Victory Pete Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 This has yet to be verified. It's already proven to contribute to neck-heaviness. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitar-pickup-covers-parts/fender-fatfinger-guitar-sustain-enhancer I have one of these someplace, I bought it years ago when Aspen Pittman of GrooveTubes invented it. It does indeed work. I just got sick of looking at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victory Pete Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 I have been looking for the earliest example of the Western Classic other than the original. I can only seem to find them since the Bozeman, Montana era. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victory Pete Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 Sorry, late to the party as often... Â Congrats on your nice catch, HNGD! What a beautiful guitar! Â Yes, I think my "Plain Jane" Martins are jealous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Yes, I think my "Plain Jane" Martins are jealous. That's understood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hogeye Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I have been looking for the earliest example of the Western Classic other than the original. I can only seem to find them since the Bozeman, Montana era. Â Gibson reissued the original Ray Whitley in 1994. They made 37 Brazilian Rosewood guitars. Ren went to Nashville and studied the only Ray Whitley known to have survived. The guitar was such a success that Gibson decided to make the Western Classic as a sort of Whitley look-alike. They couldn't use all of the Whitley design as they promised the Whitley estate they would only make 37. Â The Gibson price list for 1999 shows the first Western Classic offered. It listed on the regular pricelist for $7,849.00. It was gone for a couple of years and then came back in 2003 at a retail of $6,270.00 on the Custom Shop pricelist. Just another example of Gibson's master marketing plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victory Pete Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 Aspen Pittman's was a much better piece of work, The Fathead. I used one on a Strat and a Les Paul to no great effect beyond a heavy headstock.........I wasn't impressed. It's likely that such a device does make some kind of sonic difference, but not to the human ear. Â Mine definitely made a big difference on my HD-28. Never tried it on an electric. An acoustic is so sensitive that I think that is why it was so noticeable. An electric relies on the pickups for the sound. The principle is very simple. Adding mass to the headstock dampens any motion of the headstock which wastes the strings energy. The less energy that is wasted the more sound will be transferred from the string to the soundboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victory Pete Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 Waaaa?!?! How much string energy do you think there is above the nut to be dampened? Nada that contributes to the sound of the guitar, acoustic or electric. By that logic, a Paige-style capo tucked behind the nut when not in use would alter the guitar's sound in some way. Nah. Not gonna happen, Pete. If Pittman's Fathead was such a great tone enhancer why did it die an early death in the marketplace? Hmmmm? Nope, the Fat Finger works, please don't make me go find it and prove it. The headstock of a guitar will ever so slightly vibrate back and forth wasting energy from the string, dampen it and more will be transferred to the soundboard. Basic physics. Read the reviews for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victory Pete Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 I have come up with a picking technique for dealing with low break angle of the 4 ribbon bridge. I simply strum closer to the bridge. I get a nice bright punchy picking attack. I have always liked to strum away from the sound hole. I don't like that sloppy muddy sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 More testing and comparisons. I measured the HD-28 and the Western Classic with my Sound Pressure Meter. They both read around 85 db with the same strumming style for the same chords. I think the Western is slightly louder. It certainly sounds louder as it has a more full sound to it with scooped midrange. The HD has more midrange and less bass. Both seem equally bright thanks to the good ole Rosewood. Again the pick attack is very different between them and being new to Gibson acoustics I am slowly getting used to and enjoying this new sound. I still cant get too comfortable with the Waverly tuners, they are tiny and hard to turn. I don't get what all the fuss is about them. I supposed it would be foolish of me to change them to some vintage looking Ivory Klusons. Â Â waverlys are the best tuner on the market... You don't want them.. Ill buy those from you.. I can think of lots of Gibsons in my stable that would love to have those.