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jt

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Posts posted by jt

    Vintage Gibson Flattop Bracing Pictures and tone discussion

    in Gibson Acoustic

    Posted

    Good timing. I'm about to go back into the diagnostic imaging department to x-ray and CT-scan guitars. I'm doing this for my upcoming book (The Acoustic Guitar: Inside the World’s Most Popular Musical Instrument (Oxford University Press, 2023), the publisher of which will also curate a companion website.

    At the same time, I'm working on a related project with Worcester Polytechnic Institute, called Fretology, that will conduct sonic studies on the guitars I X-ray and CT-scan and will make all the information publicly accessible. The website (yeah, currently under WPI's electric guitar heading, but it's an all acoustic guitar project) presents examples of the images I've already obtained.

    Both projects will be examining a number of vintage guitars from Gibson, Martin, and the Larson brothers, among other, as well as modern guitars.

    Stay, uh, tuned. 🙂

    • Thanks 1

    Sunday night, Jan. 30, at 7 pm Eastern US time: virtual celebration of the 100th birthday of the last surviving Kalamazoo Gal

    in Gibson Acoustic

    Posted · Edited by jt

    I invite you to a virtual celebration this Sunday evening, January 30, at 7 pm eastern US time. Irene Stearns, the last surviving of the “Kalamazoo Gals” who worked Gibson during WWII, will be turning 100.

    I’d planned an in-person celebration in Kalamazoo. Alas. So, beginning about a month ago, I set about organizing a virtual event.

    Coming attractions for the 30 minute-ish event:

    • I convinced Kalamazoo’s mayor to declare the day the official “Irene Stearns Day” and hired a video crew to record the mayor and city commission’s reading of the proclamation (that I drafted) to Irene and her family. The Michigan legislature is working on making the day a state-recognized event, but I’ve not heard whether it has accomplished this, yet.
    • Jennifer Nettles (of the band Sugarland and of movies like “Harriett”) and Emily Saliers (of the band the Indigo Girls) have recorded a video duet of Irene’s favorite song, “I’ll Fly Away.” The granddaughter of the song’s composer (Albert Brumley) has recorded a tribute to Irene that I’ll use to introduce the performance.
    • Gibson executives JC Curleigh and Cesar Gueikian have contributed a heartfelt video tribute to Irene and the Kalamazoo Gals
    • Over 100 musicians from over a dozen countries have recorded video birthday wishes. Sunday’s program will feature a handful of these videos, including videos from Rosanne Cash, Tommy Emmanuel, and  Waddy Wachtel), and other well-known folks. I'm assembling a longer version that includes all of the video birthday wishes that the Michigan Music Alliance and I will host on our YouTube channels.
    • Other cool stuff, too.

    The Michigan Music Alliance will host the event. It will run live on these links:

    Here’s a short Michigan National Public Radio story about the event.

    “See” you all tomorrow evening.

    Vintage 1950s J-45 vs LG-2

    in Gibson Acoustic

    Posted

    20 hours ago, jibberish said:

    I...

    - The LG-2 is best lightly strummed or finger-picked. As a rhythm acoustic for a folk/rock or americana band, it would probably suck.

    - The LG-2 won't behave well if you intend to play a set while tuning between standard and open-G/D. The little guitar just isn't friendly with tension variations.

    This certainly is not my experience. Plus, the LGs featured the same bracing pattern and brace sizes as the J-45. The same top, back, and side thicknesses, too (I have copies of the original specifications). This simply cannot be true.

    My experience, though, is only with the WWII, Banner-era examples.

    Here's an LG-2:

    Here's an SJ, which is just a fancy J-45:

     

    2013 J45 1942 Banner Reissue coming my way

    in Gibson Acoustic

    Posted

    3 hours ago, PickitPaul said:

    Nice guitar!  

    Wasn't there a LG-2 Banner that was made from JT's original, also in 2013?

    Yes. At Gibson's request, I sent 5 guitars: an SJ, 2 J-45s (one with maple back and sides), and an LG-1.  Gibson produced reissues on the SJ, the mahogany J-45, and the LG01 (though labeled it an LG-2).

    2013 J45 1942 Banner Reissue coming my way

    in Gibson Acoustic

    Posted

    On 1/16/2022 at 12:20 PM, Dash_Starkiller said:

    Well hello all! after a one day delay the J45 Banner arrived and oh boy is it something to behold. The neck is amazing, fat but so comfortable. Fit and finish is immaculate, and it just is exactly what I want in a guitar. I have some quick sound clips here for ya, I need to restring with my preferred Martin (I know...) retros. Also here is the imgur link for some nice photos. Overall and incredible guitar that I got for less than a new j45 standard.

