dhanners623
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Posts posted by dhanners623
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42 minutes ago, Boyd said:
I've been using four of the cheap Guitar Center "On Stage" stands for 5 or 6 years now. No problems, I leave two guitars on the stands 24/7 and have never noticed any marks. They have also spent plenty of time outside, with two of the stands either on the porch or completely exposed to the elements all summer on my little outdoor stage. They're a bit rusty around the edges from that, but still perfectly usable.
I'm sure there are better ones, but these do everything I need.
[edit] I see they have changed the name to "Musicians Gear", but these look like the same ones that I have. Also see they have a "3-pack" now for $25. Tough to beat that price.
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Musicians-Gear/Tubular-Guitar-Stand-Black-1274228076940.gc
They also say, "Not for nitrocellulose guitars." I just don't want to chance it. I have one of those and stick my Farida on it from time to time, but it has a poly finish.
I need to see if I can find the Hercules stands in Nicosia....
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Here's a question for the Gibson acoustic hive mind: What's a good guitar stand you like?
I'm looking for something sturdy, doesn't take up an inordinate amount of space and the parts touching the guitar won't craze a nitro finish. The guitar would be sitting on it, at most, for maybe an hour or two. I want something that has a cradle for the neck of some sort. (Those little stands that just hold the guitar by the lower bout scare me....)
Recommendations?
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Grovers just look wrong on a J-45 so, yeah, it may be aesthetic. That said, Waverlys are superior to Grovers. Yes, they cost a lot, but there is a difference. I've got them on a guitar and they are very smooth.
The current Grovers have an 18-1 tuning ratio. But you can't judge a tuner by tuning ratio alone. You also have to take into account how well-built it is, how tight everything fits and how smooth they operate. That's where Waverlys excel.
I switched out the stock tuners on a J-45 and a J-35 with Golden Age Resoration tuners from StewMac. Excellent tuners and a great value. Smooth. Well-built. Look better, too.
If you do want to switch out the Grovers for Waverlys or GARs, you'll need to order conversion bushings because Grovers require a 13/32nd post hole, while Waverlys are 11/32nd.
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22 hours ago, jvi said:
just saying if a guitar is old I think they should be left original when possible and changing plastic bridges cause you dont like it or want better sound isnt nice, get a different guitar and leave the oldies in original condition- restore to factory or leave them be/ opinions vary but I can only state my own and I intend no insult when I state them .
No insult taken. It is just that in the case of a plastic bridge, I'm of the opinion that switching it out for a rosewood one is just correcting a mistake Gibson made....
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I understand the "all original" vs. "good player" debate. Yeah, if you're a collector -- or you're wanting to sell the guitar to one -- then, yeah, keep the guitar in its original form. I don't think that far ahead, though. My guitars need to sound good to me today, and if there is a way I can improve or enhance their ability to sound better than they do, I'll do it if it makes economic sense.
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Switching out the plastic bridge for a rosewood one is seldom a bad idea on the LGs. It may even help your bellying issue. You may need a new bridgeplate, too, but I'm no expert.
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In the midst of writer's block so I'm going back through my stuff to see what needs re-writing. Many of my songs have lines or verses that could benefit from tweaking or improvement or editing. I've gone over quite a few and I like the changes I've made.
I find that when I'm gigging, I tend to write more. It's kind of a creative cycle. We've been in Nicosia for about six weeks and I'm discovering that we may have landed in one of the few countries with fewer opportunities to gig than Kuwait. I'm going to talk to a booker at a artsy coffeehouse Monday night, so hopefully that'll lead to something. Otherwise, a writing group has an open mic next month and if I get selected to play (I think they're missing the concept of "open mic"...) then I'll get five whole minutes to wow 'em....
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Stuck the soundhole humidifier in last night and after a couple of hours, it seemed like the crack had disappeared. It isstill there, of course, but the wood closed up.
i'm going to stop worrying about it....
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1 hour ago, billroy said:
Hope it's just something that can be dealt with pretty easily since you caught it so soon - have you any leads on quality luthiers in Cyprus?
There are at least two repair shops that I know of, including one that is just about four blocks from me.
I sent the photo to Michele Beardsley of St. Paul Guitar Repair -- they worked on the guitar this summer -- and she confirmed my suspicion. With the transverse brace only 1.2cm away, she says the crack has nowhere to go. And it's not going to extend under the fretboard; that's one of the biggest glue joints on a guitar. She told me not to worry about it.
i just got a flashlight and one of my wife's make-up mirrors (note to self: break down and buy an inspection mirror someday) and the crack doesn't even extend past the rosette.
