bobouz
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Posts posted by bobouz
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FWIW - The specs on the L48 changed many times. I used to own a 1948 L48 that had a solid mahogany top, with a flat and braced mahogany back! In fact, the back and sides looked like they were borrowed directly from a flat top acoustic.
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Yes indeed, that is the Korean version.
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On the other hand the USA models are sweeet!!! Two of the nicest epiphones I've ever seen. They did an Elite Sheraton as well that was gorgeous
Yes indeed. It was my intent in post #2 to point out the high quality of the AIUSA JLH models (vs the Korean JLH). The Elitist Sheraton is also extremely well made, coming out of the same Terada factory in Japan.
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Check out this Sheri, signed by the Man himself.
Well, it's the same generic Korean Sheraton II ($600 new, $450 used), with JLH's name scribbled on the front. How much more that signature is worth is debateable. Personally, I'd rather have it signed on the back where it would be less visible.
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I'm wondering if any of you good folks can educate me on the history, quality, availability and value of a John Lee Hooker 50th Anniversary Epiphone Sheraton.
If you've located one to consider for purchase, it would be important to provide some pictures. There are two very different Epiphone models using the JLH moniker:
One is the highly regarded "Assembled in USA" JLH Sheraton I or II. Version one has a Frequensator tailpiece, version two has a stopbar tailpiece. These were made in Japan by the Terada factory and then shipped to the USA for final assembly with Gibson pickups & hardware.
The other JLH branded Sheraton is a Korean made version which is very similar to the generic Sheraton II that has been manufactured for many years in Korean and now China. It's value is much less than the AIUSA version, and sellers frequently ask an inflated price for it.
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But then again, sinse Gibson started making Epi overseas, there have been some runs made here.
Yes, and now according to a recent thread on the Gibson acoustic forum, Gibson plans to produce Epi Masterbilt acoustics at the old Garrison facility in Canada. A Canadian made Epiphone is something I'd like to see.
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ALL Gibsons are made in the USA, no exceptions.
Not quite. Some Gibson acoustics have been made at the former Garrison factory in Canada.
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I am not typically a defender of all things Gibson, but if the only issue with this instrument is a sloppy saddle, your reaction seems a bit over the top re "crap workmanship." Considering all the serious stuff that can go wrong, it sounds like you've got a very good one overall. Warranties are meant for such problems, and in all likelihood Gibson would have made it right if you'd gone to an authorized repair person. True, this may not always be convenient, but it would represent a rather small bump in the road for a guitar with keeper potential, imho.
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Don't worry, it's okay. My 330L has the same number of digits, and also starts with 05. Btw, your guitar was made in 2010.
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Whew!!! Good to know the specs (except for the finishes) AND the labels are the same for our Y2K beauties. (As seen in my profile photo, the abalone rosette is not obscured by the guard--whenever I see a guard right up to the soundhole, I get an overpowering urge to "nudge" it south, even if there're only rings beneath.)
Yes, it's light--deceptively light, even. Before this, my main guitar was a Guild D-50; superb tone, but heavy as a gunboat. You expect the J100 to feel heavier than it is, and you might also expect it to "feel" big, but I find the body style/dimensions to be about as comfy and cozy--whether I'm standing or sitting--as the law allows.
I just love the tone and feel of this thing, and it keeps getting better with age. I am soon to have a bone saddle and nut put on (saddle needed replacement anyway), but this'll be my first trip to the luthiers. Hasn't even needed a set-up in all this while. I play it everday, and gig out with it on occasion. At a weekly open mic I attend, I even let a few specific "regulars" play it on stage. This way, I get to hear it on the other side, in the hands of people who play different styles and with better chops. Even better, we all share the love for this one lovely instrument. Which, as you know, is considerable.