     

    https://imgur.com/a/0lFNtJ5

    New Recording 133.m4a 229.03 kB · 6 downloads New Recording 135.m4a 223.75 kB · 9 downloads

    Nice! Congratulations!

    Please contribute to the celebration of the 100th birthday of the last surviving Kalamazoo Gal

    in Gibson Acoustic

    Posted

    Hello, fellow Gibsonians.

    I’m seeking a favor from my guitar-playing friends. On January 30, Irene Stearns, the last surviving Kalamazoo Gal, turns 100. I’m organizing a virtual celebration. The Kalamazoo mayor has issued a proclamation declaring the day the official Irene Stearns Day (but I can’t share the video of that until next Tuesday when the city will make the proclamation official). 

    I’m recruiting musicians to record a simple 15-30 second selfie video wishing Irene a Happy 100th. Something like, “I’m John from Connecticut, USA. Happy 100th, Irene!” Might you be willing to participate? I’ll string together the video clips. Please send your clip to johnthomasguitar -at- gmail -dot-com. Let’s make this a worldwide celebration!

    Here's an example of what I'm looking for:

    https://photos.google.com/search/_tra_/photo/AF1QipOCOeBdgRIFD4td6JbC_WJvDaQSz0IxZruI4-UI

    Humbly yours, John.

    2013 J45 1942 Banner Reissue coming my way

    in Gibson Acoustic

    Posted

    19 minutes ago, zombywoof said:

    Cool & Congrats.  ... The only other guitar issued as part of a Kalamazoo Gals Project was Dale Fairbanks' "Kal Gal" SJ which was if I recall a copy of JTs 1944 SJ.  

    Yes, based on my went-to-WWII SJ. I gave Dale some maple that came from the Gibson factory during WWII to use to craft bridgeplates.

    2013 J45 1942 Banner Reissue coming my way

    in Gibson Acoustic

    Posted

    9 hours ago, Dash_Starkiller said:

    I appreciate you replying! I’ve read a few of your posts about the guitars and I’m gonna grab the book as well! Also is your personal guitar featured in the fabulous flattops book? There’s a nice 1942 with the fire stripe guard on one of the pages. 

    Thanks!

    I'm not sure if that is the same guitar in the Fabulous Flattops book (which is a fabulous book).

    Need help with my Mom's Gibson

    in Gibson Acoustic

    Posted

    2 hours ago, zombywoof said:

    If you go back far enough myself and I am sure others who owned Banner J50s believed they were re-finished J45s because sources such as the Fabulous Flat-Top book stated the model was not introduced until 1947.  I did not know about mine until I signed up with UMGF and you clued me into what I had.  I then recall waiting as patiently as I could for your book to come out.  While I have a couple of guitar books people gave me. to this day the only two I have gone out and bought were yours and Neil Harpe's "Stella Book."

    Thank you, kind sir!

    Need help with my Mom's Gibson

    in Gibson Acoustic

    Posted

    3 hours ago, j45nick said:

    Unless it is really professionally done, a refinish leaves open pores in the wood, particularly in mahogany.  This is what you see on the back of the headstock of this guitar. Carefully-lighted photos of the back, sides, and top would probably show if this is a refinish or not. If it is a refinish, it is probably a very old refinish.

    At some point, the original open back tuners were replaced with slightly newer closed-back Klusons of a style that came in in the late 1940s and early 1950s. ZW may have a better idea of the date of the tuners.

    This is a nice instrument, but only a first-hand inspection inside and out by someone really knowledgeable might pin it down more definitively.

    JT's assessment is the most rational in the absence of that.

     

    Well stated.

    To clarify, I think that only the top may have been refinished, subject to 2 caveats:

    1. Gibson being Gibson, never say never. It's certainly more than possible that Gibson produced a natural topped J-45 circa 1943.

    2. I certainly cannot conclude anything definitively from photos.

    And, again, thanks for sharing your cool guitar with us, OP.

    Need help with my Mom's Gibson

    in Gibson Acoustic

    Posted

    7 hours ago, zombywoof said:

    I just went and checked and yup mine has multi-ply top and back binding.  So should the FON be illegible would the combination of the 7- ply rosette and single ply top binding narrow down the build date?   

    The fancy rosette and single ply binding point to 1943. IMHO, we can't make much of the absence of an FON. Sometimes they fade to oblivion and I'm convinced that sometimes the Gals simply forgot to stamp a number on the neck block.

    So, my best guess: a refinished 1943 J-45.

    Cool guitar!

    Need help with my Mom's Gibson

    in Gibson Acoustic

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Grog said:

    I just recently read the book “Kalamazoo Gals” by John Thomas. It’s all about the banner guitars & the gals that built them during WWII. He went into the guitars pretty extensively. You may be able to contact the author for info…….

    Thank you!

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