Gibson Custom Shop - Behind the Scenes Tour!

[@RowdyGrunt]

I just want to say that the inspector at the end, the guy that signs the warranty card, when he said that he appreciates that some people save up for many years to get one of these, and he takes that seriously. Now I want one.

[@seancollins3106]

Exactly. I really appreciate that he "gets it". I work in a really nice steakhouse. that's how I sell steaks that are $100+. if they get that I understand the price tag, and can explain what makes it special, people will splurge. I get the same vibes from him. a LP Custom is one of the last guitars on my bucket list...

[@Martin23673]

Same here, I saw a 60th anniversary LP on the internet which was exactly what I want and the guy from the store told me it is sold out, but I could order a guitar like this from the custom shop. However, waiting time would be 20 to 30 months..

[@TUUK2006]

Well done for failing hook, line and sinker for Gibson's PR bait. My mother died a few years back and left me some money and I treated myself to a Gibson. It was so terrible that I sent it back. I sent the second one back too, because it was even worse. I bought a PRS.

[@seancollins3106]

@@TUUK2006 I have 3 Gibsons and they're all great. sorry you had a bad experience.

[@daveyboy8907]

​@TUUK2006 sadly that's usually the way it goes..A prs se even has way better qc that a gibson.

[@glennjones6100]

Watching this from my desk at the custom shop. Pleasure meeting the Captain and pete

[@sun-p6g]

I would make a jig for glueing the semi acoustics (335) instead of spending all that time binding them. The time saving will reduce production cost and the quality will be more consistent.

[@sun-p6g]

I would make a jig for glueing the semi acoustics (335) instead of spending all that time binding them. The time saving will reduce production cost and the quality will be more consistent.

[@CustomChris]

Thank you so much for this tour. I’m so proud to own a 2010 50th Anniversary 335. This Custom Shop stuff reaches astronomic price levels. A real piece of art and I had so many different Gibsons from cheap Melody Makers to CC‘s. Love it.

[@Nightjar726]

Lees excitement is infectious. He really loves his job.

[@brunoantony9257]

LOVE my four Gibson Custom guitars

[@quadrant_G]

Great tour. Lee gets so excited he starts asking the next questions before listening to the answers to his last question.

[@snstyvr7597]

I’m a bassist, and still found this so beautiful I felt emotional many times. What a workplace! Gibson make more basses. EB2013/2014 rules!

[@Cycloneshockey94]

What a workplace? $12 an hour.

[@heatgrimm8664]

@@Cycloneshockey94try triple that moron

[@sun-p6g]

We can't take anything away from Gibson and Fender.

[@sun-p6g]

​@@Cycloneshockey94 Considering the exchange rate that looks like minimumn wage wage in England, but it took years of pressure to make it that much.

[@DDPAV]

For me this changed my mind from picking up custom shop Gibson. No doubt the craftspeople are top notch, but the process and materials aren't different enough to justify the cost. I'm also not picky enough about specs to want a custom ordered version. More power to the people that want custom shop, but off-the-rack is good enough for me.

[@pepmasters-999]

Well done for a balanced comment. It's a magical brand and I would tend to agree that a judicially-picked Gibson USA should do the job. At the same time, I hope everyone who pays up for CS gets a lot of joy from their wonderful instrument.

[@DDPAV]

@@pepmasters-999 Absolutely, I hope that people at every price point enjoy their instrument to the fullest. The price tag does not equal the amount joy something brings.

[@Racso88e]

Somehow I envisioned a more handmade instrument from the custom shop. It's the same process as the mass factory but In lower volume.

[@ILoveTheAllCreator]

​@@Racso88e😁

[@flucazade]

damn 3 whole minutes on quality control, that's more than most Gibsons guitar get

[@deanmccaskill5495]

You’ve had to send a lot back huh? I get your frustration.

[@edwardx.winston5744]

Watch the most recent PRS shop tour. 10x more QC throughout the process. Those dudes are seriously obsessed with perfection.

[@boatingforbeginners7949]

Total Respect to Matt who has the enthusiasm and unbelievable knowledge for someone so young and only 8 years in the job.. A great insight to what really goes into making a Gibson Custom shop guitar

[@rxdoctordaddy1795]

Gibson reigns supreme. Thank you, lee!

