Two Gilbert Guitars, Bill Gilbert is Building away, Here is How to contact him, This is updated On March 25, 2010 from a note from Bill.
Two Gilberts,
One by John that is a pre pin bridge guitar,(1979) As loud and clear as James'Guitar
which is a "golden period insturment" (mid 80's)
The other a new Guitar by Bill,
(a fantastic guitar with better treble clarity than James' 1984)
Bill Gilbert is Building away, Here is How to contact him, This is updated On March 25,2010 from a note from Bill.
www.wgilbertguitars.com and my Google voice mailbox (805-776-FRET) (805-776-3738), bill@wgilbertguitars.com.
This is a new note sent to (James Hunley) to help understand the Gilbert scale.
We recommend that you look at his web site. It is
well worth the view. Our thanks to David for his love of the guitar and excellent work!
http://schrammguitars.com
Hi James,
I just found your web site. Very nice. I'm also a big fan of John and Bill Gilbert. They have helped me out quite a bit the last 10 years. John has shared a bunch of his "secrets" with me. You probably want to mention that 654mm is not the scale length but the total string length of the Gilbert guitar. I know Bill is now offering a shorter scale. The most common Gilbert scale length is 25.7"(652.78mm) and the total string length is 25.750" (654.05mm). John gave me a fret slotted fingerboard blank to use as a template for my own fingerboards that is how I know these measurements. He gave me the specs. For several years now I have dedicated a space on my web site dedicated to John and Bill's work. Lot's of photos and info that John gave me to upload. You can access it from my home page http://schrammguitars.com I've studied the Gilbert guitar inside and out and have several plans that I have drawn from the many Gilbert's that I have played and inspected. They are quite an inspiration for me. Keep up the great work.
Bill is using wood acquired and tested by John years ago.
Together they did extensive testing with their own
instruments to grade and match the finest wood available.
His instruments are wonderful and have Johns' sound but a slightly more "Spanish character".
The scale is still 654 and the neck and action perfect.
John has said that Bills craftsmanship is better than his though only he can tell.
The guitars are quite similar but Bills' has the better qualities of early and late guitars of his father.
Bill has also inherited Johns' distaste of politics and will not
be bought or intimidated by "manipulated- pricing tactics".
Sometimes this can make "power broker/ players" angry.
Bill Gilbert is Building away, Here is How to contact him, This is updated On March 25,2010 from a note from Bill.
www.wgilbertguitars.com and my Google voice mailbox (805-776-FRET) (805-776-3738), bill@wgilbertguitars.com.
