Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

sbpark

All Access
  • Posts

    1,213
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    2

Everything posted by sbpark

  1. You should already have one strap button installed down on the bridge end of the guitar. Gibson’s come with this strap button already installed ( this is a Gibson forum, not a Martin forum. Only Martin ships their guitars without the strap button installed). for attaching the guitar st the other end, you either need to secure it around the headstock or have a shop add a strap button to the heel )they’ll usually charge $20/25 to do this).
  2. Yes, but the LJ Retro set has even less tension than a medium light set in PB.
  3. It's actually even less than that. Somewhere between 7-8lbs. My particular Frontier seems to fill that void and check the boxes of a Gibson acoustic that simply works for me. Despite trying to bond with so many J-45's over the years I've never been able to. I prefer "bigger" guitars sound wise and physically. To me the J-45 is a small guitar trapped inside a big guitar body. I also prefer longer scale than the traditional shorter Gibson scale. The only Gibson acoustics I've bonded with over the years were the J-200 and the AJ. The AJ was hands down my favorite sound-wise, but was a 2012 and for whatever reason and a really thin neck profile. I've had two J-200's. One was really nice, the other sounded like rubber bands over cardboard. Also, despite their physically large size, they aren't necessarily big sounding guitars. Enter the Frontier...it's a big sounding guitar but still has that classic Gibson thump and decay but with a touch of clarity to it, fantastic note separation and very full, big sound, longer scale to suit my personal preference, more substantial neck than the AJ I used to have, and better aesthetics (in my opinion) compared to a Dove (which is essentially what the Frontier is, a Dove with different aesthetics). Also a little more versatile than the AJ.
  4. Aren't those Phosphor Bronze or 80/20? I wasn't aware that they make a nickel apply version.
  5. I never considered the J45 a dread, or even a big "sounding" guitar for that matter. I've always considered it a small guitar in a. big guitar body.
  6. After a couple days these strings sound even better. Despite the Martin LJ Retro set only being a few pounds heavier than a PB light set, and quite a bit less tension than a PB medium set, I can still feel the difference, and is affecting the way I play. I've always used mights on my dreads, but approach playing them differently. With lights I usually do hit the guitar pretty hard, dig in more, etc/, to get the most out of the instrument with those lighter gauge strings. It also imparts a certain sound/tone. Might not be the most efficient way to play (I compare it to the bicyclist you see who's pedaling like crazy in a low grad and going nowhere, and you're telling that moron to shift, shift gears so it's easier on you!) but it's just been my style and what I've done. But it also does make it easier when playing more delicate and quieter stuff. But these LJ's sound so good on this guitar I may jsut have the setup tweaked a bit and see if that makes it jsut a little easier to play. Relief is spot on and didn't move from the lights (a testament in ways to how low the tension really is on this LJ set even though they are 13's), and for sure will need to touch up then slots because there is a difference there with the heavier gauge. May even Lowe the action just a hair.
  7. The would make perfect sense given the humidity drops on the winter, sometimes to single digits depending on where you live. Since that's the case, the guitar needs more moisture, so it draws that moisture from the humidipacks. As they draw the moisture out of the humidipacks the packs dry out. That's what they're supposed to do.
  8. This was not the case with the 12-packI bought. They came in a box, and each pack was individually wrapped.
  9. They make two ne k profiles. One is pretty standard, the other a super chunky V. Both have 1 3/4” nut widths.
  10. Is also consider a Waterloo WL-K. If you’re ordering Sight unseen these are ridiculously consistent and sound fantastic.
  11. I love this guitar. I thought it was well balanced even with PB strings, but just felt like the guitar was being held back since it’s such a big guitar. The LJ Models seem to be the perfect match. Power and punch with the heavier gauge but much lower tension than a traditional set of PB mediums. I can fiver pick, strum and flat pick these strings and be happy. The lights seemed to lack when flatpicking, as I usually would hit lights a bit too hard for flatpicking and choke them a bit, despite also keeping my action on the average to high end of things.
  12. Strung up my Epiphone USA Frontier with some Martin Laurence Juber Monels and so far liking what I am hearing. Have been using D'Addario EJ16's, which have been my go-to string for nearly every acoustic I've owned over the years, occasionally switching to EJ17's on occasion. Was enjoying the sound of the EJ16's on the Frontier, but they were sounding a little thin and underpowered. Tried some EJ17's, but wasn't liking the increased tension for the type of stuff I like to play. Then tried some EJ24's, which are more of a balanced set of mediums and lighter tension that the EJ17's, but still didn't care for how they felt. Earlier this veining slapped on a set of Martin Monels, the Laurence Juber set. Only a little more tension than a set of lights, much less than a set of mediums, and they feel great. Very balanced, and the Monels seem to be a really nice match for maple. I've used Monels on smaller-body mahogany guitars in the past (Waterloo) with fantastic results, and know they need a little time to settle in, but they're sounding good now and think they have potential. Looking forward to hearing how this strings play in over the next few days and weeks.
