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Hey it's Mat from Gibson Product Development - AMA

TM1

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Matt; I love the mini-hums! I have five of the Off-Set Coils models. Three of them I have in my FB VII, one in a Tele and one in a box...as a spare. I love the way they sound in my FB VII. Very clear and smooth, not harsh like those ceramic magnet ones. These are all about 5-6k d.c.but I love the three poles on each side..
 

Pat Boyack

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What questions do you have for me? What do you think of the spec choices we made, ultimately?
To me, the Theodore looks like an entry level guitar for a young teen or college student. The necks are pretty beefy like a Special or Junior. I am also aware that the Special was introduced 3 years prior to the Theodore being designed.
 

citson

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Feb 6, 2019
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Oh, and BTW, I liked the Ebony with the contrasting stripe the best, personally. Just 2 cents.
The Ebony one is by far my favorite one as well. I really dig them, but it’s out of my budget for a non-traditional guitar (they’re sold out anyways)
 

matkoehler

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Sep 12, 2014
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Hi Mat,

I love the concept of the Theodore and the concept of the Archive Collection! It is a fantastic idea. I inquired about ordering a Theodore and was told they were backordered until September. Is that a true estimate for how long it will take all 318 guitars to ship from the factory? Also, will all the archive collections be extremely limited custom shop releases, or will future releases have more quantities available, or even Gibson USA versions? Thanks Mat!
Whoever told you that is mistaken -- all 318 are sold out to dealers (and as far as I know sold through as well). Per usual, we are looking into the possibility of a USA version...and Epiphone if we see continued demand. Right now nothing formally planned however.
 

matkoehler

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My niggling critique would be about the pick guard, it's shape but more annoying to me is the proximity to the switch. I would have it come no further than the bridge P-90 akin to a Special Double Cut. I don't mind the wedge, yet wondering if you tried another shape more like the drawing, even though the switch moved?

If these come into USA, more colors, metallic and other custom colors would be cool, FWIW.
Yeah we debated that. But because of how the controls are placed in the cavity and the need for the right angle switch, we had limited options. Essentially we had to go with an SG layout, and there is some precedent for the pickguard being close to the switch (especially on the early SGs...see the 60th Anniversary model). We did try the LP Special Double Cut layout too, but there was not nearly enough space on the back for the cavity cover due to the roundover.

As for the pickguard design itself, because Ted had concepted a raised/archtop style pickguard on a flat guitar we knew that was not going to fly...nor is there a way to make a bracket look good against such a rounded edge. So we created dozens of different multiply pickguard concepts and established a consensus. We felt the one we chose best complimented the body design and gave the guitar even more of a Modernistic aesthetic. We did try a flat-mounted pickguard inspired by Ted's shape...but we didn't think it looked very GIbson or modern at all. Sorry Ted! :)
 

matkoehler

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Sep 12, 2014
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Matt:

Who is the mystery woman depicted in the leader at :31 of the 1967 Gibson Factory Tour film? It's a very brief, perhaps single frame so it's easy to miss. I did manage to capture a screenshot!
View attachment 17371
Great question. I have no earthly idea. It was very spooky to see when we developed that film...we kept rewinding it. Obviously we kept that in so she could haunt all of you as well. :)
 

matkoehler

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Sep 12, 2014
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Matt; I love the mini-hums! I have five of the Off-Set Coils models. Three of them I have in my FB VII, one in a Tele and one in a box...as a spare. I love the way they sound in my FB VII. Very clear and smooth, not harsh like those ceramic magnet ones. These are all about 5-6k d.c.but I love the three poles on each side..
The Silvertone Special! Yeah at the same time that Seth Lover was tasked with making humbucking pickups for Epiphone, he was asked to make a different look for the Harmony company (a CMI brand to whom Gibson supplied various parts). The Silvertone 1446 is one of my favorite vintage guitars, and if you find an early enough one, the pickups will have PAF stickers. After that they will have Pat # stickers...still very cool. Oh and it's not just the pickups, the whole wiring harness is Gibson-supplied...so Centralab pots and whatnot.

I agree they sound fantastic and I too am a mini humbucker fan...the Epiphone Riviera is a favorite. Thanks for the comment!
 

Gibsonsg

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Dec 26, 2021
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Will Gibson make a Darkback goldtop with black factory plastics in the future? it will be really nice if u guys made this in the future in the customshop or maybe it's for a anniversary run a good idea?
I know u can special order it but it will be cool if it's a special model.
 
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matkoehler

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Will Gibson make a Darkback goldtop with black factory plastics in the future? it will be really nice if u guys made this in the future in the customshop or maybe it's for a anniversary run a good idea?
I know u can special order it but it will be cool if it's a special model.
Well you can get a Darkback '57 Goldtop Reissue today out of the core Custom Shop lineup, yes. But the black plastics would have to come from Made 2 Measure as you said. It may be quicker and potentially cheaper to install aftermarket black plastics. But as much as I like the story of the original batch of 1957 Goldtops having the black plastics, it has not been a popular option nor do I feel there is enough of a story to warrant an Anniversary run (since we are just talking about black mounting rings and the pickguard). Another option is lobbying for a dealer to order one M2M or a M2M run from Custom Shop. Thanks for the question! -Mat
 

goldtop0

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Will Gibson make a Darkback goldtop with black factory plastics in the future?

