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Hey it's Mat from Gibson Product Development - AMA

matkoehler

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
While I think of it, I'd like to reveal a couple "Easter Eggs" as we like to put into some runs of guitars.

60th Anniversary 1960 LP Standard Version 1 (only) -- pull a pole screw to see what bobbin colors we used.

60th Anniversary 1961 SG Standard & Custom -- check out the underside of the control cavity backplate.
 

jb_abides

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,280
While I think of it, I'd like to reveal a couple "Easter Eggs" as we like to put into some runs of guitars.

60th Anniversary 1960 LP Standard Version 1 (only) -- pull a pole screw to see what bobbin colors we used.

60th Anniversary 1961 SG Standard & Custom -- check out the underside of the control cavity backplate.

Dang! My 60th R0 is a V2... it came stock with uncovered Zebra Custombucker Alnico-3s. So no surprise.
 

Jericho-79

Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2016
Messages
56
The answer is yes they are purchasing various purple paints to test, but I'm not sure when we would be ready to quote. Sorry I could not be more help but will update when I hear something.

Thanks Mat!🙂

Does the CS have a customer service line that I can call or should I just keep checking in with you regarding when the purple finishes are finally available to the public?
 

pqs

Active member
Joined
May 31, 2019
Messages
109
Thanks Matt for over a year of responses.

One of many things that sets the CS apart from the USA line is the bridge. The edges on the bridge and saddles of reissues tend to be rounded/dulled. Thus, player feels no sharp edges on their picking hand. I have rounded the edges on of the bridge in one of my USA models and it‘s great. However, because of the plating I forgoing looks. Are there plans to sell Reissue parts, such as bridges with rounded edges.

I’ve been a bit out of the loop since acquiring my 2019 60th anniversary R9. I always reach for it when I want to play. It’s the best sounding guitar I’ve ever played. It also feels like it was just tailored for me the moment I first tried it. It felt familiar the moment it tried it back in 2019, as if I had owned it for decades. So in a way the guitar chose me.

My R9 has the southern fade finish. I understand that southern fades typically shipped with Indian rosewood boards. However, the board on mine, despite being very dark, is smoother than any Indian rosewood board I’ve ever seen. Do you know if you guys shipped southern fades to the US with Bolivian rosewood boards?
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2003
Messages
600
Hi all. Charlie and I thought it might be fun for me to address Gibson (or Epiphone) questions in this thread...whether about current products or mysteries from Gibson's history. I think it's important to hear it straight from the horse's mouth...don't seem to have much luck getting accurately paraphrased or quoted in magazine articles.
I wanted to see if you could shed some light on the original Super 74 on the RR signiture custom LPs. I have one that has the sticker wound by PS 10/12/2010 are these the original Custom Buckers? Mine is just under 8K the poles are not faded gold... so not out of a RR
 

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sputnik

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2018
Messages
37
While I think of it, I'd like to reveal a couple "Easter Eggs" as we like to put into some runs of guitars.

60th Anniversary 1960 LP Standard Version 1 (only) -- pull a pole screw to see what bobbin colors we used.

60th Anniversary 1961 SG Standard & Custom -- check out the underside of the control cavity backplate.
Ok, I was curious and looked in my SG. “Nice work Larry!” What exactly was meant by that?
 

jhawk77

New member
Joined
Sep 14, 2022
Messages
25
Hi Mat,

I’m just embarking on a made to measure R8 order through my small local shop. Because of the very meager documentation on made to measure (so meager that my local shop doesn’t even know too much about it), I’ve been scouring the web for info. I found this thread in my search and joined the forum just so I could bug you!! Haha I hope you don’t mind. Thanks for all of the questions you’ve answered in this very long thread.

Not all of these are directly related to M2M, but here we go:
1. Is there a difference between the custom shop VOS/Gloss lacquer and normal USA production lacquer? Is there a difference in finish thickness? Are the custom shop and ML the only ones using aniline dyes?
2. Is it possible to spec over or underwound custombuckers or swap magnets? I think a 7.5K neck, 8.5K bridge with alnico IV at the bridge would be pretty special
3. How long until the new custom shop pickups come out? If it’s soon, I might consider waiting to pull the trigger on my M2M. Will the new pickups have an up-charge over the custombuckers?
4. My dealer told me he didn’t think it was possible to pick your own top. That’s a dealbreaker for me, honestly. I’m looking for a mostly plain, asymmetrical top with a few hints of scattered flame, strong vertical grain, and maybe some mineral flecks.
5. What sort of neck carves are available? Can we choose artist carves like the Knopfler? Are we able to request 1st and 12th fret thicknesses? I would love to see good diagrams of the neck shapes as that is one of my biggest concerns with M2M—getting the wrong shape on a $6K guitar
6. Can you tell us about the recent history of the custom shop Les Paul cases? I remember just a couple years ago in 2020 the fit was looser and the lining was a beautiful pale purplish pink. Fast forward to today, and the cases fit better, but the lining is a stronger pink color. I’d love to have the current case fit/shape with the 2020 lining! Maybe that wouldn’t be as historically accurate?
 

