ElChris Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Just thought I'd pick you guys brain as I played this guitar today and it was incredible! I was at my local music store and the guy there said I should give it a try. I've been a customer there for a few years now and we often share acoustic preferences so even though I wasn't super interested in "yet another signature guitar" I picked it up and gave it sum pickin. Breaks my heart i wasn't able to bring it home with me as it was by far one of the sweetest sounding guitars I've ever played. Dry, woody and super resonant! That top sure wasn't hard to get moving I tell ya. Then I played the John Mayer Martin (also adi top if I'm not mistaken) and was like "meh". I'm afraid the gibson ruined me for other guitars, at least for a while. Sure hope it passes. I really can't get over that Bluesmaster. Anyways I thought I should share this with fellow minded people and maybe hear if any of you guys have any experience with this guitar? The guy at the store said he had played over twenty examples of the bluesmaster and that specific guitar was the best he ever came across, so I'm guessing the Gibson legacy of having lots of variations between individual specimens lives on? Or are they all extraordinary? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jjunk Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 One of my favorite Gibsons! I chose the L-1 over it, but that was not an easy choice. They're both amazing 12-fret small-body wide-nut blues boxes with gorgeous sunbursts... how could one go wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 I've only played one at GC….It was NOT good sounding…and was very expensive….. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 The Kebb Mo Martin is outstanding.. The Kebb Mo Gibson is as well.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bram99 Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 I think the "Gibsons are inconsistent " narrative that commonly appears on other forums is usually nothing more than other brand fanboys repeating what they have heard. I have played more than a hundred new Gibson acoustics over the last ten years and the only duds I ever encountered were abused Guitar Center (SF) specimens in a room that had even more abused Martin duds. I have played 4-5 different KebMo's and they all were very very nice...a couple were spectacular...but I would have been happy with the tone of any of them. I owned a 2013 KebMo bluesmaster and loved it...still probably the most comfortable neck I ever played....1.8 in nut and nice thick neck profile. The volume and clarity were amazing but I let it go because I was having some shoulder issues just do the the geometry of the small body and the 12 fret neck. The LG2 just works better for me, but I really miss that tone and volume of the KebMo. It was great for finger style as one would expect, but I found it to be great for strumming chords and you could really push it without overdriving the top. I am in a long slow process of downsizing, so some nice stuff has come and gone lately.....Of all of the guitars I have let go, this one (and a 69 martin 00-16c) still haunts me the most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 For me the guitar has a big strike against it right out the box - the name Keb Mo being on it. Yeah, I know, pretty petty of me. So no big surprise I never owned one but I have played a couple. Problem is evaluating guitars is generally impossible for me. If nothing else we have a tendency to compare them to what we already own. And since taste will vary so will opinions. And right now it appears the small body guitar to compare to and beat just may be that Collings-made Waterloo. But in general, you gotta love the Epi-style French heel neck on the Keb Mo which does set it apart from other offerings. The sound on the couple I have played was very nice. Not saying I liked it better than say a 1930s L-00 but certainly good enough to make the guitar a contender. But as always the question it comes down to is the sound and feel worth that kind of scratch. For me the answer is no. I own and can find guitars I like better for less money. But for somebody else the answer may just be a big Oh Yeah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vacamartin Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 I think the "Gibsons are inconsistent " narrative that commonly appears on other forums is usually nothing more than other brand fanboys repeating what they have heard. Every Gibson I come across I play, and nary a "dud" among any! The "Keb Mo" that I've played have been the best sounding(IMHO) of all the newer small Gibsons...............now if I can find an L-20 to affordably play........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElChris Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 I think the "Gibsons are inconsistent " narrative that commonly appears on other forums is usually nothing more than other brand fanboys repeating what they have heard. I have played more than a hundred new Gibson acoustics over the last ten years and the only duds I ever encountered were abused Guitar Center (SF) specimens in a room that had even more abused Martin duds. I have played 4-5 different KebMo's and they all were very very nice...a couple were spectacular...but I would have been happy with the tone of any of them. I kinda feel the same way about the gibson bashing but at the same time inconsistency doesn't necessarily imply a high amount of duds but more among the line of some "sonic wiggle room" within the same model? I'm nowhere close to having played over 100 gibsons but my limited experience suggests the latter scenario. I also played a 00015sm and the John Mayer and those exact guitars where definetly closer to the abused GC category so I get your point and definetly agree with the amount of Martin duds out there. Interestingly enough