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20 minutes ago, j45nick said:
Looks like a low humidity crack to me. If your ambient humidity is down much below 40% on a regular basis in the space you keep your guitars--say, 35% of less--you need to look at humidifying either the guitar in its case, or the space itself.
That was my initial thought. In Kuwait, I kept my guitars humidified with Kyser soundhole humidifiers all the time. And when the guitars weren't being played, they were in their cases. Here in Cyprus, I haven't been humidifying them because the humidity has hovered in the 40s and 50s (and been as high as 85%) but today it has been in the mid-30s.
I stuck the humidifier back in and it is sitting in the case now.
Fortunately, I have already found a couple of repair shops in Nicosia run by people who look like they know what they're doing. In fact, I'm supposed to pick up my Farida OT-22 tomorrow; I took it in to have an ebony nut installed. The other repair shop is about a 5-minute walk from our apartment.
After five years in Kuwait -- a country without a single guitar repair person -- it is nice to have some options....
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I just noticed this on my J-35 today:
It is on the soundhole, between the third and fourth string. Can't tell if it extends beyond the rosette towards the fretboard. (The photo makes the gap in the rosette look bigger than it is, too....)
It is only 1.2cm from the transverse brace -- and if it extends it would be under the fretboard -- so I'm guessing the crack isn't going anywhere. Am I wrong? Is this something that needs attention?
The humidity here in Cyprus has been fluctuating. It is in the 30s today, but has been in the 50s and 60s.
Thoughts from the collective wisdom and knowledge?
(And maybe someone can let me know if the photo is showing up?)
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Big bucks? Waterloo.
For much less, check out the Faridas at Elderly. I bought an OT-22 (their take on an LG-2) this summer and it is an amazing guitar. Sounds great and the build quality is excellent. They've since come out with a single-0 size series of guitars.
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11 hours ago, Asphaltcowboy said:
I have an apu it’s a generator it keeps the ac on in the winter and heat on in the summer I keep it nice and cool inside high 60s low 70s year round
also I’m using the two way d,addario packs one in front of case and two packs between strings seems pretty cool maintains constant 40 to 50% humidity or so it says imma buy one of those humidity and temp readers when I get home to know for sure.
Another question what is the best polish/cleaner for a j45 walnut burst?? Also how often should I polish it? I wipe it down after every use using a micro cloth and so far been polishing it once a week using Dunlop kit. I’m still new at this but the kit comes with guitar string clearner and fret board cleaner I don’t wanna take the strings off tho lol I don’t know how to string a guitar yet will try when I need new strings so far this guitar has been sweet
You're over-thinking polishing. If you're wiping it down with a micro-fiber cloth, you really don't need to polish it every week. Maybe once a month, if that. Despite the manufacturer claims, any polish is going to build up on the guitar's surface if you're using it every week. And polish build-up can be hard to remove.
And you don't have to take the strings off to clean them. GHS makes a guitar-string cleaning cloth; a wipe or two with it will do wonders. Actually, a wipe or two with any clean lint-free cloth will help. Much depends on the type of strings you use, your own body chemistry and how much you play. I've got a couple of friends who have body chemistries that can deaden a new set of strings in no time flat. It is a matter of the acidity in their finger oil.
For basic guitar care, check out the Taylor stuff I posted, and also check Frank Ford's frets.com site. There are plenty of videos on YouTube showing how to properly string the guitar. The bottom line is, there's a lot of information out there. You will also hear a lot of old wives' tales, and you can spark heated debates over seemingly simple statements.
Yeah, you've got a darn-good guitar, but keep in mind it is a tool. Take care of it, but there's no need to treat I like a Faberge egg. It is meant to be played, and the folks at Gibson built some robustness into it.
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I have had Golden Age Restoration tuners on three guitars -- a J-45, a J-35 and a Republic resophonic -- and have never had a problem. I wouldn't hesitate to stick them on a guitar in need of tuners. They are well-built and smooth and look great. And the price is nice.
You may need conversion bushings, though, since Grover Rotomatics require a bigger hole for the capstan. StewMac sells them.
