Getting Rich Robinson's Gibson ready for a tour

Rich Robinson’s on tour with The Magpie Salute. A founding member of the Black Crowes, Rich asked StewMac’s Erick Coleman to get his Gibson ES-335 in top playing shape. Erick’s broken the process into eight steps...
Songs featured in this video include "Send Me An Omen" and "Mary the Gypsy" by The Magpie Salute, from the album High Water 1
www.themagpiesalute.com
Notched Straightedge
www.stewmac.com/item/814
Slotted Unbleached Bone Nut
www.stewmac.com/item/6013-VS
Original ABR-1 Tun-o-matic Bridge
www.stewmac.com/item/4616-C
Understring Radius Gauges
www.stewmac.com/item/0353
CAIG Deox-IT Pot and Switch Cleaner
www.stewmac.com/item/5027
ColorTone Liquid Stains
www.stewmac.com/item/0201
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[@Yakushii]

This channel is like ASMR to me. Watching a guitar get worked and fixed is really chill AND educational.

[@porterdaxton8871]

Instablaster...

[@ramencurry6672]

He’s a master

[@rontedesco4682]

I never thought I can offer a new idea to such consummate professionals! TO: Erick & Dan: For cleaning 1/4" jacks, instead of spraying a 1/4" shaped plug, I use a .35 caliber bronze rifle barrel cleaner. After a few brushes in and out, it will take all sweat, grime and oxidization off the contacts without damaging any metal, since bronze is much softer and it fits snugly enough in the jack to clean. But first, I use a plastic version (test tube cleaner) to expunge all the dusty cobwebs (found in vintage guitars), then the bronze, then the test tube cleaner again to brush out any final debris. The spray option can collect on the wood, or make cobwebs messy. Hope that helps!

[@michaelheinz3954]

I like the competent no-nonsense approach pointing out the different spots to look after in a sensible order. Thumbs up!

[@SlingsAxes]

Great tip with the foam wedge behind the bridge.

[@sefton1972]

Great video. More of these please.

[@PanchoAndDrum]

"Smells good too; smells like the beach" - I must've listened to that back like 20 times

[@johnhorning2506]

Been a StewMac customer for a while, I liked the video and hope to see more like it.

[@Pgcmoore]

i love learning stuff, thanks for this

[@leftymike5625]

Great video. Hope to see more like that.

[@DirtleTilbury]

Incredible step through. Thanks!

[@anvil777]

great job on such a wonderful guitar!

[@Oilid]

Great vid and GREAT guitar. France needs a StewMac!!!

[@74dartman13]

Thanks for the tips! I liked the one using foam to hold the strings at the posts on the Bigsby. I'm building a guitar that's going to have a Bigsby and I think this tip will help a lot!👍😎🎸🎶

[@DirtleTilbury]

Incredible tunes too.

[@miromax811]

9 minutes? hell yes

[@fanoboss]

That was me reaction too.

[@gabeandthehs]

This is what quality content looks like.

[@adozensparrows]

Done with unsmiling expertise. Well done!

[@DJ-vy6dp]

That thing sounded sweet! Makin' me want an ES style guitar.

[@imannonymous7707]

Great job bud...thanks

[@GuitarHouseLima]

Great and informative video

[@jbratt]

I build boats and furniture and really suck at playing guitar, but this video was fascinating. Well done.

[@onpsxmember]

Those gorgomyte cloths from GHS are really great to get all the grime of a neck. A little piece works for a whole neck, don't throw it out just cause it's getting darker. It seems that it also reacts with the frets.

[@MGC-1977]

"Smells like the beach" 😂

[@fanoboss]

I read "bleach" LOL

[@jonnybeck6723]

I still remember what the bitch smells like...

[@zulfikranzulmos4066]

@@fanoboss I heard "beach"

[@drjonsguitarrepair]

Great tips Eric! Although intonation could be a whole video itself, tuning to the twelfth is quick and in the ballpark.

