Does Gibson Make Its Own Strings?

[DaveJTR]

It was/is common knowledge that D’addario makes Elixir strings.  Does D’addario also make Gibson strings?  Or does Gibson make its own?  

Wondering how similar the D’addario XT strings and Gibson PB coated are.

[Ceptorman]

Dean Markley was making them, not sure if they still do.

[E-minor7]

Soon Murph will chime in stating that GHS is behind the Gibson strings. I was sceptical at first, , , later found reasons to believe him. . 

[Dave F]

19 minutes ago, E-minor7 said:

Soon Murph will chime in stating that GHS is behind the Gibson strings. I was sceptical at first, , , later found reasons to believe him. . 

Murph hasn't been active for a couple months????

[E-minor7]

1 hour ago, Dave F said:

Murph hasn't been active for a couple months????

It struck me, , , but lesser than that, , or -    📣  Murph !

[zombywoof]

Gibson shut down its string winding operation in 1976. I have always heard, as mentioned, that GHS supplies their re-badged strings. 

Edited May 25 by zombywoof

[E-minor7]

Here is Board memberJanglemore's phenomenal research posted here in March last year. 

 

On Tuesday I called GHS Customer Service and in so many words here is what happened. It's interesting reading, so hang in there.

I spoke with a very nice gentlemen name Jim Chowney. I explained that an AGF forum member had noticed the uncoated Masterbuilts were no longer being offered on Gibson website. I also told him that one of our members (vindibona1) had called Gibson directly and was told those strings were discontinued.
I then voiced mine and others displeasure with this and then I asked him directly, "is GHS the manufacturer of these uncoated Masterbuilt Strings?"
He hesitated for a moment and then he said that "yes, we are."
As it turns out, Gibson is/was a large "house account". As a result of their recent bankruptcy, Jim explained that Gibson is "streamlining" and re-focusing on their guitars.

So that's that. Now for the more important stuff.
If you don't care, stop reading.

The next bits of correspondence were via emails between Jim and me on Wednesday and Thursday.
GHS will continue to manufacture Masterbuilts through the month of August. They will not be available through Gibson.
They will be available through current distribution as long as they last and that part is unknown. I didn't ask how much production there will be. I figured it's none of my business.
The Masterbuilts are in fact GHS Bright Bronze (Masterbuilt 80-20) and regular GHS Phosphor Bronze (Masterbuilt PB's) with a couple of differences, here they are:
Masterbuilts are cut to 39" string length, GHS are cut to "36 1/2".
Masterbuilts have a "gold colored" ball end, GHS are not colored.
Masterbuilts Hex Core wire is specified ever so slightly thinner than GHS.
The example Jim gave me was the 24 gauge. Masterbuilt Core wire = .0127
GHS = .013. He said this was consistent with the other gauged strings and has zero effect on the sound of the string. It's just the specs Gibson gave them from the outset.
Finally, Masterbuilts wound Strings have Bronze "plated" Hex Core wire. GHS have tin "plating". Again, the plating is so thin it has zero bearing on the tone.
You can draw your own conclusions as to why - longevity maybe?

So, now for the biggie. "Do the GHS Bright Bronze and Phosphor Bronze strings sound like the Masterbuilts and can they be used as "happy camper" replacements? According to Jim, the answer is unequivocally, "YES."
Jim put a set of both in the mail to me Wednesday and as soon as they arrive, I will make the comparisons to the Masterbuilts.

At this point, I would really like to thank Jim Chowney and the folks at GHS of Battle Creek, Michigan for their candor and assistance. Jim told me they have no problem telling the world that they are/were the makers of the Masterbuilts.

There you are...have a great day everyone!

__________________
Nothing bothers me unless I let it.

 

          .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

 

For which he received this ~ 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                 The report was originally presented on the Acoustic Guitar Forum in October 2015. 

 

[Larsongs]

Was that as of October 2015? A lot has happened since then.. I wonder if it’s still GHS? 

[Sgt. Pepper]

On 5/23/2024 at 10:19 PM, Dave F said:

Murph hasn't been active for a couple months????

I probably pissed him off. I do that from time to time. He’s probably on his John Deere riding mover  fantasizing about the Mothman with his aluminum foil hat on his head to block the evil mind control rays the other side beam out to make you do unspeakable things, like watch CNN.

Edited May 25 by Sgt. Pepper

[PrairieDog]

I think Murph got put in time out during the big bridge fall down/blow up.  I for one miss his contributions. 

On 5/23/2024 at 10:55 PM, E-minor7 said:

It struck me, , , but lesser than that, , or -    📣  Murph !

I think Murph maybe got timed out during the “big bridge knock down/blow up.”   He could be gnarly but I kinda miss his contributions around here.  They were always colorful. Hope he makes it back. 

[Sgt. Pepper]

5 hours ago, PrairieDog said:

I think Murph got put in time out during the big bridge fall down/blow up.  I for one miss his contributions. 

I think Murph maybe got timed out during the “big bridge knock down/blow up.”   He could be gnarly but I kinda miss his contributions around here.  They were always colorful. Hope he makes it back. 

He may have.  He was gigging at 14 or so. Maybe he’s back on the road with his beloved RW J-45? You could always tell he has Fox News on and the Orange Guy in the background of his mind.

