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Hey it's Mat from Gibson Product Development - AMA

matkoehler

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Sep 12, 2014
Messages
482
Thank you Mat! A last one: is it true that the same P-90 is used on all Gibson USA and Custom Shop guitars? This seems to be something taken for granted from anecdotal reports of people being told so by customer support. What about the MHS P-90s? I find it surprising that Memphis would spin their own historic P-90 while the CS would use the "generic" P-90 you'd find on the normal USA model.
Gibson has been using the same spec for P-90s since their inception (other than maybe the clear bobbin material in the 70s). I loved that Memphis tweaked the recipe to be underwound for the ES models, and we would likely do the same for Custom Shop if we were currently running core ES models with P-90s. But in a solid body guitar the current P-90s sound killer. Brash and alive and made the same way they've always been made. So to answer your question, yes our P-90s are the same spec between CS and USA but ordered/supplied separately and things like covers are unique to Custom Shop. Underwound P-90s remain a M2M option. If we had more requests for Custom Shop to change the P-90 recipe, we would. But the classic Gibson P-90 is iconic. Thanks for the question!
 

matkoehler

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Sep 12, 2014
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482
This is not an unusual situation. Dealers have claimed production numbers on numerous occasions. They say the numbers come right from Gibson (as does all of their descriptions and specs). I believe the dealers because on many occasions I see the same number for the same model from different dealers. And even the same phrase "for world wide distribution". I have 2 such examples myself, both Memphis reissues: a 2015 '54 ES-175D VOS (1 of 50?) and a 2016 '64 ES-345 Maestro VOS (1 of 60?). Yet when contacting Gibson about them, they won't confirm the numbers, more or less claiming they don't know. I know Gibson is tight lipped about production numbers, but why would they promote them new with production numbers, then go silent about them? Makes the dealers look bad when you can't verify what they are telling you. (FWIW, those are absolutely fabulous guitars)
I don't blame Customer Support for not having the total production numbers handy; I blame the lack of data management we've had before recently. I feel we're in a much better place now, but going back and tallying up past shipments is low on the list of priorities. What I can say for now is that in the present regime, when we say something is limited to 200 or 300 or whatever, we are building that quantity exactly and in advance of the release. So that's a big improvement.
 

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
Hey Mat…no response from Gibson custom service on my email…
Don’t feel bad, I have never, ever gotten a reply from CS to any message/email I’ve sent in the last 20 years..
 

Midnight Blues

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Feb 20, 2011
Messages
1,703
Don’t feel bad, I have never, ever gotten a reply from CS to any message/email I’ve sent in the last 20 years..
Sorry to read that TM1, I have to type that I’ve sent several over the years and they’ve never failed to respond. It might take a few day (or a little longer), but they’ve always responded.


cheers.gif
 

marshall1987

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Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
3,278
In the past....I've had prompt, courteous service when I call the toll-free customer support phone number at Gibson. Always satisfied with their responses.

Why use email at all? It's 2021. Many of us have learned the hard way that email is extremely susceptible to unwanted & outside attacks including identity theft, hacking, malware, adware, "Trojan horse"attacks and viruses. Just sayin'.
 

jb_abides

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Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,275
In the past....I've had prompt, courteous service when I call the toll-free customer support phone number at Gibson. Always satisfied with their responses.

Why use email at all? It's 2021. Many of us have learned the hard way that email is extremely susceptible to unwanted & outside attacks including identity theft, hacking, malware, adware, "Trojan horse"attacks and viruses. Just sayin'.

Asynchronous communication is often more efficient (if not always more effective).

🍑
 

Audiojoe

New member
Joined
Sep 26, 2021
Messages
1
Thanks again. Yes when I went into my current role I made the same argument about the current market...I agree...we should be dominating the Gibson-style pickup market. We still wind pickups just like we did in the 50s/60s using many of the original machines...we just haven't told the story. But before we got to pickups there were many other projects, artist-related and otherwise, that were more important from a brand perspective to complete. Now we're officially down the pickup rabbit hole and I would like to do a re-launch. Right now the priority is building the myriad of pickup styles for all our many products; soon we will establish capacity for the aftermarket as well. Same goes for parts. Lots of room to improve there.

