New Guitar Day!

[Brooke]

Did anyone notice that they've increased the binding thickness around the headstock? It's more in line with the early 90's pro series binding style.

Very nice indeed. That looks like a good one.

[ken]

Congrats man. She's a beauty.

Any chance of a picture of the back?

So this is my first ebony fingerboard guitar ever. How long should I expect the black dye to be coming off on my fingers for? Will a shot of lemon oil help clean off any excess?

Maybe Brooke was unlucky: neither of my USA Jacksons have dye on the fretboard and both are quite dark (although one has a light brown spot). If you keep it oiled (once every six months or so), it will keep its dark lustre and stop it from drying out and cracking.

[toejam]

I've had the same thing happen with my KV2. WHen you use lemon oil more of the dye will come off on your rag.

Are you sure that's just not dirt/grease/grime from normal playing?

[Hellbat]

Well, it could be the strings that are making my fingertips black but I'm pretty sure its the fingerboard. I'll give the board a good wipe down when I throw on some DR coated strings. I'm sure it will mellow out over time, it's just that it makes my fingertips go all Al Jolson right now. I also have crazy skin oils that don't play nicely with dyes. Quite often when readin magazines the ink on the covers comes off on my hands too.

The board is definitely not rosewood, the grain is way too tight, you can see it in the shot of the headstock. I'll get some better pictures of it front and back once the weather co-operates. It's super overcast again today so hopefully this weekend will clear up a bit. The back has some cool grain visible through the trans finish, which I did take a picture of but my camera underexposed it a little and I was using the little on camera flash. When I take my real pictures of the guitar I'll bust out my big off camera flash.

[Brooke]

Ebony is not jet black. Every ebony board that is black is dyed black (Gibson, ESP, you name it). The wood is processed to make it look like that.

[Brooke]

Are you sure that's just not dirt/grease/grime from normal playing?

Absolutely positive that it was dye.

I know that you have a few USA Jacksons. But have you had one that was less then 1 year old? Because I think that after a few years the excess dye stops coming off.

[shreddermon]

Ebony is not jet black. Every ebony board that is black is dyed black (Gibson, ESP, you name it). The wood is processed to make it look like that.

+1. Almost evey guitar manufacturer dyes their ebony f'boards. I've never had any coming off on my fingers, though.

BTW, awesome looking flametop on that guitar. Looks classy. Congrats.

[Brooke]

+1. Almost evey guitar manufacturer dyes their ebony f'boards. I've never had any coming off on my fingers, though.

BTW, awesome looking flametop on that guitar. Looks classy. Congrats.

I agree, that guitar looks Fricken perfect.

[Robotechnology]

Nice guitar! V's give me a woody

[Robert Burns]

Very unique looking! Fantastic overall... Killer... KILLER!

[toejam]

Absolutely positive that it was dye.

I know that you have a few USA Jacksons. But have you had one that was less then 1 year old? Because I think that after a few years the excess dye stops coming off.

Well, with my RR1Ts, one is from 2000, the other is 2004. But my Mark Morton (Japanese) I bought brand new last year and no dye has come off.

[Hellbat]

Very unique looking! Fantastic overall... Killer... KILLER!

As unique as a USA select gets hehe. I'm thinking of chrome covered pickups to make it just that bit different from a normal USA select. I picked up a regular Seymour Duncan Custom today to try in place of the JB. The JB sounded perfect in the RR5 that I had but this is freakishly bright sounding. It's almost like a single coil. I love the Jazz in the neck though, it lets me get some real Opeth "Damnation" type clean tone using the PODxt "Sultan of Swing" preset. The guitar sustain is incredible it just keeps ringing.

[Johnnyryche]

Great looking guitar! Congrats.

[ulijdavid]

Here is a link to the dye for ebony fretboards from stewmac - claiming Gibson, PRS, etc. use it to stain their boards

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies/Fingerboard_cleaner,_stain_and_oil/Black_Fingerboard_Stain.html

Regardless of what is done to the fretboard, that guitar looks unbelievable!!!!