Leonard McCoy
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Days Won
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Posts posted by Leonard McCoy
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Give the people something to look at, and they'll most likely look at it.
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Any hunter (deer antler) or butcher (cow) will do for a direct source, and that you will then have to cut down to rough shape with the right power tools. Apart from that, there is ample blanks supply at StewMac, of course, of various type and quality.
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8 hours ago, pawlowski6132 said:
Very shocked.
Uh-uh.
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1 hour ago, Dave F said:
The guitar has a truss rod access from the sound hole like the Martins. I have it set at minimal relief and can set it where ever I want. I bought it used. I contacted Taylor to get some alternate neck shims to adjust the neck angle. They told me to register the guitar even though I wasn’t he original owner then they sent me a set of shims to set the neck. Everything worked great.
Thanks a lot. Impressive Taylor service as well.
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On 2/15/2022 at 10:52 PM, Dave F said:
I have a Taylor NS72-CE Cedar top RW B&S that I'm happy with.
You wouldn't happen to have the neck relief of that guitar at hand, would you (an estimate would be good enough)? Can you get the neck perfectly straight if you wanted to? My dealer said that he couldn't do it with the guitar I was going to purchase from him, a Taylor NS-62CE (photos above). He was even wondering in earnest why anybody would even want a classical (crossover) guitar with a straight neck...
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For some reason, and I can't exactly pinpoint why, single-coil pickups are much more pleasant to my ears as well. I have had a superb Les Paul Standard but I have always found the Burstbuckers a bit too harsh-sounding. I don't play much electrics these days, hence I sold my 2004 Fender American Stratocaster Deluxe 50th Anniversary. I like Gibson's P-90 a lot, which is why I got a Gibson Les Paul Special in TV-yellow, instead, just for the occassional electric ride.
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28 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:
An Ovation was my 1st acoustic and only non USA made guitars. I absolutely hated it.
You should have gotten an American-made one.
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1 hour ago, Sgt. Pepper said:
Never heard of it.
Of Course I have. Oh, the horror. But the studio can make anything sound good. If they are such great guitars, how many of them do you own?
Yes, studio engineering can do a lot, but you can really hear that plectrum hitting the bass strings of that ballsy-sounding Ovation Legend in the recording. They are different guitars for a different kind of sound, and for the stage of course. I own exactly one—as with all guitars, the sound doesn't get better in multiples, but you can keep trying...
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6 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said:
Who doesn’t love a guitar with plastic back and sides. How does one describe the tone of those other than awful.
Ever listened to "Wild World" by Cat Stevens? That's an Ovation...
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Alcohol reacts with the nitro-cellulose finish, effectively melting it...
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Just like Gibson, Taylor is into making maple guitars as well. How well? I couldn't say since I have never owned a Taylor. But I was just looking at a maple back and sides classical guitar, which is a rare unicorn in and of itself, from Taylor as a potential purchase:
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The XS are advertised as relatively bright strings by D'Addario, on their scale anyways.
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In hindsight I really should have picked this one up. I badly need a guitar now to keep around in standard tuning.
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Re-transcribed:
In order to introduce some Greek influences into his music, Cat invited some friends of his father, who ran a Greek restaurant in Shaftesbury Avenue, to the studio to play on the record with their bouzouki. Linda Lewis sang backing vocals here together with Alun and Paul Samwell-Smith. The song was originally called “Who’ll Be My Love?” and did not contain the Greek verse until later, but Alun’s daughter Rebecca always asked Cat to sing “the Rubylove song” and so the name stayed. Together with “If I Laugh” and “Fisherman Song,” this song is a tour de force through all kinds of Open E voicings. Much more difficult to overcome, however, is probably the odd time signature in 7/8 used throughout the song (or 7/4 depending on how you write it down). The energic rhythm of the song with its accentuated strumming pattern probably ranks among the best-sounding you can play on guitar, though. Until now the song has never been transcribed properly due in part to the rather prominent bouzouki on the track taking center-stage.
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GuitarHQ sums the differences up quite nicely:
LG-0, LG-1, LG-2, LG-3, B-25, B-25N Flattops
Three LG-1, LG-2, LG-3 models were all introduced in August 1942. But the LG1 and LG3 stopped production right after introduction (only about 100 of each model was produced in 1942), leaving just the LG-2 as the only model made through WW2. All three models had different top/brace materials. The LG-1 had a mahogany top and chocolate brown top finish, the LG-3 had a blond natural spruce top, and the LG-2 had a spruce sunburst top. So the most common war-time (banner logo) 14.25" Gibson was the sunburst LG-2. After WW2 the LG-1 and LG-3 were reintroduced, but now the three models had different features between them (the LG1 for example now had ladder bracing with a spruce top and sunburst finish). In 1958 the LG-0 was introduced as the new low-end flattop model (ladder bracing, mahogany top, brown top finish).Collectibility: Script logo (pre-1947) LG-2, LG-3: C+, all others: D-.
