Rick Beato Invited Me To Berlin and we visited the Inventor of the Plek Machine

Поділитися
Вставка
  • Опубліковано 13 тра 2024
  • Massive thanks to @RickBeato for taking me to plek.com/
    🎸 MY TOUR DATES
    bit.ly/MarySpenderTour
    🥁 SUPPORT PATREON
    / maryspender
    MY COURSES
    🎤 How To Write Songs
    bit.ly/thecraftofsongwriting
    🎸 Learn Fingerstyle Guitar
    bit.ly/3vfo7mz
    📷 How I Built My UA-cam Channel
    bit.ly/41JTSk2
    🎛️ Learn Ableton
    - How To Produce bit.ly/3Qs0rCl
    - How To Perform bit.ly/3QolLIZ
    ✍️ MY NEWSLETTER
    bit.ly/21stCenturyMusician
    🎵 MY BACKING TRACKS
    Apple Music apple.co/3Al6df3
    Spotify spoti.fi/2VX2nu2
    Bandcamp bit.ly/2UYP4Ja
    📖 MY REFERENCES
    bit.ly/maryspender_bibliography
    00:00 - Berlin with Rick Beato
    00:25 - The Plek Machine
    02:08 - A Problem He Needed To Solve
    04:10 - How the Plek Works
    09:02 - Calibration
    09:37 - A Luthier's Best Friend
    10:41 - Outro
  • Наука та технологія

КОМЕНТАРІ • 379

  • @MarySpender
    @MarySpender  6 місяців тому +47

    Massive thanks to Rick Beato www.youtube.com/@RickBeato what a fascinating time at Plek HQ

    • @charlieismydarlin7199
      @charlieismydarlin7199 6 місяців тому +1

      Hey Mary,
      Any chance you could point Rick in the direction of Ren??
      Rick is always bemoaning the lack of talent, variety and interest in today’s music. I’m assuming that he hasn’t seen any of Ren’s work so far and would be really interested to see what his thoughts are.
      Hope you can see the merit in this 👍😊👍

  • @JimmyHagerstrom
    @JimmyHagerstrom 6 місяців тому +144

    I Love how German he is. The attention to every detail in the big picture and dedicated work. His reaction when being called a genious is also very charming.

    • @harveysmusicschoollizaman2290
      @harveysmusicschoollizaman2290 6 місяців тому +11

      Absolutely, thought the same thing.

    • @michaelgoetze2103
      @michaelgoetze2103 6 місяців тому +28

      Yes, he seemed a little embarrassed and pleased at the same time. 😂

    • @JaleelJohanson62
      @JaleelJohanson62 6 місяців тому +71

      I worked for a German company for 12 years. His reaction to Mary telling him he's a genius was classic. A typical German engineer will be thinking... "Genius? Anyone should be able to see this obvious solution to such an old problem." - lol

    • @Sharpened-Stick
      @Sharpened-Stick 6 місяців тому +17

      @@JaleelJohanson62 I read that in his very German accent. 😂

    • @shorerocks
      @shorerocks 5 місяців тому +25

      As a German, thx for these lovely comments, everyone 🙂 And yeah, I had the same thought.

  • @DanielPestanaTranslations
    @DanielPestanaTranslations 6 місяців тому +48

    Having worked for 12 years in a factory with machines built by German engineers, I can attest that everything in that machine and its structure (and even the computer) are typical German industrial manufacturing. For a minute I thought I was back in the production line.

  • @ibassnote
    @ibassnote 6 місяців тому +60

    I was really hoping to see the final result where both of you play the instrument and give your impressions.

  • @HollywoodRecordingStudio
    @HollywoodRecordingStudio 6 місяців тому +71

    Rick has the good sense to let the interviewee talk without interruption.

    • @brendonmurley8276
      @brendonmurley8276 6 місяців тому +8

      Yes! Such a rare quality in an interviewer, but crucial.

  • @ultramanj
    @ultramanj 6 місяців тому +80

    I would think if guitar manufacturers were using this for all of their guitars, even the low end models would play wonderfully

    • @gkol69
      @gkol69 6 місяців тому +21

      The cost of the machine is over $100,000, the personnel working it need training and not every guitar company can plek every guitar they produce with only one machine, the production line would be too slow= the prices will rise. If you have more than one= the prices will rise.

