Just a little history of this page. I first started this 'virtual tour'
on my own personal web site in April, 1997. Since then, it has been such
a hit, that I was asked to move onto the main Gibson web site. I first
did the tour without any people at work, as I wasn't sure how the tour
would be. I was asked by several people to have pictures of the craftspersons
at work. I expanded the original tour from 3 pages to 4, the fourth showing
the craftspersons at work. With this change from my personal web page to
the Gibson web page, I am incorporating the fourth page into the first
three. With all that said and done, on with the tour. One last note, all
images are clickable, to give you a larger, detailed image. Enjoy your
tour.
On with the tour!!!
The
first area that we will visit is called Resaw. This is where the raw stock
of wood is brought into the shop. The people in the Resaw area determine
how a particular piece of wood will be cut, and what it will be used for.
Some of the different species of woods used are: Maple and Mahogany for
necks, ribs (sides) and backs; Spruce for all tops; Rosewood for ribs,
backs, fingerboards and bridges; Ebony for fingerboards and bridges. Also
included are various exotic/tonal woods used in special models. Once the
purpose of a board is determined, it is then cut to best serve that purpose.
Here
we see tops and backs as they are being readied to be glued together.
Top and Back build
Here
we see the machinery used to glue the tops and backs together, (key note,
that all tops and backs are "bookmatched" meaning that as a board is split,
and the two pieces matching one another are glued together). Below, (the
machinery) you can see some of the tops and backs that have been glued
together and are waiting to be inspected. Inspection is a key part of building
a guitar.
This
is the FADAL. It is the only computer controlled piece of equipment used
in the shop. Here, we see it cutting out the soundhole and cutting the
grooves for the rosette. It will then cut the basic shape of the top.
Every
department inspects the guitar (or part of the guitar) that they work on.
At any point in the process, a guitar may be rejected for structural or
cosmetic flaws. Here, we see a top that has been prepared for a rosette,
(the decorative trimming around the sound hole).
This is
the rosette being installed.
Rib Bend
This
is one of our rib presses. The ribs are dampened and then pressed into
shape with the press. After the ribs have been shaped, the headblock and
tailblock are glued in to hold the two ribs together.
The
rib press starting to press a set of ribs into shape.
Here
we see some ribs having the headblocks glued on. After the ribs have been
glued together with both a headblock and tailblock, the body then moves
onto kerfing.
The
start of the bracing pattern. A template is laid onto the top and the pattern
is drawn onto it. The top is then placed into the holder and the braces
are then glued on.
After
all the braces and the bridge plate are glued in and held into place, the
top will sit in the holder till the glue dries.
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