The LG-2 and LG-3 due to their spruce top and "X" bracing, are much better instruments than the LG-0 and post-WW2 LG1 models. B-25 and B-25N models, although X-braced, are constructed with adjustable bridges and other 1960's features that make them undesirable. Unfortunatly, since all models are essentially student models with narrow 14 1/8" wide bodies (2" narrower than a J-45, and .5" narrower than an L-00) and are quite plentiful, they are not real collectible (though the script logo LG-2/LG-3 are quite good for their size and some people do collect them).LG-0: 1958 to 1974. mahogany top, ladder braced, natural.
LG-1: August 1942 to 1974 (no production 1943-1945), X-braced and brown finish/mahogany top in 1942, ladder braced spruce top/sunburst finish after WW2.
LG-2: August 1942 to late 1962. X-braced spruce top, sunburst (replaced by B-25 in late 1962)
LG-3: August 1942 to late 1963 (no production 1943-1945). X-braced spruce top, natural top (replaced by B-25N in late 1962)
B-25, B-25N: late 1962 to 1977. X braced spruce top. Available in 12 string version too.
All are 14 1/8" to 14 1/4" wide, mahogany back and sides (except for some WW2 models some had maple back and sides), mahogany neck (except during WW2, when maple laminated necks were used), dot fingerboard inlays, 24.75" scale length, silkscreen gold decal "Gibson" logo. The "X" braced models are decent little guitars. The ladder braced LG-0 and post-war LG1 are not very good, essentially beginner's guitars.
1958 LG-0 introduction specs:
14 1/8" wide Mahogany top, mahogany back and sides, straight ladder bracing, black bridge pins, screw-on black pickguard, tortoise binding on top and back, 3 on-a-plate tuners, rectangle rosewood bridge, rosewood fingerboard, 20 frets total, 3-on-a-plate tuners, natural finish. Bridge pad was spruce, which unfortunately would wear out from the string's ball-ends.
In 1962 plastic bridge used. $85 list price.
In 1963 an injection molded styrene pickguard was used.
In 1966 rosewood bridge with adjustable saddle was used.
In 1968 spruce top on some models.
In 1974 discontinued.August 1942 LG-1 introduction specs:
14 1/8" wide Spruce top, X-bracing, mahogany back, no lengthwise center seam on inside back, mahogany sides, mahogany neck, rectangle bridge with black pins, single bound top and back, sometimes darker sunburst finish (darker than the LG-2, to hide the lower quality spruce top). "Only a Gibson is Good Enough" banner logo. Only about 100 made in 1942, production ceased until 1946.
In 1946 the "banner" is dropped (still a script "Gibson" peghead logo). Bracing changed to ladder.
In 1948 goes to a "block" Gibson peghead logo.
In 1955 larger pickguard with point, and 20 frets total.
In 1962 plastic upper belly bridge. $105 list price.
In 1966 rosewood bridge with adjustable saddle was used.
Discontinued in 1968 but seen as late as 1974.August 1942 LG-2 introduction specs:
14 1/8" wide Spruce "X" braced top, mahogany back and sides, single bound top and back (though some had triple bound tops), fire stripe teardrop pickguard, 19 total frets, rosewood fingerboard, rectangle rosewood bridge with black bridge pins, two pearl dots on bridge, dot fingerboard inlays, 3 on-a-plate tuners, sunburst finish. "Only a Gibson is Good Enough" banner logo. The only small body banner logo model made in great numbers during WW2.
In 1943 standard tortoise pickguard.
1943-1945: Some war-time models have a mahogany top and/or maple back and sides. In 1946 the "banner" is dropped (still a script "Gibson" peghead logo).
In 1948 goes to a "block" Gibson peghead logo.
In 1949 a 3/4 scale (23") LG-2 was introduced, with ladder bracing.
In 1955 larger pickguard with point, 20 frets total, lower braces.
In 1961 has cherry sunburst finish, no pearl dots on bridge, $115 retail price.
In 1962 has white bridge pins.
In late 1962 replaced by B-25.
Early LG-2 models are actually a decent little guitar, since it has "X" bracing.August 1942 LG-3 introduction specs:
14 1/8" wide body with spruce "X" braced top, mahogany back and sides, triple bound top, teardrop tortoise pickguard, 19 total frets, rosewood fingerboard, rectangle rosewood bridge with white bridge pins, two pearl dots on bridge, dot fingerboard inlays, 3 on-a-plate tuners, natural finish, "Only a Gibson is Good Enough" banner logo. The LG-3 is essentially an LG-2 with a natural top finish. Only about 100 made in 1942, production ceased until 1946.
In 1946 the "banner" is dropped (still a script "Gibson" peghead logo).
In 1948 goes to a "block" Gibson peghead logo.
