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Hey it's Mat from Gibson Product Development - AMA

matkoehler

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Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
Mat, Any chance the Custom Shop will be doing tours soon? I'm traveling to Nashville to see Clapton in about a week or so and would love to make the CS a stop! Please DM if that is a possibility. Mark
We'd love to have you! But because of the resurgence of the pandemic here in Tennessee, we won't be opening up the factories to outsiders anytime soon...that goes for dealers too sadly. Custom Shop is also under major renovation now so it will be worth the wait for when things are back to normal. Thanks for the question!
 

matkoehler

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Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
I have to compliment Gibson Custom and my Authentic and Authorized shop for there super help with the RMA process as I am personally affected times 2 . I was taken care of quickly and I feel the support without any hassle and that to me is wonderful how Gibson Custom and my Authentic and Authorized shop addressed this issue head on and the RMA process works . I just have to wait patiently and that is okay . Also to note that the shop offered me R series Les Paul's to use temporarily in the time being which I declined as I have a whole herd at home . Matt , please Pass my compliment on to your team . Also if you like you can send me a private Mail here on the forum if you want to know more details which I am not disclosing publicly .
This is great to hear. I will definitely do that. Thanks so much for the note!
 

Dr. Green

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Dec 12, 2018
Messages
683
Mat -

any updates coming to the Goldtops or their related parts - finishes or P 90 pick-ups ???
 

Morgan24

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Nov 1, 2020
Messages
138
Hello Mat
Thank you for answering👍😁
1: I changed the thumbwheels and wheel posts to vintage correct size and brass. The result was amazing. Is the Custom Shop going to correct this issue?
2: How come there is no Gloss Murphy Lab guitars?
3: Is the Custom Shop considering making vintage correct neck joints, using vintage 2- strand braided shield wire, relocating the tailpiece to get it vintage correct slanted?

LOVE MY 2018 M2M 59 (except the lacquer😄)
 

Midnight Blues

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Feb 20, 2011
Messages
1,703
Thanks for the question Matt! If you order a M2M based on an Artist Model, it wouldn't be accepted. So you'd have to base it off of a non-Artist platform like the 3-pickup '57 Les Paul Custom and then just list out what you'd like changed. It's already solid mahogany and not weight relieved and a 60s slim neck profile should be no problem (although I'm a big fan of the CC#22 "Colletti" Les Paul Custom neck profile...surprisingly slim and kinda V-shaped...if that sounds appealing to you at all, you won't be disappointed).
Thanks very much for your response Mat, I really appreciate it!

I figured that was the route I'd have to go, which is certainly a viable one and it's good to know that it's not a problem re the neck.

I've never played one, but I love the "Colletti" and would certainly like to see/feel how the neck is. Even though I have a '76 tobacco sunburst and a '13 R9, I've always been and will be, a Custom (of which I have two) guy. Can you tell?
laugh2.gif



Thanks again and
cheers.gif

Matt
 
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m bernardi

Active member
Joined
Jul 17, 2002
Messages
534
so custom buckers are based on page's pick ups so ones a copy of the paf in the neck and a seymour duncan in the bridges?
 

Kelsodeez

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Jul 21, 2021
Messages
1
Hi mat. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions.
I was wondering if gibson had any more flight case designs coming out? Possibly something along the lines of the Calton but a little more affordable? I ordered a protector case but the injection molding was wonky and I had to return it for an exchange but dealing with customer service was too much of a hassle so I just got a refund. I would love a gibson branded flight case that doesn't cost almost as much as my guitar.

Also, any news on a gibson usa les paul custom? Or are they going to stay a custom shop exclusive for the foreseeable future? I need a wine red LPC that isn't a $10k+ signature model. Thanks!
 

Dport

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Nov 9, 2020
Messages
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Hey Mat, thanks for this. Could you provide some insight into what the CME Custombucker "S" was based off of? Thanks!
 

matkoehler

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Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
Mat -

any updates coming to the Goldtops or their related parts - finishes or P 90 pick-ups ???
No updates but open to ideas of course. Haven't heard much grumbling about the latest finish or the P90s, but consider this my ear to the ground!
 

matkoehler

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
Hello Mat
Thank you for answering👍😁
1: I changed the thumbwheels and wheel posts to vintage correct size and brass. The result was amazing. Is the Custom Shop going to correct this issue?
2: How come there is no Gloss Murphy Lab guitars?
3: Is the Custom Shop considering making vintage correct neck joints, using vintage 2- strand braided shield wire, relocating the tailpiece to get it vintage correct slanted?

LOVE MY 2018 M2M 59 (except the lacquer😄)
Hey there!

1. Way ahead of you! We moved to the thin thumbwheels in 2020 and they and the posts have been brass for as long as I've been at Gibson. Plated of course.
2. Murphy Lab is all about aging. Wouldn't make sense to use that lacquer for Gloss IMO as it is more brittle than the regular nitro.
3. Most of the mortise and tenon neck joints we do are nearly identical to the vintage counterparts with a couple of improvements to increase surface area, close gaps and thus provide more contact points. Juniors and Specials and SGs are the most different from their vintage counterparts, but again -- in our collective opinion at Custom Shop, improved for your benefit. Thanks for the questions!
 

matkoehler

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
so custom buckers are based on page's pick ups so ones a copy of the paf in the neck and a seymour duncan in the bridges?
According to Edwin, there was not a SD in the bridge and it appeared to be a PAF, not a T-top (as reported otherwise). Perhaps Seymour rewound the bridge PAF? I'm sure the guitar has seen a few incarnations but Edwin tried to capture the spirit of how he examined it in 2003.
 

matkoehler

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
Hi mat. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions.
I was wondering if gibson had any more flight case designs coming out? Possibly something along the lines of the Calton but a little more affordable? I ordered a protector case but the injection molding was wonky and I had to return it for an exchange but dealing with customer service was too much of a hassle so I just got a refund. I would love a gibson branded flight case that doesn't cost almost as much as my guitar.

