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Wescantner94

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Posts posted by Wescantner94

  1. On 4/6/2021 at 12:41 PM, cunningham26 said:

    1. a good clean microfiber cloth if you're going at it and getting it sweaty. there are cleaners and polishes but it looks to be in great shape, i'd  just leave it alone. 

    2.  that's a solid wood bridge with an adjustable saddle, again, probably leave it alone. some people dont like the adj saddle and swap out the whole bridge. I bought a bone bridge that drops in (do no harm!) to my adj bridge that sounds a bit brighter. Philadelphia luthier supply

    3.  acoustic strings. make sure they're sitting right in the saddle, they could be wonky because of wear

    4. tuners look great, if they're stiff they can be oiled, there are videos out there on how, or take it somewhere

    5. the nut is narrow- it's going to take a little getting used to playing the neck, but not impossible. 

     

    start working on this one and keep an eye on where that SJ ends up!

    Thanks for the info! 
    The SJ ended up going to my older cousin. He’s also a musician, so I’m sure it’ll be well loved and played. If I can get some pics of that one I’ll share here. 

  2. On 4/6/2021 at 4:40 PM, bobouz said:

    Welcome, and congrats on acquiring the B-25.  This particular one is actually from 1969.  Gibson reused some serial numbers, and this sequence appeared in both 1966 & 1969.  Your rosewood belly-down bridge is from the ‘69 version.

    I’ve owned three of these from the ‘60s (still have a ‘66) & have a few thoughts:

    - If you’re happy with the tone, using extra-light strings is fine & provides a degree of structural safety due to their lower level of tension.  I currently use D’Addario PB extra-lights on my ‘66.

    - Swapping out the rosewood saddle for one made of bone, Tusq, or the original ceramic from the ‘60s, will typically lead to a richer & more resonant tone.  The rosewood saddle often tends to have somewhat of a muting effect.  That said, it’s not a one-size-fits-all proposition, and some folks prefer the rosewood saddle.

    - There are direct replacements available for the “three-on-a-plate” Kluson tuners.  Those branded as Klusons are now made in Korea, and in my experience, can often be a bit mediocre in operation.  Gotoh also makes a direct replacement & they might be better, and Stewart-McDonald sells good quality replacements as well.  I wouldn’t bother with other off-brand tuners, which most likely will not be very well made.

    Enjoy your new-to-you guitar!

     

     

    Awesome to know it’s a ‘69. I know the numbering system in that era wasn’t reliable and a serial number look up told me ‘66 or ‘69. 
    I found one that looked nearly identical with the  belly-down bridge, listed as a ‘66, so I went with ‘66. 

  3. Hi All,
     

    I just inherited my grandmother’s 1966 Gibson B-25N. I’ve admired this guitar, as well as my grandfather’s 66-67 Southern Jumbo for many years. Neither of my grandparents were players, but were huge country music fans and had purchased the guitars new in 1966 or 67. They had been stored in the flimsy cardboard cases, that I assume came from the music shop where they were bought, until about 20 years ago when they got put into TKL hard cases. The B-25 I ended up with is in fantastic condition and to my knowledge has only been played a handful of times. There’s some minor finish checking on the top, the strings were loosened in storage but supposedly original to the guitar, and there are a few weird finish blemishes. Overall, the guitar is in pretty incredible shape though. I really would like to make this guitar a daily player. As of this moment, this is the nicest guitar I’ve ever owned and I have every intention of playing it for many years to come. However, I have a few issues and concerns:

    1. I’ve never owned or cared for a vintage instrument. I know humidity is a big thing for any guitar, especially an old one. Should I clean or polish? Are there any polishes or oils I should stay away from?

    2. I’ve read that many of the B-25’s came with a plastic adjustable bridge that is unfavorable and even can cause the top to collapse. The bridge and saddle both look and feel like wood, but when compared to the feel of the bridge on my Epiphone acoustic from the early 2000s, it is quite different. Is this a “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it situation” or should I anticipate replacing the bridge in the future if I plan on playing it. 
     

    3. Strings?? I already took off the strings that were on it and replaced with extra light gage phosphor bronze D’Addario strings. They feel alright and don’t seem to have too much tension or brightness. Do the strings really matter? Are there any strings that would be better suited for this guitar?

    Lastly, the tuners. This guitar has button key Kluson Deluxe tuners. They aren’t stuck or anything, but definitely not as fluid as I’d expect them to be. The G string especially takes a little bit of a crank to turn. Can I just oil them? Should I replace?

     

    Thanks in advance for any tips. This is my first Gibson and my first vintage guitar. I really want to take the best care of it that I absolutely can. 
     

    P.S. I currently have it on a wall hanger. Should I limit it’s time hanging up or should I just keep it in the case when not playing it always? I know that the stands can eat through the nitro cellulose finish. 

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