[@fanoboss]

If this was a longer video I would've been even happier :)

[@bobsteel6916]

My only question Mr Coleman, is if you change the saddles on the bridge from nylon to metal saddles, wouldn't that change tone of the guitar. Those Nylon saddles really turn me on, and I notice you sell them now which is Awesomely outstanding.

[@jackiejtheg]

I was curious about this too

[@ast3663]

a dream to work on a guitar like this..

[@michaelbarnett3721]

I noticed the glue for the nut was applied to the bottom of the nut which means it glues itself to the bottom of the nut slot. Doesn't this technique run the risk of tear out of the nut slot if the nut is removed in the future? Isn't better to apply a very small amount of glue (wood glue if you like) to the front side of the nut (as on the nut that was taken out) so it glues to the end grain of the finger board. This would minimize any possibility of tear out since the end grain is way less likely to get damaged when knocking out a nut.

[@JimMcGue]

Love this stuff. Would love to start a 3rd career doing this... hahahahah! too old now... Love that you give the straight poop about what you are doing and what others did.

[@Ibaneddie76]

That is an amazing guitar and the only model missing from my harem.

[@bradleybellwether7927]

I never thought about using coconut oil! Is that fractionated coconut oil? I imagine that would be best because it's thinner and it also wont go rancid like other natural oils. Thanks for the pro tips! This is one of my favorite channels!!!

[@ikefork2606]

I have some serious reservations about the effectiveness of the Stew Mac "Pot Cleaning Cap" as shown in Step 6 (@5.54). My '67 Gibson ES-335 has original pots (1376723) which have "semi-sealed" shafts that exhibit....very little, if any discernible gap (which would permit the contact cleaner to enter the hidden internals). In fact it appears these pots have secondary "C" shaped locking collars, which practically insure a solvent-tight seal. Given the very tight seal afforded by the locking "C" collar, I just don't see how contact cleaner could penetrate and lubricate the internals.

[@rb032682]

Very nice work. What would be the average price of the work you've done in this video?

[@1777DK]

You should put gule on the end of the fretboard, not the bottom of the nut, stays put but comes out easily.

[@billyhellmaker]

This would be great for any electric guitar player to watch for tweaking tips.

[@3rdmm]

Going from nylon saddles to metal ones makes for a serious change of timbre. If that is what the customer wants, then all is good and fine. To my ears though, they are quite far from being interchangeable.

[@lucavasconcellos]

Exactly

[@sefton1972]

3rd Millennium Man. I thought the same. Also not in keeping with its original spec.

[@yoburn123]

I have a 67 SG and the change from the original plastic saddles to metal was a welcome change. The plastic wore and exact intonation was a moving target!

[@sefton1972]

I changed the metal saddles on my ABR-1 to Graphtech saddles as the metal ones used to develop sitar like noises & the spring retainer always rattled. The change eliminated all this. Slightly warmer tone which was great as the Les Paul had a lot of bite.

[@stewmac]

It does make a difference. On this guitar Rich requested that the saddles be replaced with brass to give it more bite!

[@s9plus20]

Which amp do you use in your work shop? A Tweed Deluxe ?? That guitar and amp sounds great! Thanks for the tips.

[@alonsoquesada1136]

3:25 "sometimes people uses superglue and is a pain"....Dan uses superglue 😂😂😂😂

[@brucereed4145]

Erik. You mentioned that you replaced the Grovers on this 335 with Klusons. Was the original tuner shaft hole enlarged to accommodate the Grovers? If so, did you do anything to the shaft holes in order that the Klusons fit tight again?

[@InGrindWeCrust2010]

Were the first few frets pitted where the strings contact them, or did I see that wrong?

[@jeff-gl1yx]

I’m studying to become a urologist and 2:27 really helped me! thanks!

