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What Gibson is Gram playing?


Dash_Starkiller

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So it looks like a Dove setup the same way as a J160e. Now in the book fabulous flattops, there is also a picture of a J200 with the same setup. However I’ve never seen one for sale or even mentioned? Does anyone have any experience with any of these models?

 

https://i.imgur.com/m3fDu5x.jpg

 

Back in the those days people would order special guitars with certain features that they may have seen on another guitar.If that's Gram's he either custom ordered it that way or maybe found in at a pawnshop or instrument store ... But it was most likely custom ordered from the factory like that.Look at my 61 Everly Bros post and you will see an Everly brothers guitar with J 200 trim .the model is a Dove without a doubt

 

 

 

 

JC

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Back in the those days people would order special guitars with certain features that they may have seen on another guitar.If that's Gram's he either custom ordered it that way or maybe found in at a pawnshop or instrument store ... But it was most likely custom ordered from the factory like that.Look at my 61 Everly Bros post and you will see an Everly brothers guitar with J 200 trim .the model is a Dove without a doubt

 

 

 

 

JC

 

Thanks JC! I should have been more clear in my original post, my apologies. I was referring to the electronics. There seems to be a p90 right below the neck where you’d see one on a j160e. Looks to be factory as well.

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Thanks JC! I should have been more clear in my original post, my apologies. I was referring to the electronics. There seems to be a p90 right below the neck where you’d see one on a j160e. Looks to be factory as well.

Yeah,

 

Either Gram or the original owner ordered this Dove with J160e electronics.You could do that back then.

 

 

 

 

JC

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It's fair to believe your dialog draw a circle around the guitar.

Wonder where this tuno-O-matic saddled waffle tuner blessed Dove is today. Actually it should be possible to detect with those electronics.

I sometimes think the shown picture is the reason Gram Parsons is mentioned here and there in Hummingbird-ads. Ergo a misunderstanding, , ,

if I'm not the one who's wrong. Just never saw him with a Bird.

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Here's Taj Mahal playing it with Keith n gram looking on

Good find ^

We need to mention mister Parsons played a Epiphone Frontier, which can contribute to the mistake as well.

And sure, , , there are pics of G.P. with a blonde H-bird. Richards' of course.

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Those photos were taking at Joshua Tree during the Stones 1969 tour as well as the one with Taj Mahal. They were all taken by the same photographer. The Joshua Tree stuff was actually taken from a short piece of film. There is an interview with Chris Hillman who stated that in late 1968 he had gotten so fed up with Parsons showing up late and stoned that he put his fist through Parson's Dove. In the interview Hillman added that the guitar was horrible and sounded bad.

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There is an interview with Chris Hillman who stated that in late 1968 he had gotten so fed up with Parsons showing up late and stoned that he put his fist through Parson's Dove. In the interview Hillman added that the guitar was horrible and sounded bad.

Ouch, , , sure hope it wasn't a heavier braced 68 Dove, , , though something speaks for it.

Luckily it didn't seem to inhibit Hillman's further playing. Then again how do we measure that. .

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Those photos were taking at Joshua Tree during the Stones 1969 tour as well as the one with Taj Mahal. They were all taken by the same photographer. The Joshua Tree stuff was actually taken from a short piece of film. There is an interview with Chris Hillman who stated that in late 1968 he had gotten so fed up with Parsons showing up late and stoned that he put his fist through Parson's Dove. In the interview Hillman added that the guitar was horrible and sounded bad.

 

Hillman probably either didn't like maple or he didn't like the tuneomatic bridge... Tone as we know is subjective, I seriously doubt Gram would own a guitar that wasn't pleasing to his own ears.Given that GP also owned an Epi Frontier and a J 200 (which Emmylou had rebuilt and now owns) he was an obvious fan of maple.To some people anything that isn't rosewood will sound "horrible"

 

 

 

JC

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I played an Epi Frontier identical to the one Gram owned last week, a ‘62. Absolutely amazing, jaw dropping, beautiful guitar. Unbelievable tone.

 

The Altamont guitar! About six months back I passed on a '63 Frontier a friend offered to sell me at a substantial "friend's discount."

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Either Hillman did not do much damage to the guitar when he punched it out or Parsons had it repaired. Here is a photo of the Byrds at the Grand Ole Opry in 1968 with McGuinn playing the 'lectrified Dove. So unless there were two of these, it seems to have survived just fine.

 

What Hillman might not have liked about the sound of the Dove was it plugged in. If I recall, John Lennon might have agreed which would explain why he moved the P-90 on his second J-160E to below the soundhole.

 

Byrds_with_Dove.png

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I had a 61 Hummingbird like that.. factory p90.. as well as a J50E from 56....

 

I would call that a J-160e Natural. It has all the J-160 appointments--fretboard, headstock, pickguard--but a natural finish. There's not much J-50 about it, except for the body shape and natural top. Was it built like a J-50, or a J-160?

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I would call that a J-160e Natural. It has all the J-160 appointments--fretboard, headstock, pickguard--but a natural finish. There's not much J-50 about it, except for the body shape and natural top. Was it built like a J-50, or a J-160?

 

 

It is stamped on the back strip J50 e.

 

 

 

 

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Wow that is something I didn't expect. I had no idea there were so many of these acoustics built with the electronics. Thanks for the insight.

 

Ive been collecting for the better part of over 40 years.. the 61 Bird P90 (in this year) and the J50E are the only ones Ive seen and owned.... I have seen a J180E as well as the Dove with a P90 . simular to whats shown in the thread..

 

I did see as well a 63 or 4 Hummingbird with the P90.. that was in a vintage guitar shop in Post Falls Id... Im sure theres more out there.. No idea where though.

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