BluesKing777
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Posts posted by BluesKing777
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12 minutes ago, jedzep said:
God...I've waited silently. Finally, the honesty!!
Speaking honestly.....I have the ‘100 Most Popular Songs For Fingerpicking’ AND ‘100 Most Beautiful Songs For Fingerpicking’., and while the arrangements are good, the pages lay flat etc, there IS some ‘publisher padding’ going on, let me say! I mean, if I haven’t heard it, like ever....it sure isn’t the ‘most popular’ anything.....padding for royalties? Voted most beautiful by a 3 year old?
But anyhow, when the Most Beautiful book comes out, the Lowden S35, my Cargill and my Eric are probably the choice......
And the LG1 would be .....silly.
There you go, JZ.
BluesKing777.
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10 hours ago, zombywoof said:
My rare as hen's teeth 1930s Oscar Schmit-made Galiano Jumbo remains my favorite ladder braced guitar. At the moment though it is off the road having finally reached the point where I can no longer put off the repairs it needs. Next in line is the Harmony Sovereign H1260. Thunderous low end with an overall punchy and up front sound.
1 or 2 H1260s for sale on Reverb.com if you want another, or anyone else wants one!
I have gone the other way today, grabbed my Eric 000, just beautiful! (Can’ really say that about my ladders, love as I do...)
BluesKing777.
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1 minute ago, BluesKing777 said:
sorry, double post.
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22 minutes ago, zombywoof said:
There is a nice little cottage industry when it comes to re-bracing guitars. Prices seem to range from $600 to $1K depending on who you choose to go with. But unlike the LG series in most cases the guitars undergoing the surgery were never available with anything but ladder bracing.
Ah, at last someone sensible is taking the boring as snores X bracing off and replacing it with lovely ladder bracing! 😑
In truth but a fair bit higher up the food chain, my Waterloo X and my Waterloo Ladder are equals and impossible to leave alone. .........the ladder just sings and cries with lead notes though. I went to sleep in my chair last night re-watching the glorious Reacher mini series on Amazon.....but I woke to Spoonful and Wolf on the soundtrack in the early hours - the streaming shows will keep going to the end without you! But just then I played around with Spoonful on my ladder, lead notes mimicking the vocal line and then the riffs.......perfect!
Ladder rules, ok! Don’t alter it.
BluesKing777.
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51 minutes ago, Jinder said:
Okay-speaking as former guitar tech I’ll offer up a few bits of friendly advice:
1) You don’t want back-bow. Whoever told you that needs a swift slap in the marital potatoes.
2) I’d imagine that the same person told you to check neck relief with a business card. Dude just earned himself a second wallop in the lovespuds. Please don’t do this. Business cards come in all shapes and sizes. Buy yourself some feeler gauges. Do not use anything other than feeler gauges. For an acoustic you want between .008” (eight thousandths of an inch) and .010” (ten thousandths of an inch) of relief, measured at the 7th fret on the low E string with a capo on the first and twelfth frets.
3) If your truss rod (or neck!) is creaking, stop cranking the nut. You’re going at it too hard and/or making too drastic an adjustment. Truss rods are tools for very delicate incremental adjustments which must be done very gradually. A quarter of a turn at a time is enough, and a neck can still be settling after an adjustment that small a day later. If you’re making big adjustments, you’ll forever be going back and forth trying to find the sweet spot, which is not good at all for your neck or the bond between your fretboard and neck. I’ve seen (and repaired) two guitars which have had fretboard separation due to aggressive truss rod adjustments. Just go gently and take your time. A quarter turn and give it a day to bed in.
4) Don’t adjust your truss rod with the strings under tension. This is fairly obvious, but you’d be amazed how many people wail away on it with the strings on, stripping the nut threads or rounding off the nut flats in the process. Everything works better with the strings detuned or removed.
5) if you are in ANY doubt whatsoever about what you are doing, take your guitar to a tech and have it professionally sorted out. Ultimately it’s far cheaper to pay for a setup than a setup and a new truss rod plus other repairs.
I hope this helps. If you’re still getting buzz with 8-10 thou of relief, your saddle is too low.
Hee heee, having trouble getting past your ‘love spuds and marital potatoes’.....😳
I am guessing the guitar was an online purchase, so too far to take it to the seller to adjust?
BluesKing777.
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So what is involved in swapping the LG1 ladder bracing for X bracing? Take it all apart, top, binding, braces? Won’t that cost more than buying the x braced LG2 to begin with? Plus you may upset the Guitar Fairies.
