j45nick
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Everything posted by j45nick
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I can vouch for the fact that G and G builds a great case. The one below is part of a small run of repro Cali Girl J-45 cases they made for Norman's Rare Guitars a few years ago. Unlike the covering used on the TKL Cali Girl cases, this one is pretty much a dead ringer for the original material, inside and out. The case is built like a tank, but weighs a ton. I really like it, even though it's a very tight fit for my slightly oversize (compared to a modern J-45) 1948-1950 J-45. My modern SJ slips right in, but this case is reserved for the old girl.
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Current Gibson's with Ebony Fretboard and Bridge?
j45nick replied to onewilyfool's topic in Gibson Acoustic
I thought you could dye the streaked ebony to mimic the all-black stuff. In fact, I thought they had been doing that for years. -
lacquer thinner to remove gibson finish
j45nick replied to darkside mike's topic in Gibson Repair and Restoration
Not safe on most plastics used on guitars, including bindings, "pearloid" inlays. Not sure if it would hurt natural (abalone, MOP). Alcohol will also "cloud" celluloid, but it seems to return to normal. Learned that one the hard way. Paint strippers in general will also harm plastics of this type. -
I assume you are talking about the Epiphone Elvis, and not Buddy Holly's J-45 that John Thomas is holding. I think I would take Buddy's J-45 over Elvis's J-200 replica any day.
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Some details are different, as ZW says. Brace carve, fabric side stays, all-hide glue. The L-OO Legend is very much like a brand-new 1937 L-OO in virtually every way (but Madagascar instead of Brazilian). In genral, I just think the L-OO is a sweet guitar. It's the right size for sitting around and playing, and responds well to bare fingers, fingerpicks, or flatpick. Not a particularly great strummer, but I've got other guitars for that if I wanted. Not a big, shimmery voice with booming bass. Articulate and personal. A great guitar for the porch swing (if I had one), or a small space.......like a parlor.
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No, mine is an L-OO Legend, not a TV. Mostly the same materials, but slightly different construction and finish details. The TV is a great value, for much less money than the Legend. Sound seems very, very similar, even though this recording setup is not that good. Tony Blackbeard has a better recording setup, and I'd love do see him review this TV, if he hasn't done it. Rambler is right. If you want to get the best out of this little box, it needs a bit firmer attack.
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Yes, and no. Kluson-style tuners are not sealed like rotomatic tuners are. The Kluson covers protect the gearing and keep grit out, but they are not really sealed except to general atmospheric exposure. Yes, they were lubricated at the factory with some kind of grease, and unless the guitar is exposed to dust and grit, the lubrication should last for years, but not necessarily forever. I have seen the grease so congealed that it is non-functional on vintage guitars. In that case, I have removed the tuners from the guitar and flushed the gearing with naphtha injected through the lube hole with a syringe (repeatedly). Let the tuner dry thoroughly, and then inject some Tri-Flow through the hole. Clean the outside of the tuner carefully before re-installing on the guitar. NEVER do this with the tuners installed on the guitar. At best, you will make a mess. At worse, high concentrations of solvents could harm the finish. Even naphtha. The original versions of the sealed Klusons had no lube holes. The holes, in various configurations, showed up around 1950 or so. I have some 1947 versions with no holes, and 1952 versions with holes, so I'm pretty sure it happened sometime in between. There's actually a good website on the history of early Kluson tuners. Unless the tuners are turning hard, there is no reason to clean and lubricate them. In any case, oil would make a mess, and should not be used.
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Which strings are you using on your hummingbird?
j45nick replied to ServantOfGod's topic in Gibson Acoustic
Harmony H-12-70 12 string. It's in the R&R Hall of Fame. It's a big sucker. -
Rick, you might want to take your J-45 to Bailey Brothers to have Keith look at it to suggest repairs, particularly to the bridge. You have what appears to be (visually and by the serial number) a very nice 1964 J-45 with ceramic saddle. We often call this the Donovan model, as it was the version of the J-45 that Donovan played and recorded with. There are people here who are great fans of this guitar, but if the bridge is pulling up, it needs to be properly and professionally repaired before you really play it. The bridge could/should be a straightforward repair, but it is a very important one to minimize the risk of damage to the guitar. From the looks of it, the glue has failed and the small bridge bolts are probably pulling up into the bridgeplate.
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Gee, Bill, I really love your voice, and this song. To my ear, the cello distracts from both the vocal and the guitar, but if it were mixed down a bit, it might be better. The other option, since it's a fairly long song, would be to introduce the cello for one verse only, or maybe the second chorus and bridge. I think you just want to play with the variations a bit to see what works best. Do you have a producer on this one, or are you doing it yourself?
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Really, really nice, Doug. That brings back some very pleasant memories of sitting outdoors on a warm spring day in a seriously altered state of mental awareness.
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We're just two people separated by a common language. Here it's just an exclamation of awe. Can't imagine you as any type of party pooper.
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Wowser!!!
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Nice one, Sal!
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That is my experience with the rosewood adjustable saddles as well. I improved that a bit by setting a bone insert into the rosewood saddle in the one I had. I've since replaced the whole arrangement with a conventional fixed bridge and slot-through saddle like the guitar had originally. Tinker, tinker, tinker.....
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Just because they are rare does not mean they are great.
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Dai, once again, it's impossible to evaluate the guitar properly without an inspection. Gibson was not always consistent in using an FON in the early years after WW2. It could well be a late 1947, since the block logo appeared sometime late in that year. By 1948, I think most had an FON.
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Dai, once again, it's impossible to evaluate the guitar properly without an inspection. Gibson was not always consistent in using an FON in the early years after WW2. It could well be a late 1947, since the block logo appeared sometime late in that year. By 1948, I think most had an FON.
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Dai, there is not rational way I can evaluate this guitar for you. When it comes to vintage guitars, everyone has different expectations. The fact that is was owned by a performing musician is irrelevant to me. All I care about is whether it is a good instrument in good condition. The price is high for the vintage. You are asking people to give opinions on vintage instruments they do not know.
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Dai, there is not rational way I can evaluate this guitar for you. When it comes to vintage guitars, everyone has different expectations. The fact that is was owned by a performing musician is irrelevant to me. All I care about is whether it is a good instrument in good condition. The price is high for the vintage. You are asking people to give opinions on vintage instruments they do not know.
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I know exactly where you're coming from, and I don't blame you at all. There at a lot of apologists here, and I ain't one of them. I love my Gibsons, but they aren't perfect. Maybe that's one of the reasons I love them. But I don't put them--or the company--on a pedestal. I'll keep "undoing" your thumbs down votes, as I don't think that's an appropria...
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I know exactly where you're coming from, and I don't blame you at all. There at a lot of apologists here, and I ain't one of them. I love my Gibsons, but they aren't perfect. Maybe that's one of the reasons I love them. But I don't put them--or the company--on a pedestal. I'll keep "undoing" your thumbs down votes, as I don't think that's an appropria...
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Clearly, you've done something to upset somebody. Some folks have little sense of humor. I work with most of them every day.