matkoehler

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
Thanks Mat!🙂

Does the CS have a customer service line that I can call or should I just keep checking in with you regarding when the purple finishes are finally available to the public?
I got a reply! From the M2M director: we can do trans purple (stain), plum crazy (metallic), and purple sparkle (metalflake). And Heather Poly (metallic) but it's more of a pink purple. If there is a specific purple that someone is looking for, we can review a supplier color sample and discuss options, however we do not match colors from photos for a variety of reasons.

Hope that helps!
 

matkoehler

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
I wanted to see if you could shed some light on the original Super 74 on the RR signiture custom LPs. I have one that has the sticker wound by PS 10/12/2010 are these the original Custom Buckers? Mine is just under 8K the poles are not faded gold... so not out of a RR
Yeah I'm a little confused by the choices there -- Custombuckers were spec'd from Jimmy Page's LP and Alnico III was chosen as having the most sonic similarity. The Super '74 for RR was also spec'd from his pickups (which would have been Alnico V T-Tops) but for some reason Alnico III was chosen, perhaps to taste or sonic similarity. So without trying I guess they are kinda similar to Custombuckers. Potted and spec'd for 7.5K though.
 

matkoehler

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

I’m just embarking on a made to measure R8 order through my small local shop. Because of the very meager documentation on made to measure (so meager that my local shop doesn’t even know too much about it), I’ve been scouring the web for info. I found this thread in my search and joined the forum just so I could bug you!! Haha I hope you don’t mind. Thanks for all of the questions you’ve answered in this very long thread.

Not all of these are directly related to M2M, but here we go:
1. Is there a difference between the custom shop VOS/Gloss lacquer and normal USA production lacquer? Is there a difference in finish thickness? Are the custom shop and ML the only ones using aniline dyes?
2. Is it possible to spec over or underwound custombuckers or swap magnets? I think a 7.5K neck, 8.5K bridge with alnico IV at the bridge would be pretty special
3. How long until the new custom shop pickups come out? If it’s soon, I might consider waiting to pull the trigger on my M2M. Will the new pickups have an up-charge over the custombuckers?
4. My dealer told me he didn’t think it was possible to pick your own top. That’s a dealbreaker for me, honestly. I’m looking for a mostly plain, asymmetrical top with a few hints of scattered flame, strong vertical grain, and maybe some mineral flecks.
5. What sort of neck carves are available? Can we choose artist carves like the Knopfler? Are we able to request 1st and 12th fret thicknesses? I would love to see good diagrams of the neck shapes as that is one of my biggest concerns with M2M—getting the wrong shape on a $6K guitar
6. Can you tell us about the recent history of the custom shop Les Paul cases? I remember just a couple years ago in 2020 the fit was looser and the lining was a beautiful pale purplish pink. Fast forward to today, and the cases fit better, but the lining is a stronger pink color. I’d love to have the current case fit/shape with the 2020 lining! Maybe that wouldn’t be as historically accurate?
Please know that we have a team hard at work at sophisticating M2M from the order process to build tracking. So hopefully there will be a lot more visibility in the coming year. Here are my replies:

1. Only that CS uses a lot less of it -- fewer coats, finer buffing and 8 mil thickness spec.
2. I know underwound is possible, I don't think overwound is but you could *request* to test/sort Custombucker for hottest output.
3. They will be limited runs of PAF replicas and I think it will be at least a year before the first batch comes out. Separately, we may entertain the possibility of a core model for M2M. But Custombuckers really are the best we have to offer in terms of versatility IMO.
4. Your dealer can request a few photo samples but unfortunately plain tops are rarely sorted for photography so I'm not sure if we could accomodate. Worth asking to see 2-3 top photos either way. Could happen.
5. Give us the profile and thickness spec you'd like and yes, we can find an existing profile to use. Not sure if certain artist models are available but again, worth asking. Be specific. We cannot share diagrams.
6. Long story very short; old cases were causing a host of quality issues...no end pin support, too narrow so switch tip would punch through the top, and the rough pink/purple interior was scuffing instruments. It took a while but I think the new cases are killer. We went with a very bold choice of pink after looking at many originals and then consulting with dealers like Eliot at Rumbleseat. The old material is not available (nor is it possible to request case modifications).
07.jpg
 

