Gibson Montana gossip

[Hogeye]

I had a very nice lunch with Kevin Kopp yesterday and the topic of Gibson came up. Neither of us was keeping up with the current drama going on with Gibson so after lunch I called one of the guys I used to work with and got some of the latest info.

 

It seems that one of Gibson's finest has retired. Van F. has decided to retire and enjoy his golden years. Van is the guy that lead the charge for Gibson when they re-entered the market and he put the wonderful sunburst finishes on Gibson's. I know J-185forme and SlimT both know Van and he actually taught Fred how to do a sunburst at one of the early "Homecomings". Slim spent a lot of time in Montana and actually contemplated working with Van in the new spray booth. Now Gibson thinks that rubbing bees wax on a guitar is cutting edge. Boy have the mighty fallen.

 

I understand the new owners were in Montana and gave the employees the pep talk and all things are going along pretty much as usual.

 

Kevin Kopp just finished his last build for the year and is taking a few days before beginning another batch. So if you want a new quality guitar don't bother with the Maton stuff get a real guitar. Speaking of Maton, It's a very low quality instrument. As a beginners guitar they don't even measure up to a used Harmony or Stella. They have no class and certainly no soul and I for one am tired of the relentless barrage of Maton posting by some. I come here to read about Gibson. If Maton is such a great guitar why don't they have their own forum? I know that I will get burned for this but, bring it on as you all know I'm right.

 

We are going to have a pre Christmas get together as "Dave from Salt Lake" is coming up for a visit. Ren will be jamming with Bob C., Dave and me. There will be no Matons invited. Several others will be in attendance.Kevin will sit this one out as he has plans to be in Missoula. So if you are in the neighborhood and want to hear some real guitars being played stop by. Leave your Taylor and maton things at home. Martin,Kopp,Walker,and Guild are always welcome.

Let the burn begin,

Hogeye

[BluesKing777]

Whatever happened to the recording of your fab playing you were going to post, Oh great one?

 

 

Hot air?

 

 

 

BluesKing777.

[blindboygrunt]

EA doesn’t like matons either !

 

Nor do I

 

😂

[J-1854Me]

I had a very nice lunch with Kevin Kopp yesterday and the topic of Gibson came up. Neither of us was keeping up with the current drama going on with Gibson so after lunch I called one of the guys I used to work with and got some of the latest info.

 

It seems that one of Gibson's finest has retired. Van F. has decided to retire and enjoy his golden years. Van is the guy that lead the charge for Gibson when they re-entered the market and he put the wonderful sunburst finishes on Gibson's. I know J-1854me and SlimT both know Van and he actually taught Fred how to do a sunburst at one of the early "Homecomings". Slim spent a lot of time in Montana and actually contemplated working with Van in the new spray booth. Now Gibson thinks that rubbing bees wax on a guitar is cutting edge. Boy have the mighty fallen.

 

I understand the new owners were in Montana and gave the employees the pep talk and all things are going along pretty much as usual.

 

Kevin Kopp just finished his last build for the year and is taking a few days before beginning another batch.

 

We are going to have a pre Christmas get together as "Dave from Salt Lake" is coming up for a visit. Ren will be jamming with Bob C., Dave and me....

 

Hogeye

 

Wow! Sorry (but glad) to hear that my Man Van is hanging up his spray gun! What has he been doing this for -- almost 30 years' of Gibson acoustics?? Man what a legacy and a talent.

 

I wonder if he will do a bit of freelance bursting for some of the local builders.....

 

Say 'hey' to Van for me when you see him next!!

 

Fred

[slimt]

Please tell Van . all the best on his retirement. Im happy to own quite a few works of art that he did. A very Talented painter. One could only guess the number of Bursts hes sprayed and guitars hes cleared over the years. I wish him all the best. And get those lungs cleared out.

 

Im in between coats now reading and writing this.

[drathbun]

Is this Van?

 

[scriv58]

Always enjoy your updates and your knowledge

Illegitimi non carborundum

[Lars68]

I appreciate the Gibson update but not your intolerance.

 

Lars

[olie]

I don't think we need to bash other brands here.I'm a Gibson guy myself, but I think there's room for some tolerance of competing makers.

Variety is the spice .... etc.

[EuroAussie]

EA doesn’t like matons either !

 

Nor do I

 

😂

 

No he doesnt. And ya gotta give HogeyFogey credit for this one 10/10 ... cracked me up.

[Hall]

Much appreciated news, Hogeye. Stay delicate as ever!

[kelly campbell]

Everybody has their own opinion, However I am not a fan of bashing other brands. What is the point? I am a big Gibson fan and own a few of them and a few Martin's a couple taylor's etc...I am partial to Gibson but like a lot of different brands..

[QuestionMark]

Hogeye-as a player of both Gibsons and Epiphones...uh, you left off that Epiphones are also welcome here (as NY Epiphone legally became Gibson, Epiphones were made side by side with Gibsons in K-zoo, and now they are a brand of the Gibson Company.)

 

😄Someone had to speak up for Epi’s inclusion.

