% Acoustic and loving it ! No more GAS |
#49
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The snob in me values the traditional woods like ebony, the realist knows that these are scarce and unsustainable and that man made materials have practical benefits. I'd say the latter outweighs the former for me and I would happily buy a guitar with richlite fingerboard/bridge. I'm pretty sceptical that fingerboard wood (at least rosewood/ebony/richlite) really changes the sound significantly on an acoustic unless we're talking about something slippery like maple.
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#50
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#51
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The video on richlite was really quite fascinating. |
#52
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I owned a Martin guitar with a Richlite fretboard for 15+ years. It looked, played, sounded, and felt great. I'd have zero issues owning another musical instrument with such a board.
And I'm always amused reading comments that criticize players' technique and abilities if they feel the fretboard at various times while they play. Always makes for eye rolling entertainment. |