I personally like the LG1 ladder sound and vote to leave it. (Sell it to a ladder brace lover).
BluesKing777.
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Should have mentioned that I capo up to get a whisker more room between the strings, but it gives less room along the neck and chord shapes need to be shrunk a whisker to fit. This is assuming the neck has taper as it widens to the neck join - some modern guitars don’t have much difference..eg Martin ‘high performance neck. But on say, my 59 LG3, capo on 3 gives probably about the same room for a chord as an open 1 3/4” nut guitar, except more squished long ways.....😄
The end result is I can extract some vintage tone goodies from a vintage 1 11/16” nut guitar that should otherwise go to the.......pawnshop!
There is probably some kind of formula for working out how the tune you learned with no capo plays with a capo on 3, (X+4+3-4+12=😐but easiest way is to try it a few times. (I mainly use Shubb capos with the ‘Tony Rice Method’ - put the capo right on the dotted line of the fret and it is normally nicely in tune!)
P.S. Can’t keep doing this all the time, with capo, or hands shrink! So we need to move to another guitar with wider specs before that happens...or........buy more guitars! So then we move to a guitar with V neck 1 3/4 and 2 3/8.....ha, ha, put the capo on 3 also ha ha and the formula is then X+4+3-4+12+a little bit more= Dunno.
BluesKing777.
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2 hours ago, zombywoof said:
For me all-mahogany guitars are like 12 strings - one will do. Like BluesKing777 I own an all-mahogany guitar which has carved itself out a nice niche in between its spruce top kin. In my case it is a 1942 Harmony H165 Stella. Grand concert figure 8 body with a 1 3/4" nut and a humongous V neck carve.
Judging anything from videos though, is, of course, an "approach with caution" thing. In this case though I agree with others that as an advertisement it sure as heck does not get me running for the drool bucket. Nothing I heard which would fill me with enough confidence to buy one sight unseen or would make me go out of my way to seek one out. So, it will remain one of those guitars which if I do run across might turn out to be a pleasant surprise albeit one with a unpleasantly high price tag,
Over 20 years ago, I had a Martin 15 series with 1 11/16” nut.........and reading the forums at the time discovered THE mahogany top Martin for blues fingerpickers was the 1937 Martin 00-17......1 3/4” nut, sometimes 2 5/16” bridge spacing and chunky neck. In real estate terms they were/are ‘tightly held’ ! And if for sale, quite expensive - the word was out. (I think Jackson Browne and maybe Kenny Sultan bought all of them!).
Then I saw my 1944 Martin 0-17 going cheap online, splits and unloved and really nobody at the time wanted it, or that model with 1 11/16” nut. But I got the old mahogany scalloped brace tone.....slightly chunky neck....but TONE, TONE, TONE!!! I always capo up a few. I have never played the 1937, but my Martin CEO7 is 1 3/4” nut with 2 5/16” spacing and V neck......so I sort of can imagine the older guitar specs.....and now the prices of the 40s mahogany top Martins have gone through the roof and heading to Mars. And so that is probably goodbye and good luck, eh?
BluesKing777.
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In the video it looks very brown but sounds green!
It is going to have to be played very hard to break it in and my bare fingered picking probably won’t do it.....I had a bit of a mahogany top frenzy last year and bought a Martin OMC-15ME and a Maton EBG808 (all blackwood).
I ran my Tonerite on the Martin but smoke came out of the buzzer and it is the end. Did something a bit.
I have played both hard with fingerpicks, works some, played and played, but they are now.....lighter shade of green.
My 1944 Martin 0-17 all mahogany is the measuring stick tonewise, but it has 1 11/16” nut while one of the reasons for buying both Martin and Maton is the wider nuts.
So to get my dollar, the LG2 mahogany top in the video needs.......1. Torrefaction 2. Aging 3. Toneriting 4. Hammered by someone like John Hammond Junior or Leo Kottke!
BluesKing777.
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1 hour ago, jedzep said:
Binding I'm good at fixing, but I'd surmise that tight little build wouldn't fail beyond the cosmetic. Still very much love my 00015S, especially for neck comfort, but the full dark tone is the clincher. A slightly different (smaller) tone isn't something I'd be able to justify throwing dollars at now, especially at the expense of not having an old J hanging on the wall.
Exquisite gritty blues, by the way. Keep those fingers away from the mower blades!
Thanks JZ.
Mundane matters like lawn mowing must affect lots of people since Covid.......we had a guy did the mowing (he bought the mowing round from the glorious and clever Pete, always early and trimmed and weeded but now in ‘facilities management’, whatever that is....) but anyhow the new guy announced he only did mowing, no weeds! And then he didn’t turn up at all! So.....it is me the last few months and let me say what a fine job is being done at last....and...nobody using a blowervac and putting grass and dust on my cars! 😐
BluesKing777.