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Thanks for all your great info and for helping to solve my little puzzle--
Anne
Anne - Have to add another two cents worth of discussion to this J100 lovefest. The one other catalog I have from this period was from the 2003 model year. By that time, the J100-Xtra no longer had the abalone rosette. The fretboard inlays became mop crowns, and the binding was now white. Also, the pickguard was not installed (don't know if it came with the guitar or not). The body remained maple & the neck mahogany. Interestingly, over the years there haven't been too many Jumbo Gibsons that sported a fully visible abalone rosette. For me, the understated appointments of the '00 J100 in conjunction with the beautiful rosette make it one of the more attractive jumbos I've laid my eyes on. It appears to have been a pretty narrow window for this particular combination of features. And like you, I've done virtually nothing to the guitar, but promise to get after it in about five years (retirement!). Which reminds me because someday I too plan to experiment with the nut & saddle: they say that bone saddles do not generally provide as even of a contact surface for under saddle pickups due to varying degrees of density within the bone itself. So in case you frequently use the Fishman, there's a chance it might change your plugged in signal strength from string to string..... Bob
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Oooh... the plot thickens! If the finish designations for that year were AN and AT, then "XT" might well mean "Xtra," given that my finish is surely the AN and not some third kind that wasn't mentioned in the catalog. (It seems I read somewhere-perhaps in a thread about another model?- that Gibson has used "XT" to denote a finish, but I could be mis-remembering...)
Can't wait to hear what your orangle label says...
(BTW, the SN indicates that my lovely was born in mid Jan of 2000, which makes me wonder, now, what the 1999 catalogue says about this model--maybe the "XT" designation on my label can be explained by something as simple as--they were using up the leftover labels?)
Thanks!
Okay, just checked, and my label says 'J100 XT' just like yours. I'd have to say I'm 99.99% certain this signifies 'Xtra'. Mine was built in December of 2000. Btw, I also have the '99 catalog. 1999 was the year Bozeman revamped their lineup in a big way, with a nod towards many of their classic models from the past. The specs for the J100 Xtra are identical in '99 compared to '00, as is the catalog picture which shows the pickguard covering part of the abalone rosette. Mine is completely visible, as has been the rosette on every example of this guitar I've ever seen (and I actually saw quite a few during those years - all in natural except for mine). It could be that some early examples left the factory this way, and then they thankfully decided to expose the full rosette. I purchased my '00 J100 new, I believe, in April of '01. Later that year, I also purchased a new '01 J150. The two instruments had a very different tone, with the J100 having a stronger bass projection, while the J150 was very even from top to bottom. Neck material is mahogany on the J100 & was maple on the J150. The neck profiles were very different as well, with the J100 having a fast '60s feel. Also, this particular J100 is seriously light as a feather when compared to the J150 I had. Really two very different guitars in tone & playability, even though all the body bracing looked identical. Eventually the J100 ended up being the keeper, while the J150 became part of a trade that landed a natural finish ES 335. From those early years of the 2000s, I also owned a J50, WM45, and still own a '02 J45 Rosewood. Bozeman put out some super nice guitars in the first half of the decade, and the pricing at the time represented a very good value, imho.
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You know, my main guitar is a 2000 J100 that I've always assumed is an J100xtra (same specs you describe, and let's not forget the gold hardware), but recently, I looked again at the label--it says J100XT. Does your label say "Xtra?"
Could it be that the XT does not (as I had assumed for over a decade) stand for "Xtra" but instead indicates the top finish?? (The top on mine, when new, was as least as light-colored as the maple but has since mellowed to a lovely dark-ish honey-color. I'm guessing it's a natrual finish, not vintage antique, if it started out so light, right?)
So...does anyone know if a 2000 J100-XT designation makes it an "xtra," or a a natrual top (or even a vintage antique top that took awhile to get goin'')?
Perhaps there is a mystery afoot, or was I lying all these years?
Anne - Just checked my catalog. The finish designations for the "J100 Xtra" (this is exactly how it it written) in 2000 were AN for Antique Natural, and AT for Antique Walnut. Mine has the dark walnut finish on the back & sides with a natural top. Yes, the tuners are gold. Also the peghead logo & crown are inlaid rather than a decal. The many versions of this model vary significantly. For example, I previously owned an '06 J100 which also was called an 'extra' (I believe it retained the letter 'e'). It had a natural finish with mahogany back & sides, white body binding, standard rosette, and a decal peghead logo & crown. As for the label on my 2000, I'll confirm what it says tomorrow when I can get to it without waking up my wife (I'm a bit of a night owl!). I do know that at least one of these two guitars spelled the word 'extra' (or Xtra) out on the label.
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FYI - The guitar in your pic is not a 2000 model. The 2000 version was called a J100xtra. It had black binding and an abalone rosette with a plain J200-shaped pickguard. It had a natural finish top, with maple back & sides in either natural or a very dark vintage antique finish. I bought one new and still have it (as well as catalogs from that peroid). Note that the first and fifth serial number numerals will tell you the year. This particular model has gone through many changes, both in appointments and materials. Regardless of the year, it appears that you did very well on the price. Enjoy your new guitar!
