Best production period for Gibson ever????
- Thread starter eSGEe
- Start date
OP
eSGEe
Ferengi Ambassador of Trade
kinky
I got this Gibson delivered back to our #2 guitarist last night. I was able to restore all the pots and switch just by cleaning them.
His action was way high (around .075") and he had too much relief, at about .025". Since he plays this on a regular basis, i was concerned that if i made everything "right," that it would feel foreign to him.
I started by making a small adjustment to the truss rod to decrease the relief, then dropped the action down to .060" at the 12th fret. After giving the neck a few hours to settle-in, i brought the relief down to .010" measured at the 6th fret.
The nut had been replaced at some point and i felt like first fret action was a little high, but i decided to leave it alone, in the interest of retaining more of the original feel.
The 'G' string was really "clangy," so i dropped the pole piece a couple of turns and that cleaned right up.
Other than oiling the fretboard and the back of the neck, that's all i did to it.
Mike picked it up last night and it is the best feeling to see somebody truly amazed at what you have done to their guitar. He was in disbelief that i was able to restore the pots and switch.
I probably didn't even have a full hour invested and i wouldn't charge a bandmate for my work.
I think that all my negative experiences, with having guitars worked on, has fueled my desire to learn as much about setup as i can.
Life is short, and i hope to be remembered, perhaps, not so much as a quirky, eccentric fellow, but as somebody who helped others...
His action was way high (around .075") and he had too much relief, at about .025". Since he plays this on a regular basis, i was concerned that if i made everything "right," that it would feel foreign to him.
I started by making a small adjustment to the truss rod to decrease the relief, then dropped the action down to .060" at the 12th fret. After giving the neck a few hours to settle-in, i brought the relief down to .010" measured at the 6th fret.
The nut had been replaced at some point and i felt like first fret action was a little high, but i decided to leave it alone, in the interest of retaining more of the original feel.
The 'G' string was really "clangy," so i dropped the pole piece a couple of turns and that cleaned right up.
Other than oiling the fretboard and the back of the neck, that's all i did to it.
Mike picked it up last night and it is the best feeling to see somebody truly amazed at what you have done to their guitar. He was in disbelief that i was able to restore the pots and switch.
I probably didn't even have a full hour invested and i wouldn't charge a bandmate for my work.
I think that all my negative experiences, with having guitars worked on, has fueled my desire to learn as much about setup as i can.
Life is short, and i hope to be remembered, perhaps, not so much as a quirky, eccentric fellow, but as somebody who helped others...
No way i could have justified the price of a new Les Paul Custom, but the black and gold really grabbed me as a kid and that image is burned into my mind.
I was able to piece this one together for less than $500.00 and i was fortunate to get hands-on training from a local guitar builder in the process, which is priceless.
Last year, while in Nicaragua, we saw so much suffering - in a country where the average wage is $4.00USD per day. We have been able to get two deep water wells working in the remote village of Chakaraseca, we've been able to help out with some funeral expenses and help out my wife's cousin and 10 year old son who just lost his dad to cancer.
I've seen some beautiful guitars, Man...but when i think about spending $5,000 for a custom shop, or a vintage Gibson, my mind goes wandering to how much i could do for others with that money...i guess that maybe this is my obsession nowadays...
The village of Chakaraseca where we stayed with family:
The only water well for many miles. We eventually put in another, deeper well with a submersible pump:
My Wife's Father's funeral, April, 2019. My wife is at far left (9pm) wearing my black fedora, comforting a relative. Our daughter is next to her in black/white pinstripe shirt:
Visiting with relatives:
The house my wife grew up in - San Juda Barrio, Managua:
The dirt floor kitchen:
My wife walking down the street she grew up on:
OP
eSGEe
Ferengi Ambassador of Trade
HEY GBALL -- we agree on something again!!!! lol
I really LOVE the way my old Norlins FEEL some with MASSIVE finish checking even. --
Squires-- I sand the necks (well scotchbrite) ....no likie thick poly-- its fine on the body -- but NOT ont he neck
the LOWER END squires with the (almost unfinished) feeling necks are AWESOME -- (like my fretless Jazz)
but -- Id have to say my favorite "finish feel" is OLD Gibson --- cant wait for my Friebird and newer Gibbos to achieve that lovely patina ........wait -- they WILL eventually wont they?!?!?!?!?
gball
Ambassador of Boogie
Yeah, they will but they take a bit longer now since they have put some new polymers in the clear coat.
However...I have a 2017 SG that I bought new in February of that year. It's Pelham Blue and it has bright white binding, and the clear coat lacquer has already yellowed significantly enough that the edges of the binding look beige and parts of the blue are turning green. This is a guitar that spends virtually all of its time in a case, only taken out when I play it.
gball
Ambassador of Boogie
Robert, not sure if I ever told you but my Father In Law is from Managua. I've never been there (actually even my wife has never been even though she is half Nicaraguan) but have heard a lot about the place. Good on you for doing good man.
It really broke my heart, Man...seeing that kind of poverty...maybe we made some kind of difference...sorry for the hijack.
My love of black transcends guitars....
But, I have to say I dig the way this looks, with the gold keystones and all...
gball
Ambassador of Boogie
The gold tuners give it a Jimmy Page #1 vibe
Jimmy was so cool....slingin' that Les Paul way down low...i couldn't play one hung that low!!!!
gball
Ambassador of Boogie
Haha, yeah. Gotta admit I tried when I was in high school, had my Les Paul bouncing off my knee cap, and played terribly. Didn't take long before I shortened that strap back up and learned to do it right (for me).
gball
Ambassador of Boogie
