Tree of Life Inlay

[anilsahal]

My JCRG5 has a rather nice tree of life inlay, flawlessly applied. However I've noticed that not all the inlay are of abalone-about half are of some reflective material cover with transparent plastic.

Is there a good reason for this or is it merely a cost-cutting exercise on the part of Ibanez? It seems odd to cut corners on this type of 'high-end' instrument and I do think it slightly detracts from the overall beauty of the instrument.

Does anyone know of a good luthier in the UK who could replace the plastic inlay with abalone?

[winterlong]

Jem7v Are the same way. I would say it is a cost issue

[darren wilson]

I've always thought it was more to give the vine more dimension and depth... after all, leaves are generally a different texture on their top and the underside.

It could also be a greater differentiator between the large and small leaves. The larger ones seem to fall on the normal inlay positions of 1, 3 5, 7, 9, 12, etc.

[anilsahal]

I like the 3D explanation and it's the one I'm going to use when a St**t or LP owner points at my neck, laughingly! However, if Ibanez were being really clever they'd realise that abalone does come in slightly different shades which would produce the same effect.

Anyway, after several months of having my JCRG5 I'm gradually beginning to like it/fall in love with it. It's takene a while though.

[ripl3y]

I thought some was Abalone and the rest Mother Of Pearl.
Is this not the case?

Steve

[jemsite]

Originally Posted by anilsahal

My JCRG5 has a rather nice tree of life inlay, flawlessly applied. However I've noticed that not all the inlay are of abalone-about half are of some reflective material cover with transparent plastic.

Is there a good reason for this or is it merely a cost-cutting exercise on the part of Ibanez? It seems odd to cut corners on this type of 'high-end' instrument and I do think it slightly detracts from the overall beauty of the instrument.

Does anyone know of a good luthier in the UK who could replace the plastic inlay with abalone?

can you scan the fretboard or get some quality shots. You can't tell from photos if it's the VWH style (half abalone - cost saver) or JEM10 style (full abalone - no expense spared)... glen

[Rich]

That silver backed inlay is the same used in the JSY2KPLT so I'd imagine it was a way for them to make it more interesting and unique.

[jd]

As far as I can tell there are 4 types of material used for the inlays
(non-techy list):

1. Abalone, for the large leaves with jagged edges and some large dots; I see 10 of them
2. Mother Of Pearl? Maybe another abalone; for the 3 or 4 blueish dots
3. V.shiny mirror type-thing; for 8 small dots and about 4 large leaves
4. Fuzzy silver plastic type-thing; all shaped like the tilde "~" some reversed, about 12

Hang on; looking even closer about 6 of the last #4's look more like a plain MOP; they reflect differently to the plain plastic things and are a touch smaller!

Oh and there's the vine itself which I think is something else again.

Wish I had a digital camera... but you can see some of these on the JCRG5 in the galleray at http://www.ibanezregister.com

I'd say #1 looks like "natural paua" in the last group of pics at http://www.inlayusa.com/abalone/colorchart.htm. #2 could be "blue paua"? #3 is also pretty cool 'cos its seems to be embedded 2 to 3 mm below the surface and so has a major 3d thing going on! #4 is what I think Anil is highlighting, and I agree its a shame they are there, but the small MOPs don't distinguish themselves enough.

Is this how it looks to you too Anil?

[anilsahal]

jd,

I assumed that the various colours you describe (as in your #1 and 2) were abalone. I've seen it in shells and it can indeed have many irridescent shades of blue and greens-I could be wrong. I think MoP has a creamier underlying hue with colours running through similar to the colours you get on an oil patch after it's rained (Thin film interference!).

On my neck, that leaves the countersunk silvery substance overlayed with transparent plastic. So I think the inlays are just abalone and whatever the silver stuff is (probably paper).

I'll take some close up pictures tonight and post them tomorrow (if someone can tell me how).

Anil

[Hardtail]

Originally Posted by anilsahal

I like the 3D explanation and it's the one I'm going to use when a St**t or LP owner points at my neck, laughingly! However, if Ibanez were being really clever they'd realise that abalone does come in slightly different shades which would produce the same effect.

Anyway, after several months of having my JCRG5 I'm gradually beginning to like it/fall in love with it. It's takene a while though.

Uhhhhhhh uhhuhhhhhh Tree of Life uhhhuhhhhhh (in my best Beavis voice) - LOL. Hope it doesn't delaminate or peel off with humidity changes over the years ...

Signed, HT, a Carvin guy (I know I know - don't get excited, just cuttin' up ... )

[Knightmeir]

Peel off? Only an ed roman lover would spew such blasphemy!

[Anders_destium]

If you want to see some nice abalone check the pgm90Ham
I'am one hell of a proud owner

[Gabe Nickelson]

Originally Posted by Hardtail

Hope it doesn't delaminate or peel off with humidity changes over the years ...

Not a chance. Common real-shell abalone inlay material is around 1.2-1.5mm thick, then contoured (filed) to the fingerboard level and radius. Most fingerboards are around 6mm thick. Abalone can be polished down as well, as it is before final release. There's no chance of it peeling off unless they used 'Micralone' which is a very thin (.005") abalone sheet which can be adhered to the top of the fingerboard. If anyone ever tries to pull this off on you - shoot them!

It won't delaminate either since there is no laminate, but the gleam may fade over time which might require a polishing. Usually this is simply fingboard goobers (aka your nasty-ass dead skin and dirt).

Don't get me wrong - it is possible to wear down abalone with extended play, but I'm sure if that time ever came it would be WELL overdue for a fingerboard replacement. Plus you would have probably gone through about 5 or 6 frets replacements too. Basically what I'm trying to say is - this feat would take many many years of extended play.

Gabe