    • @KeithGroover
      @KeithGroover 6 місяців тому +8

      ​@@gkol69once technology scales up the price per unit goes way down. I doubt this exact system will become the standard, but a cheaper version of a system like this could be helpful.

    • @adrianglamorgan9486
      @adrianglamorgan9486 6 місяців тому

      just a matter of time, though @@gkol69

    • @TerryWilsonHere
      @TerryWilsonHere 6 місяців тому +24

      From what Gibson says, the plek machine is orders of magnitude faster than the equivalent dollar amount of workers. It is far less of a bottleneck than having to do all of the fret work by hand. Probably takes a lot less time to train someone to use the machine than it does to make them great at fretwork.

    • @QuangNguyen-nh2oc
      @QuangNguyen-nh2oc 6 місяців тому +10

      I heard that Martin had been using this for their guitars for a while now.

  • @jondonnelly
    @jondonnelly 6 місяців тому +15

    I have 2 Plek'd guitars. They play awesome. It's an amazing invention.

  • @tinkersailorhead4360
    @tinkersailorhead4360 5 місяців тому +8

    Makes me proud to see how you present him here. I live in Berlin and once went to the shop while my daughter went to her danceclass in another shop nearby. He s really a nice guy beside being a genius 😉

  • @jimipalmer5041
    @jimipalmer5041 6 місяців тому +98

    Too cool!!! Two of my favorite people on UA-cam, now if only Leland Sklar and Tim Pierce had shown up, this would be perfect. 🕊💖🎸

  • @custa73burner
    @custa73burner 6 місяців тому +38

    Love this. The Plek is an incredibly sophisticated CNC machine, and like all CNCs, the quality and accuracy of the finished product depends entirely on the skill of the operator. It's a perfect mix of human and machine, the same as playing is the mix of the player and the instrument.

  • @TheWorldAccordingToArf
    @TheWorldAccordingToArf 6 місяців тому +1

    Thanks, Mary. Thanks, Rick. I'm glad you all could make the trip for us :)

  • @johhny711
    @johhny711 6 місяців тому +20

    I love the fact he has programmed the machine to constantly be trying to improve the process , he made the machine to be like himself a perfectionist , he made the machine in his own image -Biblical 😎

  • @AngelicusImmortus
    @AngelicusImmortus 6 місяців тому +13

    I do love that Rick picks out different talented people to look at these things with.
    he's a really cool guy, knows a lot and you know if he's working with, talking to someone they have skills.

  • @mgbasinski
    @mgbasinski 6 місяців тому +24

    Plek is indeed fantastic. There's a shop here in Northern California with one, I've had them plek both my Strat and my 335 (and my new Taylor acoustic will go in soon). The results were very good, and the specific thing that I did not expect was how much my Gibson was improved by the way the plek re-crowned the frets - made a huge difference in the quality of the tone of notes.

  • @rayschoch5882
    @rayschoch5882 6 місяців тому +17

    To quote another commenter: "I will never play at the level I'd benefit from this" but I admire the thought and care that have gone into the machine's development, and have read nothing but good things about the results.

    • @zebfox011
      @zebfox011 6 місяців тому +3

      I call bs on the quote! I classify myself as an advanced intermediate beginner, and i have two guitars that have been plekked and compared to my other guitars, they play and sound amazing! And make me sound alot better too 😁

  • @michaelk5507
    @michaelk5507 6 місяців тому +2

    You really do have excellent, first class, diction and beautiful articulation of words and phrases. It's lovely to hear the English language spoken so well. This is increasingly unusual.

  • @drwho3216
    @drwho3216 6 місяців тому +5

    Rick told that story during his show and my wife asked me "what's a Plek machine"....and I had no idea. Thx for that video, now we know! Very impressive!

  • @ecalzo
    @ecalzo 5 місяців тому +2

    wow.. i love you both Mary and Rick .. and i love this video you showed to us incredible machine and inventor thank you

  • @SwampEye1
    @SwampEye1 5 місяців тому

    thnx again Mary ... your advices are so precious .. ... 👍

  • @taivo55
    @taivo55 6 місяців тому +9

    Incredible piece of engineering. Thanks for the tour.

