Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: Happy 100th birthday, Gibson pick guard clamp patent

  1. #1
    Registered User Yandy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Dorset, UK
    Posts
    18

    Default Happy 100th birthday, Gibson pick guard clamp patent

    It would be a shame to pass today without sharing this date:

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Clamp detail.jpg 
Views:	424 
Size:	59.8 KB 
ID:	73966

    I believe it only became a paid holiday in 1938. Have a nice day.
    Andy

    It's not the note that's wrong - it's the one after it.

  2. #2
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Westchester, NY
    Posts
    30,753

    Default Re: Happy 100th birthday, Gibson pick guard clamp patent

    I love my Gibson pickguard clamp. I will have to wish it a happy patent day.
    Jim

    My Stream on Soundcloud
    Facebook
    19th Century Tunes
    Playing lately:
    1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1

  3. #3
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Northeastern South Carolina, west of North Carolina
    Posts
    15,346
    Blog Entries
    2

    Default Re: Happy 100th birthday, Gibson pick guard clamp patent

    Will ya look at that! Been staring me in the face all these years, at least whenever I changed my strings. OK, it's in deep storage - lost its spring and thus rattled too much - but still ... Congratulations, BPGCP, and many, many more!
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

  4. #4
    acoustically inert F-2 Dave's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Halfway, MO
    Posts
    2,128

    Default Re: Happy 100th birthday, Gibson pick guard clamp patent

    It doesn't look a day over 75. Happy Birthday.
    "Mongo only pawn in game of life." --- Mongo

  5. #5
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Outer Spiral Arm, of Galaxy, NW Oregon.
    Posts
    17,103

    Default Re: Happy 100th birthday, Gibson pick guard clamp patent

    Patent Lapsed a long time ago... only Steve Gilchrist , has, it seems ,
    hired any replicas to be manufactured..
    I think you have to buy one of his Mandolins to get one..
    writing about music
    is like dancing,
    about architecture

  6. #6
    Certified! Bernie Daniel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
    Posts
    8,347
    Blog Entries
    4

    Default Re: Happy 100th birthday, Gibson pick guard clamp patent

    Quote Originally Posted by mandroid View Post
    Patent Lapsed a long time ago... only Steve Gilchrist , has, it seems ,
    hired any replicas to be manufactured..
    I think you have to buy one of his Mandolins to get one..
    I have heard this before. Does anyone know who he used to make them and/or where they were made?

    I once got a quote from a local metal working company for making a batch of these clamps. Using their connections with a Chinese factory to do the actual pressing and assembly the cost per unit was reasonable. But the start up costs and outlay was not very appealing for any individual to think about doing. For a minimum run of 500 units the total cost including design/making the press dies, the raw materials, and the assembly was a bit over $20K. This was five years ago. That would be a pretty cheap unit price ($40) but its a big investment and it might take a lifetime to sell 500 clamps?
    Bernie
    ____
    Due to current budgetary restrictions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off -- sorry about the inconvenience.

  7. #7
    Registered User Vernon Hughes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Timberville,Va
    Posts
    849

    Default Re: Happy 100th birthday, Gibson pick guard clamp patent

    I just got a quote from a specialty metal and engineering co. here locally..500 faithfully and exactly reproduced in stainless steel (the smallest amount of them they would consider) would end up costing me 300.00 each..Just not cost effective..Still looking at some other places for quotes..Got to be somebody out there willing to gear up and make these things somewhat reasonable..Might just have to figure it out myself,it's just not that complicated..
    Hughes F-5 #1
    Hughes A model #1
    1922 Gibson A-2
    1958 Gibson A-5

  8. #8
    Certified! Bernie Daniel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
    Posts
    8,347
    Blog Entries
    4

    Default Re: Happy 100th birthday, Gibson pick guard clamp patent

    Quote Originally Posted by vhughes2000 View Post
    I just got a quote from a specialty metal and engineering co. here locally..500 faithfully and exactly reproduced in stainless steel (the smallest amount of them they would consider) would end up costing me 300.00 each..Just not cost effective..Still looking at some other places for quotes..Got to be somebody out there willing to gear up and make these things somewhat reasonable..Might just have to figure it out myself,it's just not that complicated..
    Did you inquire as to whether they had a connection to a Chinese factory? The production costs were only a fraction of doing it in the USA -- the stumbling block was the number of units required just to consider the job. I think they also told me that they thought nickel-silver was the wrong metal to use despite the fact that Gibson originally used it. I can't recall -- have to look it up -- but I think they proposed an aluminum alloy.

    I bought a sheet of "German silver" which is really a nickel-silver on eBay and was going to try making one but I got side-tracked. Maybe this winter. Does anyone happen to know if the clasp for the mandolas pick guard was the same clamp just opened wider or did they make a larger clamp designed for the deeper body?
    Bernie
    ____
    Due to current budgetary restrictions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off -- sorry about the inconvenience.

  9. #9

    Default Re: Happy 100th birthday, Gibson pick guard clamp patent

    It's curious to me that a patent was issued on the 4th of July. That's always been a national holiday, even if it wasn't a paid holiday. Didn't they let those patent office employees have the day off?

    Steve

  10. #10

    Default Re: Happy 100th birthday, Gibson pick guard clamp patent

    Ok - I found that the 4th has been celebrated since 1777, and that in 1870 the U.S. Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees. In 1941, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday.

    So, apparently no federal employees were on the job on July 4, 1911, but somehow that became the patent date of record anyway.

    Steve

  11. #11
    Registered User Vernon Hughes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Timberville,Va
    Posts
    849

    Default Re: Happy 100th birthday, Gibson pick guard clamp patent

    Bernie,no chinese connection..They would be made right here in town..As I understand them to have the die stamps made to produce each individual part would run a couple thousand each,then the cost of material and labor to produce,assemble and polish was figured into the final number..I thought it quite high myself..They seemed to think stainless steel would be the way to go,much stronger and polished up easily..
    Hughes F-5 #1
    Hughes A model #1
    1922 Gibson A-2
    1958 Gibson A-5

  12. #12
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Reston, VA
    Posts
    482

    Default Re: Happy 100th birthday, Gibson pick guard clamp patent

    3D printing has really come a long way in the last few years.

    Has anybody ever tried to have something like this fabricated by Shapeways or a similar vendor?
    PJ Doland
    1923 Gibson Snakehead A

  13. #13
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Northeastern South Carolina, west of North Carolina
    Posts
    15,346
    Blog Entries
    2

    Default Re: Happy 100th birthday, Gibson pick guard clamp patent

    Quote Originally Posted by Loudloar View Post
    It's curious to me that a patent was issued on the 4th of July. That's always been a national holiday, even if it wasn't a paid holiday. Didn't they let those patent office employees have the day off?

    Steve
    Ha! Interesting point. Independence Day wasn't a national holiday until 1870, when it was made an unpaid holiday for federal employees. It didn't become a paid federal holiday until 1931, 1938, or 1941, depending on where you look. That said, you are right to question this. Perhaps it wasn't a mandatory holiday, or perhaps someone at Gibson knew someone at the Patent office who agreed to fudge the date slightly.

    BTW, there was a record-breaking heat wave in the Northeast on July 4, 1911. And also, it was a Tuesday - so maybe offices were open for business.
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •