Does anyone have a link to an article or post detailing the short Nashville body?
I remember reading a post once on this subject and in spite of my best search queries, I can’t seem to find any info...
Does anyone have a link to an article or post detailing the short Nashville body?
lets see under the TRC, but it looks like maple.
There's this reverb add for a '81 custom that quite stresses the fact it's a Kalamazoo made custom. ( https://reverb.com/item/37002127-1981-gibson-les-paul-custom-silverburst-kalamazoo-made-all-the-special-80s-parts )
I quote: " Why choose this silverburst? Because it was made in Kalamazoo and has the special 80s parts! You can tell it is KZ-made by the Made in USA stamp being verticle and by the last 3 digits in the serial number being 499 or less.
If you're new to buying vintage guitars - the first Gibson factory was established in Kalamazoo, Michigan. This is where all the guitars from the early 1900s until 1975 were made. The Nashville plant opened in 1975ish and slowly less and less guitars were made in Kalamazoo until it closed in 1984. Kalamazoo employees were generally older and more experienced and you can usually tell that just by the way a KZ Les Paul feels as compared to a Nashville one. Both are great - but KZs always have just a little something extra to them and are built to a higher-standard. Not many silverbursts were made in KZ - the two biggest features that make them stand out are the black back of the headstock and the HUGE volute. "
I never knew this was a thing (Kalamazoo vs Nashville)? Is it?
I guess there are some facts in here:
- last 3 digits of serial number 499 or less
- stamp is vertical (does he mean the made in USA stamp? can't see in his picture)
- Nashville opened in 1975 and gradually took over production from Kalamazoo plant until that closed in 1984
- bigger volute? No bursts on back of the headstock?
And some salespitch I suppose:
- generally older and more expierenced employees at Kalamazoo? And thus a bit better quality?
Please enlighten me!
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FYI: I already read this in the FAQ Norlin History thread but it doesn't adress everything
1975 - Nashville plant starts building LPs in conjunction with Kalamazoo.
...
1984 - final production at Kalamazoo in June
...
Between 1974 and 1984 production of Gibson guitars was shifted from Kalamazoo to Nashville, Tennessee. Early Nashville-built guitars suffered from both inexperienced workers, and climate-control problems in the humid South. The Kalamazoo plant was kept going for a few years as a custom-instrument shop, but was closed in 1984.
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It makes it sound really bad when you say it that way, but $8,000.00 USD = $10,968.00 AUD currently... so $511.40 AUD more ($311 USD), a bit more, yes. (Based on today's exchange rate of $1 USD= $1.37 AUD)You guys are complaining about $8k?
try $11,479.40AUD!!
Don't let the bitterness of these guys towards Kalamazoo steer you in wrong path, Many of old timers all master craftsmen didn't transfer to Nashville but stayed building under a new Company called Heritage, Now the main gripe these guys make is The ugly head stock but i can bet some of them own a Jackson or B.C Rich right? (not all) Who cares about a head stock which btw they fixed that angle etc which is to this day a weak area on Gibson's Henry Jerk refused to fix that instead ran a great company almost to the point of extinction in debt. Anyway they are the same builders who were there during the glory years Holy Grail guitar's that people are paying 100.000 and upwards for those guitars, Nashville at best is a copy of those guitars and techniques Not close IMO as I've owned a 59 and the R series is well close but not the deal, So at Heritage atleast before the older guys retired who are still active with the company they kept all the tools old wood etc that those 57-60 masterpieces were built on and still to this day with a few modernization's the say way they did in the day, You can get a guitar used built by these craftsmen the same guitar basicly except for the head stock change due to Gibson copywrite, same wood ,neck angle tweaked a bit for around 1200-2000 so do the math an original 59 going on Reverb right now for 260g plus, So Heritage built same methods same tools same guys just a tweak in the head stock used under 2g or one they built in 59 260g plus..LOL I personally like everything about Heritage I also "if" I ever buy another Gibson it will be pre 83 or before the Henry J era, not many epic guitars coming out of Nashville but the revered ones all come out of Kalamazoo. So to each their own they can decide I guess.Thanks for the replies. I'm not interested in the guitar, nor do I want to start a discussion on the price
It's just the fact that the add stresses the higher quality of the Kalamazoo output that made me wonder. How many LP's did both sites produced each year, is that something that is known? Was one model exclusively made at one or the other site (i'm thinking the Heritage 80 perhaps, as it is a bit of a rare bird)?
