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Home , Dobro, Gibson, Gibson Les Paul, Nashville sound, Orville Gibson, Steinberger

The — Plating for Music’s Stars

For most guitarists and lovers, the name brings to mind quality and innovation in electric . For more than 100 years, the high standards set by , the company’s founder, have been more than specifica- tions. Quality has become a tradition that has made Gibson the most famous name in electric guitars. The hand-crafted care used to make each instrument is evident in every step of manufactur- ing. The plating process for the metal hardware receives the same careful attention as all other areas. If it’s going to be used on a Gibson, it has to be right.

ibson USA, Nashville, In the early 1980s, recession took G TN, makes electric its toll on many companies, and guitars that are used by Gibson was no exception. Then musicians all over the owned by Norlin Industries, the world. Among those who company’s reputation began to slip. play or have played “The company had become too Gibson guitars are B.B. sluggish and inefficient,” said John King, the Beatles, Higgins, senior buyer for the Nash- , , ville plant. “In 1986, it was purchased Guns N’ Roses, Pearl by a team of new owners, headed by Jam, and guitar pioneer Henry Juszkiewicz and David , who designed a Berryman, who were willing to try Gibson model in the new things. A lot of changes took 1950s. That model devel- place, and we made a transformation oped into the company’s on the same order of Harley-Davidson most popular series and (U.S. makers of the Harley-Davidson carries the famous entertainer’s motorcycles). We started to pay name. Whether country, , attention to the things that made or rock, most of the great Gibson successful in the first place,” stars have played a Gibson. Higgins said.

This Les Paul Standard, “ Signature” guitar has many of the same features as the Les Paul Classic Plus outlined in the accompanying table.

8 PLATING & SURFACE FINISHING neck. From there, each step of the manufacturing process is mostly completed by hand. “It’s that indi- vidual, hand-crafted touch that makes each guitar special and helps keep our quality high,” says Higgins. The wood is allowed to rest between each stage of the production process. “Some- times a cut in the wood will cause it to change, so we rest it to be sure Special control buttons were made depicting “Gibson 100” for use on the Gibson Centen- nothing happens nial Collection. This photo shows how buttons appeared before (left) and after plating with to change the 24-karat gold. contour of the wood, or affect the next stage of A People Company our products, our products will always production,” Gibson practices total quality man- be in demand.” Higgins said. agement (TQM) throughout the plant, Wood is the primary material in the The wood is and many of the company’s suppliers guitars. The company uses only the sealed and also subscribe to TQM practices. best and curly finished with Emphasis is placed on teamwork, available for the bodies and necks. five coats of and the company hosts family- Rosewood and are used for high-gloss oriented activities throughout the fretboards (). Wood is lacquer in a year. The concept has resulted in a purchased from areas all over the variety of working-family atmosphere at the world, and each piece is selected to plant. meet Gibson’s requirements. “We really are the Gibson family,” Two basic policies were established Higgins said. “It’s that kind of close- by Orville Gibson that are continued knit relationship between employees, today: Buy or invent machines for and extending to include families of dangerous or repetitive opera- employees, that makes our entire staff tions requiring great accuracy, very special. Many are musicians, so and employ highly skilled it’s more than just a job for them.” workers when the human touch, The family concept has worked so or a musician’s ear is needed. well that suppliers are now included The wood is planed, cut and in the company’s inner circle. kiln-dried when it arrives at the Suppliers are encouraged to visit the plant. Drying can sometimes plant, attend company functions, take as long as 10 days, discuss production with employees, depending on the wood. and become more involved with the Tops and backs are company’s mission. “We’ve found matched and glued that the more our suppliers know together to produce about us, the better job they can do “blanks.” for us. And, it makes it easier to work Precision with suppliers that you know. When I machines are used call a supplier with a problem, I want to cut each blank an answer in 10 minutes,” Higgins into the desired said. shape for a particular kind of What’s So Special guitar body or About a Gibson? “Gibson quality comes with a lifetime warranty,” says Higgins. “They’re A limited number of the made to perform and last. We only Gibson Centennial use the highest quality materials and Collection was manufac- we know that if the quality is there in tured in 1994 to commemorate 100 years of production of Gibson guitars. The hardware is plated with 24-karat gold.

December 1995 9 colors, depending on the model. The material for all parts in the hardware of Gibson guitars is specified and manufactured only for Gibson, according to Higgins. “Any variation will affect the sound of the guitar, so we are very particular about quality and consistency,” he said. At each stage of the manufacturing process, the parts are checked and re- checked. Each finish goes through a series of inspec- tions. When complete, each guitar is checked, tuned, and played by a guitarist on staff. It has to be The Fall 1995 edition of Gibson’s Les Paul Classic comes in a variety of colors. The user-friendly features make it the perfect. Every most popular model produced by the company. guitar produced in the plant is given a final check by a ® seasoned guitar player. If it passes The Les Paul Classic inspection, it becomes a Gibson. Premium Plus

