ajsc Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 http://www.bannergibsons.com/ ????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rar Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Last I heard, they're expecting it to be published next year. -- Bob R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Thanks for asking, Paul! We're hard at work on it and should finish the manuscript over the summer. We experienced a bit of a delay because 1) my day-job sabbatical was postponed from this past fall 'til next fall and 2) we're doing a lot of stuff that no one has done before. But, things are falling nicely into place: -- The centerpiece is a series of interviews with a dozen women who appeared in Gibson's 1944 workforce photo and we've recorded these to DVD and hope to have a companion DVD -- We’ve X-rayed and measured Gibsons from 1927 through 1947. We found measurable differences between the Banners and those that came before and after them and published our results in a radiologic technology journal (to keep my day jobs bosses happy) -- We’ve tracked Gibson production through the War Production Board documents at the National Archives. Fascinating stuff. -- Our registry and our careful analysis of Gibson’s shipping ledgers (we’re the first to get full access to them) have revealed a lot of stuff never before published that proves wrong nearly every assertion in print about year of introduction and discontinuance of models, etc. Along the way, it’s been incredible fun. Here is a very fun, recent quirk: a photo taken a couple of days ago of a nearly all-female Gibson workforce in China (in a startup factory to build guitars for the Chinese) holding printouts of my X-rays of a 1942 Gibson built by a nearly all-female workforce in Kalamazoo, MI. So, stay tuned! We recently sent about 300 pages of manuscript to our publisher. We're getting there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted February 10, 2009 Author Share Posted February 10, 2009 Thank you, JT. I'm really looking forward to the end result. I know it will be worth the wait!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Thanks, Paul! My hope is that the book will be as much fun to read as it has been to write. This has been an incredible experience for me from day one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Thanks' date=' Paul! My hope is that the book will be as much fun to read as it has been to write. This has been an incredible experience for me from day one.[/quote'] Looking at all the pictures and reading the specs in the registry was incredible. THANKS for compiling such an important resource. I hope in the future, someone with the resources can continue your great work and be able to add sound clips of as many of these guitars as possible. It would be fantastic for us armchair enthusiasts to be able to hear the difference between mahogany bodies with sitka and adi tops, between mahogany and maple bodies, or whatever else results in tonal differences. I can't wait for the book, hope to learn more about all the variances of J45 construction, what tonal effect they had, and see more of your cool X-rays. What are the factory workers in China going to do with those X-rays? Is Epiphone using patterns derived from them to make guitars, or is it more to show the workers that they may be doing something that could be revered and studied in years to come (which may not be far from the truth--some of the Masterbilts sound absoulutely fantastic for a guitar of any price)? BEST of luck with your project! Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maninblack Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I cannot wait to buy this. Actually, put me down for a few copies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 What are the factory workers in China going to do with those X-rays? Is Epiphone using patterns derived from them to make guitars' date=' or is it more to show the workers that they may be doing something that could be revered and studied in years to come (which may not be far from the truth--some of the Masterbilts sound absoulutely fantastic for a guitar of any price)?Red 333[/quote'] Thanks for the kind words, Red. I sent those X-rays to the Gibson folks in China because one of them had been really helpful in getting me in to see the musty, old shipping ledgers. He was taken with the X-rays and showed them to his crew, who liked them, too. Apparently, the foreman -- the guy front and center -- is quite enamored of them and has them mounted in his office. As a gesture to me, the VP over there arranged this photo and sent it to me. That made my day! So, I really don't know what the folks at Gibson/China are going to do with the images. But, I’m a big believer in the maxim that good things come from doing good, so promised to send all of my X-rays to them (I have to email them. China censors the Internet, so no one over there can see my photos on Webshots). Thanks again all for the kind words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 John- Let me add my voice to the choir-- I'm looking forward to seeing all your efforts in print and available for everyone. The history that is Gibson's is fascinating. Glad that you've been able to round up so many rare documents before they disappear. Make certain to keep us posted on your progress! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Thanks, again, all. I'll definitely keep you posted and offer autographed copies of the book through the forum. One fun recent development: in the not-too-distant future, Gibson will be sending me a J-45 and L-00 Legend to X-ray. Alas, I don't get to keep them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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