  • @kangaroofoot
    @kangaroofoot 6 місяців тому +14

    The “daddy-daughter-day” duo that all guitarists needed. 😊

  • @baharam98
    @baharam98 6 місяців тому +22

    Incredibly interesting and what engineering. Amazing how musicians think and then implement what they desire. So, COOL. Thank you for making this amazing and informative video.

  • @mauriceryton
    @mauriceryton 6 місяців тому +3

    That is just ingenious. Wow, every guitar can now truly be perfect.

  • @tonyfuell2087
    @tonyfuell2087 6 місяців тому +5

    I had my Cole Clark FL2 serviced and put through their Plek machine. It cost a bit, but boy, was it worth it! The guitar is - not only like new, it's better! Thanks Mary for letting us meet the originator of this wonderful tool for setting up a guitar.

  • @LarryLeeMoniz
    @LarryLeeMoniz 5 місяців тому +5

    This was a total delight to watch. It is amazing to me what humans can achieve when presented with a unique problem. Mr. Anke is quite a revolutionary with his very practical, yet very complex method of guitar repair (or I guess recalibration would be more accurate). Also, I love it when you and Mr. Beato are in a video together, as I am an admirer of both your works. Thanks Mary!

  • @motomuso
    @motomuso 5 місяців тому +1

    Thanks for a very interesting video - and I'm a keyboardist. Also now I am a subscriber to your channel. Thanks Mary Spender!

  • @ausgangssperre-band
    @ausgangssperre-band 6 місяців тому +1

    Very cool, didn't know that was coming from Berlin.

  • @aneyesky
    @aneyesky 5 місяців тому

    Guitars are my favorite example of the perfect/imperfect string instrument. Pleck is the answer for that imperfection

  • @kenhanson1819
    @kenhanson1819 6 місяців тому +3

    Wow, I would never have known this amazing technology existed before now. Thanks for the video Mary!

  • @MySynthDungeon
    @MySynthDungeon 6 місяців тому +2

    Really enjoyed!! Thanks! Cheers!;-)!

  • @petem6291
    @petem6291 6 місяців тому +29

    Mary, you and Rick always do wonderful collaborations( I really like the one you did about Jim Croce) this is a great example of practical math in machine work hopefully this will inspire some young people

  • @KirbyMoyers
    @KirbyMoyers 6 місяців тому +4

    Mary + Rick = extra great video!

  • @seanbaines
    @seanbaines 6 місяців тому +31

    Best information I've seen on the Plek so far, in part because of the explanation of the graphs, in part because of detailed filming of various processes. Mary and Rick have done a really good job here, with Rick before the camera asking the questions, and Mary doing a bangup job as narrator and cinematographer. It's another one of her great little mini documentaries.
    Rhett did a good Plek video as well a few years ago, about the benefits to a specific guitar. Taken together, the two videos really inform one about the Plek.
    I'm lucky. My LGS (Local Guitar Store), only 5 minutes from me, has a Plek machine. I have at least one guitar that's a candidate. Now all I have to do is fit it into the annual guitar budget somehow. :)

    • @howlinhog
      @howlinhog 6 місяців тому

      I agree. I heard about this tool quite a while back but have never heard any more about it.

    • @jamesduncan578
      @jamesduncan578 6 місяців тому +2

      What do they charge for that service?

  • @CrinosAD
    @CrinosAD 6 місяців тому +11

    Love the machine, and as a techie myself.. I find the Plek machine rather interesting. But as you said, the luthier is still needed. And on that, I hope that you and Crimson Guitars can colab. 🙂

  • @notquitehuman7402
    @notquitehuman7402 6 місяців тому +6

    This is insane. Would love to see this up close. The engineering behind this is fascinating!

  • @slappywag
    @slappywag 6 місяців тому

    This was awesome, thank you!

