Gibson goes tits-up

[Beagle 2]

It really does feel like guitar rock music is dead. Every so often I'll listen to some from the past and think "oh yeah, this was really good". It seems kind of daft to think of an amazing guitarist being a celebrity these days. I still love The Darkness, even the new stuff, especially the new stuff, but it's a big post-modern piss take and everyone thinks me a colossal fanny. I blame Jet. No, Muse. No, Jet.

[the hum]

It really does feel like guitar rock music is dead. Every so often I'll listen to some from the past and think "oh yeah, this was really good". It seems kind of daft to think of an amazing guitarist being a celebrity these days. I still love The Darkness, even the new stuff, especially the new stuff, but it's a big post-modern piss take and everyone thinks me a colossal fanny. I blame Jet. No, Muse. No, Jet.

Probably another reason for Gibson's malaise, since they epitomise a particular kind of rawk branding. A utilitarian plank of wood like the Telecaster can transcend genres, time and players from the downright nerdy to the sexy uber cool. Gibbos just don't have that kind of versatility.

[Sherman Krank]

On an SG you can waggle the neck and make it go all wobbly sounding and that cause it's all one chunk of wood,

No it's not ya daftie, SG's (like Les Paul's and most other Gibson models) have separate necks and bodies that are glued together (Set necks).
Mass producing a guitar that's all one chunk of wood, would be a mad thing to do.
Which is why it's never been done.

[Nobody Soup]

I kinda hate to point this out. but them filing for chapter 11 has absolutely nothing to do with the guitars, which obviously is one of the two most recognizable and successful brands in the guitar industry. they will still be selling plenty of Gibsons and if they were to go bankrupt then someone would by all the gibson branding and the factories and start churning out les pauls and SGs by the truckload within a week.

it's going broke because they went on a tear trying to acquire numerous other music and audio brands and most of these were a complete disaster which lead to them pouring money down a drain.

I kinda agree with a lot of what people are saying, Gibsons are at a low point, guitar music is on a down trend, the 2nd market is more accessible than ever, Fender are cooler (I certainly prefer fender), etc. etc.

but none of that has actually affected the fact that gibson branded guitars are still profitable to make.

[Flouncer]

No it's not ya daftie, SG's (like Les Paul's and most other Gibson models) have separate necks and bodies that are glued together (Set necks).
Mass producing a guitar that's all one chunk of wood, would be a mad thing to do.
Which is why it's never been done.

Gibson Firebirds are one piece of wood (except for the 'wings' of the body, which are glued on to the central block). There are other guitars built like this; it's a configuration known as neck-through.

[Sherman Krank]

Gibson Firebirds are one piece of wood (except for the 'wings' of the body, which are glued on to the central block).

So that's three pieces of wood so far.
But the central block is made up of five sections of mahogany interspersed with four strips of walnut to add strength and stability. Without the walnut the central core (it's really just an extra long neck with around 3/4 of it under constant tension from the strings) will eventually start to warp and you'll get big cracks appearing along the join lines with the wings (some people who bought cheap Japanese Firebird copies in the 70's found this out in the 80's).

Also you forgot about the fretboard. While mahogany is technically a hardwood, it's actually quite soft and also rather porous, so no use as a fretboard.

By my calculations that's twelve pieces of wood to make a Firebird.



This bloke named Jeremy says his guitars are built all out of one piece of wood.

http://jjlguitars.com/

Prices start at just over thirty grand.

The fretboard option is currently Ziracote, Ebony or Cocobolo

Fuck off Jeremy.

   

[Dr Syntax Head]

This bloke named Jeremy says his guitars are built all out of one piece of wood.

http://jjlguitars.com/

Prices start at just over thirty grand.
Fuck off Jeremy.

Indeed fuck off Jeremy. You could have a modest home studio for 30 grand

[the hum]

Indeed fuck off Jeremy. You could have a modest home studio for 30 grand

Could've bought a reasonably specced Fairlight for that back in the day.

[Ferris]

I have a nice Epiphone ES-355 (pre-2002 when they packed up and moved the factory to China). I always considered that the "standard" rather than the budget version, because the Gibson versions were fucking ridiculously expensive.

I had a Gibson melody maker (the tobacco-burst 2 pickup effort) and I ended up selling it because it had a neck like a baseball bat. Nice guitar though, lovely skinny headstock on it with the vintage white round tuners. Only Gibson I ever owned.

That's all I have about Gibson guitars, Fenders are way cooler mate.

[a duncandisorderly]

I have a nice Epiphone ES-355 (pre-2002 when they packed up and moved the factory to China). I always considered that the "standard" rather than the budget version, because the Gibson versions were fucking ridiculously expensive.

I had a Gibson melody maker (the tobacco-burst 2 pickup effort) and I ended up selling it because it had a neck like a baseball bat. Nice guitar though, lovely skinny headstock on it with the vintage white round tuners. Only Gibson I ever owned.

That's all I have about Gibson guitars, Fenders are way cooler mate.

with the exception of his 1972 335, my guitarist has avoided gibbos. we both regard epiphone as superior, despite its 'poor relation' marketing.
he had a '67 SG, with the vibrola tailpiece. I called it a plank & made him sell it. he didn't put up a fight. he's a strat/tele man for the most part, but the 335 is a decent bit of wood.