G-Force!

[andrewdosborne]

Hello All

There is a lot of discussion around the Gibbo G-Force tuning system, so here is a review that will be conducted over the next few weeks!

I have in my possession a 2015 LP Special that is basically a double cut Junior with a couple of P90's whacked in. No issues with QC on this axe. The thing is Pleked and set up very nicely.

The one thing that struck me as different (besides the tuning system) is the wide neck. You get the same feeling when you jump from an electric to Spanish guitar. If you have small hands and use a lot of thumb technique it would be a struggle. Lucky I'm 6 ft 4 with monster hands....

Early days with the G-Force but useful for dropping in and out standard tuning, open G, drop half step and back again etc.

The sticker of Mr. L. Paul on the back reminds me of a famous Chinese leader.

That's it for now folks. More to follow..

[DrNomis_44]

Cool!....I'm interested in seeing how this review pans out, good to see that Gibson have gotten rid of the Corian nut and replaced it with the adjustable brass zero-nut system, make sure you include that in the review.

[pablopepper]

Doc, I have to ask...what is your issue with Corian nuts?

Interesting specimen, Andrew. Honestly though, I know it's a small thing but I just cannot get over that signature on the headstock.

[andrewdosborne]

Doc, I have to ask...what is your issue with Corian nuts?

Interesting specimen, Andrew. Honestly though, I know it's a small thing but I just cannot get over that signature on the headstock.

I know what you mean about the signature, its not very subtle unlike the usual decal. Its more 'kids felt tip' pen style than fountain pen.

[DrNomis_44]

Doc, I have to ask...what is your issue with Corian nuts?

Interesting specimen, Andrew. Honestly though, I know it's a small thing but I just cannot get over that signature on the headstock.

It's not so much the Corian material itself, but how Gibson cut the nut so that the nut slots could be cut on their Plek machine, the back of the nut falls away from the front at a steep angle, this causes problems with sympathetic ringing behind the nut because the string isn't being supported, also the string tends to bind (stick) in the nut slot when you're tuning the string making it hard to accurately tune each string, I experienced this issue with the Corian nut on my LP Studio guitar before I replaced it with a Graphtech Tusq XL nut.


Gibson were getting lots of complaints from customers and luthiers about the Corian nuts they installed on their pre-2015 guitars, hence the reason why they have now changed to the new Brass adjustable zero-nuts.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW-DTdO2DAc

[pablopepper]

Ah, as mine is a 2008 it might be too early to have been PLEKed. Never had an issue with the nut binding. I was actually quite impressed with quality of the Corian.

[DrNomis_44]

Ah, as mine is a 2008 it might be too early to have been PLEKed. Never had an issue with the nut binding. I was actually quite impressed with quality of the Corian.

I think they started Plekking their guitars around 2011 or so, I could be wrong though, since my LP Studio is a 2013 model it would most certainly have had both the frets and nut Plekked on their Plek machine.


If you click on the link I posted and watch the youtube video, the guy explains that the Plek cutting tool can cut well up, down, and horizontally, it has a hard time cutting angles though.

[wokkaboy]

nice one Ponch where did you score the axe is it yours or a loan ?
interesting review can't wait to hear what these robot tuners are like and how the P90's sound and how the brass zero nut goes.

Didn't know you were 6'4". You must intimidate motorists when you step off the Kwaka and walk up to their car !

[andrewdosborne]

Ah Woks, mine for the time being but is to stay within the family. Yes, I am a bit of a bean pole.

My ES looks like a Uke when I hold it and my Kwaka is a bit too small - no wonder I'm not taken too seriously lol!

[wokkaboy]

bwhahahha nice one Ponch, can't you just get a custom made 30% bigger Kwaka built for you so you are taken seriously ?

That means you can have a 6 pipe 1800cc super Kwaka !

I pity the neighbors though when you fire it up before 7am !