well for a start a good quality mohogany lets your fret board last a lifetime. its naturals oils protect from the acidity if sweat, also the pressure of the fingers on the strings. get a fretboard made of pine or spruce... in a year of playng you have groovs so deep that it'll become unplayable. second a guitar also has an aestetic factor, shape, colour are part of a player taste and why not axtending that taste to the inlays? i've got a Y on my 12th (i'll let you alll wander why) i wanted it because has a meaning. but even if not it looks cool