Muttley & Light: Gibson USA vs. Gibson Custom Shop

[muttley600]

every time i take a deeper look into any part of the field of music, i am constantly amazed at the amount of knowledge there is about it. music theory blows me away there's a whole science to it. how the brain processes sound is also amazing. one little factoid i picked up from a book is that volume is a psychological phenomenon and not a "real" one. and now getting a glimpse into the science and art of making a guitar blows me away again. i really appreciate the time you take to answer all of our questions Muttley. your answers are always enlightening.

I wouldn't pretend to have a handle on all of this stuff but I have to know the science of it. I've taught it and still do a couple of semesters a year. The subject fascinates me because I love music, I love how it works, and I love making stuff. It helps me understand how to make better instruments and has helped me understand certain limitations.

This stuff is not rocket science, it a damn site harder than that.

Really it is. As far as musical acoustics is concerned we know very little except the basics. In the final analysis it can provide you with nothing but explanations, it's up to you to put the final bit of the mix in there and thats the part that makes it special. Never forget that most musical genius throughout history new nothing of this stuff. In the end it's all just moving air..

Anyway happy to help.

 

[Light]

This stuff is not rocket science, it a damn site harder than that.

Werner von Braun used to say, "once the rocket is in space, my job is done. Where it lands, that's someone else's problem."

Not particularly relevant, but I liked the quote.

I've never really bought into the idea of science being a big part of what we do. What you do is you try something, and see if you like what it does. If you do, you try it again. Over a large enough group of samples, you start to get an idea for what that something does. That's when you start to have what they call experience. When you come up with a new design, it is just an expression of your experience. No art, no science, just craft (which is neither greater or worse than art or science, just distinct). I don't often like the guitar by guys who think of themselves as artists, as they often incorporate features which make the guitars useless, and I'm distrustful of "scientists" because all too often they are trying to tell the world they have figured out the "secret" to Stradivarius' violins. (Hint - if they say anything other than, "they are really well made and 400 years old," they are full of shit). Or else they are like the guy who spent several years coming up with a "acoustically perfect" way to brace a classical guitar, and then when Segovia told him it was a piece of junk, he spent the evening hacking away at braces more or less at random trying to get something that Segovia would like (hint - it's really easy, make him a Hauser.) But craft, that's taking what people have done before you, adding in your own experience, and then making the best, most functional instrument you possibly can.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[faderbug]

Werner von Braun used to say, "once the rocket is in space, my job is done. Where it lands, that's someone else's problem." ...

he also used to say he knew nothing about the concentration camps and was just a scientist.

 

[Light]

he also used to say he knew nothing about the concentration camps and was just a scientist.

Seeing as how the NAZI's threw his ass in prison for not working hard enough, I'm not too worried about that one. And we wouldn't have gotten to the moon without him.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[faderbug]

Seeing as how the NAZI's threw his ass in prison for not working hard enough, I'm not too worried about that one. And we wouldn't have gotten to the moon without him.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

the participation of people in totalitarian and inhumane regimes like that of the nazi's is very complex matter.

let's just say that he was aware of what was going on around him and still developed weapons for the nazi's. that makes him a supporter of the nazi regime, just like speer or riesenthal.

the americans conveniently believed his post-war claims that he had no choice and was forced to do what he did.

and yes he did put a man on the moon.

he also killed quiet a few.


i don't like lp's btw, too heavy.