Stay tuned

[patman]

I would want to know how Richlite wears in the long term

[4stringer77]

How about an entire guitar made out of bakelite? The neck would be super stable and it could be all kinds of cool colors too. The fellow in this video talks about bakelite in a passionate way that some would talk about wood.

[FrankieTbird]

How about an entire guitar made out of bakelite?

Would the entire guitar deteriorate in 30-50 years?

[patman]

Some Rickenbacker steels were bakelite. With time, they do become fragile. Check out a duo called "Larkin Poe".  The bakelite steel guitar sounds great on old blues tunes...

[Dave W]

Some Rickenbacker steels were bakelite. With time, they do become fragile. Check out a duo called "Larkin Poe".  The bakelite steel guitar sounds great on old blues tunes...

A friend posted a recent video of Larkin Poe on Faceboo kcovering John Lee Hooker's Crawling King SnaKe Blues. IIRC the steel player was using a resonator on that one, not a bakelite Ric. They sounded great but considering what a crawling snake refers to in old blues music, it was funny to hear a woman singing it.

[Dave W]

I think musical instruments are all about soul, love, your own preferences. I also didn't buy basses because of one stupid feature. My only point is disliking something if you've never tried it. I sometimes see (also here) people slag of bands they haven't heard, I hear friends slag of TV programs they've never seen, etc.

Even if I hadn't tried it, I wouldn't consider it, no matter how good anyone else thinks it sounds, even if I thought it sounded okay. My money, my choice.

In the particular case of Richlite, the way it has been promoted makes me more than suspicious. I smell a rat.

[Jeff Scott]

...I want ..... my car to be made of steel...

Good thing, too, because Ferrari refuses to let you own one of their vehicles. 

[Daniel_J]

If I'm not mistaken, Ric used to make their nuts out of bakelite.
At least is what I remember reading about years ago.

[ilan]

Bakelite.

[Jeff Scott]

...considering what a crawling snake refers to in old blues music, it was funny to hear a woman singing it.

I'd never heard that "term".  What's it mean (and don't ask me to go look it up somewhere, as you seem to already know what it is).  Thanks. 

[4stringer77]

I think the end of a crawling snake is where you can usually find Ric's black nuts 

[Dave W]

I'd never heard that "term".  What's it mean (and don't ask me to go look it up somewhere, as you seem to already know what it is).  Thanks. 

See below.

I think the end of a crawling snake is where you can usually find Ric's black nuts 

Perfect explanation! 

First recorded reference I know of was Black Snake Moan by Blind Lemon Jefferson (1926)

Mmm, mmm, black snake crawlin' in my room
Some pretty mama better come and get this black snake soon

Lots of, err, interesting imagery in old blues.

[amptech]

Bakelite.

I actually looked at my rick nut and wondered what material it was many times..

[Rob]

I think the end of a crawling snake is where you can usually find Ric's black nuts 

BWAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Dave W]

Bakelite nuts aren't the only things that deteriorate with old age.