Heritage Cherry SG = rosewood. Right?

[Citrus Monolith]

Thinking about getting an SG standard and I don't want baked maple. No worries if I get heritage cherry, right? Just a little confused, because I'm hearing people say Gibson doesn't have ANY rosewood, so I'm not sure how they could still be making guitars with rw fretboards.

[22Frets]

You better call and check with the retailer. Gibson is putting baked maple on a lot of things these days, including SG's. Heritage Cherry may be included.

[Mac102250]

All finishes of the new sgs ("Standard limited"?) have maple fretboards from what I know. Every 2011 sg I've played lately has had one. This bullshit with Gibson and rosewood is annoying as hell.

[Lysol]

They are still using rosewood on regular models apparently. It's only maple on the ones that say it's maple.

The website has the models listed with either ebony, rosewood, maple or obeche.

They cant list a guitar as one thing and sell you another, it is against the law.

Just don't get a limited SG standard as those have baked maple.

Whether they have completely run out of rosewood guitars and not sourced new rosewood stock, I don't know...

[sasquatch]

If Epiphone has rosewood then Gibson should have rosewood.
Damn, how much trouble would it be to PO some from Qingdao? Problem solved.

[Laaz]

Epiphone is not made in the USA. You may be seeing a whole lot more imported guitars coming into the US with rosewood than guitars made in the US with rosewood. Different laws altogether in different countries. Once the fretboard & guitar is completed the laws change. The issue is with raw material coming into the US.

[Citrus Monolith]

Well, I emailed Gibson and was told that they are not currently producing SGs with rosewood. It also said heritage cherry SG Standards produced 2011 or prior have rosewood. So I guess if you want a new SG with rosewood as I do now is the time to act, unless you're okay with waiting until this whole mess gets sorted out.

[Lysol]

I'm buying a regular rosewood SG this week.

[KRaZeE]

Originally Posted by Citrus Monolith

Well, I emailed Gibson and was told that they are not currently producing SGs with rosewood. It also said heritage cherry SG Standards produced 2011 or prior have rosewood. So I guess if you want a new SG with rosewood as I do now is the time to act, unless you're okay with waiting until this whole mess gets sorted out.

That is assuming once it does get sorted out, they don't decide the baked maple is cheap enough and sells well enough to not abandon it and go back to rosewood.

[daze]

They are using a "Katalox fingerboard" on the SG Standard now.

"The neck of the SG Standard carries a katalox fingerboard. Katalox is a dense and hard Central American hardwood that has a great richness and depth with strong presence. "

Gibson.com: Gibson SG Standard

[Lysol]

I noticed they are using Katalox yesterday. Which when you think about it, makes sense as they cant just stop making guitars. Apparently, from what I have read, it is similar in properties to Ebony. Some fingerboards carry a Pinkish/Purple hue to the grain with Katalox.

They are using a few different woods actually...on various models.

[Citrus Monolith]

That's interesting, they must have updated the SG page since I ordered because I definitely checked and it still said rosewood a few days ago.

[Luckynumber3]

Originally Posted by daze

They are using a "Katalox fingerboard" on the SG Standard now.

"The neck of the SG Standard carries a katalox fingerboard. Katalox is a dense and hard Central American hardwood that has a great richness and depth with strong presence. "

Gibson.com: Gibson SG Standard

Thats weird- their seems to be a different alternative wood on every model! One has granadillo, some have baked maple, some have obeche, some have richlite, etc...

There is also an sg standard limited which is pretty much the same thing but with baked maple, although the sg standard still says rosewood on there.

Imo, if you want rosewood for sure, buy used from 2010 and before, because otherwise, who knows what you are going to get (Unless you see the exact guitar with your own two eyes before you buy).

[Thumpalumpacus]

Originally Posted by sasquatch

If Epiphone has rosewood then Gibson should have rosewood.
Damn, how much trouble would it be to PO some from Qingdao? Problem solved.

Without provenance, it would be very troublesome. They have to show that the wood is legal.

What is legal in China may not be legal here.

[Citrus Monolith]

I got my SG and it's from March 2011. I think that means rosewood, sure looks like rosewood to me. Also, second guitar I've gotten factory sealed from Gibson and I've still yet to be the victim of poor quality control.

[Lysol]

March 2011 is definitely Rosewood man!

[theblock321]

I have yet to play any of the new Gibson stuff with baked maple fretboards, but is there that much of a difference? I have seen and read that the tone is just a bit brighter but does it play that much differently than rosewood? I plan on trying some out very soon but I am just asking for real details and not the complaint that "it's not rosewood!"

[geddyleefan]

Just buy a secondhand SG with rosewood board. Problem solved

[geddyleefan]

It sucks Gibson cant use rosewood boards as usual. They're trying to make products for people who are buying guitars and then told not to by "government standards" because of certain legit of woods. Its like fighting mike tyson with your hands tied behind your back