the best Martin I've played was a damaged d28 in that category with loose braces or something it was grrrreat haha. Funny enough my j45 sounded great with a cracked back brace (middle one) too.. Anyways, glad to hear you guys have played several good specimens of the Keb Mo that way I might find another one I the not too distant future Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMELEYE Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Played a used one in Toronto about a year ago and was unimpressed. I wanted to like it and had gone there expressly to "try it and buy it" but I heard way too much bass and not nearly enough clarity in the trebles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayyj Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Having played many hundreds of good quality acoustics working in retail and managing a repair shop for a long time, I'm a little skeptical of a lot of the stuff I read on forums. The bottom line is that any company producing tens of thousands of instruments a year is building to manufacturing tolerences, and so there is bound to be variation from one the the next of a given model - but that, if we're looking at the big brands in US acoustic building, any guitar made within those tolerences is likely to be a good guitar for the money. I would probably stick my neck out and say I think there is slightly more variation between examples from Gibson than I hear in Martins and possibly Taylors, but still, whether you buy a Gibson, Martin or Taylor the likelihood is you bought a very good guitar. Of course, if you have several guitars of the same model that sound different, then personal preference comes into which one you prefer, and I think a lot of people who say they ran the racks and picked out a 'gem' from the 'duds' are confusing subjective opinion with objective fact. One man's dull and lifeless could easily be the next guy's sweet and woody, and one man's bright and punchy could be the next guy's harsh and brash - it's all subjective. But hey, going on the internet complaining about how people on forums are too judgemental and lacking in objectivity is a bit like going the north pole and complaining about it being a bit chilly. All that said, I've never had the chance to play a Keb Mo and I'll own up and say I don't really know who the guy is, but it's a great looking guitar. I'd love to see more 12 fretters from Gibson - an Argentine Gray L2 reissue or even a 12 fret Nick Lucas would be amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 All that said, I've never had the chance to play a Keb Mo and I'll own up and say I don't really know who the guy is, but it's a great looking guitar. You are not missing much unless you are a fan of his version of pop blues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElChris Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 Having played many hundreds of good quality acoustics working in retail and managing a repair shop for a long time, I'm a little skeptical of a lot of the stuff I read on forums. The bottom line is that any company producing tens of thousands of instruments a year is building to manufacturing tolerences, and so there is bound to be variation from one the the next of a given model - but that, if we're looking at the big brands in US acoustic building, any guitar made within those tolerences is likely to be a good guitar for the money. I would probably stick my neck out and say I think there is slightly more variation between examples from Gibson than I hear in Martins and possibly Taylors, but still, whether you buy a Gibson, Martin or Taylor the likelihood is you bought a very good guitar. Of course, if you have several guitars of the same model that sound different, then personal preference comes into which one you prefer, and I think a lot of people who say they ran the racks and picked out a 'gem' from the 'duds' are confusing subjective opinion with objective fact. One man's dull and lifeless could easily be the next guy's sweet and woody, and one man's bright and punchy could be the next guy's harsh and brash - it's all subjective. But hey, going on the internet complaining about how people on forums are too judgemental and lacking in objectivity is a bit like going the north pole and complaining about it being a bit chilly. What you said! Most guitars are good but there r some fine nuances between each individual. At least that's how I read it, correct me if I got it wrong. I think it's great how this forums consist of people with tons of experience, as opposed to my very limited encounter with (let's face it) few guitars. I also think it is wise to differentiate between taste and facts. If tastes are based on subjectivity it cannot be discussed in an purely objective manner. What we can do is to accept that and not let it color our entire view of different guitars, tone woods or musicians. If people did that we would probably encounter fewer rants about how all Gibsons suck and how every U2 song sound the same (although they do). Like you said it's all subjective. In my case I love the dull and boxy sound that many of my friends dislike or think of as boring. Funny enough I have the best set of ears between us (scientifically speaking in case of picking up most frequencies and sources of sounds) so who knows if that have something to do with my dull sounding preferences Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElChris Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 Oh yeah, I have no idea who he is either :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 I tried one at GC and it's so hard to say as who knows how long the strings have been on there and how many people have played it after eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It didn't do it for me but with a little TLC, well, it could have seemed like a different instrument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 