[@Cycloneshockey94]

Not even close to PRS

[@pepmasters-999]

So true. PRS are not close.

[@rxdoctordaddy1795]

@@Cycloneshockey94 you mean the prs guitars that are NOTORIOUS for finish fading and finish lifting? Decal logos that peel off like a cheap pos? The prs company that still doesn't know how to properly dry wood? 😑

[@Cycloneshockey94]

My 1990, 1997, 2008 and 2018 PRS ALL look like the day they were made. No fading, no lifting just quality. @@rxdoctordaddy1795

[@Masterfighterx]

Gibson custom shop needs to start taking pictures and make a gallery so people can see M2M and other crazy builds coming out of the CS that otherwise would never get to be seen, other brands do it, it's a way of getting inspiration and possibly even bringing in more customers.

[@LilSirAxolotl]

1pm on a Saturday and watching this on my phone is the perfect excuse to stay in bed

[@michaelpacinus242]

Secualizing the priest

[@LilSirAxolotl]

​@@michaelpacinus242is that a masturbation reference? 😅 lol

[@michaelpacinus242]

@@LilSirAxolotl nah it’s simply how we treat the priest

[@LilSirAxolotl]

@@michaelpacinus242 🤷🏼‍♂️ if you say so...

[@Terrysoddy]

Lol, for real

[@danwall2562]

Watching and drooling at thr same time. Great to see people working with their hands making beautiful guitars

[@laurieharper1526]

Absolutely. My most droolworthy moment was the rack of F5 mandolins. I'm fortunate to own a F5L from the early 80s (Kalamazoo built). The current ones are even nicer, imho. One day...

[@pepmasters-999]

I watched it without drooling. Try closing your lips so that they air tight.

[@laurieharper1526]

@@pepmasters-999Who's a clever boy?

[@MusicMikeRay]

I dig seeing these tour videos. Gibson has an awesome lineup of electric and acoustic guitars 🤘

[@notarealperson87]

im with you! i love these factory tours, the instruments satisfy the guitarist in me and the machinery satisfies the 3-year-old boy in me

[@worthmoremusic]

...and then came the enlightening. Thanks Andertons for the tour of what goes into the making of a guitar. A bit easier now to justify the cost.

[@Cycloneshockey94]

CNC machine in China works the same as the CNC machine in Nashville.

[@heatgrimm8664]

@@Cycloneshockey94what’s your point? Moron

[@carlthomas99]

I showed the video to my 2013 R9, R9 is happy.

[@bretspangler8717]

Nothing better than a well-informed factory tour, Pete needs to be let off his leash more often, lol.

[@kylecravens6501]

Gibson really is next level. I love Fender's innovation and am a huge Strat & Tele devotee but when it comes to History and Craftsman...Gibson is the GOLD standard

[@sickriffs886]

Lee doing a great job as always. Good observations, very respectful and giving space for people to talk and show their work. Thanks for this, guys!

[@hazzadog2360]

Hahaha

[@word2RG]

wonderful US company, all the best wishes for Gibson

[@davidrees1840]

This was the most interesting tour I've seen in 10 years -I guess the Murphy Lab one is coming soon? Thank you, great job!

[@stoneysdead689]

You should go watch Phil McKnight's tour of the Keisel shop- probably the best tour of a shop I've ever seen.

[@davidrees1840]

@@stoneysdead689 thanks, not sure how I missed it!

[@turdferguson51586]

I watched another video of the custom shop on a different channel and when they got to the Murphy Lab, they said they didn't allow cameras inside.

[@Masterfighterx]

@@turdferguson51586Just as they don't allow cameras in the Fender relicing area, or at least don't show how it's done.

[@davidrees1840]

@@stoneysdead689 just watched it -amazing detail and depth, really impressed. Thanks for the heads-up.

[@stevecarrero4120]

Love these factory tour videos. Thank you very much for making them for everyone.

[@XLBiker13]

I currently have a custom ES-355 being built to my specs at the custom shop but I didn't see it while on the tour. I love Gibson guitars and the experience working with Dustin Wainscott at the custom shop has been exceptional. The one on one customer service I've received, their commitment to my absolute satisfaction, and the attention to detail at Gibson's custom shop is A+++.

[@MK_2023.]