 

QM aka Jazzmam Jeff

[Jalex]

Yep I own a couple of Taylor's, a lowden and a couple of Gibson's. They're all steller guitars. No real need to hate on other brands.

[Hogeye]

Is this Van?

 

 

Nope. It's not Van but a trainee that Van was teaching. The guy that actually took over for Van is a great young kid that has the talent it will take to replace Van. I call the boy "Hoot". As in Hoot Gibson.

 

I was told by a good friend of Van's that he was just tired of the commute and didn't like to trust his life to all the new folks that have been crowding the route Van used to get to work. A large percentage of folks that work at Gibson live in the small town of Belgrade. It's a 8 mile drive down the frontage road to Bozeman and it is also the road that takes folks to the airport. Many people are killed or injured on this road as it snows a lot and folks that are late for their flight drive way to fast. I was involved in a head on that almost killed me when coming back from taking Mike Fuller and his boy Jimmy to the airport. There was a ground blizzard and zero visibility when a guy crossed the center line and ran into me.

 

You are close Fred. Van started at Gibson in 1990. He was working for Steve Carlson the owner of Flatiron before that. When Henry bought out Flatiron and built the Gibson building Van just sort of morphed into the job. He looks just like he did those many years ago. The end of an era for sure. Fred has a great photo of Van. Maybe he will post it here.

[Hogeye]

Hogeye-as a player of both Gibsons and Epiphones...uh, you left off that Epiphones are also welcome here (as NY Epiphone legally became Gibson, Epiphones were made side by side with Gibsons in K-zoo, and now they are a brand of the Gibson Company.)

 

😄Someone had to speak up for Epi’s inclusion.

 

QM aka Jazzmam Jeff

 

Glad for the correction on my post. Epi's are a part of Gibson. Think of them as the same. Gibson Montana actually made many Epi's in Bozeman so I just naturally consider them as the very same family.

 

The price for 1994 shows them listed as

 

Excellente: Rosewood sides and back Sitka spruce top $2,500.00 With case

Frontier: Maple sides and back Sitka top $1,799.00 With case

Texan: Arched mahogany back and sides Spruce top $$1099.00 With case

 

I managed to save some of the pick guards if anyone is interested.

[Hogeye]

Whatever happened to the recording of your fab playing you were going to post, Oh great one?

 

 

Hot air?

 

 

 

 

 

BluesKing777.

TROLL ALERT!

 

Hot air? Aren't you the very same person that posted a tune that you boasted was played on a Maton. When the guitar was characterized as sounding inferior. You said you tricked us and the bad sounding guitar was actually a Gibson? Sounds like a Troll to me.

 

I find it interesting that no one here called you out on the post. How can anyone ever trust anything you say after you have admitted that you lied to us once?

 

Just so you know. I worked for Henry for 18 years and conducted guitar clinics in every major music store in the country.You sir are an admitted troll and I don't believe anything you say.

[J-1854Me]

I found one image from Homecoming I, in which Van is dutifully encouraging me in spraying an LC guitar that (accidentally) was hanging in the "destroy" rack. Oops...it wasn't supposed to be there.

 

Van's next to me as I was shooting some Coppertone tan. I could have spent half a day there if they'd a-let me!

 

 

Fred

[blindboygrunt]

TROLL ALERT!

 

Hot air? Aren't you the very same person that posted a tune that you boasted was played on a Maton. When the guitar was characterized as sounding inferior. You said you tricked us and the bad sounding guitar was actually a Gibson? Sounds like a Troll to me.

 

I find it interesting that no one here called you out on the post. How can anyone ever trust anything you say after you have admitted that you lied to us once?

 

Just so you know. I worked for Henry for 18 years and conducted guitar clinics in every major music store in the country.You sir are an admitted troll and I don't believe anything you say.

 

 

If you read the next post or two he admits to messin around about it being a gibson....

[kelly campbell]

People love to bash other brands. A lot of electric players who play Gibson's bash PRS and I can't understand why. What in the hell is wrong with a well made guitar? My only quirk is I only buy American made guitars. I would love a Maton or Lowden, but I can not afford either.

 

 

Well said FZ. I am with you I would love to have several other brands that are just too high priced for my blood. I agree a good guitar is a good guitar period.

[bobouz]

It came slithering in under the wire, but we indeed have another strong candidate for:

 

Most Forgettable Thread Of The Year.

[Mr. Paul]

It came slithering in under the wire, but we indeed have another strong candidate for:

 

Most Forgettable Thread Of The Year.

 

Wait, I'm getting ready to start a What's Your Favorite Toothpaste discussion.

[ksdaddy]

Aim. Very minty and inexpensive.

[JWG4927]

You just don't get it, do you? Yeah, the man has no filter, yeah, no class. But he has enough class to know you don't go to a Gibson forum and constantly shove some other brand down everybody's throat for the glorification of your own ego, or for some other reason. You don't go to someone's house and tell the HOST how nice his neighbor's house is.

 

This is Gibson's house.

[ksdaddy]