That's one thing that amused me when looking at the vintage '57s, even though the black plastic LPs are more rare they sell for less than white plastic GTs...........certainly not in the same realm as black pearls :oops:
 

Gibsonsg

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Well you can get a Darkback '57 Goldtop Reissue today out of the core Custom Shop lineup, yes. But the black plastics would have to come from Made 2 Measure as you said. It may be quicker and potentially cheaper to install aftermarket black plastics. But as much as I like the story of the original batch of 1957 Goldtops having the black plastics, it has not been a popular option nor do I feel there is enough of a story to warrant an Anniversary run (since we are just talking about black mounting rings and the pickguard). Another option is lobbying for a dealer to order one M2M or a M2M run from Custom Shop. Thanks for the question! -Mat
Thanks for the detailed answer Matt, i know they are not popular but me and a few gearheads always liked the old darkbacks with black plastics because they are a bit special then the normal one's
So it will be a customshop darkback and i will change the plastics then, but first chase a reall 54 goldtop 😄
 

Bobus2

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jb_abides

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Right on! Thanks for this.

she's in here:

Chicago Film Society: leader ladies

from-cfa-Screen-Shot-2014-08-20-at-11.38.46-AM.jpg


that's some 'lady wedge'




aka 'leader lady'
 

jclasby9599

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Nov 29, 2016
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Another question for you, Matt. Well, two actually:
1) Are there new design models in the works - USA or CS? I'm thinking here specifically something that doesn't play off the historical legacy of the brand. I love Gibson for all this it is and has been but I'd also be happy to see attention to out-of-the-box, future-oriented designs.
2) Any chance that we might see a return of Guitar of the Week? That was such a cool thing. Was it 2007 or 2008? There seemed to be something for everybody. I realize that times have changed and it might compete with the mod shop stuff, but it could still be fun for us fanatics.
 

madrivermoco

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Sep 26, 2021
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Another question for you, Matt. Well, two actually:
1) Are there new design models in the works - USA or CS? I'm thinking here specifically something that doesn't play off the historical legacy of the brand. I love Gibson for all this it is and has been but I'd also be happy to see attention to out-of-the-box, future-oriented designs.
2) Any chance that we might see a return of Guitar of the Week? That was such a cool thing. Was it 2007 or 2008? There seemed to be something for everybody. I realize that times have changed and it might compete with the mod shop stuff, but it could still be fun for us fanatics.
My dude…

Shhhh. The only deals I’m finding on great guitars are those modern double cuts. For the love of all that is fried and dipped in alfredo, let the relic needle stay in its groove…
 

matkoehler

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Sep 12, 2014
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Another question for you, Matt. Well, two actually:
1) Are there new design models in the works - USA or CS? I'm thinking here specifically something that doesn't play off the historical legacy of the brand. I love Gibson for all this it is and has been but I'd also be happy to see attention to out-of-the-box, future-oriented designs.
2) Any chance that we might see a return of Guitar of the Week? That was such a cool thing. Was it 2007 or 2008? There seemed to be something for everybody. I realize that times have changed and it might compete with the mod shop stuff, but it could still be fun for us fanatics.
1) Short answer is yes, we always have a pretty hefty queue of R&D projects and new product ideas. But as I've mentioned earlier, the present state of demand has made it more difficult to justify using available capacity for a truly new design. That means if/when demand wanes, it will be a better opportunity to introduce new platforms (as well as old platforms that we are currently not running...like say the Double Cut Les Paul Junior and Special at Gibson USA).

The Modern Collection part of our product architecture was our "permission to play" with new features and designs and principles. So we have every intention of expanding it at all levels. The new Epiphone Prophecy models are a great example of this.

2) I owned the LP-295 and the "Nashville" LP Junior from that series! I agree that was an exciting showcase of new ideas. I would say that we launch something new from Gibson Brands pretty much every week at this point anyway, but to my earlier point about demand, I'm not sure we would explore something like this again in the near future. I actually went through this at Custom Shop in 2017, when if you remember we launched a new model every week for the entire year. Some of it was a little contrived but we made the best of a very short lead time in development and we were able to pull some fleshed-out R&D offerings out of our back pockets like the Modern Double Cut and the Modern Archtop. At that time CS was told they could not run any reissue instruments but we found ways around this, like launching a "new" flametop LP in renamed (but classic) colorways. I could write a book on 2017. Strange year...haha. Very happy to have made it to the new ownership era.
 

JPP-1

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Hey Mat, Is Gibson going to offer any Jimmy Page signature or Jimmy Page inspired guitars in the future. I believe the last Jimmy Page signature guitar was a Fender which is almost heresy around these parts.

How about Jimmy’s #1 pre t-top, with a double white bridge pickup as seen in the RAH concert. Could be the “inspired by Jimmy Page RAH model”. It wouldn’t be difficult. Choosing an appropriate top, shaving the neck and sticking a double white custom custombucker in the bridge. No push pull pots or any of that later nonsense. You already have the specs to Jimmy’s number 1. You could do an Aged and VOS version. I mean, c’mon, you guys can get creative over at Gibson. Then again, you did release a “Melvyn Franks” Les Paul.

Seriously, one more time around the park for the greatest Les Paul slinger of them all.
 
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