Also, any news on a gibson usa les paul custom? Or are they going to stay a custom shop exclusive for the foreseeable future? I need a wine red LPC that isn't a $10k+ signature model. Thanks!
Thanks for reaching out! What kind of guitar are you trying to fit for a flight case? There are subtle differences between LPs which make a 1-size-fits-all approach difficult, for instance. But the protector cases really are the best "budget" flight cases you would see.

No plans for a Gibson USA Les Paul Custom however I'd like to bring back the LP Supreme as a mid-point...maybe a new headstock design inspired by classic Gibson inlay designs. Could be very cool. Also, you can order a Wine Red LPC through Made 2 Measure! There is probably already a SKU set up for them so ordering would be a breeze.
 

matkoehler

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Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
Hey Mat, thanks for this. Could you provide some insight into what the CME Custombucker "S" was based off of? Thanks!
Sure thing! It's simply a Custombucker that is underwound 10-15%. The origins go back to the "E-bucker" which is essentially the same concept...it was only available to E-Commerce dealers for a time, hence the name. Hope that helps!
 

Lespaulcustom10

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Joined
Sep 8, 2021
Messages
1
Hi Mat,

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions! I got a Murphy Lab 68 custom ultra light aged with a June build date and was received by me in June as well. Upon receiving the guitar I let it acclimate for a day and opened it up, the checking was pretty subtle and looked great! A few days into owning it the checking process seemed to continue and at times I could even hear the finish cracking. The neck has a long, deeper finish crack that feels like it's lifting and it's starting to run the whole length of the neck. Should I worry about this or is it normal?



 
Last edited:

Coachmoe

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Joined
Apr 23, 2002
Messages
1,139
Mat,

GREETINGS!

Glad to have your expertise available to us. Hope you don't get hammered too bad! ;);)

My question pertains to USA Production Firebirds. Rumor floating around that they are going to be discontinued. What can you tell us about that? Additionally, how were the finish choices selected for the recent Birds, going back to say 2015? One year only Ebony, other years, Vintage Sunburst and a custom color.

If the Firebird will continue to be a regular USA production model in 2022 and beyond, any chance one of the finishes would be White?

Another question, 2018 was the last year the sculpted headstock was used on the USA Firebirds. Why did Gibson move away from that headstock and instead use the flat one with the Mini Grovers? I have my theory but I'd like to know from the company perspective.

Finally, in regards to the Mini Grovers, on the Gibson Birds, the tuner buttons are very close together; difficult to tune sometimes. The new Inspired by Gibson Epiphone Firebird uses the same tuning machines but their spacing is different and much easier to tune. Any chance that Gibson would A, go back to the sculpted head stock with banjo tuners and B, if the flat one is used, would Gibson make a change to the tuner spacing like is on the Epiphone Bird.

Thanks in advance for your response and thank again for taking on such an undertaking.

Bob
 

Dr. Green

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Joined
Dec 12, 2018
Messages
683
Mat -

what is the story about the maple I see on maybe 5% of the Historic LP which are extremely wide and straight to the point where there are just a few stripes .... I have noticed that they look "killer " and really sell fast. Is this something you look for ? in fact what is it you look for ?

for example do you look for mineral flecks to give it an aged look ? Do you look for crazy Begal tiger maple ? flat grain or quarter sawn ?

if you could get exactly what you wanted in a huge batch of Maple .... what would you want it to be comprised of ?
 

matkoehler

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
Hi Mat,

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions! I got a Murphy Lab 68 custom ultra light aged with a June build date and was received by me in June as well. Upon receiving the guitar I let it acclimate for a day and opened it up, the checking was pretty subtle and looked great! A few days into owning it the checking process seemed to continue and at times I could even hear the finish cracking. The neck has a long, deeper finish crack that feels like it's lifting and it's starting to run the whole length of the neck. Should I worry about this or is it normal?
Hey there -- looks pretty cool to me but if it is is lifting or creasing or impeding play in any way I'd say it's a candidate for replacement...the finish is extremely thin so I'm almost wondering if there is a stress crack in the neck itself? In any case good luck and contact service@gibson.com if you need help! Thanks for the question.
 

m bernardi

Active member
Joined
Jul 17, 2002
Messages
534
According to Edwin, there was not a SD in the bridge and it appeared to be a PAF, not a T-top (as reported otherwise). Perhaps Seymour rewound the bridge PAF? I'm sure the guitar has seen a few incarnations but Edwin tried to capture the spirit of how he examined it in 2003.
well we know SD taken out the t-top when he went to the push-pull pot for in phase, out of phase. my be SD rewinded it on a old base plate because all the pictures are of new bobbins
 
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