jclasby9599

New member
Joined
Nov 29, 2016
Messages
6
Thanks for all you do, Matt. I think you talked about this much earlier in the thread, but any word on period-correct '50s LPC black cases for aftermarket?
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2003
Messages
600
Yeah I'm a little confused by the choices there -- Custombuckers were spec'd from Jimmy Page's LP and Alnico III was chosen as having the most sonic similarity. The Super '74 for RR was also spec'd from his pickups (which would have been Alnico V T-Tops) but for some reason Alnico III was chosen, perhaps to taste or sonic similarity. So without trying I guess they are kinda similar to Custombuckers. Potted and spec'd for 7.5K though.
I said this in a post quite a while ago.... 1. I am sure that Gibson had to purchase a large quantity of A3 and therefore need to use them. 2. Cobalt was in high demand during the Vietnam war... A3 does not have Cobolt so it would make
sense that around that time Gibby would have had to use A3 for a few years..
 

jhawk77

New member
Joined
Sep 14, 2022
Messages
25
Please know that we have a team hard at work at sophisticating M2M from the order process to build tracking. So hopefully there will be a lot more visibility in the coming year. Here are my replies:

1. Only that CS uses a lot less of it -- fewer coats, finer buffing and 8 mil thickness spec.
2. I know underwound is possible, I don't think overwound is but you could *request* to test/sort Custombucker for hottest output.
3. They will be limited runs of PAF replicas and I think it will be at least a year before the first batch comes out. Separately, we may entertain the possibility of a core model for M2M. But Custombuckers really are the best we have to offer in terms of versatility IMO.
4. Your dealer can request a few photo samples but unfortunately plain tops are rarely sorted for photography so I'm not sure if we could accomodate. Worth asking to see 2-3 top photos either way. Could happen.
5. Give us the profile and thickness spec you'd like and yes, we can find an existing profile to use. Not sure if certain artist models are available but again, worth asking. Be specific. We cannot share diagrams.
6. Long story very short; old cases were causing a host of quality issues...no end pin support, too narrow so switch tip would punch through the top, and the rough pink/purple interior was scuffing instruments. It took a while but I think the new cases are killer. We went with a very bold choice of pink after looking at many originals and then consulting with dealers like Eliot at Rumbleseat. The old material is not available (nor is it possible to request case modifications).
View attachment 19469
Thanks so much for your reply Mat. So, so helpful!

Two follow up questions for you.
1. Are there different grades of maple you can ask for with M2M? For instance, plain, slightly figured, A, AA, AAA, quilted, etc? I’d assume price would increase with grade?
2. Aside from thickness, is there any difference between the 58 and 59 profiles? Are the shoulders any different?
 
Last edited:

garywright

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2002
Messages
15,582
Mat..are there any plans of doing a custom shop run of reversed Firebirds in translucent cherry 🍒 ? ..that’s a color that’s seen too little yet looks great on a ‘bird ( I’ll take an fb1 please )
 

Injam

Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2021
Messages
88
Hi all. Charlie and I thought it might be fun for me to address Gibson (or Epiphone) questions in this thread...whether about current products or mysteries from Gibson's history. I think it's important to hear it straight from the horse's mouth...don't seem to have much luck getting accurately paraphrased or quoted in magazine articles.

If you don't know me, I was a longtime forum geek and I decided to put my passions to use by joining Gibson in April 2016. I started in product management for Custom Shop and Memphis and now I'm doing product development company-wide. I am also a huge Gibson/Epiphone history fan and having access to our archives is an incredible perk of the job. So fan to fan, let's have some fun!
When will Gibson be shipping the 1968 Les Paul standard this year?
 

El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
I got a reply! From the M2M director: we can do trans purple (stain), plum crazy (metallic), and purple sparkle (metalflake). And Heather Poly (metallic) but it's more of a pink purple. If there is a specific purple that someone is looking for, we can review a supplier color sample and discuss options, however we do not match colors from photos for a variety of reasons.

Hope that helps!
You guys are awesome big time for coming thru with the color !
 
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