uncle fester Posted December 12, 2018 Share Posted December 12, 2018 Hey Folks, No affiliation, but I was putting together an imaginary shopping cart at Wildwood guitars (to show my wife as a little something something for christmas), and saw they had a vintage 1956 J50. The works been done on it already, I trust the shop so feel the work that was done should be counted on as quality. And it is Christmas, maybe one of you folks will end up with it under your tree. That neck is thin at the nut though 1 9/16... And while your at the site, if you're interested, they've also got a few natural top J45s in their inventory... except for the pick guard, isn't that a J50? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 12, 2018 Share Posted December 12, 2018 It's odd that a '56 would have a 1 9/16" nut rather than 1 11/16", unless the guitar went back to Gibson for some work in the late 60's. That's what happened to my old J-45 when Gibson replaced the fretboard in 1968. The guitar came back with a new fretboard (among other things) but they also narrowed the neck down to 1 9/16" at the nut in the process. Maybe they just didn't have any wider fretboards in stock at that time. Fortunately, they left the fatter 1948-1950 sectional shape largely intact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted December 12, 2018 Share Posted December 12, 2018 It's odd that a '56 would have a 1 9/16" nut rather than 1 11/16", unless the guitar went back to Gibson for some work in the late 60's. That's what happened to my old J-45 when Gibson replaced the fretboard in 1968. The guitar came back with a new fretboard (among other things) but they also narrowed the neck down to 1 9/16" at the nut in the process. Maybe they just didn't have any wider fretboards in stock at that time. Fortunately, they left the fatter 1948-1950 sectional shape largely intact. Yes indeed, the overall profile makes a huge difference if you've got a 1-9/16" nut width. I like narrow necks, but can't get comfortable with some of the late '60s electrics that have very little depth to the profile. Fortunately, both of my '66 instruments have a fair amount of meat on them, and it makes all the difference in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted December 12, 2018 Share Posted December 12, 2018 Think mandolin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 I would think they just got the nut width wrong. The other Wildwood - Jake, has (or at least had) a 1950 SJ coming down the pike. I talked with him about it, however, and he told me there was already a pretty good list of folks waiting to pounce on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliasphobias Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 Also has the post '64 thicker pickguard and double ring rosette. I wonder what makes it a '56? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 Also has the post '64 thicker pickguard and double ring rosette. I wonder what makes it a '56? A '56 would have a V prefix to the FON, which would be unambiguous. If this guitar has a 1956 FON, there may well be a backstory here that we aren't seeing, such as factory repairs that "updated" the guitar, as was done by Gibson to my old J-45 in 1968. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 Maybe they simply reversed the date - So it's a '65, rather than a '56 ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 Maybe they simply reversed the date - So it's a '65, rather than a '56 ??? Could be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 Maybe they simply reversed the date - So it's a '65, rather than a '56 ??? From a quick look at the photos, it looks exactly like my 1965 J-50 but in much worse shape. $4500 for beat up '65 sure wouldn't be any bargain. "Lots of beautiful natural checking and dings" LOL ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 "Lots of beautiful natural checking and dings" LOL ;) Sort of like saying a set of bald tires is nicely broken in. As you say, that's a pretty high price for a '65 in so-so shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 As you say, that's a pretty high price for a '65 in so-so shape. Actually I'd say it's an outrageous price, unless things have changed a lot since I got mine at Guitar Center in 2015. They were originally asking $3,300 but marked it down to $2.400 after it sat around for over 6 months. I offered $2,000 and they didn't even haggle. I looked around at other stores back then, and $2,400 was in line with other reputable stores with J-50's of that age and condition. But surely a place like Wildwood knows the difference between 1956 and 1965.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 Well done, Bob. And corroborated by Boyd, yes? Boyd- does the case look correct for a 65? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fsharp Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 Hey Billroy Maybe this will help you out with your Christmas wish list? https://www.thaliaca...r-for-christmas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 And corroborated by Boyd, yes? Boyd- does the case look correct for a 65? I can't "corroborate" anything... just saying that it looks the same as my '65 J-50 based on a quick look. Here are a few pix of mine. I don't have the original case for my '65 J-50, but this is the original from my 1974 J-50. I couldn't afford a "real" case back then, so I got this one but suspect it might have been a cheap generic case that the shop offered. No labels or anything to indicate it is a Gibson case. It's really nasty, has a moldy smelll... I banished it to the attic awhile ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holiday Hoser Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 I agree with Boyd and at that price you better have a pretty large tree to put it under, as in redwood. Holiday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 I don't have the original case for my '65 J-50, but this is the original from my 1974 J-50. I couldn't afford a "real" case back then, so I got this one but suspect it might have been a cheap generic case that the shop offered. No labels or anything to indicate it is a Gibson case. It's really nasty, has a moldy smelll... I banished it to the attic awhile ago. Even those chipboard cases usually had a little rectangular metal Gibson label on the outside near the handle, as I recall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 Yeah, but this case never had any label at all. The J-50 was a very tight fit, and it provided virtually no protection for the guitar (it is thin chipboard that doesn't seal very well when closed). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 I agree with Boyd Not sure what you "agree" with, but I just said it looks like my 1965 J-50, based on a quick look. I have no idea what year that Wildwood guitar was made. I'm sure the store could answer your questions if you contact them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 Say, that is a nasty looking one (the case that came with Boyd's). . . looks like that case might have a bad case of something, and I think my first case had it, too. Also knew the corroborate was not going to fly under the radar- 'was expecting BBG to chime in, but he's probably already gotten corroborated. The case on the Wildwood listing is that blotchy cowboy pattern, and 'am not sure if it had showed up by '56: A 1956 J-45 on left (might not be orig nut), the Wildwood listing on the right (unusual "wear"[?] on the sides of the headstock): Nice checking on the Wildwood J-50, though: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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