Kurt Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 The Forums are how we got the '61 w/Maestro back in '99. H-Bomb How do you know that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninety1vee Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 omg' date=' i just crapped my pants that piece is beautiful Gibson, we want this SG! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbomb76 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 How do you know that? I was part of the commotion then. ;) I even saved the original webpage I printed out back in the day that showed a couple Gibson bigwigs (including the man I consider responsible for the SG '61 w/Maestro coming into fruition, Gypsy Carns) holding the new model up proudly. It refers to the guitar as being made "in response to overwhelming demand" via the Customer Relations Forums. Probably have it in a folder in my desk, I could probably scan it when I get some time. Anyhow, then it showed up at NAMM (http://news.harmony-central.com/Newp/SNAMM99/Gibson/SG-61.html) and shortly thereafter I had one in my hands. Like an idiot, I sold it to order a Historic Standard (which was advertised as an ACCURATE reissue, but left me limp...still does), and I regret it because the '61 w/Maestro was the best, most overall proper SG reissue I've ever owned. I was able to get an incredibly near-mint one from 2001 a couple years ago which is nice although I loved the '64/'65 era color on my '99 more (looked like a middle-ground between the darker cherry and the cherry used on 335's, colorwise...very "red" and NOT FADED at all). I know if enough people raise hell things get done. But it's a matter of getting enough people on board and on the same page as far as what they want spec-wise. Then they're likely to give it serious consideration. I'd love to see someone petition this...and hey, let's petition for an ACCURATE '63 to '65 era small-guard one too and not "settle" for the current offerings...they COULD do better! H-Bomb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG dude Posted January 16, 2009 Author Share Posted January 16, 2009 I know if enough people raise hell things get done. But it's a matter of getting enough people on board and on the same page as far as what they want spec-wise. Then they're likely to give it serious consideration. I'd love to see someone petition this...and hey' date=' let's petition for an ACCURATE '63 to '65 era small-guard one too and not "settle" for the current offerings...they COULD do better! H-Bomb[/quote'] if you told me how i'd do it. but i want the '68 standard reissue first. sorry man. but after that we could petition for the '63 to '65 era small-guard one, but lets not overload gibson with all these requests, yet. get all yer pals on board!!!!! (and remember to tell me how(please)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Thanks for the info hbomb! I think we´re on a good way. Generally I think they should do more different SGs. But first I´d like a proper 68. They needn´t do much for that. Just change the A.Y. a bit. First of all keep the good price. Then give it a thinner neck binding (don´t know if it´s the right word) like on the old ones. And chrome covers for the pickups. I don´t know why they put this nickel stuff on the A.Y.. Nickel is ugly, greasy and not original on a 68. And then a gibson engraved maestro and regular headstock inlay. In my opinion they would not need any part that they don´t already build or have. Just a new combination of regular parts. Why don´t you just do it gibson? Give us a 68!!! Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG dude Posted January 16, 2009 Author Share Posted January 16, 2009 just a quick question,,,,, can anyone who has recently played an sg with a maestro, like a '68 or angus young sig, tell me how well they stay in tune? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbomb76 Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 just a quick question' date=',,,, can anyone who has recently played an sg with a maestro, like a '68 or angus young sig, tell me how well they stay in tune?[/quote'] With a little care, occasional light maintenance and a tiny bit of practice you can wank the crap out of the bar and keep tune with no problem. If you're not comfortable with the standard bridge, get a roller-saddle replacement and eliminate any adversity even further. No worries! H-Bomb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 With a little care' date=' occasional light maintenance and a tiny bit of practice you can wank the crap out of the bar and keep tune with no problem. H-Bomb [/quote'] This is a bit too optimistic in my view. But off-course he´s right. It will stay in tune and you may even use the vibrola. If new gibsons go out of tune it´s mostly the saddle. The one on my A.Y. had to be corrected to. If the notches aren´t made properly the strings will stick there. Here´s a good example for what can be done with a non locking vibrola. http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=_YecdQ72JZQ I hope the link works. He uses SGs with short maestros as well. Another thing with maestros is that the sustain of the guitar will be less than with a stop bar. To me the sound is somewhere between al Les Paul and a Stratocaster. It is a dry sound, not as fat as a paulas and with a little more twang. I love it. But some people are dissapointed with the loss of sustain. Some even change it back to stop bar and keep the maestros plate as a deco. Like Derek Trucks for example. But lots of the above is just my opinion. So I´m interested in hearing other peoples opinions... And hbomb, can you specify that little care and maintenance please? I´m sure you know a few tricks that others didn´t even think of. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jameswithesg Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 i love the look of the vibrolas, though i havent played one that i particularly liked, i didnt like the loss of sustain, (though some claim to not notice it) but i never really liked playing with a tremelo bar on any guitar for that matter, it really is a preference thing i love the way derek truck's 61 reissue looks with the vibrola and tremelo removed and stopbar, and the pickguard removed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbomb76 Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 This is a bit too optimistic in my view. But off-course he´s right. It will stay in tune and you may even use the vibrola. If new gibsons go out of tune it´s mostly the saddle. The one on my A.Y. had to be corrected to. If the notches aren´t made properly the strings will stick there. Here´s a good example for what can be done with a non locking vibrola. http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=_YecdQ72JZQ I hope the link works. He uses SGs with short maestros as well. Another thing with maestros is that the sustain of the guitar will be less than with a stop bar. To me the sound is somewhere between al Les Paul and a Stratocaster. It is a dry sound' date=' not as fat as a paulas and with a little more twang. I love it. But some people are dissapointed with the loss of sustain. Some even change it back to stop bar and keep the maestros plate as a deco. Like Derek Trucks for example. But lots of the above is just my opinion. So I´m interested in hearing other peoples opinions... And hbomb, can you specify that little care and maintenance please? I´m sure you know a few tricks that others didn´t even think of. Kurt[/quote'] My regimen is nothing super-new or out of the ordinary, just stuff (much like a lot of people's laziness to really TRY to learn the ins and outs of a vibrola-equipped guitar) that a lot of people don't want to be bothered with. But if you're halfway taking care of your guitar, you SHOULDN'T have any problems with such minor "inconveniences". A trick for your standard ABR or other tune-o-matic saddles is to take some Mitchell's abrasive cord and "saw" the slots very lightly to ensure a burr-free surface (and by removing that edge you make for easier passage without so much binding on the wound strings). If you don't wanna' muck up the stock bridge, replace the saddles with Graph Tech's or something, or just buy a cheap one to mod and tuck the original away. Or, as I said, buy a roller-saddle one if you want 0% friction at the bridge. Make sure also that you lube your nut occasionally. I don't even do it but 2 or 3 times a YEAR, and it's fine. I use a mixture of Tri-Flow lube (you can use silicone too) and graphite powder, just apply it into the nut slots (and bridge slots, if you're using a non-roller T.O.M.), then quickly wipe away the excess so it doesn't stain the non-slotted surface of the nut. DONE. As long as your tuners aren't crap, and as long as you're making sure to stretch your strings when you install them, you're good to go. Learning the feel of your individual guitar is your own rite of passage, but it's not rocket science. Just minimal patience and a little practice, then it'll be like you've always done it. I literally ABUSE the hell out of my Angus signature and my Epi w/Maestro, and anyone who's ever been to a show I've played can vouch that the only time I go out of tune is when I break a string. Don't ever be afraid of the vibrola. It's your friend! I had an old beat to hell '65 Standard which had the stopbar installed and the cut-off Maestro assembly behind it. It was okay, but I got tired of it because it just didn't suit the guitar for me after a while. I HAVE seen people also have an experienced metalworker cut out and smooth little string-retainer notches in the mounting portion of the curved-spring assembly (the part the retainer with the bar slides onto), and that seems to work well too, and you can always use it as a fixed bridge OR a vibrola. Just an idea to pass along. It also helps if your Maestro doesn't have a piece of felt under the curve (where it can touch the body), you should go buy some self-adhesive felt at the craft store to put a strip on the bottom. Sustain issues are marginal. You really won't notice it unless you're some lunatic/loser who hangs on a single note for a half a minute or something, and if you're doing that you're NOT playing so it doesn't count...lol You can hear a little more airiness to the tone acoustically with a vibrola, but to me that's a good thing anyway, and plugged in the difference is negligible at best. Most folks who "hear" differences go in with a