Brian May joining Gibson?

Ozzie744

https://www.guitarworld.com/news/brian-may-working-with-gibson

Interested to see where this is headed. The article claims BMG doesn't make a high end replica of the RS, but what about the RS Super? That is supposedly a faithful recreation...

mo6020

He was at the Gibson Garage launch today, too, which I thought was a bit weird until I read that article.

davros

I can't imagine in a million years that Gibson would make a faithful recreation of the red special with its blockboard, mahogany veneer, lacquered Oak fingerboard, etc. They're a mass producer focusing on a few models. Their top end instruments are fundamentally the same as their low end, just minor machining differences, finishing and hardware upgrades. They're simply not capable of building something like the red special faithfully. And I don't see any benefit in a red special shape constructed like a les paul.

I would guess it's some kind of obscure gibson acoustic he once played like the chet atkins.

LionAquaLooper

Anybody seen his recent rig rundown? He brings faithful replicas from different luthiers wherever he goes but says he only ever uses them while his original RS is being restrung mid show. Then it's straight back to that again. So this Gibson venture must be for people like us. 

He also says in 40+ or 50 years he's NEVER had RS re-fretted. He really is one of a kind. 

DefaultM

What did he use for the frets? Regular ones and a light touch or did he use something harder he had around the house?

guitars4you

He played a LP Deluxe in the 70s a couple of times I recall

Ozzie744

DefaultM said:

What did he use for the frets? Regular ones and a light touch or did he use something harder he had around the house?

I heard stainless steel for the original frets. I guess that and a light touch will do it.

Yorkie

What next? Angus joins Fender?

LionAquaLooper

DefaultM said:

What did he use for the frets? Regular ones and a light touch or did he use something harder he had around the house?

I don't recall him actually saying in the interview. But it's the only rig rundown I've seen where the artist actually dedicated a substantial amount of time to talk about his guitars...as in after his tech spoke about his stage gear he actually did his part of the interview in a quiet room for a proper long one to one chat. Very nice guy. Then again I understand other rig rundown artists are probably strapped for time and don't have the luxury of a quiet room in an arena. But still. You can tell he still hasn't lost his enthusiasm and generosity even though he's probably talked about RS ad nauseum over the decades.

So if the Gibson venture makes him more money, fair play to him. 

Jay100

I vaguely remember in old interviews him talking about how much he loved SGs - would have had one if money permitted when younger.

May be some tenuous link to that perhaps!

Fingers657

Gibson designer BM Tanners ?

Jez6345789

Wonder as time moves on will he simply transfer BM guitars over  to Gibson to operate they have good far east manufacturers as well as producing something in the US custom shop.

he is assured if Gibson takes it on as a brand the legal machine will enforce his ip. Mr May gets a nice check and royalty and when he pops his clogs the Red Special will continue to be immortalised and regularly reissued etc.

As much as the Red Special has some construction idiosyncrasies due mostly to what’s available home made parts it’s not rocket science pretty sure most competent guitar companies could make one even Gibson. To me not strange bed fellows.

just rock star cashing in whilst there is still interest. 

tone1

They’ll be asking me next….

Kittyfrisk

Jez6345789 said:

Wonder as time moves on will he simply transfer BM guitars over  to Gibson to operate they have good far east manufacturers as well as producing something in the US custom shop.

he is assured if Gibson takes it on as a brand the legal machine will enforce his ip. Mr May gets a nice check and royalty and when he pops his clogs the Red Special will continue to be immortalised and regularly reissued etc.

As much as the Red Special has some construction idiosyncrasies due mostly to what’s available home made parts it’s not rocket science pretty sure most competent guitar companies could make one even Gibson. To me not strange bed fellows.

just rock star cashing in whilst there is still interest. 

Wow, you really do detail, don't you. Respect.

Funkfingers

Kittyfrisk said:

Jez6345789 said:

when he pops his clogs

Wow, you really do detail, don't you. Respect.

Brian May signature Red Special clogs. Now, that is something that the Gibson custom shop could probably cobble together.

On a serious note, Gibson acquiring BMG would be understandable. The other candidate would be KORG. They already own VOX.

My guess is a signature electro-acoustic guitar.

Kittyfrisk

Funkfingers said:

Kittyfrisk said:

Jez6345789 said:

when he pops his clogs

Wow, you really do detail, don't you. Respect.

Brian May signature Red Special clogs. Now, that is something that the Gibson custom shop could probably cobble together.

On a serious note, Gibson acquiring BMG would be understandable. The other candidate would be KORG. They already own VOX.

My guess is a signature electro-acoustic guitar.

Rhapsody MkII ?

JezWynd

tone1 said:

They’ll be asking me next….

There's a queue.

roberty

'Red Les Paul Special' and 'Red Special' are only two words apart so it all makes perfect sense

richardhomer

Best guess is hair-care products, a Red Special which can be made a ‘natural’ Special with Gaffa Tape and Murphy Lab clogs…

Philly_Q

I don't see Gibson as the company to make a perfect replica of the Red Special.  Would they wait five years and say they'd sourced more historically accurate motorbike springs for the trem system?  Then five years later they'd magically obtain timber from genuine old English fireplaces?  Who cares really, none of us are going to be buying this stuff.

m_c

Seeing this post, just makes me think that Gibson really are aiming for the same aging target market.