fortyearspickn

Yep. I stopped sniffing corks when I realized they were making them out of rubber and styrofoam. Now, I just drink the wine.

Someone got a life. I'm soooooo jealous !

All this from a video ? Wow.

Sorry to hear this. I'm sure you'll be feeling better by next weekend - that'll be 2 weeks, right? Let us know how you're doing. I hate it when I'm too sick to play, but I think it provides me with incentive to get better quicker !

Found out that about yourself in the Coast Guard, didja?

True dat.

A protege of sorts - of Frank Sinatra and Buddy Holly. We sure have a rich musical history. I wonder who the greats are that are coming up today that our grandchildren will look back upon with fondness. A tough business - not for the faint of heart. He had a rich life. RIP.

At least you know your sense of smell is still working fine. What brand guitar? Many here seem to like the smell of a new Gibson acoustic. Cases sometimes can have overpowering chemical smells. I think California has banned those though.

That's why Pina Coladas go down so easy.

Spent close to 6 hours working with my son adjusting his in ground sprinklers. Probably 30 of them - 2/3rd weren't shooting straight. Most because they were too low. and had to be raised an inch. Harder than it sounds with thick turf on top of crushed limestone. Stayed cool even though it was 99 here and mostly sunny. Missed lunch. Wish I'd had a slice of that pizza.

I'm a minority of one - but I've been using Coconut Oil for nearly 8 years. Works Great. No chemicals. Organic. Chefs use it for their cutting boards.

Pictures or it didn't happen.

An alternative surprise might be to bring him to a music store and let him have several hours (bring a book. "War and Peace" !) to try out all the possibilities. There are Five Star Dealers (look at the Gibson website) who stock several models. Even Guitar Center and Sam Ash have a few on hand usually. You can call ahead. He may very well still come back to the SJ-200. But it will be more of a sure thing - given guitars are a very subjective, personal thing. He may really like a different model - but if he still isn't sure - going with the Super Jumbo, even if you order it online, will be a hit. Just offering a different perspective. I have an SJ-200 and guarantee you can't go wrong with one. They aren't called "The King of the Flat Tops for nothing. ! You know best. G'Luck !

Previewed all, especially liked Shawcross. Glad you're back up to speed !

Yeah, Lot's of FZ fans here !

Welcome. The 70s and 80s was not a good era for Gibson acoustics. Other brands as well experienced a low watermark coming off the euphoria of the Folk Phenomenon. Quality and tone were compromised by a new corporate (foreign) owner for profits. So, true value of yours is less than the overall average if you consider other decades. But, if you find a buyer who doesn't know this - you don't have to tell him! Caveat Emptor. And, of course, there are always exceptions with 'handmade' guitars - yours might sound excellent . And if it's 'a closet queen', it might be in great condition would be a $+ as well. G'Luck!

Wow. Long journey. Great you were able to come out of all that in good shape. Nothing scarier than injuries that will get in the way of playing. You certainly picked a good 'trophy guitar' for your reward. With the Southern Jumbo, you don't need '12 more guitars' !

Gibson owns Epiphone. They are made in China. Several of their models are knock-offs of iconic Gibson models: The SJ-200, The Hummingbird and the J-45 for example. Nothing dishonest or anything - just a marketing thing. While they look similar, there is no comparison in actual materials and workmanship. And the tone and playability of the Gibsons are even more remarkable. I think your boyfriend would be bowled over because of that, regardless of which model. It sounds like he already has an inkling that a Gibson would be a major step up. The safest bet, unless you think he is extremely enamored with his EJ-200 and has had if for several years - would be the J45 as J185cat noted. It is the most popular and most recognized of the lineup. Stick to the standard version. Mahogany sides and back, sunburst. You can certainly find a new Gibson for a lot less than your budget - and you certainly do not have to spend that much. But if you get a standard of either of the 3 iconic models - you absolutely cannot go wrong. Good Luck !

"... and know its a Gibson from the first strum." Well put. Not as effusive as Red333 above, a few years back. But as succinct. Welcome Aboard !