  13. I've been a fan of these for a few years now. Recently ordered a 12-pack. Four of them were leaking inside their individual packaging.
  14. Gorgeous guitars and congrats OP! It’s too bad that Sgt. Pecker, sorry meant Pepper (autocorrect really can get creative sometimes) has once again made a thread all about him. He wouldn’t last a minute in Texas and exists behind the comfort of his keyboard. Enjoy those guitars in good health!
  15. I was referring to the material of the bridge pins. Sorry if what I said was confusing!
  16. Just thought I'd post a quick update...still loving this guitar. Just replaced the Tusq bridge pins with a set of Colossi bone pins and a compensated Colosi bone saddle. Had nothing to do with the sound, and was purely for aesthetics. Have no idea what these originally had on them back in the 60's (plastic most likely?) but didn't like the look of the Tusq, and the dead on them are kind of short and flat, making them a little more difficult to remove during string changes. The guitar came with a bone nut and bone saddle from the factory and thought it deserved some bone pins as well. I replaced the saddle because the shop actually did a set-up on the guitar before shipping it to me (which makes sense because I had commented to them icon I got it that it had the best set-up of any new Gibson I've ever received), but the action on the high strings was a touch low for my taste. I just happened to have a Colosi Gibson bone saddle in my parts bin, and it put the action right where I wanted it.
  17. Dont disregard reaching out to some of the popular and reputable retailers that have a significant presence online...a simple email or phone call to shops like Wildwood, Music Villa, Alamo Music, etc. (there's many more as well), may get you an offer quite a bit better than Sweetwater. Nothing against Sweetwater at all, just throwing it out there. I sent out feelers when I recently picked up my Epiphone USA Frontier and was quoted a VERY good price and had three to chose from and they made me videos with sound clips of the three Frontiers they had in stock.
  18. What makes the XT's better? What are the differences in tone, etc., between the XT's when compared to the XS and EJ's? EJ's are pretty much what I use as my starting point/gold standard. If a guitar doesn't sound good with EJ's the guitar simply doesn't sound good.
  19. Never been a fan of coated strings. My go to have been EJ16's and EJ17's for most guitars (D-18, J45, AJ, Epiphone USA Frontier, etc) and Martin Monels on smaller body mahogany guitars like offerings from Waterloo and a Martin 000-15). Was given a set of D'Addario XS strings (12-53) and put them on the Epiphone Frontier I recently picked up. All I can say is they did not sound good. Low end was robbed, they sounded brash ad metallic and made the guitar sound really tinny and awful. Even after giving them a couple days to settle they still sounded horrible on this guitar. Put a set of EJ16's on and all is right with the world again. The EJ16's are also noticeably louder than the XS. Sounded like someone turned down the volume with the XS strings. The one thing I did like about the XS strings was the slickness. They did feel great and no finger noise, but no way were those plusses worth it given the way these strings seem dto rob the guitar of it's inherently good tone!
  20. Send a message to Bob Colosi. He can probably get you the correct pins.
  21. Awesome guitar! Only thing is do is replace that pickguard and play the heck out of it!
  22. I should also add I installed a set of EJ16's on Sunday and after a day of settling in they are probably what I will continue to use on this guitar.
  23. I would say it sounds NOTHING like a Hummingbird. Sounds more like a Dove. On the Gibson/Epiphone USA website it even lists the body style as "Dove" and would suspect the bracing is the same as a Dove. This guitar sounds huge and full but still retains some clarity without getting into boomy or mud territory and without the highs sounding sterile or brittle. Think hi-fi vinyl instead of a CD. The highs are so sweet and warm but still clear and bell-like if that makes sense. I would just call it a very well-balanced dread that still sounds like a Gibson (it won't be mistaken for a Martin) with quite a bit more power and lushness on tap compared to Gibson short-scale slope shoulders. Definitely has more headroom than a J-45, HB, etc. I've owned two J-200's and the Frontier has a "bigger"(different) sound, but because of the maple on both guitars there are some similarities that yo can hear in the tonal characteristics. I also used to own a really nice 2012 AJ. That guitar was a beast and I loved it, but if I had to compare it to the Frontier I'd say it was more one-dimensional with a drier sound and quicker decay while the Dove has a more complex sound to it. I have a hard tome explaining this guitar because it absolutely sounds like a Gibson but it's also different if that makes any sense. When I get into the single note stuff, especially in the low end it has that low end Gibson thump that a good J-45 or AJ has, but there's a little more going on there as well sprinkled in. It's definitely a departure form the shorter-scale slope shoulders. This is like a Gibson on steroids I guess. The AJ is a Gibson on steroids and the Frontier is a Gibson on steroids that's a bit more refined perhaps? I also think this would make for an amazing recording guitar.
  24. With all due respect, I think most people have the same approach to how they care for their guitars with MINIMAL attention paid where they don't baby them but they don't abuse them. However, OP was looking for suggestions to alleviate a sticky finish.
×
×
  • Create New...