Richlite

An engineered composite of cellulose paper and phenolic resin, sold in sheets for fretboards and bridges.

Richlite is made by layering paper with thermosetting resin under heat and pressure, which produces a uniform, very hard sheet with no grain, no voids and no seasonal movement. Because it does not react to humidity it holds frets and neck relief predictably, and because it machines and polishes cleanly it can be slotted, radiused and inlaid much like a wooden board. It is commonly described as sounding hard and even, closer to ebony than to rosewood, with a quick attack and a tight bottom end. The objections are practical and aesthetic: there is no figure to see, it feels cooler than wood, and some players reject a synthetic board on principle.

Example: A guitar with a Richlite board stays in shape through seasonal change, though a player looking for wood grain will not find any.

typical use: Fretboards and bridges, and acoustic fingerboards on weatherproof instruments.

Richlite

See also