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victory Pete Posted September 11, 2016 Author Share Posted September 11, 2016 Okay, Pete...........whatever. I don't need to read reviews as I have used the product for myself and you and basic physics will not convince me the thing is anymore than a gimmick. You like it? Use it. You have used the FatFinger and did not notice a difference? Â http://www.harmonycentral.com/forum/forum/guitar/acapella-41/1116721- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victory Pete Posted September 17, 2016 Author Share Posted September 17, 2016 I had noticed the string height was somewhat low on the treble side, I ordered an unbleached bone saddle blank and some Waverly bone bridge pins from StewMac. They arrived today right on schedule. They all have a nice ivory color and is supposed to be harder than bleached bone. I wonder why they would even bother to bleach them in the first place. After 2 hours in the workshop I have a very different sounding guitar. The lack of treble bite I had before is now gone. It still ain't no Martin but it sure sounds better and more balanced. I left the height a little higher than the previous .100 that came from the factory. I have no idea what it is now. I don't mind the high action, it is only high down by the 12th fret. The nut was cut low enough that open cords and other cords up the neck feel just fine. The bridge pins from the factory are Tusq, they sound "clinkier" than the bone when I drop them on my marble work surface(great for self stick sandpaper), I am not sure what would be better but the bone pins with the colorful abalone dots are keepers. I may drop the saddle a bit in the future but for now "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victory Pete Posted September 17, 2016 Author Share Posted September 17, 2016 I measured, the low E is just a little bit higher than .100, but the little E is now .070 instead of .050. That small amount makes a very significant improvement in volume and tone. If it came this way from the factory I would have never noticed the difference with my HD-28 as much if at all. I also like to keep my neck perfectly straight with no relief, this lowers action and improves tone as it makes the neck more rigid. The rod fighting the string tension gives damping to the neck so as to keep most of the strings energy in the soundboard. Again I am not sure if the bone pins improves tone over the Tusq, but it looks fantastic with the new unbleached saddle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victory Pete Posted September 18, 2016 Author Share Posted September 18, 2016 More breakthroughs. I have never slotted an acoustic saddle before, until today. I kept thinking about the low break over angle of these damn 4 ribbon bridges. The pick attack is different because of the less downward force holding the string firmly down in place. So I figured I would add some very shallow slots to pin it in place. The string cannot move from side to side and waste energy. Sure enough, I have noticed a firmer picking attack and a brighter sound. A D chord now sounds almost as brilliant as my HD-28. Cutting any slots in saddles or nuts is very tricky. You have to get the take off angle right or the string will choke. I gradually have the slot go up and over in the saddle, I had to hit it a few times because it did in fact choke the strings, once you get it right the string will ring out loud and clear. On a nut I make the slot not rounded but straight and at an angle that is in between the neck angle and the fretboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Cogar Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 Stunning guitar those Western Classics. Looking forward to your thought ands a pic or two. Same here. Looking forward too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victory Pete Posted October 7, 2016 Author Share Posted October 7, 2016 The new pickguard arrived. It had some very conspicuous bright spots to it, it stuck out like a sore thumb. I touched up the back of it with a red and black Sharpie, it now looks uniform. I heated up the old guard with a heating iron used to cover model airplanes. It worked great. With patience the old guard lifted off. I was astounded to see how much pitting was underneath, the adhesive had reacted with the nitro, their secret formula that requires only 4 days to cure, that's a laugh. I cleaned the old adhesive with Naphtha, then buffed the area with 4 grits of buffing compound. I then cleaned up with ammonia and water mix. I had some small suction cups hanging around and put them on the new guard in three places to hold and align it in place. I carefully held it over where I thought it should be making sure I had the nasty pitting areas covered and set it down. You get one shot at this. I pushed down around the edges and left the middle to float for now. I don't want to push down the middle only to have the edges lift off. Lets see if it stays down. Â http://s1108.photobucket.com/user/victoryguitarshop/slideshow/New%20Pickguard%20Installation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victory Pete Posted December 2, 2016 Author Share Posted December 2, 2016 Decided to sell this to get an SJ-200 Â http://forum.gibson...._1#entry1816247 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 2, 2016 Share Posted December 2, 2016 Decided to sell this to get an SJ-200 Â http://forum.gibson...._1#entry1816247 Â Â So, let me get this straight. You're selling the Western Classic you bought back in August, and asking full MSRP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted December 2, 2016 Share Posted December 2, 2016 You will take a hit on resale . im almost certain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victory Pete Posted December 2, 2016 Author Share Posted December 2, 2016 So, let me get this straight. You're selling the Western Classic you bought back in August, and asking full MSRP? Â Did you read the posting? If you didn't understand that try adjusting your truss rod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victory Pete Posted December 2, 2016 Author Share Posted December 2, 2016 You will take a hit on resale . im almost certain  Do you almost have a crystal ball? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted December 2, 2016 Share Posted December 2, 2016 Hell no. But ive owned my fair share of sj200s to know. Many western clasics as well . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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