Metal Finishing The 1960 Les Paul Standard was the first Gibson to feature the modern “slim Because he likes to work closely with taper” neck. With a thickness graduation of only about a tenth of an inch from the all suppliers, Higgins stays with first fret to the twelfth, while maintaining a precisely controlled width-to-thickness companies that consistently deliver ratio, the “slim taper” neck promotes speed while reducing player fatigue. For this high quality. He uses only two metal reason, many players consider the 1960 Standard the best version of the Les Paul. finishers for plating hardware— The Les Paul Classic Premium Plus features the 1960 neck pattern and blends it Electro Chemical Finishing, Inc., with a select grade AAA, two-piece flamed maple top on a solid mahogany back. Wyoming, MI; and Advanced Plating, Features Nashville, TN. Both are jobshops that • Slim-taper ’60 neck specs have enjoyed a long relationship with • Hot ceramic magnet Gibson pickups the guitar maker. • Premium grade AAA, bookmatched maple top Some of the parts are made of zinc diecast, while others are made of Pickups: Rhythm: 496-R ceramic magnet HB brass, depending on its use. The metal Treble: 500 T ceramic magnet HB pickup covers are made of a propri- Controls: Two-volume, two-tone, 3-way switch Hardware: Nickel etary alloy. Scale/Nut width: 24 3/4 in./1.6875 in. Other plated parts include tail /: Rosewood, 22 frets/ pieces, jack plates, and ABR bridges “Aged” Trapezoid inlay that were initiated by Gibson. In the Neck shape: 1960 “slim taper” LP music industry, the company is Binding: Body/Neck known for innovation and a willing- /Tailpiece: Tune-o-matic/stop bar ness to try new things. Material: Two-piece grade AAA figured maple top The basic finishes required for parts Mahogany back are gold, silver, nickel and chromium. Mahogany neck Some models, however, are available Finish: Heritage Cherry , Honey Burst, Translucent Amber, Translucent Red, Translucent Purple, Vintage with black chromium hardware. Sunburst.

10 PLATING & SURFACE FINISHING some of the gold deposited at up to 10 mil. Last year, the jobshop plated the special centennial hardware in 24- karat gold that was used on the limited Gibson Centennial Collection guitars—some of which are priced at more than $200,000. Electro Chemical also plates parts for Gibson’s other plants. Tobias and guitars are made in Nashville, where the company’s Custom Shop is also located. Two plants are located in Bozeman, MT— Gibson’s Acoustic Factory that makes acoustic guitars, and Gibson’s Flatiron Factory that makes and . Another plant is located in California, where guitars are manufactured. Advanced Plating owners Sheri and Steve Tracy pose in the lobby of their shop, where a Both plating shops provide Gibson number of refinished antique car parts processed at the facility are displayed. with parts that meet its high stan- dards. Higgins says all parts on a Gibson must be polished smooth, free Advanced Plating ish,” said Tracy, whose primary of blemishes and pits, and without At Advanced Plating in Nashville, business is built around plating parts manufacturing marks. The final shape owners Steve and Sheri Tracy say that for antique automobiles. “It’s very and size of the parts are also critical, preparation of parts is the key to the high-quality and requires a lot of hand because they must fit and operate quality finish required by Gibson. work.” properly. “We do a lot of polishing, cleaning “We’ve worked with both of our and buffing,” says Steve Tracy. Electro Chemical platers for a long time,” Higgins says. All parts go through an alkaline Finishing “They know what we expect, so we soak cleaner, and are hand-cleaned About 75 percent of Gibson’s have very few rejects. If we do have a with toothbrushes prior to being hardware is plated at Electro Chemi- problem, they’re always here to fix plated with copper. The shop uses a cal Finishing, which has two jobshops it.” cyanide-copper solution because it in Wyoming, MI. The shop that provides the best results. The copper finishes guitar parts processes only They Just Get Better finish is polished to eliminate imper- high-quality plating with an all hand- Good music is the real drive behind fections, and to remove excess dipped process. The plant has more Gibson guitars, but there is something deposits that could keep parts from than 200 customers and also handles a to be said for their value as collector fitting properly. After buffing and variety of parts for the federal items. They appreciate over time. inspection, the part goes through government. When Gibson introduced the first another alkaline cleaning process, a Electro Chemical’s Betty Painter Les Paul model in the 1950s, little did mild acid etch and bright nickel, says the company has been plating the company know that it would followed by the final finish of either Gibson parts for many years. “We go become the standard of the industry. gold, silver, or chromium. Only 24- way back, so Gibson is a very special That first model sold for $240 each. karat gold plating is used. Each part is customer for us,” she said. Founder Today, those same guitars, in good plated by hand, except for screws and Orville Gibson started his business in condition, are selling for $50,000– nuts, which are barrel-plated to match Kalamazoo, MI, in 1894, so the $100,000. Even Gibson guitars that the colors of the hardware they will be company has had close ties to the area are only a few years old will sell for used with. for years. as much or more than their original “I consider Gibson’s requirements Electro Chemical provides mostly purchase price. to be a jewelry-type fin- gold, nickel or chromium finishes for “Remember, our guitars come with the guitar parts. Plating thickness a lifetime warranty,” says Higgins. “If varies, depending on the part, with a part ever does wear out, we replace it free. That’s why we put so much care and quality into the construction. If you take care of a Gibson, it just gets better with time.” ee

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