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The guy that sold me the 52 LG1 all those years ago saw my photos in the post above, contacted me and said he wanted back and to name a price......I said I am thinking $5K....(not true, I made it up!).
The guitar sounds great, ladder bracing being a fave of mine, and slide is nice in Open G
So curious, I put it into standard tuning for the first time in 10 years and played it......horrible! Absolutely awful! Sharp frets, dud frets, low frets, buzzing notes, wolf notes, dud notes. Phew. So refret, neck set, repairs.....unlikely! Good news - the tuners work great! Could be a donor guitar!
Back in Open G.....after I mow the back lawn, I will try to get my old iMac working to make a quick recording. Maybe.
UPDATE: I did get down a quick and dirty slide track - here (to listen, click the line ‘Listen In Browser’ or it takes you to their website:
BluesKing777.
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24 minutes ago, slimt said:
Who in there right mined would pay 5 k for any LG1.?
They were okay guitars . And sound great. But?
Like I said earlier somewhere, my LG1 cost me $800 by the time it arrived (almost 10 years ago!) and some said I was out of my mind then! And until I played slide on it a few weeks later, I thought they were right...done....my....dough! 😶
BluesKing777.
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9 hours ago, groovadelic said:
Great to hear! Anything you can adjust in your playing technique? I know a lot of players (including myself) really don't pay attention to proper left-hand positioning. I remember when I was in college - a guitar instructor telling me the "thumb over the top" can lead to strain and that I should learn to keep my thumb on the back of the neck. This was really for chords because obviously not always possible for bends.
It is good to be taught the right way, then you know what you are doing when you do it the wrong way!😄
My teacher always said ‘arch your fingers’ (slap!) but I think he also meant - you won’t be able to play FMaj7b9#9 if your thumb is hanging over the top - the fingers will be coming in for a landing way too low to get the extra notes clean on your skinny neck Gibson....’Arch those fingers!(slap...wack!) .....Ouch..😑
BluesKing777.
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46 minutes ago, jedzep said:
So if 4K gets you that LG1, what should I ask for my '50 J50? I'm looking to go all 12 fretter.
https://reverb.com/item/58551876-martin-0-18-custom-12-fret-mahogany-2017-gloss?utm_content=feed_listings&utm_source=braze&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily-Feed-Email&utm_term=Feed EmailNo idea what you would get for the J50 but depending on condition and if you sell it at Retrofret, you will easily get......😐😐🙄
Is that the 12 fretter you want in the link? Do you still have the 15 series 12 fretter, gave you a taste, did it?
Probably fine, but 2017 could be prime ‘binding falling off’ territory.....maybe look for a 12 fret before say...2005? (slightly bitter and twisted, just got the loose binding repaired on my 2016 CEO7, no warranty outside US...$280! Grumble, grumble...have 2 others loose as well!)
BluesKing777.
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48 minutes ago, zombywoof said:
Maybe Bozeman figures the typical modern audience is made up of former electric guitar players with girly fingers. No wait. That would be Taylor.
You mean the more petite player?😆
I wonder how many new LG2 Historic Banners they have sold? They could sell at least one more if they made the nut 1 3/4” and even 2 1/4” space at the bridge - err....me!
Waterloo don’t make an LG type - their 2 3/8” space is fingerpicking dreamy! The Iris OG is a LG type but their standard nut in their catalogue is 1 11/16” but if you want to wait for them to build one, they will do custom orders......but the guitars have got very popular and has a waiting list. They also have various finishes to order and I saw a black one with firestripe guard like the old L-00s at AMS. They don’t do an L-00. But Waterloo do....
BluesKing777.
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19 hours ago, zombywoof said:
If there is a thing I do not like about Gibsons it is the skimpy string spacing at the bridge. My 1920 L3 has a 2 5/16" spacing and my 1932 L1 a 2 3/8" spacing. I do not, however, have a clue if this is what the spec sheets called for or if it was just happenstance and a quirk of the build. Tom is in a much better position than I am to make the call about what would have been typical, But the more generous string spacing was one of the reasons I chose these particular instruments. Once you hit the 1940s though and get into the Banners the string spacing gets whittled down to as narrow as 2 1/8". It looks like they eventually settled on 2 3/16". I can play them but moving back and forth it takes a bit for muscle memory in my right hand to kick in.
