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For a better site about John and Bill Gilbert try, www.altanovaca.freehomepage.com |
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 Contact Bill for guitar wthin a year. Prices are resonable . Try www.wgilbertguitars.freehomepage.com Thanks to John and Bill Glbert from all of us who play their guitars in concerts around the world, James Hunley |
John Gilbert,Guitar buliding Maestro is 80 and going strong. A brief note: I saw Maestro John Gilbert in August 02 and he is doing great. He is blessed with great health and a sharp mind. His age is only a number. I also visited with Maestro Manuel Velazquez with my dear friend Pepe Romero. At 87 his guitar building is magical. Both Son and father continue building each on their own but in the same shop. John Gilbert, Guitar building Maestro is 80 and going strong.( John M. Gilbert was born in New York in 1922. His ability to make constantly amazing guitars has baffled many luthiers. He began building in 1965 and turned over the craft to his son Bill around 1997. John was the chief tool engineer at Hewlett-Packard. He has an extensive knowledge of building and a mathematical mind that has amazed myself and many of the guitarist that do the pilgrimage to John's shop. During the 1980's it seemed that almost every major Concert artist played Gilbert's. The problem arose that his guitars took a month or more to craft and the list of clients extended beyond 23 years. This also lead to three other serious problems. The first problem was the demand drove the price for a used Gilbert guitar at least double the cost (although I knew of people paying much more) above the price for clients who were getting their guitars from John's waiting list in their chronological order. The second problem is that many guitar professors were not getting preference above regular folk. John always wanted to have his Guitars available to the young concert artists who could not afford an overly expensive instrument. Therefore John would listen to many virtuoso guitarists who were concertizing and would come courting at his shop (in the mountains near Stanford) to try and get moved ahead on the list hoping to buy a guitar in a year or two. John sold a few guitars out of chronological order to some promising concert artists. This outraged the "professionals" who did not get their guitars before students. I personally knew one who began to speak ill of John's son's guitars after being passed over for an immediate guitar (not that anyone got one without a wait). IT WAS GETTING UGLY! The third problem was a simple fact overlooked by many guitar players, investors and enthusiast. THE GILBERT'S ARE PEOPLE OF THE HIGHEST INTEGRITY!! When people got Gilbert guitars and sold them within a month to pocket the two-three thousand dollars and tried and tried to get back on the list John and Bill said, sorry you will not get another Gilbert guitar..... They were mad . John wanted to keep the price down for the young player coming out of school who desperately wanted his guitars but could not pay over market demand. Meanwhile other guitar builders were offering guitars for little or no money to any Concert artists just to get their guitars played. They were fine if an artist played one concert. sold the guitar to play a new one just to sell that one . It is a good business. It gets their guitars heard and sold. very litle is more exciting to some player than to add a few thousand dollars to their pockets from playing a mediocre guitar in public for a little while. But back to John. The price was the price>period. The list could be modified slightly but John was not about to or did he need to, give guitars away or give a "finders fee". John simply built amazing Guitars and the other thing is he did not need the money. People forget that simple fact. He built out of love and the aplication of science and gift. That was coupled with being straight forward. He never tries to be any thing that he is not. If people start talking nonsence John will simply tell them to cut the bull%^&*. |
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A more extensive look at The Gilberts 7135 |
 1979 Gilbert in amazng condition with a huge perfect sound. This was a pre pin bridge guitar that is amazing. |
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 A new Gilbert by Bill that has perfect trebles( better than my guitars) and warm Spanish basses John's Son Bill has taken the reign and builds,"even better guitars". I will eventualy switch to Bills guitars but my deep respect for John, his mastery his integrity and his friendship,keeps me and my audience hypnotized by its surreal sound. My guitar made in 1984 and is number 86. Made of Spruce(abeto) and Indian Rosewood(palasanto) it has been heard live and recorded around the world. The only reason for retiring the guitar is pure fear that something might happen to it in my travels. Bill is a great master and thank God he is younger than I am. I hope to play his guitars for a long time,God willing. |
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