nothing really matters..................
- Thread starter eSGEe
- Start date
Keep in mind that the lack of a finish on the "faded" models was a price point issue.
Agreed! They did have a nitro finish, but there were fewer layers and I don't think they did a pore fill on those, either.
fretless
Well-Known Member
And many of the frame components came from Vincennes, Indiana. From the supplier I work for. We supply TMMI in Indiana, TMMK in Kentucky, TMMTX in Texas, and TMMMS in Mississippi. Also, we have several sister plants all over the USA, and one in Canada.
Astral Traveler
Ambassador of Both Time and Space
I love the finish on the faded models!
It does sorta make the brain cells start to bounce around, doesn't it?
I do realize that many enthusiasts/purists decry the CNC build methodology as heresy, but in all honesty, I believe the widespread use of CNC equipment in guitar making provides an unmatched level of consistency.
I've begun to really look closely at the little things of late, and one of the biggest examples of hand-fitting are in the placement of the tuning keys on some guitars. One would think they are drilled with a jig, but they are actually hand laid-out and drilled and there are some significant variations in their placement from model to model.
Another example is the fret placement on my 2021 Gibson Les Paul 50's Standard. I found a tiny stripe of blue layout dye along the fret edges. This would indicate the fret positions were hand-laid, because if machined by CNC - as is the case with the Indonesian, Chinese and Japan builds - marking compound is unnecessary.
I had the fret slots on all of my Von Herndon guitars CNC cut by B.Hefner in Whittier and I was present for several of the sawing operations. No layout fluid was used. The fretboard was scanned and measured by the machine and then the slots were cut by automation.
I've begun to really look closely at the little things of late, and one of the biggest examples of hand-fitting are in the placement of the tuning keys on some guitars. One would think they are drilled with a jig, but they are actually hand laid-out and drilled and there are some significant variations in their placement from model to model.
Another example is the fret placement on my 2021 Gibson Les Paul 50's Standard. I found a tiny stripe of blue layout dye along the fret edges. This would indicate the fret positions were hand-laid, because if machined by CNC - as is the case with the Indonesian, Chinese and Japan builds - marking compound is unnecessary.
I had the fret slots on all of my Von Herndon guitars CNC cut by B.Hefner in Whittier and I was present for several of the sawing operations. No layout fluid was used. The fretboard was scanned and measured by the machine and then the slots were cut by automation.
Could this be bluing used during fret levelling, and not actual fret placement? I'm thinking sort of like how we often see a Sharpie used in videos of DYI fret levelling.
Is it possible this blue dye is actually being used for fret levelling and you are just seeing some overrun that may have occurred when the dye was applied?
Bear in mind, I'm not disagreeing with you, per se. It's just that this was actually my first thought when you mentioned some residual dye on the fret ends. Of course, I don't know what process Gibson actually uses to level frets, so I admit that I may be mistaken in this guess.
OP
eSGEe
Ferengi Ambassador of Trade
I thought they used pleck machines for setting all the frets leveling etc.
aws2.gibson.com
What the Heck is PLEK?
To fine-tune and assure that highly desirably quality, Gibson has invested in state-of-the-art fret-dressing PLEK machines.
One thing I can tell you is that nearly all guitarists prefer to do everything by feel and avoid measuring anything. I measure everything and I "see" a lot of things missed by other luthiers.
So, let's say a fellow is laying out fret slots on a fretboard by hand, which is a construction method that the purists expect to be used on the 50's style reissues, and he makes an error during the marking/sawing process, let's see what happens.
A sheet of copier paper is 1/10th of a millimeter (0.0039 inches) or roughly 4 thousandths of an inch thick.
Let's say our luthier makes a placement error on the 3rd fret of only the thickness of a sheet of paper.
By the 13th fret, we now have a .040" error in fret placement and by the 20th fret, we are .080" off the mark.
Let's also assume that while placing/drilling the bridge posts, he makes another small error.
I've owned several Gibsons that suffered from these issues. The intonation could not be corrected.
It's more common than you think...
So, let's say a fellow is laying out fret slots on a fretboard by hand, which is a construction method that the purists expect to be used on the 50's style reissues, and he makes an error during the marking/sawing process, let's see what happens.
A sheet of copier paper is 1/10th of a millimeter (0.0039 inches) or roughly 4 thousandths of an inch thick.
Let's say our luthier makes a placement error on the 3rd fret of only the thickness of a sheet of paper.
By the 13th fret, we now have a .040" error in fret placement and by the 20th fret, we are .080" off the mark.
Let's also assume that while placing/drilling the bridge posts, he makes another small error.
I've owned several Gibsons that suffered from these issues. The intonation could not be corrected.
It's more common than you think...
SIx String Chef
Ambassador of Taste
I see you went for a combo tolex... good compromise!
Astral Traveler
Ambassador of Both Time and Space
It's like buying a Fender. You can buy one made by Mexicans in Mexico, or one twice as expensive made by Mexicans in California.
I see several things on this video that indicate these processes are relatively new, such as "gang drilling" the tuner holes.
I can guarantee you this procedure was not being used in 2017.
I had 2 brand new Gibson Les Paul's that had errors in tuner placement of .030" (thirty thousandths) laterally and .012" vertically.
These errors could not happen with gang drilling.