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NGD 1965 Country Western Model


Jack6849

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When I was just starting to play, the Gibson dealer in my small Iowa hometown had a guitar that sat on a floor stand in the front window of his store (out of direct sunlight) for what had to be over a year. It was 1965 and I had just gotten my driver's license. Every time I got my dad's 1953 Chrysler Windsor that year, usually on Friday and Saturday nights, I'd rip the strip with my friends, driving by it over and over. Each time we passed, I'd stare at that Gibson "Country Western Model" and wish it was mine, but there was no way I could afford anything even close. (In 1967 my folks bought me a new Gibson "LG0" for graduation. It was my first really good guitar, and I loved it, but I never forgot the "Country Western Model".

 

Today,forty-seven years after first seeing one,I bought a 1965 "Country Western Model" at Dave's Guitar Shop,in La Crosse, Wisconsin. I don't know why it took me so long to fulfill this dream, (over the years I've taught guitar and played professionally), but I guess I was just never offered one to buy exactly like the one that had haunted me in that window... When, during a telephone conversation we were having on another topic (regarding a Gibson Custom Shop "'59 Les Paul Standard" that I ordered), Dave mentioned having just gotten this guitar in,I had him send me a picture, and then, I ended up driving seven hours (round trip) tonight to make the deal for it.

 

Anyway, now I'm looking for info on the Gibson "Country Western Model". I realize that even though I've wanted one forever, I know very little about the model, its history, its production numbers, its reputation....etc. When I was young, it seemed really fancy,what with the parallelogram inlays, the bound fretboard, the wild pickguard, the MOP headstock inlay and logo, and the adjustable bridge, but for all the lusting after it that I did when I was sixteen, I really know next to nothing about its place in the market, its origin, its popularity, its reputation, or even how much it must have cost back in the day. I do have a couple of guitar history books, and I will also search the web, but I thought our Gibson Forum members would probably have some info that I could use,so I started here.

 

No matter what the world's opinion of my "new" Gibson "was" and "is", this particular guitar model will always occupy a special place in my heart and in my history with music, but I would appreciate anything on it that Forum members might have to contribute. If this topic has been covered too much here, I understand, and I will keep looking around, but I thought this might be a good place to begin my education on the topic of the Gibson "Country Western" model, so thank you in advance for anything relevant.

 

Jack6849

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Wow. I can only imagine how that guitar sounds... congratulations.

 

I owned a reissue of an early 60's country western call the Sheryl Crow. Square shoulders. Short scale. Spruce over mahogany. 1 23/32 nut width. It was one of the best guitars I ever owned, and I made a mistake selling her.

 

Post pictures if you can? A sound clip maybe? Mine had a nice low end growl and it was a great strummer.

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Congratulations on the CW, made in 65' it should sound outstanding, with the lighter 'pre-68' bracing and short scale. The CW essentially is a Hummingbird without the make-up, in other words a sweet guitar.

 

Please do post some pics and sound sample if possible.

 

Enjoy !

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The CW was the natural top version of the SJ.

 

Congrats on the new guitar!

 

I will never forget my first guitar - a 1930s Martin archtop. A friend of the family had it sitting in their closet and knowing I wanted a guitar in the worst way gave to me as a birthday present. I did not know a good guitar from a can of tuna back then so I did not care what it was. All I knew was it was a real guitar and I treasured it.

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As EA and Zomb says, the C & W is basically a blonde Southern Jumbo or Hummingbird.

 

Like the SJ, it existed as slope before following the fashion and going square in 1962. You'll notice that the pick-guard is thinner than the Bird's though, and some have speculated if that gives the C & W and SJ lesser honey-tone – more edge. That's a standing mystery and don't hesitate to post pictures and sound-tests of yours. They would be welcome.

 

Finally purchasing this old dream is a scoop – one of those things that sooner or later just had to be done. Congratulations.

 

 

 

 

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Every six months or so, I want to post an image to this Forum, and I can never remember how to do it, but I think I finally have the photo for you that Laun at Dave's Guitar Shop took yesterday to send me before I went up to La Crosse and made the deal for this guitar, so here goes.... enjoy a peek at my "new" 1965 Gibson "Country Western Model". Thanks to Forumites for your comments, observations, and general interest. Does anyone here perhaps have an idea as to this guitar's original MSRP? As you can see, it's pretty cool. Sounds and plays great too. After all this time, its acquisition has really made my day (week, month, and year) ...

 

gibson1965countrywester.jpg[/img]

 

Thanks to all, (and any more information on the Gibson "Country Western Model" would still be very much appreciated).

Jack6849

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It is indeed in fine shape, and yes, the adjustable saddle seems to be ceramic. Is that considered to be either a plus or a minus? It's unlikely that I would change the guitar from its original state anyway, but I did wonder what the verdict was among Gibson-knowledgeable folks as to its effect upon the guitar's overall tone.

 

Funny you'd mention the interior label. That was one of the distinctive features that I most remembered from long-ago when the Gibson "Country Western Model" that sat in the window of my hometown music store was my passion. Its oval label, in addition to being Beige in color, had a graphic art western rope design around its perimeter. When I saw that unique label again for the first time in over forty-five years, my memory banks burst open and the ensuing flood completely obliterated all traces of sales resistance.

 

One look and I knew that this guitar would be mine before the day was over.

 

Thanks.

Jack6849

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I fully understand what you've been through and it's great. One of those incidents that brings the universe towards balance.

 

Regarding the adjustable saddle, this is a major issue and a vital key to the sound of the guitar. We have talked a lot about it here, so see if you can find the threads.

 

If not, you are welcome to PM me and I will provide some advice.

 

In rough, the clue is to bring the saddle in contact with the top and try different materials. A groovy all winter occupation.

 

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That`s a lovely looking C&W Jack, it looks as though it`s been well looked after.

 

As for the ADJ saddle question, I would say if you like the guitar as it is then leave well alone. The ADJ saddle has a bad reputation for killing tone and volume, but my 62 Texan sounds warm and wonderful with it, and my 2004 McCartney re-issue Texan is pretty loud with the same saddle, so I am a fan.

 

I hope you and your dream guitar have many happy years together, I had the same feeling as you when I finally got my 62 Texan last year [biggrin]

 

Steve.

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It sounds great and it will stay original. The bass response of this guitar is as impossible to describe as its overall tone. I guess I'd just say it sounds like a forty-seven year-old Gibson acoustic; aged and awesome... a sound almost impossible to achieve in a new guitar. Gibson has always done such a good job with big-body Mahogany and Maple acoustics. They still do. Killer tone and an overall vibe unlike anything else... Hey! It's a Gibson... This one, for me, is a time machine.

 

Thanks to Forumites for comments,

Jack6849

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It sounds great and it will stay original.

Sounds good - I been walking around keen on putting the ceramic back in my '63 SJ - just for a revisit.

To top the experiment even bought silk'n'steel strings in case it becomes too sharp.

 

Your post might get me goin'. . . .

 

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