Questions about Inlay materials , plastic and natural:

[mrmega]

Hello group!

I have a 2011 Les Paul Traditional Pro that I really like. Its one of my favorite playing and sounding guitars of all time, going back 40 years. I also really like my 2 Les Paul Customs.

In the paperwork for the Traditional Pro, it says the inlays are made of ABS plastic. Is this common?

How long has Gibson been using ABS plastic or other man-made materials?


What Les Paul models from what periods use abalone or mother of pearl or other natural materials for inlays?

What Les Paul models from what periods use plastic or man made materials for inlays??
Thanks

 

[MP4-22]

Les paul customs and special models use MOP...... Standards have always used acrylic unless its a special spec.

 

[ARandall]

Even 50s Les Paul's had plastic inlays. It just they were made from a more volatile plastic - that got swapped for a less flammable plastic when restrictions about workplace safety became tighter.

 

[Christosterone]

SRV had a Hamiltone with his signature inlayed….practically the whole dang fretboard was plastic

still made it sound like “him”

 

[ARandall]

I always thought that guitar used MOP.
But the inlay depth is typically only about 10-15% of the fretboard depth. MOP is supplied thicker as you can't bend them to fit into a curved rout like plastic. So the edges are getting toward paper thin if it's a 7 1/4" radius for example.
If you're into figuring out the amount of inlay material, even that extensive one would probably be less than 5% of the whole fretboard mass.
Then regular trap inlays are maybe .5%, and dots about .05%

 

[Jungle]

Gibson made in 2015 has real MOP inlays, nice blue and purple reflections.

 

[Great R8]

Even 50s Les Paul's had plastic inlays. It just they were made from a more volatile plastic - that got swapped for a less flammable plastic when restrictions about workplace safety became tighter.

So we will never have a true replica/reissue? Do they still make that volatile plastic?

 

[ARandall]

Yes, they've used cellulose nitrate for reissues for quite a while now

 

[Roxy13]

Yes, you can still buy cellulose nitrate for making inlays. I also have some MIJ guitars that have them.