fortyearspickn

Strange. A 'newbie' joins the forum and on that same day posts a question about acquiring a Taylor, asking for input on two Taylor models. After nearly 2 dozen replies in 2 weeks, he has yet to acknowledge any of the responses. And, the final irony, the Mystery Guest's sign-in name is derived from another non-Gibson brand, Martin. Draw your own conclusions - if you think any further serious comments are worth your time, research, thinking, and typing (or 'finger skin' as BBG calls it.)

jg2, Different radiology exams find different things, depending on the medium (tissue, bone, etc) and the possible pathogen or inflammation. If your left had was less injured, and is getting better - I believe your right hand will follow suite. As I'm sure you know - there are lots of bad things that can wind up on cacti thorns. But, given where you are now - I would think time will ve the best medicine. Soaking in warm salt water, or water with boric acid. Good Luck friend !

WOW! I actually saw that thread and forgot I saw it. More frightening: I said I didn't like it just a month ago - and now I do. "I voted against it, before I voted for it." I feel like a politician. I think I'll go take a shower. (Or maybe it's an acquired taste?!) Nope - I'm just forgetfully fickle more likely.

http://www.gibson.com/Products/Acoustic-Instruments/2016/Eric-Church-Hummingbird-Dark.aspx I hadn't seen this before - Eric Church Signature H'Bird. Reminiscent of the J45s with the Cobra Burst. But, to my eyes, at least the one on the website here - the burst is better. Maybe more 'mojo'. I would be interested in seeing the black MOP inlays in person, but that pick guard is really outstanding. And, the slightly slimmer body would make one of the most comfortable holding/playing guitars even more so. I thought I was immune to gas until this. Fortunately, I can keep repeating the mantra my wife taught me: "You can only play one guitar at a time."

Comparing Epiphone to Gibson is like comparing an AA Minor League baseball player to an MLB player.

Double Post?

GibsonIsTone - not sure I fully understand - but if the dealer you gave $2 or $3K to for a new H'Bird suggested you go on the internet to try to get in touch with a Gibson Service Representative to get a problem fixed which he, the dealer, is responsible for, you might want to push back in that direction. Not knowing how much the pg is lifting, I would still be hesitant to try anything on my own. But, BBG's suggestion of a small piece of that thin double sided 3M tape is the best, safest and only thing you should try on your own. If you aren't comfortable with that, and your dealer accepts no responsibility (the fact the guitar was on display for 4 months is irrelevant and immaterial) you should call Gibson directly. G'Luck.

Hgy, Agree 100% - except for the part about no one being upset about the Progressive. I think there was a thread a couple of months ago, more geared to the Robotuners, that clearly sent a message that no self respecting forum member would buy one. Yes, it is sort of ironic - as OWF pointed out- that Bozeman would start using flubber and plastic, while Epiphone / China uses wood. If resources are that scarece, re-allocate them. Let Epiphone introduce the "Progressive Product Line". As one member mentioned - with a little handle in the bout you can crank and the guitar will work like a player piana a al the old, plastic, miniature Mickey Mouse guitars of the '50s. The Progressive "J45" is clearly devaluing the Gibson marque.

When I went back to school back in the early '70s, - in the required science course - one point I remember vividly (because it scared me) was that in 50 years we will run out of the chemicals needed to make batteries. Of course, that was just before someone invented Rechargeable Batteries, and new chemical combinations to make mini-batteries, etc. So, I'm pre-disposed to be a skeptic. I believe, sadly, there are some woods that will disappear, when jungles are cleared to grow coffee of palm oil. Tigers are more threatened than trees, but places like Brazil and Madagascar do not have the same 'environmentally responsible' views as someone living in California might. While the tactile surface is critical on a fingerboard, and something like Corian would not fly with me - for the reasons Rambler noted. I think there are lots of alternatives, like cherry or sapele. And, for the cheaper, entry level, starter, student guitars - they could use almost any kind of cheap wood. Or Corian. I agree that some slow growing, rarer woods like ebony are a problem - but it may just be that those go on the high end guitars and are considered the same as semi[precious metals - not in everyone's price range.

And then there's our dear, old GuitarLite. In a category all by himself.

Martin, help me understand. Your first post implies virtually everyone on this forum is a jerk. In your last post, you proclaim yourself as the #1 Jerk. So - do you see the ironic inconsistency here, or are you off your meds again? 7bndr, You've not mentioned money being a criteria for selecting from the J45s being kicked around. You've not said you are going to spend more time on your acoustic than your electrics. It sounds like you are just looking to raise the bar in the somewhat limited use you've made of your Ibanez. If that's the case, a TV, Custom or signature model might be more than you need. If you found a Standard you like, you should seriously consider it. You've already done the hard part in narrowing it down this far. G'Luck.

