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daverepair

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    Central Vermont
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    1959 Gibson Country Western
    1938 Epiphone Broadway
  1. That's 'New York' registry, to distinguish the instruments made by the original company, NYC based, from those made by Gibson, after they bought the company in '57.
  2. You can also find out all kinds of detailed helpful information at the 'Unofficial NY Epiphone Registry'(website), and Facebook page.
  3. If you're not familiar with the difference between Brazilian and Indian rosewood, it will be a challenge. Brazilian is often redder, Indian is more purple-ish. But both will be quite dark on a fingerboard from the '60's. Brazilian often is reddish, with dark lines or stripes running through it. My favorite test(if I'm uncertain) is to sand a small patch of the wood in question: BR will smell sweet, like roses(surprise!), but IR does not, more just an earthy wood smell. But the sanding test is probably not possible on a seller's vintage guitar. Good luck!
  4. In my experience, and since this is an acoustic(unlike your ES-125), I'd suggest light(12-54) or (for myself) medium gauge phospher bronze(13-56). Acoustic archtops usually benefit sound-wise from lights or mediums, and from bronze strings. That's what I use on my various vintage Epiphone acoustic archtops. Brand is not so important: Martin or D'Addario are fine. Amplifying an acoustic archtop can be frustrating: the piezos, like K&K brand, that work pretty well in a flattop, do not(IME) sound great in an acoustic archtop. The one made by Pick Up The World, which is a strip that is sandwiched under the bridge base, might be ok, with good EQ. Usually I try to use a microphone, when playing out. I did recently mount a Kent Armstrong floating 'Johnny Smith' type pickup(salvaged off a damaged Eastman) onto my '43 Epiphone Ritz, and it sounds pretty good, for that Kenny Burrell/Tiny Grimes sound. The KA mounts to a pickguard. That's of course a different sound, than the guitar through a microphone. Hope that helps- nice old Gibson you have there! and with a vintage HSC!
  5. Good replacement tuners(I mean period correct, that fit and look good) are available from Stewart-McDonald, a luthier supply company. Look for their 'Golden Age' reproduction tuners. Once you tune it up, you may find it could use some adjustments to make it play it's best. It's potentially a very good sounding and playing guitar, so consider having a qualified repairman look at it, if you find it's hard to play.
  6. 1959 Country Western

    1938 Epiphone Broadway

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