Discussing the blur between 'science' and 'politics' during a pandemic - that has resulted in what is now a 6 month lockdown - is inevitably going to spill over into The Lounge, , because it is the most prevalent topic in forums, families, job sites and every other place we congregate. Vitriolic, ad hominem attacks are inappropriate, of course. You suggest Murph was 'pushing politics'. and as a result others turned the thread into something very inappropriate. Decades of comments here from him, starting when he was "Murphy Slaw" have never been offensive. So, I doubt that 'whatever might have occurred after that ' resulted in his suspension. Glad you were able to help enforce the 'No Politics' guideline and get the moderators to do their job. But I doubt it was the simple locking of a thread that caused Murph to leave. Several have been locked in The Lounge in the past months. It was probably the same pathetic pixxing comments that you disagreed with. Except they were directed at him. Members who leave, too many of them, usually do it because they were personally attacked. Sort of like "Cancel Culture". I think he was the victim her. IE. the muggee, not the mugger. 🙂

First - Welcome Aboard. Thanks for coming here to bounce this question off us. I'm sure we all hope you get your problem resolved, keep your Gibson and continue to hang out here. I'm guessing a Martin that is 3x as expensive might be different cosmetically, but to suggest a $200 Mitchell is superior cosmetically to a brand new G-45 is something I could only accept if I held both in my hands. Photos wouldn't do it. As has been stated - today's ultra thin nitrocellulose finishes are different than the 1/2" finish you find on bar tops. Spruce has grain lines which, before the finish is applied - are wavy: softer and harder parallel grains which absorb the finish differently. Unless you apply, wet sand, re-apply and repeat 3 or 4 times, you will get waves. Waves which you can only see if you hold the guitar up to reflective light. A Chinese guitar built with different wood and a different finish by a 12 year old may look better to you, and a $3000 Martin may as well. But you are comparing apples and oranges. As QM suggested - you really need to be talking to the person who sold you this guitar. If the wave lines are not a result of the grain - and can be seen under normal conditions, you may have a case. G'luck.

Yep. When all you have is a hammer, every guitar looks like a nail: He's got tons of talent, but his song choice leaves a bit to be desired. I guess it's popular though. Even commercial 'pop' alleged Country singers will use an H'Bird as a prop. J45s more so. I guess we should be thankful they don't bash them to splinters at the end of each concert. "Let Love Rule". I guess this is the equivalent of the 60s bubble gum music some of us use to enjoy when we first got interested in music on 6 transistor AM radios. I'm not inclined to try to figure out which H'Bird sounds better or different. Too much electrical engineering. But - Thanks - as always JCV - you bring lots of great and interesting performances here for us to "Compare and Contrast". As my old history teacher use to say.

Murph got mugged by a trollish member here. Might have been over in The Lounge: on the politics of pandemics I believe. He got disgusted and packed it in. He will be missed. Troll still steaming along.

So, yesterday afternoon I thought I'd burn off the excess junk the brisket left behind on the gas grill. Flared up BIG time. Closed the lid. They put vents in the back, down in the body of the grill, so that did nothing. Smoke filling the porch overhang, so I wheeled it out onto the new stone patio. Snatched the gas bottle out, just in case, and let it burn out. Then, a half hour later after it cooled, I foolishly hosed it down. Ashes, grit and grease all over the stones and crushed granite. Tried scrubbing it for an hour to no avail. Ninety-nine in the shade. Third day in a row I had planned to play guitar and didn't. Today's the day! Right after I do the semi-weekly curbside grocery pickup. 24 can case of beer- works out great. And some other stuff. Hope this doesn't work out to be The New Normal.

Twang, apparently in the mid-70's, when a South American Brewing Conglomerate took control of Chicago Music Intstruments, which owned Gibson - the quality of their guitars spiraled downwards - including the cost savings attempt of 'Norlin" to make J45s virtually the same as H'birds. The bean counters figured they could use the same cases, I guess. "Thank God and Greyhound they're gone. "