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1 hour ago, docr said:
dhanners623 - how do you like the bone saddle? Is it compensated for the B-string? I am just curious, maybe I get some ideas for experiments ...
LOVE the bone saddle. Colosi does great work and, yes, it was compensated for the B string. In theory, it is a drop-in replacement for the existing saddle, and Colosi includes a detailed set of instructions for how to sand and tweak the saddle further if necessary. In light of that, I thought it was a job best done by a real repairman. (I was only back in the U.S. for a few weeks.)
The switch was a very noticeable improvement in tone, sustain and volume. Looked cooler, too.
Colosi has pre-shaped saddles for contemporary Gibsons.
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Last year, I had the stock Tusq saddle on my J-35 replaced with a Bob Colosi bone saddle. Even though Bob provides detailed instructions, I decided to have the work done by a professional. (There's a reason they go to school....)
When he removed the Tusq saddle, he discovered it was thinner than the saddle slot, so the saddle was actually leaning in the slot. The saddle's bottom wasn't making full contact with the bottom of the slot. (I always change my strings one at a time, so it is something I never noticed.) The new saddle fit the slot perfectly, and the guitar's plugged-in sound improved.
Despite the improvement, this summer I had the guitar's electronics -- including the UST -- removed. Decided to go all-acoustic. Aside from making the guitar a bit lighter, it improved the sound even more since the saddle is making direct contact with the bridge.
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3 hours ago, Dave F said:
This sounds like a perfect application for a rain song guitar
I briefly thought of getting a carbon fiber guitar when I moved to Kuwait in 2014. I mean, how much harsher of an environment can there be for a guitar? The day we arrived, it was 120 degrees Fahrenheit. But I discovered that if you take care of your guitar, keep an eye on the humidity (and your humidifiers), not leave the guitar in the sun and keep the guitar in its case when not being played, you'll be just fine. A modern guitar is hardier than we think, and a little common-sense care goes a long way. There are plenty of vintage guitars on the market that saw very little care in their early life, and they're still going strong.
Although Taylor guitars have never been my cup of tea, their website does have some helpful pages regarding humidity, humidifiers and general care:
https://www.taylorguitars.com/support/maintenance/symptoms-dry-guitar
https://www.taylorguitars.com/support/maintenance/using-guitar-humidifier
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Always willing to help somebody else spend their money....
The humidity packs are a good idea, but be aware that over-humidifying a guitar can be just as bad as not humidifying it properly. (Don't ask me how I know....) Were I you, I'd invest in a digital thermometer/hygrometer combo -- they're not too expensive -- and that way you'll always have a handle on temperature and humidity.
The big enemy of guitars when it comes to keeping them in vehicles is heat. The release point of most modern woodworking glues is about 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and the temperature in a closed car in summer can quickly get above that. The glue liquifies, bridges lift, binding comes undone and on and on. It isn't pretty, and hot cars help keep repair shops in business. I don't know what the story would be in your cab, temperature-wise.
Lastly, if you're concerned about jostling the guitar, buy a good flight case. You can get into a Hiscox for under$300, and get a better one for under $350. You don't need a Calton ($1,200 or thereabouts...) but a good, sturdy flight case takes care of A LOT of your issues because they also help keep temperature and humidity constant.
Your guitar will spend most of its time in its case, so it makes sense to have a good one. Yeah, the case it came in is a good one as hardshell cases go, but you want a little extra protection since you're traveling. (As an aside, I stencil my name on all my guitar cases. It is an anti-theft tactic. When guitars are stolen, they are usually targets of opportunity because they all look the same and theives believe they are easy to pawn. Making your case individual and readily identifiable by stenciling your name on it makes it less attractive to a thief. Also, it doesn't hurt to write your name and number and/or email address on a piece of tape and stick it on the underside of the soundboard in a place where you can only see it with an inspection mirror. )
Above all, have fun playing! When you start writing songs, I bet you'll have a lot of great stories to put to music....
(And while I'm at it, thanks for the work you do. We depend on truckers.)
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I've been wrestling with the concept of this song for a couple of years (if not longer) but I think it is finally done. It features my J-35, strung with Martin Monel mediums.
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Congrats on joining the club. As you discovered, Gibsons can be very idiosyncratic guitars. But when you find a good one, it's Katy bar the door.
If I may make a couple of humble suggestions.... At some point, switch out the nut and saddle for ones made of bone. The ones you have are Tusq. Some folks like Tusq just fine, but I think you'll find a nut a saddle cut to your playing style will be an improvement.