Regarding the Custombuckers, it's a bit like the quote about how talking about music is like dancing about architecture. Everyone has a different ear and sound in their head. I think Custombuckers are a really versatile option for a variety of playing styles. But an Alnico IV humbucker, I think most would agree, is perhaps less versatile. At least that's my takeaway. Doesn't mean it's not historically correct or anything short of amazing for certain styles. We will definitely be expanding our Alnico horizons for the previously mentioned project to provide all types of sonic options. Also an instrument like a Les Paul has a very different timbre than an SG or 335, so what sounds good in one does not always sound good in another. Good to have options. And that's why the current pickup aftermarket is so huge I'm sure.
One of my first jobs in the industry was setting up the dealer network for Seymour Duncan. After many years, I can honestly say John at Throback has it down cold. I own quite a few guitars with PAF, and I agree…a PAF in a es-175 is clearly a differ beast than in a LP or 335.
Gibson was lucky ( and smart) to bring in Murphy. and recently purchase Mesa Boogie. Maybe a trip back to Michigan with a nice check to purchase Throback…
John deserve a wider audience. He sweated the details…
 

madrivermoco

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Sep 26, 2021
Messages
35
7194D5C8-922C-4799-8697-1C0BE0E8106B.jpegIt seems perfect for a first post but can I suggest a “Ponty” Gonzalez signature Futura? When you dig into what happened with the original Modernistic series, you always hear his name. Futura has never been reissued with the mahogany neck and korina body. So what I want to know is am I crazy?
 

Phoenician

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Joined
Oct 12, 2020
Messages
88
DM me the details and I will look into it! Thanks.
Hey Mat! I tried to DM but the 420 character limitation is so severe that I can’t encompass the message…

Here’s most of the e-mail I sent to service@gibson.com on 9/15…

Gibson Les Paul Standard 2013 Edition Full Specs

Mat Koehler suggested I could get an answer to the following question by contacting Gibson Service. Referenced below (Ref #1) for the thread and the posts are #174 & #180.

I own a 2013 Les Paul Standard with modern specs like the pull pots, asymmetrical neck, etc. I can find a link to the Les Paul Modern (also referenced below as Ref #2) but I can’t tell if my 2013 specs are exactly the same. Certainly the color choices are different.

I’m guessing the 2013 (and probably the 2014) Les Paul Standards have the same “modern” specs. I’d like to get a link to the exact specs and or whatever information I can.

I while back I found the following information in referenced below (Ref #3) which I think may be from a listing when the guitar was new but I forgot where I got it. — Mark



Ref #1 — https://lespaulforum.com/index.php?...-gibson-product-development-ama.217826/page-9

Ref #2 — https://www.gibson.com/Guitar/USAQ17249/Les-Paul-Modern/Faded-Pelham-Blue-Top
 

Dr. Green

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Dec 12, 2018
Messages
683
Greenburst has objected to this post so I have deleted it
 
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Morgan24

Active member
Joined
Nov 1, 2020
Messages
138
Hello Mat

When will the new ABR-1 be ready? Regarding my question about the thumbwheel post being brass, I have to say that I dont think you are right. Changing the post on my M2M 59 to correct brass made a difference that you wouldn't believe. Try cutting through one of your post. I think you are in for a surprise ( no brass at all) ;)
 

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
Dave Stephens is at it with a correct spec ABR-1 made from the "correct alloy's" and correct brass saddles. He's got a 30 minutes YT video with the bridges being made by some company named "Four Uncles". They run about $400. each. No doubt that they sound like the originals, but the price is pretty optimistic. Personally I'd wanna try one on my ML before forking out $400. bucks.
 
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