I know he hated me to his core. He rocked the old guy long hair. Remember guys most of us are not 24 anymore.

Edited May 25 by Sgt. Pepper

[Sgt. Pepper]

If you like the stings you use does it matter who makes them?

Would you still use your favorite brand if the they were made in China or Korea? Your guitar not so much.

Edited May 25 by Sgt. Pepper

[PrairieDog]

2 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

He may have.  He was gigging at 14 or so. Maybe he’s back on the road with his beloved RW J-45? You could always tell he has Fox News on and the Orange Guy in the background of his mind.

I know he hated me to his core. He rocked the old guy long hair. Remember guys most of us are not 24 anymore.

Yeah, I have gathered there is a lot of that around here 😏 but I figure guitars are a good neutral ground. I still gotta admit I sure ate some popcorn watching you two dust up.     

[Sgt. Pepper]

22 minutes ago, PrairieDog said:

Yeah, I have gathered there is a lot of that around here 😏 but I figure guitars are a good neutral ground. I still gotta admit I sure ate some popcorn watching you two dust up.     

I’m not one to back down. He flew his Orange Messiah flag high in his  back yard over looking some river in the Midwest.

Edited May 26 by Sgt. Pepper

[E-minor7]

19 hours ago, Larsongs said:

Was that as of October 2015? A lot has happened since then.. I wonder if it’s still GHS? 

You have a point, no doubt. And I'm still mystified as the Birds I bought'n'borrowed new betwen 2012 and 15 had golden ball-ends where the Gibson Masterbuilts from the shops in that period had silver. 

8 hours ago, PrairieDog said:

I think Murph maybe got timed out during the “big bridge knock down/blow up.”   

Could you explain ? , , , goes over my head. . 🙃

[PrairieDog]

8 minutes ago, E-minor7 said:

Could you explain ? , , , goes over my head. . 🙃

Don’t mean to stir the embers but back in March when the bridge got knocked down by the container ship, I understand there was a kerfuffle on one of the threads talking about it, and the thread got taken down.  Temps were rising and some benching or threats of hand slaps meted out in the aftermath.  I had already checked out of the thread, seeing the storms ahead.  But it was around this time Murph went silent. I know he was pretty upset over how something was handled.  I figured he’d be back either after he did his stint, or had time to reboot. Still, it has been a while. I sincerely hope that is all there is to it.    

[PrairieDog]

1 hour ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

I’m not one to back down. He flew his Orange Messiah flag high in his  back yard over looking some river in the Midwest.

Nod, I seriously get it.  That’s why I’m here for the guitars 😎 

[Sgt. Pepper]

6 minutes ago, PrairieDog said:

Nod, I seriously get it.  That’s why I’m here for the guitars 😎 

I’m here for the humor. Look at most the threads they start out about guitar stuff then go to politics, food, taxes, Trump, cat pics, BMX bikes and that’s just the tip. Once the tip is in its game on. Insult someone in power who likes Taylor and you may get a week off. 

Edited May 26 by Sgt. Pepper

[PrairieDog]

4 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

I’m here for the humor. Look at most the threads they start out about guitar stuff then go to politics, food, taxes, Trump, cat pics, BMX bikes and that’s just the tip. Once the tip is in its game on.

Chuckle, nod, and “squirrels” as I now understand… 😆

Edited May 26 by PrairieDog

[Sgt. Pepper]

Just now, PrairieDog said:

Chuckle, nod. 

It’s true and you know it. It’s happened to me. 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Say Gibson has QA issues and you better look out your window for people with pitchforks and torches.

Remember that Rush song Witch Hunt?

Edited May 26 by Sgt. Pepper

[E-minor7]

25 minutes ago, PrairieDog said:

Don’t mean to stir the embers but back in March when the bridge got knocked down by the container ship, I understand there was a kerfuffle on one of the threads talking about it, and the thread got taken down.  Temps were rising and some benching or threats of hand slaps meted out in the aftermath.  I had already checked out of the thread, seeing the storms ahead.  But it was around this time Murph went silent. I know he was pretty upset over how something was handled.  I figured he’d be back either after he did his stint, or had time to reboot. Still, it has been a while. I sincerely hope that is all there is to it.    

Ou thanx - remember the accident, but not the thread. It missed me and is now impossible to dust up. Never mind.

[Janglemore]

On 5/24/2024 at 9:31 PM, E-minor7 said:

Here is Board memberJanglemore's phenomenal research posted here in March last year. 
 

It was rokdog49 on the AGF forum that did the research. I just posted the link.  Here it is again……

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6121729&postcount=45

[ksdaddy]

On 5/23/2024 at 10:19 PM, Dave F said:

Murph hasn't been active for a couple months????

No restrictions on Murph’s account. 

[E-minor7]

2 hours ago, Janglemore said:

It was rokdog49 on the AGF forum that did the research. I just posted the link.  Here it is again……

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6121729&postcount=45

Thx - Yes, I also pasted the actual link back then. Admit thinking rokdog was your AGF pseudonym.

                                                                                                                                                             Still it was you who brought it here. 

                                                                                                                                                                                     

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