Don't let the bitterness of these guys towards Kalamazoo steer you in wrong path, Many of old timers all master craftsmen didn't transfer to Nashville but stayed building under a new Company called Heritage, Now the main gripe these guys make is The ugly head stock but i can bet some of them own a Jackson or B.C Rich right? (not all) Who cares about a head stock which btw they fixed that angle etc which is to this day a weak area on Gibson's Henry Jerk refused to fix that instead ran a great company almost to the point of extinction in debt. Anyway they are the same builders who were there during the glory years Holy Grail guitar's that people are paying 100.000 and upwards for those guitars, Nashville at best is a copy of those guitars and techniques Not close IMO as I've owned a 59 and the R series is well close but not the deal, So at Heritage atleast before the older guys retired who are still active with the company they kept all the tools old wood etc that those 57-60 masterpieces were built on and still to this day with a few modernization's the say way they did in the day, You can get a guitar used built by these craftsmen the same guitar basicly except for the head stock change due to Gibson copywrite, same wood ,neck angle tweaked a bit for around 1200-2000 so do the math an original 59 going on Reverb right now for 260g plus, So Heritage built same methods same tools same guys just a tweak in the head stock used under 2g or one they built in 59 260g plus..LOL I personally like everything about Heritage I also "if" I ever buy another Gibson it will be pre 83 or before the Henry J era, not many epic guitars coming out of Nashville but the revered ones all come out of Kalamazoo. So to each their own they can decide I guess.
1) Evidently in the Norlin mentality it was "O.K." not to dry the wood properly (or something) as this beast weighs 13lbs 6oz. The best I could figure was that it was a way to cut corners and cut costs and speed up production by not allowing the wood to kiln dry for long enough. ???
I got nothing against Kalamazoo made Gibson's....... I just don't believe that they are better than Nashville made Gibson's.Don't let the bitterness of these guys towards Kalamazoo steer you in wrong path, Many of old timers all master craftsmen didn't transfer to Nashville but stayed building under a new Company called Heritage, Now the main gripe these guys make is The ugly head stock but i can bet some of them own a Jackson or B.C Rich right? (not all) Who cares about a head stock which btw they fixed that angle etc which is to this day a weak area on Gibson's Henry Jerk refused to fix that instead ran a great company almost to the point of extinction in debt. Anyway they are the same builders who were there during the glory years Holy Grail guitar's that people are paying 100.000 and upwards for those guitars, Nashville at best is a copy of those guitars and techniques Not close IMO as I've owned a 59 and the R series is well close but not the deal, So at Heritage atleast before the older guys retired who are still active with the company they kept all the tools old wood etc that those 57-60 masterpieces were built on and still to this day with a few modernization's the say way they did in the day, You can get a guitar used built by these craftsmen the same guitar basicly except for the head stock change due to Gibson copywrite, same wood ,neck angle tweaked a bit for around 1200-2000 so do the math an original 59 going on Reverb right now for 260g plus, So Heritage built same methods same tools same guys just a tweak in the head stock used under 2g or one they built in 59 260g plus..LOL I personally like everything about Heritage I also "if" I ever buy another Gibson it will be pre 83 or before the Henry J era, not many epic guitars coming out of Nashville but the revered ones all come out of Kalamazoo. So to each their own they can decide I guess.
Before I took up the guitar I was deep into learning the drums,.... I thought I could play rather well..... then I got a chance to play with working group who needed to replace their drummer due to an accident.I can make them all sound like shit buddy, and don't you forget it!!
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I'm sorry, but this forum is better than the silly guesswork that this nonsense is based on. Especially given you know very little about wood.1) Evidently in the Norlin mentality it was "O.K." not to dry the wood properly (or something) as this beast weighs 13lbs 6oz. The best I could figure was that it was a way to cut corners and cut costs and speed up production by not allowing the wood to kiln dry for long enough. ???