  • @mikerichardsonuk
    @mikerichardsonuk 6 місяців тому +1

    I had a 63 Hofner 173 Plek'd and it plays fantastically

  • @JFHeroux
    @JFHeroux 4 місяці тому

    That is such a cool invention!😃 Thank you for making this video! It is a sort of documentary indeed... and you are great at it Mary!🙂

  • @TheDrunkenScoundrel
    @TheDrunkenScoundrel 6 місяців тому +4

    You do such a fantastic job on these types of videos. I love to see them and always want more.

  • @mruebsam6453
    @mruebsam6453 6 місяців тому +5

    Hey Mary and Rick, if you are still in Germany, we would like to invite you to Freiburg. By far the most beautiful city in Germany :) We‘d love to show the black forrest and the Freiburger Münster where a lot of great classical music is performed (and has been recorded in reference quality from us :))
    As always a very nice video. Thank you to both of you… :)

  • @marshpw
    @marshpw 6 місяців тому

    amazing! thanks y'all!

  • @greganderson8374
    @greganderson8374 6 місяців тому +1

    I was blessed to see a Plek machine in action when I visited Collins Guitars. Amazing!

  • @stevem-h3562
    @stevem-h3562 6 місяців тому +8

    My Duesenberg was plek'd at the factory. And it is the most playable guitar that I've got. I would gladly have any guitar that I loved plek'd.

    • @SyrusEtube
      @SyrusEtube 6 місяців тому

      I agree my Dessie was also plek’d and plays like no other guitar I own.

  • @dr.chrisketo7193
    @dr.chrisketo7193 5 місяців тому

    Wunderbar! Danke!

  • @billribas
    @billribas 6 місяців тому

    great vid, thanks so much!

  • @styepen602
    @styepen602 6 місяців тому +3

    I could easily have watched this all day, even though I admit I haven’t got as much knowledge on the guitar as you do, Rick’s fascination to Gerd Anke and his colleagues’ work is so satisfying to watch and of course your own passion as always shines out,I hope you do more videos like this whenever it’s possible.

  • @donnaevans9894
    @donnaevans9894 6 місяців тому

    This is amazing!

  • @russgoos4628
    @russgoos4628 5 місяців тому +1

    I recently had my EBMM Majesty plekked at Twin Town Guitars in Minneapolis, MN. It was truly transformational. Not only for playability, but also for the intonation. Unexpected side-effect... and I'm not sure how this is even possible, but the guitar's unamplified acoustic resonance came alive. It just sings! Highly recommend plekking your guitars.

  • @johnpandolfino8663
    @johnpandolfino8663 6 місяців тому +1

    Great video on how the Plek system works and the brilliance behind it's design..... including meeting it's inventor..... Bravo 👏

  • @GeorgeAmodei21
    @GeorgeAmodei21 6 місяців тому

    Unreal, Great Machine!!!

  • @cobar5342
    @cobar5342 6 місяців тому

    Mary, you have the best job in the world

  • @TroyNaumu808
    @TroyNaumu808 5 місяців тому +1

    Love this video. It is as with all of your videos. It's so very educational and enlightening.

  • @member805639
    @member805639 5 місяців тому

    What an excellent video, well done Mary. 😊

  • @irevisibel9237
    @irevisibel9237 5 місяців тому

    Great video and very interesting insights in the technology/machinery.

  • @brownsfan7753
    @brownsfan7753 6 місяців тому

    Love this!!

  • @jefetters7182
    @jefetters7182 6 місяців тому +6

    Wow I never would have imagined a plek can compensate for a twisted neck.

  • @waynocook53
    @waynocook53 6 місяців тому

    WOW! Incredibel!🤙

  • @rogerrrice
    @rogerrrice 6 місяців тому +9

    I’m subscribed to both yours and Rick’s channels, but the videos with both of you are really fun. I especially liked the video with the two of you analyzing Jim Croce’s song Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels).

  • @Stephen_Lafferty
    @Stephen_Lafferty 6 місяців тому +1

    Great to see the two of you discussing the engineering of the Plek machine with its creator!

  • @StevenBanks123
    @StevenBanks123 6 місяців тому

    Berlin is a lovely city. Lovely, dirty, littered, great coffee, best bakeries, excellent public transportation, livable, rude.

  • @ericaemmmars6082
    @ericaemmmars6082 6 місяців тому +3

    That is very cool!

