cliffenstein Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 We all like to think ourselves capable of servicing our own guitars and some of us really are capable of doing great work, but... I just got my IB64 Texan back from my guy and, my word! I could never make it this perfect. Now my IB64 and AJ-220S have identical Bob Dylan like playability. By that, I mean action like a well set up electric guitar with no buzz at all. If you find someone who can make your guitars feel exactly like what you want then hold on to them. What they do is an art form as far as I'm concerned. And like a really good musician, they make what they do look easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 We all like to think ourselves capable of servicing our own guitars and some of us really are capable of doing great work, but... I just got my IB64 Texan back from my guy and, my word! I could never make it this perfect. Now my IB64 and AJ-220S have identical Bob Dylan like playability. By that I mean action like a well set up electric guitar with no buzz at all. If you find someone who can make your guitars feel exactly like what you want then hold on to them. What they do is an art form as far as I'm concerned. And like a really good musician, they make what they do look easy. Don't forget if you want the really real Dylan feel (poetry) and sound you need to let them strings age and then age again and again - I heard that Bob loved old dull strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffenstein Posted May 16, 2015 Author Share Posted May 16, 2015 While I'm never in a hurry to change my strings, I don't see myself going down the old moldy strings road. Also Dylan used round core mediums. I use hexagonal core lights (D'Addario EJ16). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffenstein Posted May 16, 2015 Author Share Posted May 16, 2015 After getting my Texan back, I decided to have my wife participate in a "blind taste test" to determine which sounded better, the Texan or the AJ-220S. I played the chorus of Neil Young's Comes A Time. (Both guitars now have identical setups and the same set of fresh strings on them.) She chose the Texan and was surprised by her choice. She loves my AJ's vintage burst look and previously kept insisting it sounded better. The Texan has more midrange. Its solid back also gives it a bit more bottom as well. The AJ is no slouch in either area, though. I personally find both instruments to be voiced pretty similarly. The bottom line with these two guitars is, like Epiphone's other solid top (and beyond) guitars, If you put care and attention into them you wind up with a gorgeous looking and sounding guitar. Epiphones are great in a studio or stage environment. I look forward to seeing and hearing how the Recording King RAJ-122 compares to my two Epis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agradeleous Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 +1 to the above . My luthier has way more tools then I at the time knew about . I just used chisel and hammer back in the days . But not now lol I'm waiting for my New Guild 12 string to come home sometime this week she's going to rock I know it. 20yrs ago I had a Yamaha fg312 my Luther in Fla reset the neck and did whatever else and the action was 3/32 or less at 12f fret no buzz she was a 12 string racer the work never needed rework . I sold her about 2 yrs ago to a good musician who loves it as much as I did he also built instruments and commented on the action . My sadness of her loss lead me to the guild lol Love thy Luther well lmao 😄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Gotta admit the whole Bob Dylan playability thing left me scratching my head. Back in the day choices in strings were more limited than these days. I do not think hex core strings were even available when Dylan was making his first LPs. If nothing else though you could always scrounge up some Black Diamonds. The repair guy I use is known as "Doc" by the vintage Martin guys. The last of mine he worked on was a 1930s Regal 12 string that was found sticking out of a trash can. The neck was literally falling off, several to[ braces were loose, and the bridge was lifting. So yeah, I know the value of a repair guy who knows their way around guitars and does not charge you an arm and a leg for the work. The guitar probably plays better now than it did the day it rolled out of the factory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffenstein Posted May 23, 2015 Author Share Posted May 23, 2015 Gotta admit the whole Bob Dylan playability thing left me scratching my head. Bob Dylan is known for having Gibson set the action ridiculously low on the guitars they custom make for him. I read once that "it was the lowest action I've ever seen on an acoustic guitar." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatstrat Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Bob Dylan is known for having Gibson set the action ridiculously low on the guitars they custom make for him. I read once that "it was the lowest action I've ever seen on an acoustic guitar." I read that Tommy Emmanuel's guitars are set so low that they are unplayable by anyone else w/o getting extreme fret buzz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 I read that Tommy Emmanuel's guitars are set so low that they are unplayable by anyone else w/o getting extreme fret buzz. The man himself - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agradeleous Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 The man himself - Yup so true but some luthiers play and can set it up lower then dirt but some neck resets might be needed to accommodate that desire even in newer guitars :) also as I've been learning from the open tunings the 13 -56 is way better like he says but what stinks is if you use many tunings .... Best invest into many guitars LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.