• 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!

Where are they now...

jb_abides

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,276
We welcome whatever stories and photos you bring here, Strings Jr! :salude
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
I ran across this old Gibson employee newsletter dated March / April 1980.

Seemed appropriate to share it in this thread since the photo at the bottom right is my Dad in the same sound booth shown in many of the photos in this thread.





Here's another photo on the inside. Alf Fidler introducing the new "59/80" at an all-employee meeting. Pretty neat to see 40 years later!!


 

garywright

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2002
Messages
15,584
that’s awesome, especially that it has your dad in it ...I bet he was one kool cat :hank:salude
 

brandtkronholm

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
2,737
Very cool!
The headstock inlay on the Les Paul Custom your pop is working on looks unusual, like an RD Artist, maybe?
Also, that cut looks like a good 'n pointy cut-away on the "Les Paul 59/80"! I don't think actually I've seen one of those in person. :hmm

Another great post1 Thank you!
 

Flogger

Active member
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
Messages
555
Very cool!
The headstock inlay on the Les Paul Custom your pop is working on looks unusual, like an RD Artist, maybe?
Also, that cut looks like a good 'n pointy cut-away on the "Les Paul 59/80"! I don't think actually I've seen one of those in person. :hmm

Another great post1 Thank you!
Same cutaway as the Heritage 80 series.
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Very cool!
The headstock inlay on the Les Paul Custom your pop is working on looks unusual, like an RD Artist, maybe?
Also, that cut looks like a good 'n pointy cut-away on the "Les Paul 59/80"! I don't think actually I've seen one of those in person. :hmm

Another great post1 Thank you!

Good eye!! I always thought it was a Custom too, but it's actually a LP Artist.

You can barely see the TP-6 and mini-switches.
 

wmachine

Active member
Joined
Mar 17, 2016
Messages
303
I ran across this old Gibson employee newsletter dated March / April 1980.

Seemed appropriate to share it in this thread since the photo at the bottom right is my Dad in the same sound booth shown in many of the photos in this thread.





Here's another photo on the inside. Alf Fidler introducing the new "59/80" at an all-employee meeting. Pretty neat to see 40 years later!!



I would like to know how the drying ovens "improve our finish" and "improve operations in the buffing (and repair) areas". Fast drying times = faster throughput, sure. But hype on the rest?
 

El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
Thank You very Kindly Strings Jr. for your most valuable insight and knowledge !
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
I would like to know how the drying ovens "improve our finish" and "improve operations in the buffing (and repair) areas". Fast drying times = faster throughput, sure. But hype on the rest?

I’m not a “finish” guy, and I’m not going to pretend to know the specifics of how the new ovens improved the finish. All I know is that the Finishing Department was always the “bottleneck” of the entire process. We were constantly running out of work in Final Assembly due to issues they were having in Finishing / Buffing. It seemed to have gotten better after the new ovens were installed, but we still ran out of work a lot.

Speaking of the Finishing Department and their woes, I noticed in my notes that on this date, April 29th in 1986, there was a FIRE inside the plant. A maintenance guy was on the roof doing some welding near the exhaust vent for one of the repair spray booths. (duh) I remember seeing a flame shooting out from the repair booth about 20 feet across the floor. Looked like a dragon. No one was hurt, but several instruments were damaged, and the plant was shut down for three days. That was the second fire I saw at Gibson. The first happened when some nut put a rubber hose on a belt sander. The hose had a metal mesh inside and sparks went into the dust collection system. Not much damage from that one, but the plant looked like a smokey night club.
 

Anje

Active member
Joined
Jan 3, 2002
Messages
1,170
Thanks for sharing Strings Jr. Really nice to see such "insider testimonials" from the past, I always enjoy coming back to this thread :salude
 

El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
I’m not a “finish” guy, and I’m not going to pretend to know the specifics of how the new ovens improved the finish. All I know is that the Finishing Department was always the “bottleneck” of the entire process. We were constantly running out of work in Final Assembly due to issues they were having in Finishing / Buffing. It seemed to have gotten better after the new ovens were installed, but we still ran out of work a lot.

Speaking of the Finishing Department and their woes, I noticed in my notes that on this date, April 29th in 1986, there was a FIRE inside the plant. A maintenance guy was on the roof doing some welding near the exhaust vent for one of the repair spray booths. (duh) I remember seeing a flame shooting out from the repair booth about 20 feet across the floor. Looked like a dragon. No one was hurt, but several instruments were damaged, and the plant was shut down for three days. That was the second fire I saw at Gibson. The first happened when some nut put a rubber hose on a belt sander. The hose had a metal mesh inside and sparks went into the dust collection system. Not much damage from that one, but the plant looked like a smokey night club.

I have to ask out of curiosity what happened to the instruments that were damaged ? Were they repaired/re fixed or did they go to the wood chipper ?
 

JRF134

New member
Joined
May 2, 2020
Messages
26
Thank you Randy,this is an awesome thread.I have an older model I wish I could have said it were one of yours, before your start though.Thanks for sharing this history with us,I love guitars and love trying to build a bit,I am not a pro by any means,(building or playing)still enjoy learning and trying.I only have built one so far, it is somewhat a strat kind of body with LP soul electronics inside,(although the new pcb board,not the old school mojo) and after I bought my first LP, and I really learned alot just from seeing and feeling a true work of beauty Gibson luthiers create. I have alot to learn.appreciate it.
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Thanks for the reply!

In 8 months it will be 40 years since I clapped eyes on my Heritage Std sn 82000572 series # 0138. Were you involved with that one?
Sorry, didn't see your number. But thanks for asking. You never know.

I actually enjoy looking back through my ledger when I get time. It's like reading a Gibson history book.
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
I have to ask out of curiosity what happened to the instruments that were damaged ? Were they repaired/re fixed or did they go to the wood chipper ?
I can't say for sure since the fire wasn't in Final Assembly. The one hanging in the repair booth at the time of the fire was toast. No doubt it went to the band-saw.
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Thank you Randy,this is an awesome thread.I have an older model I wish I could have said it were one of yours, before your start though.Thanks for sharing this history with us,I love guitars and love trying to build a bit,I am not a pro by any means,(building or playing)still enjoy learning and trying.I only have built one so far, it is somewhat a strat kind of body with LP soul electronics inside,(although the new pcb board,not the old school mojo) and after I bought my first LP, and I really learned alot just from seeing and feeling a true work of beauty Gibson luthiers create. I have alot to learn.appreciate it.

Thank you sir :salude
 
Top