ZR Posted June 8, 2006 Posted June 8, 2006 I just saw Bart Walsh tonight giving a Gibson (!!) guitar clinic at a local music store. He was w/ the Atomic Punks (big VH tribute band) and also toured w/ DLR for 3 years amongst other things. Anyway, he said that all Gibsons are still nitro-cellulose laquer. When did Hamer switch from this finish and why? Was it quality control - easier to get a more consistant finish with what they're using now? What are they using now anyway?He said all Gibson had one piece necks. Did the earlier Hamers have one piece necks? Don't most of the new ones have 3 piece necks for more stability?
scepter-V-lemmy Posted June 8, 2006 Posted June 8, 2006 He said all Gibson had one piece necks. I'm sorry, but that's bullshit. A lot of Les Paul Customs were made in the 70s with 3-piece maple necks. Here's a 1979: I also happen to own two of them, a 1976 and a 1978: Every Hamer I own has a 3-piece neck. Some of them are mahogany (my Scarabs), which matches my 1985 Gibbo Explorer 400+, which ALSO has a 3-piece mahogany neck: Somebody on the MCS Shredder board also brought up the question about nitrocell laquer...here's a quote: "Post Reply with quote OH.... and a word on FINISHES.... the US EPA implimented changes in the VOC (Volitile Organic Compound) regulations in the late 80's-early 90's. A VOC is something that produces ground level Ozone when its exposed to sunlight (SMOG). They required regulated facilities to adapt new coating technologies, booths, HVLP spray guns, and control devices (some of which are BIG TIME expensive) and switch to "Compliant" paints in order to comply with the new regulations(and the Gibson shops are a regulated facility because of the tonns of VOC emissions they emit on a yearly basis. (yes Tons)) Water based, epoxy and poly coatings began to replace the tradition Nitro-lacquers in order to comply with the regulations. Even the stains used were affected by the new regulations. The sad fact of the matter is that the technology did not catch up in time and the quality of the coatings suffered. This is why there is a drastic difference in the paint in guitars from the 60's and 70s through the 80's and 90's and even to today. I STILL think that the Low VOC stuff is not quite up to par with the old style Nitro Lacquers. I noticed that gibson is advertising that Nitro-Lacquer is used on some of their guitars, which tells me that they went away from it at some point, which would account for some of the crappy finishes i've seen on their 90's and up guitars.. But, I'm not sure what coatings they were actually using and on what make/ model of guitars. How do I know this?? I used to work in DEP Air Quality for the state of PA and i inspected several wood furniture manufacturers.. the money that those guys had to spend to come into compliance with those regulations was absolutely rediculous. everybody was switching away from solvent base paints to water based paints and the quality of the furniture went to hell in a hand basket. A few companies had the money to keep using the "non-compliant" coatings, because in order to do so, they had to install multi million dollar control systems, like Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers and inceneraters on their air handling systems to burn the VOC's off before they entered the atmoshpere. Even those comapnys switched their low-end furniture over to the water based or low VOC coatings to save energy costs (most RTO's run on Natura Gas to burn the VOC's off, and are QUITE expensive to operate let alone buy!)"
Stike Posted June 8, 2006 Posted June 8, 2006 Anyway, he said that all Gibsons are still nitro-cellulose laquer. When did Hamer switch from this finish and why? Was it quality control - easier to get a more consistant finish with what they're using now? What are they using now anyway? Gibson stills shoots nitro although IMO an over pasticized formulation unlike what was used in Gibson's "Golden Era". Hamer switched over in about 1991 probably to get away from finsh checking. Last I heard they were using McFadden's L-4108 urethane for topcoats.
silentman Posted June 8, 2006 Posted June 8, 2006 If I recall, the earliest hamers had a one piece neck and then they went to the three piece. Most of the bolt-ons like the daytona, t-51 and diablo had 1 piece necks.
serial Posted June 8, 2006 Posted June 8, 2006 That's correct. Three piece necks came about on Sunbursts in '79 around mid-year. Hamer's continued the three piece necks with the exception of special runs like the Triple Threats. Four Digit Standards were one piece necks as I recall.
Matt Mattson Posted June 8, 2006 Posted June 8, 2006 On the 335's they advertise laminates with a mahogany neck. Don't know if that was true in the pre-70's (maybe someone can chime in, I'd like to know if they were all built the same). http://www.gibson.com/products/gibson/classic/ES-335.html A backyard shot of the wood and finish on my 335 neck (got the cross-ways brush hair for no extra charge):
atquinn Posted June 8, 2006 Posted June 8, 2006 Most of the bolt-ons like the daytona, t-51 and diablo had 1 piece necks. True, although I believe all the Californians have 3-piece maple necks.-Austin
silentman Posted June 8, 2006 Posted June 8, 2006 Most of the bolt-ons like the daytona, t-51 and diablo had 1 piece necks. True, although I believe all the Californians have 3-piece maple necks. -Austin Correctomundo... that's why I did not mention the calis.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.