[@yoburn123]

Nice review...2 questions. 1. Re: the truss rod adjustment. I see you removed the nut to clean the threads, but did not show the adjustment. When you removed the nut, did the neck relief change? 2. Cleaning the fret board around the right angle between the fret and the board itself is always a hassle. Don't want to scratch the wood but want to get the gunk removed. Any suggestions? Thanks

[@onpsxmember]

What do you mean with "around the right angle between the fret and board"? Do you mean the side of each fret? If that's what you mean, I'd suggest either the gorgoymte cloths for heavy dirt and use your nails or a thin pick through the cloth. The other thing would be Q-tips with a small amount of naphta. (only with regular frets) You'll never get all the dirt...there is always some grime around/below the frets. It all comes out when they're heated with a soldering iron to do a refret.

[@sethkerr6883]

Would you be able to tell how high the action is set on this guitar?

[@MAP448]

I thought I heard somewhere, I'm not sure where exactly I heard this 1st, but I was told by someone. That I should never use any type of nut oils on my guitar & that they can turn rancid after you put it on there & ruin your guitar. I wasn't sure if this is a true statement. Then after watching this video & seeing you clean the fretboard with coconut oil. I am starting to think that it's really ok to clean my guitars with nut oils. Is it really OK? Can I really hurt any of my guitars by doing so?

[@Tony-oc2ox]

what are those fret marker inlays made out of?

[@LPCustom3]

Why don’t you use the 5th &17th frets to set the intonation like Peterson Tuners suggests. That way the guitar will play in tune all the way up & down the neck. Open and 12th is fine if you don’t plan on playing above the 12fret..

[@MisterGuitarItalia]

Couldn't see, did he remove the pots to lube them? Did he pour it down the shaft?

[@stewmac]

Erick used one of our #0291 Pot Cleaning Cap for the job. www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Maintenance/Pot_Cleaning_Cap.html

[@edwhite7475]

that tuner is AWESOME....i got one after 40 years of playing and it changed my life....love the Peterson strobotuner...best money i ever spent- ESPECIALLY compared to those blue 'Alien' looking things you see on everybodys guitars these days...total junk....innaccurate...batteries always die...and they look stupid. the Peterson costs 5 times the money, but you can get a clip on silent pulse metronome too for recording....its a beautiful thing.in tune and in time. you can tune up with the blue piece of crap and THEN put the strobe on it and it's way out...i use a lot of 12 strings.

[@brutus6328]

Would have been nice to give the action specs.

[@jackiejtheg]

Why did you replace the nylon with steel?

[@PabloACosq]

Roy Orbison didn't die, gentlemen. He's repairing guitars in the USA.

[@nixwiz]

FYI, this guitar of Rich's was restored from flood damage due to Hurricane Sandy a few years ago. www.premierguitar.com/articles/20119-gallery-rs-guitarworks-rescues-rich-robinsons-63-es-335 I would think this is something that might be noticeable or pointed out if known already.

[@stewmac]

This is a different guitar, he picked this up recently from Chicago Music Exchange. He's a fan of the 335!

[@nixwiz]

stewartmacdonald Ah, good to know. I thought this may not be his original since it was missing its badge/plate. He has said in an interview somewhere that the restored one just didn’t have the same tone any more, so quite reasonable for him to pick up another one.

[@stewmac]

This one sounds fantastic, word is he's looking for yet another!

[@scottallen9556]

Are we all gonna just gloss over the, Gorgomyte as the secret and best rosewood fingerboard reviver? Never heard of that stuff before and that question has been front and center on the mind of every rosewood fretboard owner. Except Stew Mac's.

[@Petete003]

Very thin layer of magic white, Mr Ross?? 🤔🤔🤔

[@robozstarrr8930]

Thxs for the all the tips, especially " ... have client include 2 sets of strings.." ( I'd keep one! ) m_m

[@disco4535]

Is it possible that Rich Robinson preferred to have the neck pickup a little hotter?

[@spool29k97]

How to setup a djent guitar

[@eflamberson]

Gorgomyte is very underrated.

[@SmashThatHead]

Strong Nick Offerman voice vibes here

[@LPCustom3]

Why don’t you do the Intonation at the 5th & 17th fret like Peterson recommends? That way your guitar will fret perfectly all the way up and down the neck. Open & 12th only Let’s the guitar be in tune between the open strings and 12th fret. Above the 12th fret the strings will be slightly off..

