Gibson Musikmesse news

[Dave W]

They do that to get a more open & airy tone from the bass, vs pore filler, clogging all that tone, like a Chicago deep dish pizza in your arteries.

Did you know that some guitar and violin makers used to use egg whites for pore filling or end grain sizing? Some still do.

Egg white dries harder than deep dish pizza crust. But if you really want that fat cholesterol-filled tone, you'd have to use the yolks.

[MattK]

Those old Peaveys and Fenders were made with white (northern) ash. Not the same as swamp ash, which isn't a real species anyway. It's just a music marketing term that can cover more than one species. And a fairly recent one at that -- never saw the term used before the early 90s.

But swamp ash can be heavier than mahogany. It's just that you're much more likely to find a lightweight example of swamp ash than white ash.

Thanks for the pictures.

Swamp ash is another name for black ash and it is generally lighter than other types. I'm 33 and I can remember my dad(a woodworker) referring to it as "swamp ash" when I was a little kid. I was just saying that it seemed odd to me to make an already neck-heavy instrument even moreso by using wood that is usually lighter than mahogany for the body and elongating the headstock.
Not trying to start an argument. God knows I'm no tree expert. 

[doombass]

Glad to hear you had a nice time at the Messe. Wish I'd been there.

I have also read that statement about swamp ash being the part of the tree that spent its time under the waterline. Like Dave I'm sceptical but besides the weight there is a different grain pattern on swamp ash which would lead you to think it has actually lived under water. And Uwe is right about the tone. Comparing my old heavy Precision Special to my swamp ash P the bass frequensies are'nt as dense as the heavy ash. Heavy ash has a dense and well defined bottom end and a snappy clear high end while swamp ash is a bit woofier/loose in the low end and has a lot of high mids.

[Barklessdog]

Did you know that some guitar and violin makers used to use egg whites for pore filling or end grain sizing? Some still do.

Egg white dries harder than deep dish pizza crust. But if you really want that fat cholesterol-filled tone, you'd have to use the yolks.

Did you see the movie "the Red Violin" ?

We all know what the real secret to good tone is. One of my favorite movies as of late.

[Dave W]

John, no I haven't seen The Red Violin.

Matt, back 25-30 years ago when I was buying a bit of it, black ash was just known as black ash. A lot of it did grow in marshy areas and I don't doubt that it could have been called swamp ash in some places. It's definitely softer. There's more than one species in the black ash group, and someone I know in the hardwood business says that what's being called swamp ash does come from species in that group. But the USDA doesn't recognize swamp ash as another name for black ash or recognize it as a common name for any kind of ash. That's why I said it's just a marketing term.

Daniel, swamp ash looks different because it's not the same species as hard ash. I also doubt that much of it comes from the underwater portion of logs.

Anyway, we're getting far away from the Musikmesse so I'll shut up now.

[Chris P.]

I have some pics of our visit and if Uwe's alright with it. I'll post 'm soon!

Colleague Willem sent me the following:

"It wasn't me, but Marten Schulp who made a sin by playing some Level42."

And Maarten Rischen (not to be confused with Marten) mailed this:

"Hi Uwe! I am guilty.. It's my habit to stuck picks in my pocket instead of between the strings, especially when you're like a kid in a candy store (and a bull in a porcelainstore at the same time) and wanting to try this, and this, and this, and.. So in the hotel I noticed a good seven or so picks I unconsciously took from you, sorry man! But I used one of them at the gig in The Hague with Lawn (www.lawn.nl). And I had two wet dreams about the baritone-guitar.. man oh man.. Thanks for a unforgettable time!
Maarten"

I guess that means Sippenhaft for the whole Rischen-family? The last thing I heard about him was he went into hiding behind a rotating book cabinet in the soon to be famous Maarten Rischen House writing a diary about his sins.

[MattK]

Matt, back 25-30 years ago when I was buying a bit of it, black ash was just known as black ash. A lot of it did grow in marshy areas and I don't doubt that it could have been called swamp ash in some places. It's definitely softer. There's more than one species in the black ash group, and someone I know in the hardwood business says that what's being called swamp ash does come from species in that group. But the USDA doesn't recognize swamp ash as another name for black ash or recognize it as a common name for any kind of ash. That's why I said it's just a marketing term.

Cool. I learned something new today. Thanks, Dave. Sorry for veering off topic. 

[Dave W]

I guess that means Sippenhaft for the whole Rischen-family? The last thing I heard about him was he went into hiding behind a rotating book cabinet in the soon to be famous Maarten Rischen House writing a diary about his sins.

Sippenhaft...now there's a term I haven't heard for years. Seems a wee bit excessive for accidentally taking someone's picks. 

I'm looking forward to the photos.

[doombass]

I just assume there were'nt any bicycles to claim back so picks would do. Enough of them and you can mold yourself something like this:

[Chris P.]

That's fooking ugly! It looks like 20/20 bike!!

BTW: I played the 20/20 as one of the first one at the Eagles Nest and I quite liked the sound. Much more, erm, 'normal' than I thought. Of course I forbade my colleagues to take pics of it.

[Dave W]

That's fooking ugly! It looks like 20/20 bike!!

Interesting comparison. The Itera was definitely a child of the 80s, just like the 20/20. But even Gibson knew better than to use molded plastic.

[uwe]

Ok, no Sippenhaft then if the pics are promptly posted!!!    And Maarten certainly did develop a romantic relationship with my EB-6 hollowbody - it was love between those two at first chord -, someone have a heart and give the man a baritone guitar for Christmas!

I'm honored by the use of one of the pics at the gig!

[Chris P.]

I thought about testing some baritones for our magazine. There are a lot nowadays. Fender, Burns, Gretsch, Danelectro, ...

Some pics by Willem and Maarten:

Marten and Maarten trying some hollowbodies:



Uwe and Marten:



Ze Gibson stool:



Marten:



Heavy Metal:



Ze view from ze eagles nest:



Uwe and his all-time favourite clownburst:



Uwe and a part of his little collection:



Me and the bass which was shouting out my name. "Der Christoph, nehme mich!'



Marten and I:



Uwe saving the EB6 from Maartens greasy and greedy hands:



An overview of a little part of the collection:



Willem and the EB-0L:

[Darrol]

Uwe and Marten:

Is it just me or is Uwe eying that zebra wood bird kind of devilishly? Or maybe it is that Blackbird he is eying.

[Barklessdog]

Great pictures, its like Uwe has turned his office into a Gibson Guitar Center!
You'll show them for not carrying Gibson basses!!!


Its like an amazing candy store.

Nice organization skills Uwe. Just an amazing collection.