Admittedly with me when it comes to LG1s the reason I never bought another one is simply there were other ladder braced guitars I liked the sound and feel of better.
It is a real shame the current brand new Gibson LG2 Banner Historic reissues with torrefied tops (crying for relic jobs!) doesn't have wider spacing and nut like some of the original Banner LG2s.......no idea what the bridge space was on the real LG2 Banners but I have seen them advertised with 1 3/4" nut.....
BluesKing777.
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Got mine from eBay probably nearly 10 years ago and it arrived in a badly fitting gig bag....it was about $800 Australian by the time it got through Fedex and Customs.
I went to a music shop to get a case and got a real nasty cheapo classical case that fit, and I remember the salesguy said when he asked what guitar......I said Gibson LG1 and he only heard ‘Gibson’ and said it must be worth a mint? Ha ha!
But the moral of the story for those that buy LG1s to get a cheap Gibson acoustic is that they are.......ummmm......an acquired taste.
BluesKing777.
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29 minutes ago, Murph said:
Man, I'd like to find a $300, 1957 LG1.
But Tom, if that was 10 years ago, that $300 is now $600, heck maybe more.
Great pics you guys.
A quick scan for LG1s on Reverb.com shows that ship has well and truly sailed, Murph!
BluesKing777.
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How are the tops on your LG1s, Tom?
Mine has the ladder braced wavy gravy, very common I am told, but hard for consistency if it moves with the different weather...behind the bridge.It doesn’t matter if the strings go higher and lower for slide playing, much, but useless for ragtime chording. I still would love to play one in good condition to compare a few err......items!
BluesKing777.
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Yeah, once you have fingerpicked guitars with more generous spacings, it is hard to pickup the LGs....but I do rotate around and when it is LG time, first thing to do is to trim left hand fingernails and 'arch those fingers' as the teacher use to say. And I usually put a capo on at least 3 for more space across the strings on the LG3 but that is a bit useless for slide on the LG1 (makes strings too low).....
So all in all, I still own them because.........the TONE! Old woods...all that, the smell....
BluesKing777.
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Wonder how many brand new ‘aged’, relic etc they would sell if it had a big slash across the bout like my poor guitar?
Split the new one around the side for authenticity?
At first, years back, I was concerned the guitar would fall to pieces, but it is still here!
P.S. the bridge is Gabon ebony, replaced the split original, great sustain improvement even if there is not much saddle....
BluesKing777.
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The bow in the neck on mine says it doesn’t need a nut extender for slide! 😅
Finished the ladder brace day with my Waterloo ladder in standard tuning....it WAS going to be an upgrade for the old LG1 but the setup is wonderfully low for rags, so...
BluesKing777.
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Well, dragged multiple guitars out of the way to get to my 52 LG1 way up the back in the unreachable zone of the basement......
Still almost in tune - Open G! Tightened some strings with the electronic tuner, awful to play until it gets a neck reset and lots of work. Hmmm. Big crack on front makes it pretty un-sellable. Big crack all the way around the sides where it was maybe rejoined after a smash looks awful and makes it pretty err....un-sellable. Frets terrible.
Grabbed my Blue Diamond bottleneck from Diamond Bottlenecks and ...Voila!!!!!! The ladder braced LG1 sound speaks the TRUTH!
Played slide for 45 minutes and it can stay exactly as is.........fantastic.. Maybe I will get a big sticker and put it over the crack!
It would be interesting to play the 51 LG1 in retrofret next to mine, just to know. Don't want it - the neck is a bit narrow for my normal play.
Took a few iPhone photos to show you, but let me tell you, these make it look way better than in real life...
BluesKing777.
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Phew...looks like it came from a different guitar carer than my 1952 LG1, that is for sure! Mine has approx 450 cracks and may have been joined back together. But at these prices, I could take it to my luthier, fix the problems, neck reset and...paint it black! (and then probably keep it because I love black guitars...
But there can be no painting the 51 at Retrofret.:
https://www.retrofret.com/product.asp?ProductID=10902&name=Gibson-LG1-Flat-Top-Acoustic-Guitar-1951
BluesKing777.
LG-1 vs LG-2
in Gibson Acoustic
Posted
If you want some ..simple/easy/very hard....all at once - here is a link to Mississippi John Hurt tabs you can plod through at your own pace in Songsterr.com...if you click on his name in blue, there is a list of his tabs. Yep, simple but hard! And sound great with capo on 3 as we talked about....
https://www.songsterr.com/a/wsa/mississippi-john-hurt-i-shall-not-be-moved-tab-s423028
BluesKing777.