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Just got a 1964/65 Gibson J50. What should I use to amplify it?


Stevie Blue

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I just got a 1964 or 65 Gibson J50 ADJ. It is the one with the adjustable ceramic bridge. It is 100% stock and I would say it is in 8 out of 10 condition. It has been played a lot but very well taken care of.

 

I am going to use this guitar for solo singer songwriter stuff, not in a band setting. Lot of strumming stuff but a little finger style as well.

 

Since the guitar is stock and I don't want to destroy the value of the instrument. So I am not sure if I should install a small internal transducer pickup like the K&K Mini and LR Bags Lyric; use a soundhole type pickup like the LR Baggs M80; or just use a mic.

 

So what would you do if it were yours?

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If it's for recording, just get a mic. If you're playing out with it AND recording, I'd avoid the soundhole pickup. If you're dominantly playing it through a PA, go electric.

 

I just had this same issue with my j45 as I started to play out weekly, but want to do some recordings soon. Decided to buy another guitar [thumbup]

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If it's for recording, just get a mic. If you're playing out with it AND recording, I'd avoid the soundhole pickup. If you're dominantly playing it through a PA, go electric.

 

I just had this same issue with my j45 as I started to play out weekly, but want to do some recordings soon. Decided to buy another guitar [thumbup]

 

Not planning on doing any serious recording. It will be played through a PA or a powered speaker. I have a D-Tar Mama Bear I can use with it.

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I know a touring musician with a 65 - he uses a Sunrise sound hole pickup. The adjustable bridge means there is a lot of hardware down there to complicate under bridge pickups. I have one, and am scratching my head over the same thing.

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Congratulations on the J-50! I also have a 1965 J-50, but it has the rosewood adjustable bridge. I have a vintage DeArmond soundhole pickup that I really like. I had my luthier remove the undersaddle pickup on my 2008 J-50 and I put the DeArmond in it about a year ago.

 

I've only had the 1965 J-50 a few months and haven't drilled a hole for an endpin jack yet, so I'm still using the DeArmond in the 2008 guitar, but one of these days I'll put it into the 65 J-50. Since they are magnetic pickups, they work really well with the Martin Monel Retro strings. Also works fine with phosphor bronze strings, but the bass notes are not as strong.

 

Lightnin' Hopkins used a DeArmond on his J-50, so it seems like the perfect choice for me. But if you are looking for a "natural" sound, it might not be what you want. Here's some more info on DeArmond, if you aren't familiar with them: http://www.littlebrotherblues.com/Gear/DeArmonds/index.html

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Congratulations on the J-50! I also have a 1965 J-50, but it has the rosewood adjustable bridge. I have a vintage DeArmond soundhole pickup that I really like. I had my luthier remove the undersaddle pickup on my 2008 J-50 and I put the DeArmond in it about a year ago.

 

I've only had the 1965 J-50 a few months and haven't drilled a hole for an endpin jack yet, so I'm still using the DeArmond in the 2008 guitar, but one of these days I'll put it into the 65 J-50. Since they are magnetic pickups, they work really well with the Martin Monel Retro strings. Also works fine with phosphor bronze strings, but the bass notes are not as strong.

 

Lightnin' Hopkins used a DeArmond on his J-50, so it seems like the perfect choice for me. But if you are looking for a "natural" sound, it might not be what you want. Here's some more info on DeArmond, if you aren't familiar with them: http://www.littlebrotherblues.com/Gear/DeArmonds/index.html

 

I actually have an old DeArmond pickup. Mine is the oldest one shown in the Little Brother Blues link you provided. It sounds great for the blues, and I am a bluesman. So when I am playing blues, that will be in the J50 for sure with the wire hanging out the front probably. But I am also a singer songwriter and I need a clean good natural acoustic sound for strumming. Hopefully with whatever I decide to go with as a permanent install will allow me to switch to the DeArmond from time to time. For example, I think the Trinity system would allow me to do that. (not running both systems at the same time.)

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The best thing i ever did with my Gibson, when I wanted to be heard, was to get an ES model Gibson. Have you tried this yet?

 

Yes, I have a ES333. It is great for electric sounds. Not so much for acoustic tones. It is more Les Paul like. It wouldn't work for strumming singer songwriter stuff at all.

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