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IB64 Texan...


cliffenstein

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I'm wondering how many people here own or have played the newer Indonesian made model of the Inspired By 1964 Texan. I own the antique natural version, bought it last week, and it is simply a phenomenal guitar. It inspires me to play. Like a new girlfriend, I think about it when I'm out, love reading reviews (there are nowhere near enough of them) and literally have to look at it and play it every day. Obviously I'm in the honeymoon period, but dangit I love this thing. The price made it that much sweeter, too.

 

The only flaw is the orange dye runoff around the sound hole, but every one I've seen has the same issue and even Acoustic Guitar Magazine references it in their review. As such, it's a pretty easy flaw to look beyond.

 

Anyway...anyone else here have one of these newer models (late 2013 or newer)?

 

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Im thinking about getting one for my wife to play around on and learn on. I played one today, and it IS a great guitar. Looks good, plays good, sounds good for $399.00 I think its totally worth it....If she decides in the future that she is done, or looses interest in playing, then I will have a great, quality playing guitar as a backup to my Gibby J45. So, yeah, I think the Texans are great guitars.

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I just read that Epiphone is now making their Masterbilts with lam back and sides. That's crazy and, if true, catapults this Texan to Epiphone's top tier.

 

EDIT: This is not true...I just read the specs for the upcoming Masterbilt J-45. All solid.

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I have one of the first Chinese built IB-64 Texans from 2009 and it has improved in tone over the last 5 years. However it is a heavily built guitar with heavy scalloped bracing, and not a patch on the 62 Texan I used to own (Wish I still did). I also once owned a 2004 Terada made McCartney Texan (One of the ones used for the publicity shots). That guitar was fabulously well built, very light (3Lb 8oz) with very light scalloped bracing plus a centre seam (like you find inside for the back) that went from the end block to the bridge plate! However I was very disappointed with it`s tone.

 

Here are my 62 and 2004 McCartney Texan`s in action.

 

 

The 62 had so much more punch. The IB-62 sits somewhere inbetween the two. I like the look of the newer Indonesian made IB-64 Texans, but can only seem to find left handers over this side of the pond.

 

Steve.

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I have one of the first Chinese built IB-64 Texans from 2009 and it has improved in tone over the last 5 years. However it is a heavily built guitar with heavy scalloped bracing, and not a patch on the 62 Texan I used to own (Wish I still did). I also once owned a 2004 Terada made McCartney Texan (One of the ones used for the publicity shots). That guitar was fabulously well built, very light (3Lb 8oz) with very light scalloped bracing plus a centre seam (like you find inside for the back) that went from the end block to the bridge plate! However was was very disappointed with it`s tone

 

Here are my 62 and 2004 Mc Cartney Texans in action.

 

 

The 62 had so much more punch. The IB-62 sits somewhere inbetween the two. I like the look of the newer Indonesian made IB-64 Texans, but can only seem to find left handers over this side of the pond.

 

Steve.

 

Very nice comparison...thanks for posting. I agree with your assessment.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just emailed Epiphone asking what the Nut and Saddle are made from on these newer Indonesian made IB64 Texans. I'm almost positive that it's bone, but these things can be tricky...could be synthetic. It's definitely not plastic...or at least not obviously plastic...seems march harder and isn't white.

 

I'll post here if and when I hear back from them.

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"The saddle and nut on the Indonesian made IB64 Texan is plastic."

 

Really? Plastic?

 

"Yes, it's really good plastic."

 

By "really good plastic" do you mean the same thing as what high end guitar companies refer to as tusk? My IB64 nut and saddle aren't white like what you see on a Yamaha, Sigma, Rogue, etc. It looks and feels exactly the same as the nut and saddle that are on my Recording King Dirty Thirties Single O. Specs everywhere by RK list their's as bone.

 

...waiting for response from that. The guy I've been talking with at Gibson is a really good guy. Either he's wrong, Recording King is lying about their guitars or I can't tell the difference between bone and plastic!

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Someone once advised to heat up a needle point and touch your nut with it (oucH) - if it's plastic it will leave an imprint but if it's bone it won't - I haven't tried it though...

 

The nut and saddle on my EJ160e I think are listed as imitation bone - maybe the Texan is the same?

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This leads me to wonder about the authenticity of the bone nut and saddle claims that RK makes for their Dirty 30's series.

 

It also makes me wonder how these Texans can sound so dang good with these plastics!

 

Finally, it makes me think I want to upgrade to bone. I would think the tone would even be better than it already is. Of course bone will have a pretty much forever lifespan, too, where Plastic won't.

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"The saddle and nut on the Indonesian made IB64 Texan is plastic."

 

Really? Plastic?

 

"Yes, it's really good plastic."

 

By "really good plastic" do you mean the same thing as what high end guitar companies refer to as tusk? My IB64 nut and saddle aren't white like what you see on a Yamaha, Sigma, Rogue, etc. It looks and feels exactly the same as the nut and saddle that are on my Recording King Dirty Thirties Single O. Specs everywhere by RK list their's as bone.

 

...waiting for response from that. The guy I've been talking with at Gibson is a really good guy. Either he's wrong, Recording King is lying about their guitars or I can't tell the difference between bone and plastic!

 

Most acoustic guitars with a pickup have synthetic nuts and saddles (especially). Synthetic materials are more consistent in their density than bone, which makes the pickup function better.

 

You can't judge by color. Manufacturers can make synthetics any color they want. Bone can be bleached or aged, too. You may not be able to tell the difference between certain synthetic materials and bone without the match test, so your Recording King may indeed have a bone nut and saddle (and probably does if RK specs it that way).

 

A 1960's Texan would have had a Corrian nut (very soft), and possibly ceramic saddle, so the materials on the IB can be viewed as an upgrade!

 

Red 333

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Thanks, Red!

 

BTW, that pic of Sheryl Crow in your avatar is the best photo of her I've ever seen. Never been a fan of hers, but that pic is way cool, as is her guitar!

 

 

I think that's Aimee Mann but I agree. nice pic!

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I have a few Epiphone acoustics after buying a used Masterbilt last fall...I think they are great! Some do have bone nuts and saddles - I believe the Hummingbirds do - but honestly I don't hear much if any difference. If you are really concerned about it, it's about a 15 minute job to replace the plastic with bone.

 

I find a set of good strings and a little truss rod adjustment make the Epi acoustics sound and play great. They all seem to have solid tops at least, and they improve with age and use.

 

I have played Yamahas, all sorts of other imports and a Martin and an old '60's Gibson...I have 5 Epiphones now and I love 'em. msp_thumbup.gif

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I'll be getting the plastic Nut and plastic Compensated Saddle on my IB64 Texan upgraded to bone in the next month or two. I'm also getting Elixir 80/20 Nanowebs put on there. I'll report discernible tonal improvements at that time. I have a feeling this long tall Texan will be going into a whole other dimension.

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I just got the cherry sunburst and I put in Tusq pins. The pins added brightness - I use it for stumming at blugrass jams, so now I'm getting a good boom/crash sound. Also excited to start using the pick-up - my first in an acoustic.

 

Overall, I'm pleasantly surprised. I consider it the perfect hillbilly guitar. Using Ernie Ball Aluminum Bronze strings.

 

Very curious about how these models will sound after aging a bit.

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This leads me to wonder about the authenticity of the bone nut and saddle claims that RK makes for their Dirty 30's series.

 

Yes indeed they are bone. I once owned two of the 000 models and did lower the saddles. Bone.

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