gibson gospel opinions

[blindboygrunt]

Not being a guy who's fussy about laminates ... are gospels any good ? Or just buy a epiphone ?

[MorrisrownSal]

BBG,

 

I played a used one in Los Angeles about a year ago and was not impressed. I can say however that I am very impressed with some of the new Epi offerings. I had an AJ500R which I gave to my oldest son last year, and I finally got a nice AJ500M which I like. But even putting Masterbilts aside, I think the AJ220S, the IB64 Texan, the EJ160 and the Hummingbird Pro are really nice guitars, and they are pretty inexpensive for what you get.

 

Blueridge also makes a Gospel Gibby-esque model that I played in the same visit... it was a nice guitar as well.

 

Actually if I needed to firesale my musical equiptment for financial reasons, and needed to have just one cheap guitar that played well, it would be one of those new Epis.

[milod]

Never played one of those, but...

 

I think a guitar should fit the player in terms of physical geometry as well as the intended purpose.

 

That said... depending on what you're willing to pay, there are some less expensive Gibsons of that large size that get good reviews.

 

I don't know what the OP has been playing either in size or style of music and style of playing. To me, those are major considerations when it comes to buying a guitar.

 

For example, I'm mostly a fingerpicker whether I'm doing light jazz/pop solo or cowboy stuff, and find one of my 16" archtops or a nice little 16-inch lower bout AE Epi just about perfect. Not coincidentally, I started on classical guitars and find that general size and scale quite fitting my short arms and medium-size carcass. I hate to say I've seen some "endowed" young ladies trying to play big body guitars and almost have to chuckle because the playing geometry just obviously doesn't work well, but the git-fiddles are high-end and the girls from Nashville hope to be.

 

I have a batch of slope and square shoulder big bodies (I'm looking to give one away to a kid about to start lessons when his family's home burned down) of general better quality Epi sorts that I use if I'm hanging with some old-time, old-country or 'grass type jams. Ain't used one in a real gig in years.

 

If you can find an Epi Masterbuilt, they're quite nice solid wood instruments. They're Gibson-styled, but one can find arguments whether they're quite "Gibbie" sound or if they're their own sort of nice Gibson-style sound.

 

So... a lot depends on what you're doing. Oh - I'll add that all of my flattops are AE. Some folks don't care for that. I do.

 

m

[ksdaddy]

I briefly owned a '93 Gospel. Bought it cheap because of a side crack that ran almost heel to end block. Fixed it, strung it, it was okay. Sold it to a guy and he raved. He wanted a good Gibson acoustic for a stage guitar that would get thumped. He was happy.

 

It didn't set me on fire but in fairness I didn't spend much time with it and certainly didn't take the time to find the right strings, etc.

[zombywoof]

Don't know anything about the newer versions but if somebody put a gun to my head and told me I had to buy a Gibson built in the 1970s it would darn sure be a Gospel.

[QuestionMark]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8X7TFZ4K2Y

 

I have a 1994 Gibson Gospel Reissue in my collection. Great solid wood top, the back is laminated like an archtop guitar. Looks like a standard blonde dreadnaught for all practical purposes. The guitar is a full size square shouldered guitar. The sides are slightly narrower though than a dreadnaught or a J guitar...making the guitar very comfortable to play. Soundwise, its a very bright sounding instrument...its feel and sound have a lot in common with the new J-35, except for the arched back. The purpose of the arched back was apparently to create a sound chamber of sorts and create a model at the time, like the J35 that could be a bit less expensive to buy. The 90s Gospel Reissues do not really resemble the 70s Gospels much...except the name. Taylor at the time was ravagedly going after the church market of guitarists and the name Gospel was Gibsons attempt to penetrate the market Taylor was taking over. The Gospel Reissue's pickguard resembles the AJs and J35s in size although I can't say whether it is exactly that shape...but similar.

 

The neck has a great feel to it, although it is a bit wider than on most Gibsons. Again, Gibson trying to compete a bit with Taylor. Its a Gibson neck though but with a bit of Taylor influence to it. Great for fingerpicking as the fretboard is a bit wider than the norm.

 

Some have dark wood backs some have light wood backs. The light wood backs highly resemble the color of the lightwood J50s or J45 naturals. Mine has a great natural grain on the top. I compared the top on mine to a top on a recent Dove and its nearly identical.

 

Some Gospel Reissues have a dove on the headstock, some have a different symbol. Dots are on the fretboard.

 

When I got my Gospel Reissue (traded Sam Ash for it with non-sunken in 1965 B45 12 string I never played...as an even trade), I thought well at least I have a six string in my collection I'll play once in awhile. Was surprised how over time the Gospel Reissue has become my favorite guitar to play at music jams due to its volume and EQ. It holds its own against any Martin or Gibson...plus, it can cut through them all for a lead. Its also became my main backup guitar during my on-going gigging (usually to my J-45). Sometimes, if my J-45 is in a bit of a funk mood, I switch to the Gospel Reissue and it serves as my main guitar for awhile and does just fine (until I go back to the J-45.)

 

A lot of people always ask me what model it is when they see it as its not one of Gibsons mainstream models.

 

 

Its far superior to the Epiphone 500 models. Way lighter weight and, though the Epi 500s have very good reputations, the Gospel Reissue is still a Montana made Gibson where the Epi 500s are not.

 

When I've played the great new J35, I've automatically thought way too similar in sound/feel/vibe to my Gibson Gospel Reissue to spend the bucks to buy the J-35 (which I like a lot.)

 

BTW. The Gibson Gospel Reissue is a long scale.

 

I've include in this post a link to a YouTube video of mine of Classical Gas where you can see the Gospel Reissue in its photos. One of the guitars in it is a 1956 New York Epiphone FT79 (the round shouldered guitar) which was used for the sound recording of the video). The other newer looking guitar in the photos in teh video is my 1994 Gibson Gospel (the square shouldered guitar.)

 

Interestingly, the 1956 New York Epiphone FT79 also has a laminated archtop back on it (only its maple. The Gospel Reissue's is mahogany.) Both have solid wood tops. If you recall, Guild (which derived from NY Epiphone)also had a guitar with an arched laminated back. The Gospel Reissue;s arched laminated back might also be a derivative paying homage to it or revisiting the concept.

 

Hope this helps.

 

QM aka Jazzman Jeff

[Maikan]

Hi everybody,

 

I recently did a lot of researches to know a bit more about the 1995 Gibson Gospel I just bought (here in Canada). I mostly found that... a lot of messy and false informations are written. So, yesterday, I wrote to Gibson Talk 2 Us platform, asking if the '90s Gospel reissues have solid mahogany or laminated back and sides. I had an answer 12 hours later!

 

Here's:

 

"Hello Hubert,

They have solid mahogany back and sides. The 70s version is laminated.

Best,

Jordan Hall

Gibson Customer Service"

 

So, the search is over. The Gospel reissues are all solid wood guitars!

 

Keep on playin'!

[Jinder]

I love the '70s Gospels, they're the best of the bunch when it comes to '70s Gibsons. A genuinely lovely guitar, not just "good for a Norlin" ☺️

[Jamin James]

Does anyone know of a Gibson neck with the same specs of a 93 Gospel reissue? It seems to be a bit wider than most any other Gibson I’ve  played. I absolutely love it. I can’t find the specs on it...

[Dave F]

I have a few with the same neck but I don't know what you would call it