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Cool guitar for sure- I think you don't see quite as many of those because they are a bit more rare, and the folks who get them tend to hang on to them.
Yes indeed. Bought mine new in '02 (made in April '02), red with moon inlays just like the pics above (with the exception that the original knobs are chrome insert top hats). My only alteration has been to slip on some chrome Gibson pickup covers. Absolutely love the moon inlays, which mimic the shape of the body horns. The ebony fretboard is smooth & fast, and also note that these early versions have a true ABR bridge.
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Thanks Hogeye. That is indeed the rod I had heard about, because I now recall the "twist in both directions" adjustment. For some reason I was thinking this was a more recent development (which on traditional principles didn't sound appealing), but glad to hear the lifespan was somewhat limited. I've owned an awful lot of Gibsons over the years, but never one from the early '90s, so to date have not run across the double action rod.
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There was a small discussion a little while ago. Guild has or had been installing them on their 12 strings to help sort out some of the problems of the extra string tension. Gibson acoustics have never had them. Gibson did however has a double acting truss rod. They are a nightmare and there are plenty of them out there. Most folks that have them don't even know it. They are pretty easy to spot.
Hogeye - The double acting truss rod you refer to must be what I'd read about. So based on your comment, I would assume it has a different appearance at the business end. Do you have any idea which models have them?
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I posted a question about this over in the hollowbody section after purchasing a new ES-330L. Just wondering if anyone can tell me which Gibson products are now coming with double truss rods. Seems like maybe I'd read something about them here in the acoustic section of the forum. And if anyone has seen a current instrument with the double rods, do these models look different enough under the truss rod cover to make them easily distinguishable?
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If you google Gibson L10, a Gibson press release on this guitar shows up. It indicates that before Atkins obtained his original L10, it was special ordered from Gibson by Les Paul to include the fingerboard extention. Neat stuff!
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It's a reissue copy from Atkins' period as a Gibson endorser.
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That L10 is very interesting! Thanks for sharing the pics.
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The term "lawsuit era" gets used a lot. In the interest of accuracy, there were no Korean builders involved in Gibson's lawsuit, which took place in '77 and was brought against Ibanez. Epiphone did not link up with Samick in Korea until '83. In the '70s, Japanese companies such as Ibanez, Aria, and Takamine were really giving Gibson & Martin a run for their money with instruments that were top notch copies. After settlement of the lawsuit, Ibanez stopped cloning Gibson's designs and began developing their own, such as headstock & pickguard shapes. I began playing in the early '70s, and witnessed Japanese guitars, mandolins, and banjos flooding the market. Have to say, many of them were darn good, including a solid spruce/mahogany acoustic Ibanez I purchased not long after the lawsuit, with headstock cues similar to George Benson's signature models (also a product of the lawsuit aftermath, introduced in '78).
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I own a 1990 Gibson Chet Atkins Tennessean, which was the first year of that model. Same red finish as your Country Gent, 16 frets clear of the body, 25.5" scale, 1.5" width nut, ebony fretboard with offset dots, 3 piece maple neck, silver pickguard, silver truss rod cover, no armrest (later models had a black pickguard, trc, & armrest). In many respects somewhat similar to the Country Gent, and of course this was by Chet's design. I've always been partial to skinnier necks, but for some reason this thing is a breeze to play. I also own a 335 & 339, and the Tennessean compares very favorably while being significantly different. Imho, these two Gibson CA models are real sleepers.
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There's a lot of variation in Gibson's nitro over the last decade. I currently own or have owned a lot of Gibson electrics & acoustics from this period as well as some from the '90s. While all have been kept in the same environment, some have developed checking cracks while others have not. Some on the body, some on the headstock, one acoustic around the bridge, some with very straight cracks, some with the squiggly old look - there's no rhyme or reason to it. If you wait for it to occur naturally, you might get a pleasing effect, or you might not. My advice would be to have a pro do it, like Gord Miller, or trade for one that already meets your ideal vision. If you try it yourself, you'll most likely decrease the value of the instrument.
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What happened to the Epi Howard Roberts?
in Epiphone Electrics
Posted
Yes, there was a recently posted pic of an original HR that was fully acoustic. HRs are neat instruments, but market interest is small for a fully hollow one pickup guitar, and the round soundhole probably just "doesn't look right" to a lot of folks. Unless you're trying to sell, don't worry about it & enjoy the vintage vibe!