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Hey it's Mat from Gibson Product Development - AMA

matkoehler

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Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
Mat-

I guess that my point was missed .... to clarify :
if there is any stop on the neck then that becomes the point of first contact - not the bottom of the neck tenon inside the body cavity which IMHO would be a much better point of contact . Imagine a telecaster and while the strings are under tension you loosen the neck plate screws a quarter turn ..... that will drive the neck into the body under tension and create massive sustain after you tighten the screws back up ... its been proven to work .... I have done it myself . this video shows at the 24 minute mark what I am talking about... imagine no neck stop and neck is bottomed as far as it will go and held under small pressure as glue dries

now you might completely disagree but can you confirm which way the original 59s were made ? ..... sorry to beat this into the ground 🥵



If your point is that there is a subtle difference between how the long tenon necks are shaped/ set today and some of the vintage models, I understand and agree. But there were giant variations in the practice between models in the 50s/60s, and I'm happy with where we landed as the standard for Custom Shop today. We're really getting into the weeds here! Lol. -Mat
 

brandtkronholm

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Dec 3, 2006
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2,737
Matt, can the Custom shop put a Varitone on an EDS1275? Serious question. Thanks in advance and thank you very much for opening this channel to interact with us hardcore Gibson nuts!
 

matkoehler

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Sep 12, 2014
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482
Hi Mat,
What I think would be killer is an ES355 run in black with a P90 in the bridge and a staple in the neck position, like a '55 LP Custom.
Also, more 3x5s with wraparound bridges and P90s.
Cheers!
Agreed. That would be very cool. Buzzy Feiten's wraptail-modified ES-345 comes to mind. Sounded amazing with Butterfield at Woodstock:


I've got limited run ideas for days but with so many backorders, nearly all have to sit in my back pocket for now! :(
 

matkoehler

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Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
Matt, can the Custom shop put a Varitone on an EDS1275? Serious question. Thanks in advance and thank you very much for opening this channel to interact with us hardcore Gibson nuts!
Can? Yes. Should? No. Haha. But seriously as much as I think we could, I don't think it's a request that would be honored through M2M. Trying not to take on major engineering projects like that and focus on building the current orders (and the artist model launches) as much as possible.
 

brandtkronholm

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2,737
Can? Yes. Should? No. Haha. But seriously as much as I think we could, I don't think it's a request that would be honored through M2M. Trying not to take on major engineering projects like that and focus on building the current orders (and the artist model launches) as much as possible.
Mat, thank you for your response. Supposing I really want a Varitone on my EDS1275, what division would honor such a request? Or, how would one best go about getting such a (real) request honored?

I feel this may be in my future:
shorn't.jpeg
 

madrivermoco

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Joined
Sep 26, 2021
Messages
35
The whole guitar was painted at one point and in the Linhof photos, it's hard to tell for sure whether it's a Mahogany neck IMO. But it makes sense if so. In any case, yes I would like to see a reissue and I *think* I could get my hands on the original to scan. Using Ponty's name would be amazing but not sure on the feasibility of securing that. You're not crazy and thanks for the question!
You know…
There’s a place for a “Patent Applied For,” series…

Those McCarty era patents are awesome and it’s be interesting, as one of your customers, to see how a modern Gibson would move from patent to production. Would a poplar Moderne with a no-pole-piece PAF sell like hot cakes? Maybe not (I would want one but I’m a weirdo) But a korina Futura with those patent style PAFs and an abr? I’d love that with my whole self. I don’t think I’d trust anyone who didn’t…
 

matkoehler

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Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
Mat, thank you for your response. Supposing I really want a Varitone on my EDS1275, what division would honor such a request? Or, how would one best go about getting such a (real) request honored?
The quickest and most cost-effective way to do this would be to procure an EDS-1275 and have a qualified repair shop or Gibson Repair & Restoration figure out the rest. The major issue is varitones were used in semi-hollow and hollow body guitars, and to retrofit it to a solid guitar like an EDS-1275, you'd probably have to modify the control cavity and/or add an additional route + backplate. I know a guy who makes Varitone effects pedals...that might be even easier! Ha.
 

matkoehler

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Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
You know…
There’s a place for a “Patent Applied For,” series…

Those McCarty era patents are awesome and it’s be interesting, as one of your customers, to see how a modern Gibson would move from patent to production. Would a poplar Moderne with a no-pole-piece PAF sell like hot cakes? Maybe not (I would want one but I’m a weirdo) But a korina Futura with those patent style PAFs and an abr? I’d love that with my whole self. I don’t think I’d trust anyone who didn’t…
I'm right there with you. I've been trying to get the "Archive Collection" going for 4-5 years now and I'm happy to report the first offering is coming in March and it will blow the mind of every guitar geek. Starting with a bang. Stay tuned! Best, Mat
 

brandtkronholm

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Dec 3, 2006
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2,737
The quickest and most cost-effective way to do this would be to procure an EDS-1275 and have a qualified repair shop or Gibson Repair & Restoration figure out the rest. The major issue is varitones were used in semi-hollow and hollow body guitars, and to retrofit it to a solid guitar like an EDS-1275, you'd probably have to modify the control cavity and/or add an additional route + backplate. I know a guy who makes Varitone effects pedals...that might be even easier! Ha.
Alas.
Thanks.
 

