CowboyBillyBob1 Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 So I went to Guitar Center to buy an Epiphone Dot or similarly priced semi-hollow body guitar. I’ve never owned one and for the asking price of $399 USD minus a 15% discount coupon I figured why not. I got the very nice salesman to set me up in the high end amp room so I could have a little peace and quiet. He brought me over the Dot and it really did not cut it, even at that low price. He brought over other similar Epi’s and I just did not like them. I am used to owning and playing higher end guitars from Gibson, Fender, and Martin. The exception being a Squire 50’s Vibe Tele which is an amazing instrument. In any case he brings in a Gibson ES-339. It was nice but about 4X as much as I wanted to spend. Besides the guitar did not blow me away. When he comes back in the room to see how I was doing (nice guy, no pressure and lets me play them a long time). I told him it is way more than I wanted to spend and was just about done when he tells me he has a guitar that kind of bridges the gap between 339’s and 335’s with the low end Epiphones. He comes back with a Gibson Midtown Standard in Ebony with a Bigsby. I was struck by its looks right away; Black with white bindings, pickup rings, and speed knobs. Sort of like a tuxedo. I plug in and am amazed at how well it sounded and played. I was smitten. I liked the Master Volume and Tone knobs. I’ve never owned a Bigsby equipped guitar before and I loved the sweet vibrato. Roller TOM locking bridge to keep it in tune. Classic ’57 and Classic ’57 + in the bridge position. All in all very nice guitar. I got 15% off the sticker price so out the door with case it was $1190 USD. Still more than I wanted to spend but I fell in love with it. I cursed out the salesman for showing me this beautiful guitar and told him I would take it! Really a great sales guy at this Guitar Center in Naugatuck CT. When I got it home I did what I always do with a new guitar, change the strings. I put .09 Ernie Ball Cobalt’s on and adjusted the truss rod a slight bit to compensate for the .10’s that were on it. I fine-tuned the intonation with a strobe tuner and this is the most amazing feeling and sounding guitar. No buzz or dead spots just….perfect. By the way I never restrung a Bigsby but it took me 3hours to make that happen. There must be a better way than what I was doing. You have to get the hole from the ball end to be inserted on a small metal screw thing and of course it has to go over the top and then under a rod and then over the bridge. When tuning to pitch you need to keep tension on the string so the ball end does not slip off. It was almost a two man job. Ha-ha. In any case I will post some pics when I can and if anyone is looking for this type of guitar do yourself a favor and check this one out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowboyBillyBob1 Posted August 11, 2012 Author Share Posted August 11, 2012 Here are some pics. I play guitar better than I take photographs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowboyBillyBob1 Posted August 12, 2012 Author Share Posted August 12, 2012 I finally figured out how to easily change strings on a Bigsby... use a capo to hold the string while tuning up to pitch. A Keyser seems to work best because of its open ended design. Duh!! Dare I say that this Midtown has made me put my 2012 LP Standard in the back seat? Perhaps it's just the honeymoon but the LP is only a bit more than 3 months old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Very nice looking guitar, congratulations... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmer Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 waaw! HNGD! A real beauty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G McBride Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Congratulations on the new guitar. I am glad to hear good reviews on the MIdtowns. I have a 356 and a 336 and I like that style of guitar. That black with a bigsby looks fantastic. I picked up a Les Paul with a bigsby and I know what you mean about the first string change on one of them. It does get easier and faster. Someone already mentioned using a Capo and that does help a lot, serves as that third hand that you feel you need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingers galore Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Happy new guitar day! Congrats, the Midtown`s are awesome guitars. I picked up the Custom version last month. It is killer in every way! Enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark2 Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Congratulations on the new Midtown! I sure have enjoyed playing my Midtown Custom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Achilles Papamoschos Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Gongrats mate. I think that these guitars are at finally the Gibson value for money guitars. (Maybe SG Standard too). I have the Midtown Custom (like Pete.R 's). It sounds great, but also it looks great too. Beautiful guitars. Hope you enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejay Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Awesome midtown been considering one myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon S. Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Congrats!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowboyBillyBob1 Posted August 17, 2012 Author Share Posted August 17, 2012 In April of this year I purchased a 2012 LP Standard. The Midtown Standard in ebony and Bigsby I got a few weeks ago. I am in guitar paradise! Keep switching betwen the two all day, unemployed since March. I also have a Martin HD 28V I bought like 5 months ago. That guitar is an amazing acoustic that is just habit forming. They all do diferent things but what they all do is inspiring in their own way. If I could only chose one it would be the LP. Stil a heartbreak to leave the others behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zork Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Great guitars. How do you like it now? If you use a capo like you were, bend the string (ball end) around a pencil first then jam a dish towel or a foam wedge in and under from behind to hold the Bigsby in place, goes way faster. Lots of people like these too: http://www.vibramate.com/vibramate-string-spoiler.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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