Secondly, ditch the Grovers. Get some three-on-a-plate Golden Age Restoration tuners with cream plastic buttons. They work great and their aesthetics are more in keeping with your J-45's legacy. Or splurge and get Waverlys. Grovers just look ugly on a J-45. (If you switch, you'll need some conversion bushings.)
Above all, play the heck out of it.
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17 hours ago, Paul14 said:
Would like to apologize to other forum members for allowing myself to get sucked into this ridiculous “conversation “. I usually avoid these idiots like the plague.
Sorry everyone! This forum is supposed to be about acoustic Gibson’s not this nonsense, & I will do everything in my power to avoid this, in the future.
i will never have my mind changed by anything these people have to say, & vise versa.
these endless, pointless discussions don’t belong here! Not sure they have a place anywhere for that matter. I don’t even use straws, of any description.
Your "apology" might sound more sincere if, when making it, you didn't refer to me and others as "these idiots." It's not really an apology if name-calling is involved.
I said your question was stupid. I didn't say you were stupid. There's a distinction.
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8 hours ago, Paul14 said:
You can always tell when a useful idiots think that anyone who disagree with them is stupid. They begin to be insulting. Surprised you haven’t played the nazi, racist, redneck, card. Sounds like you’ve been brainwashed by one of Americas finest schools..
Drive your Prius , but at least realize where electricity comes from!, as well as how polluting they are. If your precious Obama believed this crap, he wouldn’t have bought the property. & where in hell did he get 15 million dollars? Not from his pay checks. Do the math. Seems everyone who wants us to all make sacrifices, sacrifice nothing!
i don’t give a crap how you choose to live your life. I just ask for the same consideration.
First Rule of Holes: When you find yourself in one, stop digging.
Stop digging.
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2 hours ago, Paul14 said:
Your climate experts use computer “models “. They program them to say what they want them to say!
i have an idea. How about we limit the purchase of guitars to one per household? Wouldn’t that help save the planet. If the east coat is gonna be under water soon, why did mister “at some point you’ve earned enough money” Obama, just buy a 15 million dollar beach front property? How many mansions does Bernie own now? Do you believe in the science of gender too, or are there 62 genders?
You can always tell when a climate-change denier realizes he's out of his element: They bring up Obama. And "62 genders." And syringes. And China. And they ask dumb questions about the "correct" temperature of the Earth. They bring up stuff that has nothing to do with, well, climate science.
I am sooo tired of the outright lie that climatologists rig computer models to say whatever they "want" them to say. First of all, the research that's being published in academic journals is peer-reviewed. When your coal company CEO tells you global warming isn't an issue, that's not peer-reviewed. Other experts have not reviewed his raw data and methodology to see if what the coal company CEO said holds up to scrutiny. That's the opposite of what happens in climate science.
Secondly -- and it is sad that I have to explain this to an adult in 2019 -- that's just not the way scientific research works. You remember the Scientific Method from school, right? (Quick review: You make an observation. You form a question from the observation. You come up with a hypothesis or explanation that can be tested. You make a prediction and then you test it. Then you use the test results to either confirm the hypothesis or formulate a new one.)
The scientists I've known in my life (and I've known a lot) don't care where the facts take them. If the facts disprove their hypothesis, that's fine with them because then they can just refine their hypothesis or come with another one to test. That's the nature of science.
I'm old enough to remember when climate scientists warned that the Earth was cooling. That's what their models were telling them. But you know what? Over the years, they collected more data, and more diverse data. Their computer models got better. So now those improved models all point to the Earth heating up, and there is a major human component to it.
To the uninformed, it might seem like climatologists don't know what they're talking about. One generation, the Earth is cooling and the next, it is heating up. But what it really says is that climatologists are willing to alter their hypotheses as more data is collected and modeling improves. More data points = better and more accurate predictions.
You know who doesn't alter their view based on data? Climate-change deniers. They are unmoved by facts and data and improved modeling. They adopt one view as if it is some sort of religion and they never change it.
So, yeah, go ahead and use your plastic straws. You don't want a cleaner, healthier environment. We get that. But just because you don't believe in scientific progress doesn't mean the rest of us don't.
Guitar stands?
in Gibson Acoustic
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I've owned those before. Might try and see if I can get one sent to Cyprus....