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Shelkonnery

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Jan 28, 2021
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Hey, Mat!
Could you talk about the production of regular Les Paul Customs before the Custom Shop moved out in 2006?

Like if there was any special attention to LPCs when they were made in the USA line, besides their unique features and materials. Were they handled by a more experienced crew or something to guarantee high end quality and attention to detail? Did the CS division formed in ’93 do regular Customs as well or exclusively Reissues? Thanks again!
 

somebodyelseuk

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Jun 10, 2020
Messages
454
Mat
One for your boss and PR team.
I'm a customer NOT a "fan".
You are not a band or a sports team. You are a manufacturer.
When your product is inferior, I will not spend my money on it. When you sell me a defective product, I will demand a refund.
Regards.

PS. Very happy with my 2019 R9 and 2021 R7. Keep it up.
 

wmachine

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Mar 17, 2016
Messages
303
Mat
One for your boss and PR team.
I'm a customer NOT a "fan".
You are not a band or a sports team. You are a manufacturer.
When your product is inferior, I will not spend my money on it. When you sell me a defective product, I will demand a refund.
Regards.

PS. Very happy with my 2019 R9 and 2021 R7. Keep it up.
I dunno. You're on a forum for Gibson fans....... Just say'in. Remember, the first step is admission.
 

Dr. Green

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Joined
Dec 12, 2018
Messages
683
Mat-

What keeps Gibson from literally going back into production of a 59 Burst ?
so to reword this - doing a "time warp " back to the factory in 1959 and picking up where you left off with the production .

The topic has been discussed before and folks have speculated that it cant be done because :
" You cant get the wood " " you cant get the same nitro " " you cant get the same glue" " the state wont let you use the same chemicals any more " " you cant get the same plastic" ...... Etc

But you have a unique perspective on this subject ... I would like to hear your take on it ......
 
Last edited:

matkoehler

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Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
Hey, Mat!
Could you talk about the production of regular Les Paul Customs before the Custom Shop moved out in 2006?

Like if there was any special attention to LPCs when they were made in the USA line, besides their unique features and materials. Were they handled by a more experienced crew or something to guarantee high end quality and attention to detail? Did the CS division formed in ’93 do regular Customs as well or exclusively Reissues? Thanks again!
Sure thing. So Les Paul Customs take pretty long to build with precise binding and scraping needed, and to optimize the build and the build quantity, the decision was made long ago to move the model to Custom Shop from USA. This was heavily influenced by the Brand impact, which is that the "Custom" name would be contained within the "Custom Shop." Personally I'm not sure how much that is really a factor in customers' minds, but it was the way forward and because of the expertise at Custom Shop we are able to offer a better volume and yield...especially the Alpine White LPCs. Thanks for the question! -Mat
 

matkoehler

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Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
Mat
One for your boss and PR team.
I'm a customer NOT a "fan".
You are not a band or a sports team. You are a manufacturer.
When your product is inferior, I will not spend my money on it. When you sell me a defective product, I will demand a refund.
Regards.

PS. Very happy with my 2019 R9 and 2021 R7. Keep it up.
Ha! Point taken. I think the idea there is to move away from the traditional business lingo and speak to customers' passions without condescension...but I can see how it would feel condescending when you consider a customer is someone that has paid for a product/experience. Thanks for the feedback. -Mat
 

matkoehler

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Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
Mat-

What keeps Gibson from literally going back into production of a 59 Burst ?
so to reword this - doing a "time warp " back to the factory in 1959 and picking up where you left off with the production .

The topic has been discussed before and folks have speculated that it cant be done because :
" You cant get the wood " " you cant get the same nitro " " you cant get the same glue" " the state wont let you use the same chemicals any more " " you cant get the same plastic" ...... Etc

But you have a unique perspective on this subject ... I would like to hear your take on it ......
I'm not quite sure what you mean...the idea of purchasing or leasing what's left of the original factories in Kalamazoo and literally going back into production there? We would have to bring all the original Kalamazoo machinery from Nashville...I'm not sure that makes any sense at all. But if you mean just making every element of the reissues *exactly* like in 1959, that's a well-trodden rabbit hole...and a sliding scale to boot, filled with supply chain and safety impossibilities. The question is what is a bridge too far? I do feel we are making every effort to replicate the details...from the contours scanned from originals, butyrate parts scanned from originals, Mazzuchelli inlays, correct fonts, vintage tone circuit, etc. As I've said for years, the current reissues are truly 99.9% of the originals for 1% of the price.

But as a fellow anachronist and vintage enthusiast, I'm not adverse to the fantasy of going back in time, especially to visit the original factories in the 1950s (or to buy Bitcoin in the 2010s)...but I think one way of recreating the magic is by offering a thoughtful and faithful vintage ownership experience. I think we've done that with the look, the feel, the sound and the vibe...to an extreme but maybe not the extreme you are imagining. Still going to push the limit as much as I can, as detailed in my previous posts, but I think we are very close to that limit from a practical point of view. Thanks for the note!
 

Dr. Green

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Dec 12, 2018
Messages
683
well that great news then if they are 99.9 % like the originals as you say - it means these latest Murphy labs are close to the " end of the road " on Gibson's upgrade path with only a few small changes coming in the future
 
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