  • @robertbogdan7058
    @robertbogdan7058 5 місяців тому +1

    I had a vintage Telecaster pleked. Now, even with the vintage 7.25" neck radius, I can set the action at 1mm relief at the 12th fret and still do m3 bends on it. What a wonderful machine.

  • @mikemclenison8200
    @mikemclenison8200 6 місяців тому

    Great video. I have to watch Rick every day.

  • @johanngregory3499
    @johanngregory3499 5 місяців тому

    Wonderful post! It’s amazing. The use of technology to help create or repair the neck of guitars to the nth degree. Incredible step forward in the setup of an axe 🎸. I got a Duesenberg Starplayer TV that was Pleked in the factory. The first guitar that was ready to play out of the box. No additional setup required. Absolutely blew my mind. Truly Amazing Technology! Really intriguing and interesting to see the process at work. Thanks to all for the inside look!
    😎✌🏻❤️⚡️💙☀️🌈🎶🎶🎶…may the music never stop…🔥 🎸🔥

  • @rmatson
    @rmatson 5 місяців тому

    Really a fantastic video. Much appreciated. As much as I love careful handwork, this machine holds such promise for those of us who need our instruments to play at their best but don't have the good fortune of living near a great luthier.

  • @roberthutchins4584
    @roberthutchins4584 6 місяців тому

    My signed CD will deliver today 😊

  • @trent69marc
    @trent69marc 5 місяців тому

    i saw you beer drinking in the audience at Rick´s Event in Berlin ;) It was an awesome night, best greetings

  • @LP23D6
    @LP23D6 6 місяців тому +2

    That is amazing. Very interesting.

  • @dougsrepair1060
    @dougsrepair1060 6 місяців тому

    Well presented Mary. A coordinate measurement machine to tune guitar necks. Brilliant.

  • @DojoOfCool
    @DojoOfCool 6 місяців тому +5

    The one of the local music stores where I lived had a Plek machine and offered Pleking guitars as one of their services. I never got it done because it was $$$ plus I had a luthier that had been working on my guitars for years and maintained them perfectly for me. I did play a number of Plek'd guitars and later when Gibson was Pleking their higher model guitar played a number of those, I was never impressed with the job a Plek did. Talking to other guitarists who had guitars Plek'd seems like it was about 50/50 if they would have a guitar Plek'd again.

  • @raymorgan4657
    @raymorgan4657 6 місяців тому

    Martin has been using this. When I bought mine a several years ago, I read about it when shopping for the guitar.

  • @rusty6314
    @rusty6314 4 місяці тому

    Awesome video Mary that was really interesting, I was curious how it worked myself.

  • @volkerschuster8079
    @volkerschuster8079 5 місяців тому

    Berlin, what an incredible City, I hope you and Rick had lots of fun

  • @mazzysmusic
    @mazzysmusic 6 місяців тому +3

    I had one of my guitars Pleked several years ago. It was a Johny Marr edition, Fender Jaguar. Pretty amazed with the results. There is room for the human luthier and this machine.

  • @rolandzoske448
    @rolandzoske448 6 місяців тому

    Rick Beato is... was in Berlin!
    It's a shame I'm only finding out now...
    Yesterday there was a great concert by Carlos Groove Kitchen at PView in Lankwitz, which would certainly have thrilled him.
    Maybe there will be a new opportunity at Club 23 in the Kulturbrauerei this evening from 6 p.m. at Heinz Glass.
    Of course it would be great to meet him while he's still here.
    In any case, have fun in Berlin!
    Rick Beato ist ... war wohl in Berlin!
    Schade, dass ich jetzt erst davon erfahre....
    Gestern gab es ein großartiges Konzert von Carlos Groove Kitchen im PView in Lankwitz, welches ihn sicher begeistert hätte.
    Heute gibt es vielleicht eine neue Chance im Club 23 in der Kulturbrauerei heute Abend ab 18 Uhr bei Heinz Glass.
    Es wäre natürlich toll, ihn mal kennenzulernen, sollte er noch hier sein.
    Auf jeden Fall viel Spass in Berlin!