[@martinolssonbass]

A matter of taste. Intonating by the 5th or 17th fret will make the octaves along the string a little bit off. I intonate the 17th fret a little bit flat with light finger pressure because at gigs, I tend to use more finger pressure than when playing at home.

[@wgbearden7776]

Do you just use pure coconut oil for the fretboard?

[@stewmac]

No sir. It has a small amount of coconut oil in it as well as some other ingredients.

[@thewhitemustang]

I'm pretty sure that coconut oil goes rancid or at least could.

[@gregdavidson5898]

Most people use lemon oil, right? My sometimes tech likes to use jojoba oil. Anyone use the coconut oil?

[@fredschaves]

I found it interesting that you decided not to repolish the frets, was there a special reason behind that?

[@stewmac]

The guitar played very clean as it was but truth be told Erick did end up giving the frets a level and dress after the video was shot!

[@MrJhonbaker]

So, all the replies you've given - there were many many more steps and things unexplained. lol - that's cool - there were things I looked askance at the screen over as well!

[@stewmac]

Just that one! When was going over it there were some light gouges in the frets from being hit with his heavy brass slide. They didn't cause problems with fretting the E string but Erick couldn't let it go out the door like that.

[@MrJhonbaker]

haha! - I agree with Erick on this - doing the job right is worth the time if the customer affords it to you. So far my customers allow me whatever time I need and they always get back something far better than it ever was - according to them - according to me? - I have a lot to learn!

[@Im2Old4ThisShite]

Your link for the notched straight edge is incorrect. It takes you to "Jack the Gripper" Also, why in gods name didn't you replace the bridge with the original type saddles? I certainly wouldn't appreciate that choice if that guitar was mine.

[@bullwhipjohnson8247]

Of course you can tighten or loosen a nut. That's why they make allen keys, nut drivers and wrenches. The Joe Bonamassa video didn't make that clear. They both agreed, never loosen a trussrod or, you'll lose tone.

[@stewmac]

Right. Glad we could clear it all up for you. Have a great weekend!

[@TooLooze]

Use a white cloth to remove the gorgomyte and polish the frets and neck.....

[@kimslover30]

honestly I'm all about originality but I would of kept the Grover tuners on I love Grover tuners

[@soupalex]

Isn't it unwise to spray contact cleaner in through the f-hole like that (since you're likely to soak the wood)? Or is the thinking that the solution won't penetrate the grain as it evaporates too quickly?

[@stewmac]

That indeed is a possibility. Erick first placed a wad of paper towel into the F-hole and ued very light shots of the cleaner. Any excess fell into the towel.

[@soupalex]

stewartmacdonald that's a good tip, cheers!

[@novak1nt]

Could the coconut oil on the fretboard go rancid? I was told to not use any type of food oils(olive, vegetable, canola, etc) on a fretboard.

[@onpsxmember]

There got to be more to the gorgomyte cloths than coconut oil. I personally just think it's scented and has more of a mineral spirit character. You're right about the oils. All the non-curing oils shouldn't be anywhere near your guitar. They just stay on top, they won't cure, get rancid and you basically built a bacteria's paradise. The best there is is either from furniture restoration shops. You can also use medical grade white mineral oil. That is the base for lots fresh preperations from the pharmacy. You can buy it cheap. Put a little bit on the rag, go down the fretboard and take all excess off directly after. If your fretboard looks extremely dry...don't oil it like crazy, increase the humidity in the room/case and give it some time before anything else. The best thing for your fretboard are clean hands and very short nails.

[@stewmac]

It's not saturated in just coconut oil, but that is the smell it gives off.

[@c.p.1589]

I've had a pile of old Gibsons with a slightly sunken tune-o-matic. I aways just put em in a vise with three wood dowels, one on each end and one in the middle, and wind up the vise till the radius returns. Never had a prob and they seem to stay put for another few decades. Maybe I have vintage delusion, but the old ones always seem to have better tolerances than the new ones I've tried, and I think they sound 'better'.

