• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

Cool YouTube clip on making LPs

Trans-Am

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
4,686
Nice Vid!!.....Lucky fella got a Les Paul just for YouTubing it.

Peace:hank
 

sanders

New member
Joined
Apr 15, 2003
Messages
265
That's the best Gibson factory vid I've seen so far - thanks for the link!
 

cyberpunk409

New member
Joined
Sep 15, 2006
Messages
238
uh oh, check out 7:58

surely that's not a shim on the neck tenon to make it fit better????
 
Last edited:

Wookie

All Access/Backstage Pass
Joined
Apr 15, 2005
Messages
1,267
That was a MUCH better video than the How it's Made one.
 

tuberide

Active member
Joined
Feb 17, 2005
Messages
1,469
"you got a magget wrapped in wire" this guy needs a good night's rest :bigal
 

songsj

New member
Joined
Aug 22, 2004
Messages
504
Good video, one thing that jumped out at me is when they were talking about the early design of the electric guitar and how the goal was to eliminate sustain or vibrations. Sounded like the reason for a solid body was to deaden vibrations not enhance them. We always talk about sustain here and how more is better so that part jumped out at me. I guess what we're talking about here is the right amount and right kind of sustain. Very interesting. Another thing I came away with was with the exception of the Gibson logo, volume and tone knobs, and may be the strap pins, everything can effect the sound and playability of each guitar. I guess this is why there are tone monsters and tone turds in every brand and model.
 

ReddRanger

New member
Joined
Nov 21, 2005
Messages
110
Good video, one thing that jumped out at me is when they were talking about the early design of the electric guitar and how the goal was to eliminate sustain or vibrations. Sounded like the reason for a solid body was to deaden vibrations not enhance them. We always talk about sustain here and how more is better so that part jumped out at me. I guess what we're talking about here is the right amount and right kind of sustain. Very interesting. Another thing I came away with was with the exception of the Gibson logo, volume and tone knobs, and may be the strap pins, everything can effect the sound and playability of each guitar. I guess this is why there are tone monsters and tone turds in every brand and model.
They were not trying to eliminate sustain. The pickup and soundboard vibration they were trying to eliminate caused unwanted feedback.

Sustain is part of the neck to body design, which is desirable.
 

songsj

New member
Joined
Aug 22, 2004
Messages
504
They were not trying to eliminate sustain. The pickup and soundboard vibration they were trying to eliminate caused unwanted feedback.

Sustain is part of the neck to body design, which is desirable
So what you're saying is that the actual body of the guitar has very little to do with how much sustain a guitar has?
 

cyberpunk409

New member
Joined
Sep 15, 2006
Messages
238
as long as it is a wood shim it's fine, the glue will meld them perfectly

as far as i'm concerned, it's not acceptable on a guitar in this sort of price range. there should be NO excuse... this video (along with another posted recently) makes it appear as though Gibson put so much effort into making sure the neck and body fit together perfectly... IMHO, if the guy stuffs up and shaves a bit too much wood off the tenon, the neck should be thrown out and the guy should start again. If im paying $3000-4000 (which is what they sell for here in oz), then i want perfection... not a cheap fix/solution to someone's mistake... what's that old saying? 'measure twice, cut once'.
 

marT

New member
Joined
Jul 18, 2006
Messages
1,289
I have played around with neck shims on my tele and it did not make one slightest bit of tonal difference or sustain to my ears. With a set neck style gibson I think it would make even less difference.

Sure it is not good enough for such an expensive guitar but I don't think it would be noticeable tonally.
 

Brownie

New member
Joined
Jul 12, 2003
Messages
1,886
They were not trying to eliminate sustain. The pickup and soundboard vibration they were trying to eliminate caused unwanted feedback.

Sustain is part of the neck to body design, which is desirable.

I've read that one of the reasons the Les Paul didn't sell well before R&R came to be was that some jazz players didn't like the amount sustain in the guitar.
 

cyberpunk409

New member
Joined
Sep 15, 2006
Messages
238
I have played around with neck shims on my tele and it did not make one slightest bit of tonal difference or sustain to my ears. With a set neck style gibson I think it would make even less difference.

Sure it is not good enough for such an expensive guitar but I don't think it would be noticeable tonally.

well, whenever the topic of Gibson's not having long neck tenons comes up here, everyone defends Gibson by saying the tenon length is not the important factor, how well the neck and body mate is all that matters.

and then when we have visual footage to suggest that they do NOT mate that well, that a shim needs to be used to make them fit together, once again it's defended.

As long as consumers (i.e. you guys) defend swiss-cheese holes, chambering, short tenons, 2 piece backs, etc, then Gibson will continue to get away with cutting corners... t'is a shame
 

CR9

New member
Joined
Apr 15, 2005
Messages
1,608
I have been to Gibson USA and the Custom Shop many times since 2002 and a shim in the neck is a very rare thing. I have seen hundreds of necks set. Surprised it got on tape. I have even had the pleasure of setting a neck and getting just the right amount of wood cut off to fit the body is a skill. Getting it square is difficult and a small shim to square it up has been done on guitars since the beginning. I have even had Fender Strats with factory shims.

Great Video! Thanks for posting. I got a personal tour from Tom Montgomery in 2002 and a Gibson USA Les Paul made on my birthday all for my 50th birthday AND the 50th birthday of the Les Paul. I think the dealers are really missing the boat here. How many of you would want a serial number that represents your birthday? They just have to figure out the calender day number and get one made on that day. I must really say THANK YOU to Steve at Wildwood Guitars as he was the only dealer willing to take the time to call Gibson and order one made on a specific day. I called tons of dealers and they all said it couldn't be done.

Plant manger in 2002, Tom, is on the left.
Tom&Dan.jpg
 
Top