  • @TrevorDennis100
    @TrevorDennis100 5 місяців тому +2

    I would loved to see you play a guitar before and after the fret dressing, and hear your thoughts on any improvement.

  • @adrianglamorgan9486
    @adrianglamorgan9486 6 місяців тому

    Amazing!

  • @JakeSpeed1000
    @JakeSpeed1000 4 місяці тому

    I had an old Fender Stratocaster "pleked" at Joe Glaser's shop in Nashville. The results were amazing. It fixed a problem that nobody had ever been able to correct.

  • @ragnadrabinowitz7629
    @ragnadrabinowitz7629 6 місяців тому +4

    i've had several guitars plek'd and they play beautifully.

  • @PMCN53
    @PMCN53 6 місяців тому

    That is amazing technology, thank for telling us about this incredibly innovative man👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

  • @nilton61
    @nilton61 5 місяців тому +1

    i got my first guitar pleked about 20 years ago (and all guitars since then). Since it was in the very beginning Gerd had some time time to spend explaining. The really astonishing thing ha accomplished is that he did a tremendous amount of research on string vibration to come up with what he calls the "target". IMO this is the real secret of PLEK

  • @marcelfok2561
    @marcelfok2561 6 місяців тому

    Where science and art combine beautifully!
    For a tech lover very interesting, thank you!

  • @tommygreer9921
    @tommygreer9921 6 місяців тому

    I have known about the Plek machine however not the inventer that's just awesome thanks Mary and to Rick also cheers

  • @martinkasper197
    @martinkasper197 6 місяців тому

    The Daniel Düsentrieb of fretting guitars....👍🤘🎸

  • @dimmedaurum114
    @dimmedaurum114 6 місяців тому +1

    Really good job with your last video Mary.😊 It made me rewatch your frog leap studios videos. Great covers there.

  • @mgr_1138
    @mgr_1138 6 місяців тому +1

    lol, Gerd being the german engineer stereotype par excellence. Love the man and the machine.

  • @DelphiAmnestied
    @DelphiAmnestied 6 місяців тому

    I'm glad I watched this.

  • @ceroenblanco
    @ceroenblanco 5 місяців тому +1

    I love she is a geek for what she loves

  • @26jdowns
    @26jdowns 6 місяців тому

    I had my 2003 Martin re-fretted and pleked at Sweetwater a couple of years ago and when I got it back, it played better than when it was new. I was thrilled at the quality of work by both the Sweetwater people and the Plek machine.

  • @theboofin
    @theboofin 4 місяці тому

    Very happy with the stock PLEK job on my Les Paul. Faultless.

  • @Babysitteronacid
    @Babysitteronacid 5 місяців тому

    I had never heard of this before - and then it turns out to be 10 mins down the road from me. Nice vid Mary.

  • @DRodMuzicman
    @DRodMuzicman 5 місяців тому

    Amazing

  • @TommyTow
    @TommyTow 6 місяців тому +1

    I was in the show when Rick told that he went there but he never said it was with you!!! Really loved to see you up there in the show!You star strucked me the moment I saw you going down the stairs on your way to the south transept seats. :)

  • @tacmason
    @tacmason 6 місяців тому

    Nice work , very interesting !

  • @thinman8621
    @thinman8621 6 місяців тому

    Amazing piece of machinery.

  • @DanielHeikalo
    @DanielHeikalo 6 місяців тому

    One word: genius! Truly.

  • @davestephens6421
    @davestephens6421 5 місяців тому

    I ordered an Epiphone 335 from Peach Guitars in the UK, and had it PLEK'd....it has the most amazing action and plays like a dream!!!

  • @ice9snowflake187
    @ice9snowflake187 6 місяців тому +1

    I have three Plek'ed guitars. It really works.

  • @tone1798
    @tone1798 6 місяців тому +1

    Talk about a early Christmas gift! Thank you for sharing this. I know this technology is starting to pop up here and there. Novo, Gibson and Sweetwater here in the states are using this machine. There may be more guitar builders using it as well.

  • @brianhanson9367
    @brianhanson9367 6 місяців тому

    My 64 L4-C needed new frets, but the fingerboard itself had deep grooves from my fingers. Had it pleked and it’s like new. Fabulous