That Walnut wood looked so good!

[@stevehughes1510]

Just great and with Mat too. All good questions and myth busting stuff, cheers Andertons .

[@dejct]

These tours have been awesome to watch and have 100% changed my opinion of Gibson, thats for sure.

[@jeffreyhall76]

I just got an incredible deal on a used sg custom 2 pickup black beauty. Never thought I’d have a custom but time was right and I’m not disappointed. Beautiful guitar.

[@Flornmonk]

That green sparkle one is AMAZING.

[@lynyrddeville]

I had a salesperson at a local Long & McQuade music shop,tell me there was a marked difference in feel between the 50's historic series Custom Shop Gibson Les Pauls, and their Gibson U.S.A. counterparts. He claimed the Custom Shop guitars tended to feel looser, not super stiff compared to the rather stiff feel of a Gibson U.S.A. guitar. I later learned when I was lucky enough to try out and really feel the difference and actually buy for my very own self one of the Custom Shop Historic Spec R8 Bourbonburst. And it is beautiful and indeed never felt stiff or clunky or less than inspiring. I am proud to be able to own one, and am happy tp have watched this video!

[@voitball]

WAY COOL That al di meola multicolor finish

[@tlevans62]

Amazing craftsmanship.

[@fossilmatic]

I experienced working on many of the machines shown here as a teenager in my Dad’s furniture manufacturing factory. Our bandsaw was the same green one as seen here, belt sanders the same, spindle routers, etc. Many of the skills and the basic sequential process were very similar. We worked with a lot of mahogany and maple too. I wish I’d had the interest in guitar making then and used the machines and the knowledge of the guys on the floor to have a go at making one! I did laugh when Lee got all excited about that bandsaw, though. I suspect a lot more common across many wood based industries than may be realised.

[@suebrooke3956]

These are guitars… 😏

[@davedavem]

15:20 Lee: "Oh!!" hard cut. He must have seen something secret 😂

[@sun-p6g]

I have noticed an area of avoidence where the maths is concerned, with all musical instruments. Chi Phi and the mean.

[@ShamanicSavant]

That was freaking great you guys. Best factory tour vid I've seen in years. Lee asked some great questions, almost like an episode of Gibson CS myth busters. Really answers the question "is a Gibson CS shop guitar worth it?" More so than almost any other electric guitar! Those mandolins were beautiful. Most enjoyable hour I've spent on YT in a long time :)

[@simon-ls6lp]

Amazing to see the level of knowledge that a boss has about the whole construction process. He is so connected and passionate about every detail and the history of the machines. Now I know why it's a must have, a Gibson custom shop guitar.

[@devinparrish8056]

Great tour of the custom shop! The colors that can be used on the custom’s, are phenomenal.

[@jameswhite1450]

I don't need another but damn, it makes you want to buy another. ES-335 in shell pink, pretty awesome.

[@craigtodd8297]

Lets start a voting poll for banana yellow LP's.

[@lastfirst3512]

@@craigtodd8297noooo

[@Folly1988]

Love that iguana burst sg!!! Always been one of my favourites the iguana burst sparkle.

[@srt8speed]

DUDE!! Pay attention to the tour! You have the attention span of my 4 year old! He’s explaining stuff to you and you’re off in never never land playing with things!!

[@simoncote5995]

Crazy isn’t it? Probably A.D.H.D . The hand gestures, the mannerisms, the interrupting, the looking away at things like a crow.

[@chriscarol4965]

Yes, really annoying. Instead of listening and enjoying the tour he is jumping around and talking all the time… 😒

[@elenaroseproductions]

Fascinating as it is, I actually felt nervous watching the entire tour and was wondering why. Now I know why. Lol.

[@bencarpenter5843]

At least I'm not the only one who found it bloody annoying. Was the same in the standard factory as well. Ask a question and then listen to the answer.

[@puffin7285]

@@chriscarol4965 ....erm it's because of the enjoyment, it's called excitement. If you can't see how clearly he is enjoying it then I don't know what to say

[@Sams911]

44:16 the QC guys need to get their shit together... I bought a $10,000 non-Murphy 1 piece 5A top shipped directly from Gibson and it had not one, but two flaws that were related to not cleaning off the buffing compound .... and it had a spot on the ebony fretboard that was blemished but thankfully repairable..