I don't see a problem/danger with having the guitar in a room with music turned up so that it can pick up on the sympathetic vibes. I, too, have found the guitar humming along with some songs. But I do not believe non-musical vibrations can enhance a guitar either tonally or structurally. I can't prove it scientifically - of course. But I am very much in doubt of anything 'Not Musical' working any better than if you put your guitar on top of your drier for 20 or 30 hours. But, as a purist, I would also not hand my brand new Viper (if I had one) over to a teenage boy for a month to have him break it in for me. So, I am completely in agreement with points made like those by Phelonius Ponk - it is not possible to prove the 'tome' improves. Tone is too subjective. And the variables almost impossible to control in a scientific way. That said, it would be interesting to construct a 'blind test' of OWF's theory.

Agree.

Another vote for Elixer Nanoweb 12s. Jx00s don't need cable, but they need a little wire to get that big body vibrating.

My wife often says I remind her of a Young John Denver. Before he learned to play the guitar. Seriously - look it is even capo-ed. That must be one of the "Jaws Of Life" capos. I guess he tuned it down a full step to avoid an industrial accident.

I used Transmission Fluid on a 50 year old LG1 3 years ago - seems to have done the trick. I will let those who inherit my other guitars figure out the answer to this question, but I don't think I've got any others with those inviting little holes.

KSD, we are in an era of changing values. Some immediately look to "blame the victim". Defense attorneys will claim their client (aka the 'criminal') made an unfortunate choice and it was a "crime of opportunity"! The perp "is not a bad person", and some of the responsibility lies with the victim. So, the lines are getting blurred. Eventually, the liberal application of the concept of guilt will open the door for the lawyer of someone this drunk girl could have hit to sue whoever let the keys in the car. Anyway, I've had engines replaced and it was like a makeover. Be sure to get a written guarantee on the work. G'Luck. Jim

Hey Scott, that looks like the twin sister of mine. She wouldn't be from Tucson, would she? Got mine about 4 weeks ago. Sounds as good as it looks. Was helped by several forum members here. Posted that I was looking for a. 3rd Gibson to complement an Sj200 and an H'Bird, and one member came back and suggested this. I think I've gotten blisters under my callouses. Third time it's happened! Welcome Aboard. Jim

Good one Steve.you and that J35 were made for each other. Could be a marketing clip for Bozeman!

.

If I had wanted to be a Proctologist...... Seriously, I originally took the position (and voted) to NOT look in there. But I remembered we had a lighted dental mirror in the bathroom junk drawer - so, suffering my wife's looks of pity, I dug it out, dug my head out of the sand and looked at my 2 week old J45 Custom first. I was initially really unhappy, because the locator hole was closer to the bridge pin holes and rougher than on my other two Gibsons. But, thanks to the ongoing discussion here - Randmo adding to the discussion, and DuluthDan clarifying on June 9th why locator hole placement variability was necessary to make sure intonation was perfect on each guitar in placing the bridge - I feel we've had more, better closure on this issue than when it first came up a few months ago. We can all make our own, better informed, decisions now on whether rough bridge pin holes warrant a trip to a luthier, and whether a locator hole is structurally unsound. Since most seem to have been plugged at the factory - it makes the decision a little easier for those folks. I wish you all who have legitimate issues the best. Jim

Looks very, very similar to J45 Custom (Koa) I got 3 weeks ago. The plugged hole in bridge the same. Angle makes it look closer than it really is. I assume yours is rosewood?

Glue, probably epoxy, from putting a wood plug/dowel into the hole.

After calming down, after seeing my newest Gibsons hole isn't as far away and clean as the 2 older ones and reading DuluthDans explanation, I feel better.Looked more closely at Randmo's picture. It appears to me that the locator hole is in fact plugged and has some glue (epoxy) around it. Also, it appears the the string ball that is off to the side should be able to be placed in the hole straighter and kept in the groove of the pin with more manipulation than might be required for the other five. Since this is not an older guitar where the hole has been mis-sharpen by always putting the string I the wrong position, the hole should be round enough that the string can be coaxed into the right place. It might require placing this string before the others so you have room to work with down there. Unless or until a string actually moves into the locator hole, it is by process of elimination, in the bridge pin hole, right? Random has only been playing for 3 months as I understand it, so may not have changed strings as much as some folks here. No offense intended, of course, we were all newbies at one time or another.

Drc, with all due respect. That is one nice piece of maple. I've seen lots that don't look like that though. Some on kitchen cabinets. And, while I've only drilled a dozen hundred or so holes in wood. I don't think splinters showing up on the nether side are indicative of either a dull drill bit or "a hack job". You can sand off the splinters, or drill from the exposed side, but both are cosmetic approaches which have nothing to do with the integrity of the hole itself. As previously noted here, I have a 2004 and a 2010 with clean bridge plates. My Dec. 2013, not so much. So, I'm not an apologist or fan boy. But the bridge plate wood itself is not in question here, so let's move on, shall we?