egoidealmusic

Haha yes, definitely meant monster! And I'll get some pictures posted soon--the small file limit makes it tricky but I'll figure it out!

Very interesting. I've been playing her every evening for the past week and a half since I got her, and I can start to see and feel the wood grain at the bottom of the soundhole a little bit (where you see the most wear on a vintage guitar). She's sounds amazing--played the other night with a guy who's got a moster of a vintage Martin who said "can you strum a little softer" as I was drowning him out (I didn't--haha)--but she looks like she's been played hard for many years! I'll stress, though, that the sound of this 45 are absolutely to die for, so short of the nitro coming off like greasy black slime like you mentioned, I'm never getting rid of her!

Haha no, no disaster at all, E-minor7--I remember a buudy of mine many years ago had gotten a brand spanking new Les Paul and the very first show he played with broke the headstock, so I'm definitely not in disasterville. And I'll get to buffing! So is that level of softness normal in nitro? Again, this is my first experience with a finish like this (and why I asked the question when I first started this post), but is it always this soft?

So. . .despite being warned I accidentally left my tuner on the headstock while I was at work today (about 6 hours), and this is the result. . .unless you look at it from just the right angle it's not really noticeable, but I'm wondering if there are any suggestions on how to fix, or if it can be fixed. Each of the lines is actually indented, so it's not just on the surface. Damn darn dang. . .I've done this a hundred times on my non-nitro finish (i.e. cheaper) guitars and never had an issue. Accidentally do it once to the new expensive one and here we go. Thoughts?

So, apologies if this has been addressed (I did a search for "blending pickups" and couldn't find what I was looling for), but I'm wondering about those of you who blend a soundhole with a piezo pickup. I'm absolutely loving everything about the new 45, but the pickup is, well, just ok. I've read and seen some videos about folks blending pickups. I'd bought a DiMarzio Black Angel pickup for another guitar, but I'm thinking about wiring (having it wired) alongside of the stock piezo. Bought the Black Angel as a less expensive version of the Sunrise (as I dropped all my dough on the 45). Thoughts and/or experiences?

Reading this makes me wonder if the shorter scale of a J-45 (or whatever) with less tension allows strings to stay "fresh for longer." I've noticed that on my longer scale guitars which sound brighter strings tend to sound dull sooner, while my shorter scale guitars seem to need fresh strings considerably far less often.

Haha I'm not sure I've seen much consensus on these threads which is what I love about reading them. In looking at the older threads there does seem to one things that some folks agree on which is a wider grain produces more low end while a tighter grain produces more high end. Which is interesting to me as the first 45 I got was a tighter grain which had more high end than the replacement which is mostly wider. I've got a low (and not that wide range of) voice so the lower end works better for me, which may be why this new 45 sounds better to me than the old one. But this one also seems to have more harmonics (not sure if that's the right word) where is bassier but also chimes more, almost like a subtle 12 string effect (I'm overstating obviously but don't know how better to explain it). In one of the older threads they mentioned that Gibson used pretty much whatever they could find during WWII which is why there's such a wild range of what older Gibsons sound like--I've heard some that are boomy and bassy and some that are more delicate and high end soudning. Of course much of that is in the play and care of them, but I just think it's fascinating. The two 45s I've had in a pretty short timeframe both sound like 45s but also sound very different. Thankfully, replacement is much to my preference!

sorry I didn't search that first! That is a great discussion.

So as I was just giving the new 45 a little loving polishing after a hard banging, I was looking at the spruce top (which is really gorgeious). While I assume most tops have fluctuation in the grain (sometimes tighter, sometimes wider depending on the weather, etc. the tree goes through) is there a difference in sound between tops that have more tight vs, wide woodgrain? Is that pure aesthetics, or is there a difference in tonality? I'd thing that tighter would mean denser, but that's based on absolutley nothing. When folks look for prime cuts of wood, is one preferable to the other? Also, and unrelated to that question, I have to say I've been amazed hearing this guitar open up over the weekend of some pretty heavy playing. I swear I could hear moments when the secondary tones (or whatever you'd call them) really started to bloom, and I'd also swear that I can hear her getting either louder or more pronounced. Absolutely in love with this one. Still just waiting for her to tell me her name.