[@bertelliott1456]

Very impressive! Thanks for taking us along.

[@TheChristafershawn]

Lee, why ask questions if you’re not going to listen to the answers?

[@sun-p6g]

Probably because he knows the answers himself, but he is making a film for people who don't.😊

[@ILoveTheAllCreator]

@sun-p6g Reread. Listeners can't hear the answers if the interviewer keeps yapping when the interviewee talks.

[@Tweed_Tone]

It seems we’re finally getting arch tops back. I saw some L5s, 295 and I believe a super 400. Can’t wait to see them again in production

[@Gabriel49718]

"How is Custom Shop Different?" Simply put, it is attention to detail... Very very precise detail, and the skill and labor involved in that.

[@zoomzoom3950]

QC costs money. You're not going to get that on Gibson USA.

[@TheEchelon]

The detail to make it historically accurate, which may or may not have any influence on the tone and playability.

[@soundpainter2590]

​@TheEchelon With all due respect, CLEARLY, you haven't played... (( LIVE )) @ performing volume, Through a DYNAMIC amp. ( Hopefully NOT through Gibsons acquisition of Mesa/Boogie amps ) Uggh ! If only they Re visited earlier Gibson amps & built from there ! { OR } in complete silence, where most seasond players can FEEL & hear the huge difference in overtones & harmonic difference in the CURRENT CS & especially Murphy lab builds. ( I've bought, sold many original examples of original vintage Gibsons, & more than a few LP "Burst" starting in the mid 70's when $ 1500. Was the price from the very few dealers who knew they were sought after. ( & I would trade a few other desirable guitars obtained from pawn shops ect, cheap . I've played MANY 90's "00's" That "Look good " But NOT close to the most recent builds. Which are harmonically ( & in every way ) The closest to the originals in EVERY WAY YET. & I'm not @ all the only player to notice. Yeah, not cheap, But infinity more obtainable than an original. Remember, you can also buy low, & sell @ a fair price from many sources to be able to obtain { What you REALLY want } & actually break even ! It's actually fun & Sooo worth it ! Careful... it's addictive !

[@Cycloneshockey94]

You can not expect quality at $3,000 ?

[@MP422ownz]

Looks like the same shit to me... just a couple different processes and smaller runs with specific specs.

[@GUITARSGIZMOS]

This was a treat. Thanks for the factory tour guys, you're the best. Must have been a lot of fun. Cheers!

[@Stephen_Lafferty]

I've been waiting for this video to see the Murphy Lab! Edit - now that I've watched to the end, the Murphy Lab must be a separate video. Can't wait for that one!

[@charleszaman7666]

They don’t let people in Murphy lab, and if they do. It’s a pretty strict no filming so I wouldn’t bet on it man

[@mbrooks0711]

@@charleszaman7666the video of Murphy lab came out yesterday

[@sun-p6g]

I think there is one about that lab somewhere. I watched the custom shop film.

[@shfnderrock]

brilliant job guys, so enjoyable to watch

[@mesaseany]

I hope the employees do well financially. That definitely looks like a lot of work and precision to make everything perfect to spec.

[@pz1792]

considering the price of custom shop guitars nowadays - they should

[@Cycloneshockey94]

$12.50 per hour is the ing salary.

[@ILoveTheAllCreator]

​@Cycloneshockey94 not surprised

[@svenklabunde]

This is so great to see the details of the process. Just love it. Looking forward to the next episode

[@brucebanner9801]

Those are for sure adam jones Flying V necks being made on that cnc 👌

[@tiree2231]

Great Video again. The factory is unbelievable dirty. Dust everywhere in some areas. Is this legal in US?

[@davidpiedfort6586]

this was absolutely GREAT!

[@samiam5557]

These tours are the greatest content on all of youtube! Thanks Captain Lee & Pete.

[@jimmygillard]

It's my dream to own a Gibson custom shop LP.

[@philcorymusic]

A worthy dream, you won't regret it

[@zoomzoom3950]

sounds like a nightmare

[@anthonycraig1458]

Once you get one, you'll want another one!

[@philcorymusic]

@@anthonycraig1458 True!

[@jamesmarcin4787]

Loved the recent Gibson factory tour video. Definitely going to check this one out.😃

[@josuecordoba2933]

Hopefully I'll have mine soon

[@JoshSher_]

Great Video! At the end when he talked about all the plans he has for the future, I just thought “I hope the ES-125t is coming back 🤩”

[@Wild_Bill7407]

I got my first custom shop 1957 Goldtop Reissue vos in 2019/20 and it’s best les Paul I’ve played, and it’s looks soo good! I then got a 1958 plain top reissue the year after 😂 The USA range Gibsons feel like toys compared to the custom shops, having them side by side compared you feel the difference! 🤘🏻

[@thecolas44]

Awesome video folks. A great watch. So many phenomenal guitar manufacturers nowadays. I love them all but when I head out to the weekend gig and have a couple great choices to pick from on my basement shelf I tend to grab my good old Gibson LP Custom Shop. Gibson’s just rule the nest for me. So many videos out there on all the guitar brands I can’t begin to understand what really sets them apart using some old and new methods. My gut tells me Gibson Custom Shop sources the best woods in the world but hell who really knows. Just keep it up Gibson!

[@dmimcg]

I've never played guitar, but after watching this GREAT video- going to ask for one for xmas. This may have been the best video I've watched on youtube. I was going to buy an Ibanez. I'm now sold on Gibson. Any suggestions on what guitar to buy for a beginner with small hands?

[@hughJ]

It's a tricky PR/messaging position where you have to explain how your product or manufacturing is tangibly or intangibly better than your standard plant without negatively characterizing them in some way. How do you say you're taller, faster, stronger, or smarter without implying the other guy is shorter, slower, weaker, or dumber?

[@weschilton]

You can really begin to understand why Gibsons cost so much more, especially the Custom Shop and Murphy Labs guitars. And you can feel it and hear it when you play one back to back with a main line Gibson. I own a 2019 59 Goldtop LP Standard, and really like it, but one day I would love a Murphy Lab Les Paul. They are truly something else.

[@suebrooke3956]

No I can not! Gibson are thieves. You can hear a difference from a regular custom shop guitar, to a Murphy destroyed guitar? LMAO… Poser

[@SBBCFFFFSRE460]

I have Les paul custom m2m models. Guiters are very beautiful😊

[@stoppax]

can't wait for the Murphy lab!!!

[@nvlddmkm1282]

There won't be a Murphy lab video - they never let cameras in any relic shop, Gibson or Fender (probably because they don't want the customer to know they're charging double for scraping guitars on rocks 😆)

[@ILoveTheAllCreator]

​@@nvlddmkm1282😁 It looks like salvaged guitars

[@ilanwinkel1942]

« We don’t build modular guitars.. » 😂 This tour was fantastic!! I must say that I had so many guitars but the ES 335 historic VOS 1964 in vintage burst is the best guitar I ever had in all aspects. The sound is awesome, it plays like a dream and it is just beautiful! This one will stay with me till the end.. Thank you to the Custom Shop team for building such masterpieces!! Greetings from south of France!

[@Bat21bravo]

El Capitan' thats the best Gibson CS vid ive seen and ive seen them all. Bravo. Your CS guide is quite impressive.

[@twitchyounger]

The Captain was so excited he was on the verge of getting his chap out.

[@vomito72]

Interesting , i'm actually less emotional about the custom shop than the standard , i'm glad you mantioned the Steve Jones custom!

[@cliffgarrett]

Amazing learning!!!!

[@koffiefilter]

Thanks! Was an absolute joy to watch you tours 😊

[@ashleyjackson8538]

Andertons & Gibson, the movie !!

[@iammatthewbirch]

Lee's "Bul!sh?t meter" was dinging at 30:05 when the acoustic properties of glue were being justified 🤣

[@Tombs121]

"The guitar acts more like a... You know... Reverberating... Microphone... Kind of a thing." Seriously the best part of the video is this guy trying to BS his way through why people should buy a CS Gibson. 😂

[@iammatthewbirch]

​@@Tombs121 😂

[@lisabilger9660]

I watched the Gibson USA factory tour and noticed they said all ES 335 bodies were pressed on one particular machine. I wondered if they pressed the bodies for the custom shop guitars there too. Looks like that is the case. I’m currently waiting on a M2M custom shop 355 and it was nice to have that detail clarified.

