j45nick

Yep. I started out just as a singer in a PPM-style folk trio in high school, but quickly discovered it was the guitar player who got the girls. (Lightbulb goes on)

This could well be a transition model from right around 1970. Can't tell what the neck wood is due to the very dark stain. Volute, for sure. I found photos of a (claimed to be) '69 burst SJ with the same features except the pickguard was tortoise rather than black. By '71, I think the parallelogram inlays were gone, Original tuners would have been individual closed-back Kluson-style, but could probably have been either metal or plastic keystones. It's an unusual combination of features, but Gibson production was going through some pretty radical changes in that period.

I suspect a proper set-up, plus some hand stretches and warm-ups, would go a long way to helping you. I have similar problems from time to time.

I would agree with QM on this, based on the spilt parallelogram inlays. Probably 1969 or 1970.

Southern Jumbo Natural(SJN) otherwise known as the CW (Country Western) from early 70's would be my guess. Best guess is 1969-1975 based on serial number on back of headstock and made in USA stamp beneath it. Grover rotomatic tuners are replacements.

A waterslide wouldn't work in this case because the paint is missing where the banner needs to go. You need a smooth surface for either a decal or a stencil, and this headstock has neither in the area of the banner. You would have to at least locally re-finish the headstock to do either one. You're better off just leaving it alone.

The early 50's U-shape there is essentially what my recently-acquired 1950 J-45 has, and is very similar to what my '47 L-7 had, so it may be typical of Gibson acoustics from early post-war years to early 50s. Both of my 1950 J-45s have a first-fret depth of .90-.92". I have no idea how they compare to the "no trussrod" banners or other banners with trussrod and slightly wider nut, or with the true "baseball bat" banner necks. Someone with one of those, or with a J-45 Legend, might comment on that. The 60s'-style oval C there is probably pretty much the same as early/mid 60s acoustics (about '61-on) that ZW calls the "backless wonders." The 50's rounded D-shape on that chart is pretty typical of mid/late 50's acoustics as well as electrics. It's very similar to the neck on my '59 ES-335 Historic. Just a bit less full, with less depth and softer shoulders that the early-50s U-shape. It's a very comfortable neck shape for a lot of people, including me, although I like the big handful of the fat U. If you play thumb-over bass style on the fat-U neck, be prepared to exercise that thumb to get a bit more flexibility in your hand.

I have five Gibsons with five different neck profiles and four different nut widths.

I did a search, and it is almost certainly a Guild D-55, which looks like a really nice model. Not cheap!

Try going on neilyoung.com and see if you can get to it that way.

I can understand the desire to do it, but it might be better from a value perspective to leave it as-is, depending on the condition of the rest of the guitar, and the model. If the guitar is completely original, you may want to keep it that way, other than things that are easily reversed like tuners and pins.

Good call. And I agree that version of War of Man is pretty stunning. You can tell how into it he is by his body language. Re-livin' the past. This is a pretty nice version, too. (But I think this is a great song no matter how he does it) War of Man

Neil Young has been doing these during the lockdown. One interesting thing is the instruments he plays in these. First one is a banjo/uke? Can anyone identify the dread with the unusual headstock and narrow fretboard he plays starting at about 23 minutes in? The guitar is always in shadow, but has a distinctive headstock and block inlays on the fretboard. in the barnyard

With an AJ, you get the same long scale the OP will be used to in his D-18. Used AJ's are typically similar in price to most used recent J-series guitars, if you shop around.

GAS gets your motor running. 60's J-series guitars are tricky due to changing neck profiles, nut widths, bridge configurations, and top bracing. It's not that the guitars were necessarily built inconsistently, but fundamental specs were changing rapidly between 1960 and 1968. After 1968, all bets are off as the J-series went to the same square dread body used by most other Gibson flat tops for the next decade plus. Almost more than any other decade, 60's guitars require hands-on inspection and playing to be sure of exactly what you are getting. In some ways the modern re-issues, although not exact in their details when compared to the originals, may well be more consistent as musical instruments. That being said, 60's originals can be good value if you find the combination of features and tone you are looking for.

That's a classic combination. The only amp I have is a little tweed Fender Champ. You can hot-rod it with different tubes if you have the urge to customize. It's a humble little thing with a lot of grunt.

Lots of leverage when you hold a long-scale solid-body bass by the headstock. BK would have spent 10 minutes trying to decide which of his 25 guitars to sacrifice (No, not the L-O!!!!!)

Is the Hummingbird pro the same body plan as the Songwriter, rather than that of the traditional Hummingbird?

Stewmac sells three different versions of these, including the Kluson-branded version. I bought a set to hold in reserve "just in case." These don't actually say Kluson on them, but Stewmac says they are Kluson. There may be trademark ownership issues.

Hey Tom, who's yer clog dancer?

Tom, Bobby Hicks and his five-string fiddle blow my mind. I couldn't figure out how he was getting that sound until I did some research. One thing I notice is that when Brian Stephens stops playing rhythm to play lead, the bottom simply drops out. I had not appreciated the role of the rhythm guitar in bluegrass until listening to that more closely.

That was my guess as well. It sounds like a good replacement at a good price. Sort of a modern equivalent of the B-45 12 square dread.

Tom, I've just listened through all these once, and even I am getting a grasp of the differences. What I do not have a good understanding of is exactly how the rhythm and lead roles work in traditional bluegrass. Could you point us toward some classic or modern ensemble performances that could clarify this for a bluegrass neophyte? The more I hear of your rosewood SJ, the more I can see how it holds its own against Martin rosewood dreads from the same period when it comes to providing the big rhythm foundation that seems to carry bluegrass.

Pretty cool Sal! You seem to be finding the time to play despite the pressures of the world today.

You realize that's a 10-year-old post you just replied to? Stewmac sells three different repro replacements for closed-back three-on-a-plate Klusons, including Kluson-branded versions. All of these are a bit better mechanically than the vintage Klusons would be, although I've restored plenty of those (no, I don't have any to sell). Depending on the tuners on there now, you may have to use adapter bushings (also from stewmac) if the original holes were over-bored for the replacement tuners you have now.