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Old pic found


ksdaddy

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This pic was taken in 1949. My father is in the foreground with the handgun (no shock there). My uncle Willie is at the piano and my uncle Harold has my father's J-45. As the story goes, he drove to Viner's Music in Bangor, ME and asked for the "cheapest Gibson you've got".

 

I have no idea what ever became of it or what he owned over the next few years. My earliest recollection was the 1963 Southern Jumbo he bought new and kept until about 1970.

 

2q83j8n.jpg

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[thumbup] [thumbup] Absolutely great photo. A "slice of life" caught in that very moment it happened. That old adage about "a picture speaks a thousand words" is proven in this photo. This kind of thing is real inspiring to me. I enjoy looking at old photos...... Lots of story and songs in that pic. Your dad, his gun, the guitar, your two uncles, even the piano....and the picture on the wall of a pretty woman...Mom? Grandma? Aunt? Another song in that. And below that pic is a photo of a couple. That's another song. And then there's even a song about all the good memories about that house. Ksdaddy, you've got a treasure chest in front of you. Thanks for sharing the gold. [thumbup]
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...Lots of story and songs in that pic. Your dad, his gun, the guitar, your two uncles, even the piano....and the picture on the wall of a pretty woman...Mom? Grandma? Aunt? Another song in that. And below that pic is a photo of a couple. That's another song. And then there's even a song about all the good memories about that house. Ksdaddy, you've got a treasure chest in front of you. Thanks for sharing the gold. [thumbup]

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Pip.

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As the story goes, he drove to Viner's Music in Bangor, ME and asked for the "cheapest Gibson you've got".

 

That's funny. I purchased my 1974 J-50 new at a music store in Bangor (can't remember the name). I chose it because it was the cheapest Gibson they had. [biggrin]

 

Very cool picture!

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Curious... is that an early Ruger .22? Can't see much of it.

 

It's very likely. I was going to guess that but I didn't know when they came out. Dad had a gazillion guns. Only a few at a time, but he traded every couple weeks just for fun.

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That's funny. I purchased my 1974 J-50 new at a music store in Bangor (can't remember the name). I chose it because it was the cheapest Gibson they had. [biggrin]

 

I'm betting it was Viner's. Huge store. The main store was on the first floor, pianos and organs on the second floor, and Sam Viner had a little junk shop on the third floor where he tinkered. I remember seeing a Mosrite Ventures hanging in Sam's junk shop for $150, every Teisco tulip body ever made for $29 a pop, and more.

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..and the picture on the wall of a pretty woman...Mom? Grandma? Aunt? Another song in that. And below that pic is a photo of a couple.

 

Yep, that's Mom, still vibrant, active, and sassy at 88. She mows 2.4 acres. That couple was mom and dad's wedding, August 29, 1947.

 

My grandfather was an entrepreneur with varied interests and money here and there, a nice house in the 'good' section of town, right up the street from Sen. Susan Collins' family, plus a big farm in New Sweden. (Dad and Susan's father used to stand on the street corner in long "car coats" in the winter and pass a pint back and forth...picture a couple young Frank Sinatras looking for trouble). After my grandfather died, the 'nice' house got sold, as did the farm, and they had a small house built on the outskirts of town...more or less a shotgun shack. They started popping babies out and shortly after I came along in 1960, they sold the house for the insane price of $4500. I don't really remember it. I think we moved out in 1962. I think it got torn down in the early 80s.

 

Sorry, I ramble.

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As authentic as it gets ^ look at the checkered photo-paper lacquer also.

 

 

 

 

 

Dont shoot the piano player!

 

With that timeless A-minor fixed and ready probably : House of the Rising Gun

 

 

 

(could it be of them long barreled Mausers)

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This pic was taken in 1949. My father is in the foreground with the handgun (no shock there). My uncle Willie is at the piano and my uncle Harold has my father's J-45. As the story goes, he drove to Viner's Music in Bangor, ME and asked for the "cheapest Gibson you've got".

 

I have no idea what ever became of it or what he owned over the next few years. My earliest recollection was the 1963 Southern Jumbo he bought new and kept until about 1970.

 

2q83j8n.jpg

 

 

 

Great shot.... err photo!

 

It looks like your dad is about to make your uncle 'dance' like in the old cowboy movies!

 

 

BluesKing777.

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My first thought was the Ruger but I agree with the HighStandard. Ruger did not come out with a bull barrel until 1963. But I'll take the 46 Gibson over the 22 any day! "The cheapest Gibson" the evolution of thevintage guitar market is amazing. I have never played a 40s or 50s J45 or Southern Jumbo and probably never will. I still have not played the cooked top J45, as we no longer have a Gibson dealer in AK. I have two 45s, one war time and the other modern. Unfortunately the Gibson is not the war time one. Though I would not trade the war time Colt for a war time Gibson. It was my Dad's and there are too many memories.

 

Chas

 

PS Thanks for the great picture and the walkdown memory lane

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My first thought was the Ruger but I agree with the HighStandard. Ruger did not come out with a bull barrel until 1963. But I'll take the 46 Gibson over the 22 any day! "The cheapest Gibson" the evolution of thevintage guitar market is amazing. I have never played a 40s or 50s J45 or Southern Jumbo and probably never will. I still have not played the cooked top J45, as we no longer have a Gibson dealer in AK. I have two 45s, one war time and the other modern. Unfortunately the Gibson is not the war time one.

 

Chas

 

PS Thanks for the great picture and the walkdown memory lane

 

 

Hey Chas, can you play "House of the Rising Sun" on an M1911?

 

Don't give up on finding an old J-45 at a rational price. Thousands were built, and there are people here who have found them at estate sales and flea markets for decent prices. It's just luck of the draw. Retrorod's late 1940's SJ from a few years ago comes to mind.

 

I found a late 1940's SJ on Craigslist for pretty cheap about five years ago, but it needed a fair amount of work to be made right. It had been the guy's father's guitar, and he knew only vaguely what it was. I made a fair but slightly lowball offer, but another guy paid full asking price. I'm kicking myself for trying to save $200 on that one.

 

Purely as musical instruments, modern J-45's can be a match to old ones, even if they lack the vintage vibe and road wear.

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