mindset and WANT to hear some kind of substantial difference so they've actually already decided. I own and play both setups, and have for 15 years, so I think I'd notice something by now. It's not like it is on some Strats with the cheaper bridges, where you hear the guitar reverberate through the springs. Now THAT is an obvious problem! I played a cruel joke on a guy once, I think I've talked about it before. We argued about the physics of sonic transferrance and I bet him that he couldn't tell the difference with his eyes closed, to which he pompously insisted that indeed he could. The first try I did swap the guitars, but he heard which way I went and knew which guitar I picked up. The second and third times I never switched guitars (I unplugged, shuffled around and plugged the same guitar back in...lol), and he still heard the annoying loss of sustain. When he was done "proving his point" he opened his eyes and turned around, and was appalled at my ruse, and at having been called-out. Was it cruel? Yes. Did it prove a certain 'psychological attachment' to a principle? Absolutely. So seriously, the guitar's going to sound great and sustain as much as you will ever need it to. Don't be a wus. :P And most importantly, HAVE FUN WITH IT! H-Bomb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 No one said it was a dramatic loss of sustain. But there again you´d need to hear the same guitar with and without stop bar/maestro to tell for sure. Personally I think the maestro makes the A.Y. sound a bit thinner, but that´s what I like it for. If I need fat sounds and the typical lunatic/loser tone I use my les paul. Yes! Sometimes it needs loooooooooooooooooong single notes and I like them. That´s what gibson gave us the les paul for. Thanks for the explanation hbomb. By the way I´m using teflon (PTFE) grease for the nut. I don´t think a roller nut will work with gibson string angle at the headstock. I thought about getting a roller bridge. But I didn´t try it yet and I like to hear all those different opinions. And I agree with you - you know a lot about SGs and it´s very interesting to read your posts. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbomb76 Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 I don´t think a roller nut will work with gibson string angle at the headstock. I thought about getting a roller bridge. Oh God, NEVER screw up ANY decent guitar by putting a roller nut on them, those are more hassle than they're worth. A friend of mine has an American Strat with one and it is TROUBLE. But the roller tune-o-matics are good stuff. I know several people with stoptail guitars who have them just because of the less string-breakage factor. And it's always reversible back to stock for the "investment", if such a thing is an issue to someone. SG's are my thang man, I HOPE I'd know a thing or two about them. And I love defending them against the naysayers the same way I'll defend a Tele over a Strat any day. :) H-Bomb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Agreed! No roller nut for any gibson. Seems like you´re a man with a mission. You don´t have to defend SGs against me. I have two at the moment and used to have a third one, but sold it, since I didn´t like that particular one too much. But I also have to say that I like other guitars as well. I wouldn´t give my les paul away and I also like strats. But I think I´d like a Tele too, never had one yet. But we are way off topic! Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG dude Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 hmmmm interesting, thanks guys. i now know a bit more about the maestro's now. so i am even more confident when i say,,,,,,,,,,GIBSON!!!!!!, BRING BACK THE '68 SG STANDARD!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Hurra!!! Finally back at topic... Give us a 68 SG Standard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG dude Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 Kurt and/or hbomb, could u tell me how we start a petition thread. is it something special or is it just a normal one with petition written on it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbomb76 Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 It's done (look in the "SG" section main page in about 15 minutes). Now tell all your friends to come vote for their favorite. Honestly though, we'll need at least a hundred people moaning and groaning (and VOTING), and then you can alert Gibson's "Customer Relations" that this should be passed on to their marketing "geniuses". Enjoy! H-Bomb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Thank you H-Bomb. Good man! I couldn´t have done that. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG dude Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SG dude Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG dude Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 IF YOU ARE READING THIS THEN GET YOUR BUTT OVER TO THE POLL FOR GIBSON CUSTOMER RELATIONS (SG REQUESTS FROM LOYAL GIBSON OWNERS) ASAP AND VOTE FOR LATE 60'S SG STANDARD REISSUE w/VIBROLA. PLEASE. IF YOU HAVE......WELL DONE ANDTHREE CHEERS FOR YOU!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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