[@chriscarol4965]

The answer is right there in the video. Rewatch from minute 19:00 on….

[@andygazi]

Thanks Captain and Gibson! These have been an amazing watch!

[@greatpix]

I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop, so to speak, since your other Gibson factory tour. (Which was awesome, even at the longer length.)

[@MickyWalnuts]

The message I get from this is that the guitars are built to different specs and more options are available but the actual amount of cnc vs hand finishing and the quaility of materials used isn't that much different from standard USA Gibsons. There's probably a lot more hand work in the Murphy Lab but I see little to justify the massive price hike of customs over standard Gibsons

[@jeffreyhughes9162]

These tour videos always make me want to play my 335.

[@davidpggarrett]

I admire the Vice President's calm as Lee yanks out some examples from tightly packed rows of finished guitars. Did Lee have a couple at lunch? 🍺

[@sun-p6g]

Normally we would not let anyone walk around a factory without the proper training and briefing on health and safety because it would void the liability insurance.

[@MrArpSolina]

What an authentic video!

[@BobSince1981]

Authentically played 😉

[@Cycloneshockey94]

Propaganda you mean.

[@MisterTee]

As an owner of an R7 and an R8 this video makes me happy

[@JamesHartnell]

Great vid and I'm proud of you Lee, took you ages to mention Fender in this one... ;)

[@gbaren]

Great video. Congrats Mat, who I knew in LA, he was obsessive guitar geek and a damn good player as well. He knows his stuff.

[@Les537]

Keep on rocking, Lee. You're a champ.

[@L.J.W.98]

41:45 those Trini Lopez’s! or new DG model 👀

[@TraneFrancks]

Learning that the Murphy Lab guitars have a nitro finish chemistry specifically that will cause more checking over time just made my next guitar purchase more expensive. Thanks, Andertons. 🤣🥰

[@suebrooke3956]

So the finish that’s now cracked will become twice as cracked, as time goes by. FYI .. not all vintage guitars have finish checking.

[@TraneFrancks]

@@suebrooke3956 Quite aware. My 1977 Precision Bass had a poly finish thick enough to withstand a nuke. The lacquer overspray on the headstock, however, had lovely checking.

[@hessex1899]

He's straight up flexing that Sprague from WOOSTA wind breaker!

[@bassicly4250]

It's nice that the undesirable historic attributes are kept "historic and authentic" but yeah its easier to put the frets on the fretboard before its applied to the neck because the pleck will show us how to fix it.

[@muhammadfitriidris4381]

i hope can see gibson acoustic custom with diamond logo on headstok 😀

[@HerrPapa]

Why not putting a slow E motor at the end of the rod, with a little footswitch, where you can control the rotation of the body for wrapping and unwrapping the binding straps? so you just have to manouver the strap from basically one place, instead of going wild with your arms!?

[@cam70980]

I've got a 58 dc junior in TV yellow, so interesting to see where it came from

[@JohnBoy-Ramone]

Me too

[@ListenToPowerViolence]

I love Lee's Submariner😄

[@mark.guitar]

These tours are great. When will you do the small UK and Europe manufacturer tours? I'm sure they would kill for this quality of exposure...

[@TommySG1]

Awesome video guys, thanks for sharing all of this. I’m like >< that close to finally pulling the trigger on a CS now ahah!

[@robyates136]

Great, great video. Thank you.

[@ToddTheJoker]

This was great guys! I can't wait for the Fender Factory videos!

[@anthonycraig1458]

They've actually already done one at Fender, it's on KZbin somewhere. Was excellent and included the custom shop too.

[@jayrific]

That archtop sanding rig is ridiculous. How do you have so many dudes with long hair not tied back around power tools?

[@OkdudeCoolStory]

That dude sanding the 335 did give me anxiety. I’m sure he knows what he’s doing, but yeah the long hair weirds me out and I’m worried for his safety😅

[@ShamanicSavant]

Operator skill?

[@godofrainbows]

I thought the same.

[@RagggedTrouseredPhilanthropist]

10:50 "this is a thankless task", thank your employees then! 😂

[@CR0SSJ]

34:51 are those DG-335 on the shelves? :O

[@scott9143]

Really enjoyed this

[@bom2]

So rad that the kid from Billy Madison gave you this tour!