And BoSox, no, it wasn't sticky at all and when tapped on with a pick sounded solid. In looking more and more I think it's just a beautifully thin coating which, while allowing for more scratches and accelerated aging, really lets the top sing.

Haha very good to know, E-minor, and very much appreciated!

I definitely agree with your friend, Zomby! And I've heard that laquer does take that long to really cure, which is totally fine with me. One of the best looking vintage 45s I've seen (early mid 50s) had a huge and deep scratch above the soundhole that definitely looked like it happened before it was totally solid, and yet gave it amazing character, Kind of like the scar on my forehead from where my sister shoved me into a door when I was 3. Agian, I may need a shirnk for those issues.... 🙂

Thanks, E-minor. And I'm toally connecting with this guitar even more so than the first I had (so it's not like I'm even remotely thinking about wanting to send it back or anything) and, as I mentioned, couldn't care less if she gets scarred in the process of our bonding (that sounds like I need a shrink, but I'm sure hard strummers get it). Like I said, I don't care about the cosmetics of it at all--and even love the look of a guitar that has been thoroughly played--but just didn't want to cause a problem down the road.

So, still totally loving this new 50s 45 they sent me (the sound really is even better than the last I had to send back--see other post), but I've noticed that after only a couple of days it looks like I've been baging on it for a year. I'm a strummer, and often a hard strummer, and play with at least a .60 pick (though often a .72) and I'm seeing some pretty good marks in the finish--even serrated matching the wood grain. Honestly I couldn't care less as it's looking like an older guitar than it really is (and I bought this to play, not to keep in a case and sell down the road), but I'm wondering if I should ease off on the harder stuff in case the nitro isn't fully cured (set? hardened? whatever) yet. Like I said, I don't care about it getting scarred from playing, but if I should ease up for a couple of weeks I can. Otherwise, I'll keep banging away. Thoughts from my wiser Gibson peers?

I'll have to make sure about the capo as I tend to keep my Kyser there when not in use! (Well, not when it's in the case)

Thanks for the advice, Dave. I'm used to leaving the straps on by this is my first nitro finish so I'll be sure to remove before putting back in the case! And it already has, MIssouri!

This just rolled up on my Youtube suggestions, and I'm curious as to your thoughts. I've seen some comparison clips between the Gibsons and these Epis, but wondered what your take on this guy's opinions are. As for me, I'm most happy with my Gibson, and I've played Epis for years (though haven't played any of these new models).

Haha those are my work shoes, but I do appreciate some old timey music (though I'm not good enough to do it justice). And no, the CSI team misses nothing! They're Doc Marten wingtips, so I'll also be banging out some punk tunes on it as well, I promise. 🙂

Congrats. Huley! Would love to see a pic your new girl as I don't think the pics on the Gibson website do them justice.

Thanks, all! I'll admit I'm even more in love with this one than the previous one. One thing I've noticed, though--and this isn't a new complaint--is that she's just a touch heavier than the previous one. I'm guessing because the previous had at least a couple of months for the wood to continue to dry out. Guessing that's why some folks comment on the torrified top guitars being so much lighter than non-torrified guitars. Either way, she feels like home!

Other than it not being 70 years old or so it's going to be a great honeymoon...wait, that sounds all wrong...but she does feel good in my arms!

It's a 50s inspired model (or whatever they call it). Love the big chunky neck and the batwing pickguard. And defintley a cool (if long) story of it getting me, Jazzman. I definitely feel like Gibson righted their wrong in the best kind of way!

Thanks, Jalex and Paul! She does sound a bit newer somehow, but it's also a more balanced sound I think.

Thanks, gumbino! A number of the folks here said they'd hand pick one, and it seems pretty clear that they did. The pic doesn't do it justice but the top is beautiful and textured with these gorgeous subtle stripes--along the center seem is almost this hint of blonde. I'm only typing now because my fingers got sore from playing!

D'oh! Here she is.