I think the "Gibsons are inconsistent " narrative that commonly appears on other forums is usually nothing more than other brand fanboys repeating what they have heard./quote] I wodner if some of this goes back to design changes in the mid 50s-early 60s, particularly udner Norlin. Its also been said that there was a bad patch in Bozeman, roughly from 93-96, which reifornced that image. In any case, as Bram syas, the legend lives one. GIbsons may vary some but frankly, so to Martins. Taylors are consistent, but so what? About those KMos. They are a short run so they are if anything more likely to hew to a standard. The adi tops are a premium feature. Im not wild about the appointments but I got to play one in December and thought it was a little powerhouse. Like the sig man's music or no, its a decent little box. Re CE, I think the 12-fret design might account for the bass-treble balance that you noticed. One man's dark and bassy, hwoever, might be another's rich and blanaced. It didnt sound pinched, like some small bodies do. Cheers, R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Here is what I do not get. You do hear the "Gibsons are inconsistent: chant all over the place. Yet if you read the various forums, everybody who buys a Gibson gets one that is a best of the breed. Where the heck are all those that don't quite measure up. You would think music shop walls would be overflowing with unsold guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 If anything, guitars made before 1950 when Gibson was re-organized and re-tooled would be the more inconsistent. The days when a part was done when somebody thought it looked close enough were fading very fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Here is what I do not get. You do hear the "Gibsons are inconsistent: chant all over the place. Yet if you read the various forums, everybody who buys a Gibson gets one that is a best of the breed. Where the heck are all those that don't quite measure up. You would think music shop walls would be overflowing with unsold guitars. Right, Z. I think this is not so much a case of direct experience/buyers remorse but rather urban legend promulgated by the likes who would never deign to touch a Gibson in the first place. You know, free floating opinionizing. Kinda like supply sde economics (duck!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Here is what I do not get. You do hear the "Gibsons are inconsistent: chant all over the place. Yet if you read the various forums, everybody who buys a Gibson gets one that is a best of the breed. Where the heck are all those that don't quite measure up. You would think music shop walls would be overflowing with unsold guitars. Gibsons ain't necessarily inconsistent: they're just individuals. I've been switching between my 1948 J-45 and my Fuller's '43 SJ re-issue a lot for the last two weeks. Both are the same body size/type and woods, similar bracing pattern (but very different bracing carves), separated by some 60 years in age. Both are wonderful guitars, but they are as different as chalk and cheese. The modern SJ is refined and balanced, with great sustain for a 'hog guitar. It sings sweetly. The old J-45 is cranky and brash, all whiskey and tobacco: shockingly articulate in mid and upper registers, thunky bass. More like Hank Williams than Andy Williams. Inconsistent? Damn right. Both great? Damn right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Here is what I do not get. You do hear the "Gibsons are inconsistent: chant all over the place. Yet if you read the various forums, everybody who buys a Gibson gets one that is a best of the breed. Where the heck are all those that don't quite measure up. You would think music shop walls would be overflowing with unsold guitars. Its just human nature. Everyone wants to think that 'their' Gibson model is the 'Best in Show'. Sure as hell beats coveting someone else's guitar all your life... ....and there are a lot of guitars out there waiting for owners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonSenf Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Oh yeah, I have no idea who he is either :P Me neither but one with no name on the truss rod cover and a natural finished top followed me home from Texas last week. The darn thing sounded so good I had to give it a new home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 OWF, the one you messed must have had set-up issues or bad strings, because given your affinity for small body Gibsons, it should have caught your ear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 I've only played one, and it's owned by a gal who is kind of a local blues legend around here. She loves the Keb Mo and the pro players who hear her make comments like "Man, that guitar cries the blues." No doubt her style of playing contributes greatly, but she really loves her guitar too. And I enjoy reading the "Gibsons are inconsistent threads." Great entertainment and proof that human beings can be pretty damn stupid.....As Zomby said, you'd think that music stores would have all these Gibsons sitting around. Places like GC would be swamped with new Gibsons no one wants and used ones that no one kept........For me, each Gibson is different. The Hummingbird being finished at this moment is different from the one finished 30 minutes ago, and I'm glad they're that way. I don't want my "bird" being just like your "bird." If I wanted a quality instrument that came off of a cookie cutter design and is literally identical to all it brethren that share the same name and dimensions and consistently same sound, I'd buy a Taylor. Nice guitars, but just not me. Never played a Taylor that called my name. It may be that my hearing is bad and that's why I don't hear Taylors, but I can hear it when a Gibson speaks to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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