New Gibson Customs...why richlite

exocet

richardhomer said:

I understand the sustainability issue - but you need to have a perspective on this.

I've manufactured elephants' feet umbrella stands as a sideline for some years - and have got four out of each elephant - but due to the world-wide ban on ivory-trading, I have no option but to simply throw the tusks away.

It seems a terrible waste to me....

Are you really Frank Sunblest from Exeter ?

fandango

Funkfingers said:

Blaendulais said:

Why richlite?

Cheepnis.

Cool, I've spotted your oblique Zappa reference. Do I win a prize?

richardhomer

exocet said:

richardhomer said:

I understand the sustainability issue - but you need to have a perspective on this.

I've manufactured elephants' feet umbrella stands as a sideline for some years - and have got four out of each elephant - but due to the world-wide ban on ivory-trading, I have no option but to simply throw the tusks away.

It seems a terrible waste to me....

Are you really Frank Sunblest from Exeter ?

Yes

Steffo

WezV said:

Wow. He comes across as a really nice guy.
imagine if the numpty that owns Gibson was half as nice...

WezV

It's a good vid ain't it.


 I just watched it again and it's actually 90% of ebony that was being rejected due to streaks.... all because we had set the expectation it had to be black


very smart business move too. 

Sporky

The fingerboard on my cello is beautifully streaky underneath, and plain-boring-black on top. Seems sad.

Funkfingers

fandango said:
I've spotted your oblique Zappa reference. Do I win a prize?

Yes. Assuming that he out of prison, an evening with Michael H. Kenyon. 

Evilmags

Bob Taylor is a smart guy. He needs offered a fortune to run Gibson. 

Sassafras

Bucket said:

Sassafras said:

What was that stuff that Parkers used to have as fretboards?

Phenolic resin I think. Or was it carbon glass?

I have no issue with that or any other synthetic material for fretboards, if it saves the planet a couple of trees that could otherwise have stayed standing, I'm happy with that. I don't think it makes that much of a difference to the instrument itself.

Plus, surely if it's a manufactured material it's possible to get a bunch of weird and wonderful finishes from it and make it look cool? You could do a multi-coloured swirly Ibanez with a multi-coloured swirly fretboard, for example.

Reason enough to destroy the planet and everyone on it.
  

Teyeplayer

Steffo said:

WezV said:

Wow. He comes across as a really nice guy.
imagine if the numpty that owns Gibson was half as nice...

Exactly my thought as I was watching this.

There is a very clear reason why some individuals deserve our respect and others don't. 

dindude

Bob isn't the right man for Gibson as he would probably banish nitro finishes and modernise it too much for the customer base.

I do like him a lot though, comes across as a decent, high integrity enthusiast turned business man with a good slice of innovation built in.

Kalimna

I think I fall into the 'bits of colour in the blackness makes the wood nicer to look at' camp. A very interesting video with Bob Taylor there. I have this mental image of his loggers' faces when he asks about the 'b' grade ebony... It would be nice if more producers were in a position to affect the ecological impact in such a way.

Adam

ICBM

Bob Taylor and Paul Reed Smith would probably be on the shortlist for someone to run Gibson properly.

Blaendulais

Connsuela from Family Guy would be Good to as she would say 'no, no, no'

Sporky

dindude said:

Bob isn't the right man for Gibson as he would probably banish nitro finishes and modernise it too much for the customer base.

I don't think he's that thick.

dindude

Sporky said:

dindude said:

Bob isn't the right man for Gibson as he would probably banish nitro finishes and modernise it too much for the customer base.

I don't think he's that thick.

To put a different spin on it, I don't think he has any interest in historical reinactment, to coin your own phrase, I don't think that's what gets him out of bed in morning.

ICBM

dindude said:

To put a different spin on it, I don't think he has any interest in historical reinactment, to coin your own phrase, I don't think that's what gets him out of bed in morning.

It wouldn't need to. All he would do is appoint someone who he knows does care as the head of the Historic division.

Who knows, someone who actually cares about making the best product he can might decide to do something sensible like reinforcing the headstocks on the standard ranges as well...

fandango

ICBM said:

do something sensible like reinforcing the headstocks on the standard ranges as well...

This. A hundred times over.

Sporky

dindude said:

To put a different spin on it, I don't think he has any interest in historical reinactment, to coin your own phrase, I don't think that's what gets him out of bed in morning.

I have to admit I'm not awfully familiar with Taylor guitars (though I remember playing one of the Customs which was magnificent), nor with the acoustic world in general, but a quick look at their website suggests that they're mostly making quite traditional looking instruments - no Birdfish or Fly type stuff.

I think he'd understand the importance of Gibson's heritage and act accordingly. I'm confident it's possible to make LPs that satisfy traditionalists and meet modern standards. I also think Gibson could expand on that gently - no Dusk Tigers, but exploring territory a bit like PRS's range.

The main thing would be to get quality sorted. From received wisdom on the inferweb (and having owned just one Gibson and played maybe half a dozen others) I get the impression that consistency isn't quite there.

jellyroll

Why would a guy who has built up (and presumaly still has a large equity stake in) his own hugely successful company go and work for a rival? The only way it would happen would be via a corporate takeover....