livemusic Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 I have a 1956 Country Western and it is an incredible guitar. At a recent Nashville recording session, the guitar player (better than me by light years!) drooled over it and requested to use it on the session. Came out fabulous. I read somewhere recently that an old CW is simply a J45 with a natural top instead of sunburst. Is this true? It has an incredible sound (and the guitar player wanted to buy it, no kidding). It does not have a J45 'thump' but it definitely has the Gibson 'sound.' It is very light in weight. I really don't know how to describe the sound except 'fabulous,' lol. It sounds 'old.' Plays easy, too. Sure does record well. I found two old CW guitars in Nashville at a shop and they didn't sound nearly as good as mine, so, I am lucky, for sure. One was the identical year, 1956. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 A better statement is it a SJ. But except for cosmetics, I think the specs for the SJ, the CW and J-45 are basically the same at that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 Oh lucky man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scriv58 Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 Here's mine- it is a clear finish southern jumbo and so is yours if it has the split parellelogram fretboard markers http://guitars.com/inventory/ag6471-1957-gibson-country-western Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 The CW was originally known as the SJ Natural, much as the J-50 is really a J-45 natural. I think the CW designation came in around 1955. Before that, in the small pickguard/19 fret years, it was the SJN. Several members here have had mid/late 50's CW's, and they tend to be really good guitars. Ol' Fred had one that was one of the sweetest, easiest-playing slope-J's I've ever had in my hands. I think he sold it to another member here a few years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 The tale says that over in Nazareth the flagship D-45 is more than a blinged up D-28. The big Mart-majesty also has more delicate woods. (the slightly less abeloned D-41/42 bein' more 28ish) If there ever was a similar logic between the J-45/50 and the Southern Jumbo/Country Western, it's unknown to me. Never heard an ant whisper about it. But the topic is intriguing - also regarding the square incarnations. Possible principal conceptual basic differences between identical models as the SJ, the CW and the H-bird are one of life's mysteries to me. Yes, we know about the different p-guard thicknesses. Apart from that I don't believe it. Would dance to be enlightened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 I have a 1956 Country Western and it is an incredible guitar. At a recent Nashville recording session, the guitar player (better than me by light years!) drooled over it and requested to use it on the session. Came out fabulous. I read somewhere recently that an old CW is simply a J45 with a natural top instead of sunburst. Is this true? It has an incredible sound (and the guitar player wanted to buy it, no kidding). It does not have a J45 'thump' but it definitely has the Gibson 'sound.' It is very light in weight. I really don't know how to describe the sound except 'fabulous,' lol. It sounds 'old.' Plays easy, too. Sure does record well. I found two old CW guitars in Nashville at a shop and they didn't sound nearly as good as mine, so, I am lucky, for sure. One was the identical year, 1956. Genes VS Lifestyle? I'm guessing the 60 years each of these three CWs have under their belt has as much to do with their sound as how they were originally made. You never know the 'curing' process of wood once it leaves the factory and takes flight - cold nights, warm days. Seattle? Miami? Phoenix? Kept in case or out? Humidipak? Played at the beach in the salt air for a summer when it was an adolescent? Lived with a teenage smoker for its formative years? You have one that obviously has lived a good life. Keeping true to its care and coddling are an awesome responsibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livemusic Posted November 23, 2017 Author Share Posted November 23, 2017 Here's mine- it is a clear finish southern jumbo and so is yours if it has the split parellelogram fretboard markers http://guitars.com/inventory/ag6471-1957-gibson-country-western Mine does look like that guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livemusic Posted November 23, 2017 Author Share Posted November 23, 2017 The CW was originally known as the SJ Natural, much as the J-50 is really a J-45 natural. I think the CW designation came in around 1955. Before that, in the small pickguard/19 fret years, it was the SJN. Several members here have had mid/late 50's CW's, and they tend to be really good guitars. Ol' Fred had one that was one of the sweetest, easiest-playing slope-J's I've ever had in my hands. I think he sold it to another member here a few years ago. Yep, and that member is me! I bought that very guitar a few years back. Part of the reason I took a chance on it was because somebody bragged on it bigtime, and that must have been you! I just played it again some this morning... ah... sweet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 I just played it again some this morning... ah... sweet! Sounds ideal - but didn't it go through a crash !? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livemusic Posted November 27, 2017 Author Share Posted November 27, 2017 Sounds ideal - but didn't it go through a crash !? Yep, the brown truck guys. Repaired over a few months to where you can't even see it; a masterful job by Joe Glaser shop in Nashville. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 I owed a 1956 SJ for many years and it remains the second best Gibson I ever owned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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