[@stewmac]

That indeed is an option that we have used many times. It can however also stress the metal and cause it to further fail. Given Rich is a pro artist who is constantly touring and recording Erick wasn't willing to take that risk.

[@c.p.1589]

Of course you want to make the guitar road ready. You always do the right thing by the customer. Out of interest, what brand bridge did you use? I found the Gibson ABR1 reissues to be a little random in terms of fit, particularly the saddles, when I bought some a few years back.

[@andrewgrossman6066]

"a lot of people use super glue, which can be a pain"..... I just put two StewMac DIY guitars together for a customer. They came from StewMac with the nuts super glued in with super glue smeared all over the first fret position....

[@tomchi8484]

7:52 is that a fart ?

[@crazycat6272]

funny shit ! literally

[@juniorninetyy]

could be a stomach growl if hes hungry.

[@BlueberryStinkFinger62]

Sounds like he busted Ass and tried to keep it quiet

[@looloorex]

lmao good catch!!!

[@bee.normal]

I wonder what it's like being rich (no pun intended): "two new sets-o-strings per setup" rich. One can only dream. Great video, covers everything.

[@stewmac]

Thanks for your comment. We often suggest two sets but don't always use them. In this case the working set was compromised from the slotting of the nut and notching the saddles, the second set was then put on before the final set up.

[@bee.normal]

Yep. Seems anything that involves multiple tuning-detuning (working on nut/bridge/trem, or Fenders with the lovely truss rod nut in the neck heel) often sucks the life out of strings, so two sets it is!

[@YouWorryMe]

Smells like the beach. HA! The line of the video.

[@danchoptij4933]

Step 4 check the nut

[@imannonymous7707]

Ya still think the black crowes were better than either brothers new bands tho

[@thewhitemustang]

Breaking away to do your own thing is almost never better, except for when it is. Izzy and the ju ju hounds is one of the best rock n roll records that nobody knows about.

[@georgelackey622]

Tri-flow=3 in 1 plus $$$

[@stewmac]

The two are totally different lubricants. We recommend the Tri-Flow over any other lubricant we have tried.

[@buckhorncortez]

Have you ever tried dynaGlide dry lubricant? For most uses, much better than Tri-Flow as there is no carrier oil that can soak into wood. The lubricant forms a dry lubricant boundary layer on the metal surface. I've stopped using Tri-Flow after trying dynaGlide.

[@stewmac]

We have not. Thanks for the heads up!

[@iwillnevergetone5]

ready for tu-er

[@klojke]

Narly

[@montys8th]

Step 8 was a waste of your time mate. Don't think anyone has ever seen Rich use a neck pickup yet :)

[@Boldfacechimp]

Is this not something his guitar tech could do 🙈

[@bullwhipjohnson8247]

In other Stew Mac videos, they've recommended never loosening a truss rod.

[@georgelackey622]

Never seen that, it seems counter intuitive.

[@stewmac]

Send us a link to what you are referring to, it might have been a different set of circumstances. We always suggest first loosening old truss rod nuts to prevent the possibility of shearing them off.

[@bullwhipjohnson8247]

@@stewmac Your tech with Joe Bonamassas' tech.

[@stewmac]

Gotcha, you have confused two different topics. In this video Erick is talking about removing the acorn nut so it can be cleaned and lubricated before making the actual adjustment. In the Bonamassa video Dan talks about truss rod adjustments and how a straight neck means better playability and tone. Two totally different things. We hope this clears it all up for you!

[@bullwhipjohnson8247]

@@stewmac Not confused. They're just two contradictory statements. Different guitar techs have different methods.

[@rodeo11]

That makeup though.....😬

[@redrock1963]

I don't know who Rich Robinson is.....it doesn't really matter. I came here for the guitar porn.

[@FYMASMD]

I'm here for the guitar. Not the poseur that plays it.

[@yoheff988]

People still plays those plywood guitars? LOL