In 1955 larger pickguard with point, 20 frets total, lower braces.
In 1961 adjustable saddle.
In 1962 bridge becomes plastic upper belly, $127.50 list price.
In 1963 Replaced by B-25N.Late 1962 B-25 introduction specs:
Continuation of the LG-2 with minor changes such as triple bound w/b/w top, cherry sunburst top, plastic bridge, laminated bridge plate, thick pickguard.
In 1966 rosewood bridge with adjustable saddle was used.
Discontinued in 1977.1963 B-25N introduction specs:
Basically the B-25 was the continuation of the LG-3 with minor changes such as cherry finish on the back and sides (only), natural top, plastic bridge, laminated bridge plate, thick pickguard.
In 1966 rosewood bridge with adjustable saddle was used.
Discontinued in 1977. -
16 hours ago, bobouz said:
No problem. You are free to ignore whatever facts you choose.
Don't sweat it.
The moment Gibson bought their rival for peanuts in 1957 and decided to fully move Epiphone production to South-East Asia (or wherever they moved production now to cut labor costs) in the early 1970s to fulfill an insufferably high demand for affordable knock-off guitars—because that is what Epiphone guitars are and have been now for over half a century—was the moment Gibson decided to let the prestigious Epiphone brand die.
Gibson's recent attempts at a U-turn are bound to fail, unless they abandon Asian production altogether and pump endless money into the brand, which would be rather ludicrous. And even then, the PR damage to the brand and its resale value is done, probably irreversibly so. Not many still remember the prestigious years of Epiphone and their classic American-made models and guitar designs. Those who do are either too dead or too senile now to put their money where their mouth is.
Economically speaking, Gibson would probably be better off producing a Texan, Frontier or Excellente with their moniker on it, but that of course poses other unsolved challenges. Epiphone as a cheapo brand will stay in the customers' heads, which have been conditioned as such for over 50 years now.
So no, I do not subscribe to your starry-eyed view. I have not seen anything from Epiphone that comes even close to matching American-made acoustics. You get exactly what you pay for with Asian brands like Epiphone (because that is what Epiphone has effectively become). The abandoned Elite/Elitist series is a forgotten thing of the past—they did not match their American counterparts in terms of quality, feel or sound, nor were they supposed to. It has been the first time in a decade I have even heard anyone mention the Elite series at all or in any high regard.
The run of Texans that were produced for the Adopt-A-Minefield gala was so short that it hardly justifies mentioning. Nobody I know has ever really seen these instruments in person or knows anyone that does. Yes, the Terada version of the Texan had the less desirable slim nut width truer to original specs, but that doesn't say anything, now does it?
The "highly regarded" Epiphones you mentioned produced in the 1990s and 2000s were just really cheap and crappy plywood guitars that but looked the part from a decent distance away. I know because I have owned a couple of them, like the SQ-180. Even their later attempts at working with solid-wood materials failed to produce desirable results. But at least it checked some clueless customer's spec list somewhere and probably filled a niche in the market. But as it turns out, solid wood materials (of questionable quality and resonance) do not automatically make good soundboards or good-sounding guitars. The Epiphone Inspired by Texan was such an attempt—it was not a good guitar. I know because I owned one.
In the end no one is unclear as to what kind of brand Epiphone has been reduced to in the last 50 years. There is a reason the Epiphone reissues are produced in Montana and not in your magical Japanese castles in the skies and that all this is discussed here instead and not over at the Epiphone subforums. Because it is crickets over there.
Cheers to a glorious past!
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On 1/30/2022 at 1:00 PM, bobouz said:
Well actually, very close Leonard. What I'm saying here is that these top tier pacific rim factories have the capability to build as high quality of a guitar as you want. They are rarely asked to do so by the companies that contract out with them, and instead have traditionally filled the roll of producing entry & mid level instruments.
A clear and very real example of top-end capability is the Epiphone Elitist line produced in Japan. Terada has manufactured all the hollow, semi-hollow, and acoustic instruments associated with this line since it's inception in 2002. A few years before that, Terada began producing the nitro-finished bodies for the USA-Series Lennon Casino & JLH Sheraton, which were then shipped to Gibson-Nashville for installation of pickups & hardware - and received a "Assembled in USA" sticker on the back of the peghead. Then there was the Adopt-A-Minefield (fundraiser) Paul McCartney Texan in 2005, with a version manufactured by Terada & two versions produced in Bozeman (I recall reading that Terada's version was actually closer to McCartney's original-instrument specs). Terada also manufactured the bodies for an Eric Clapton ES-335 model associated with a Clapton/Guitar Center fundraiser campaign (one instrument per store), and these instruments were sold as full-bore Gibsons. Want impeccable workmanship? Terada can do it all day. Want a flawless nitro finish? They can lay down a thin nitro finish as smooth as glass.
Peerless built highly regarded Epiphone models for Gibson for many years through the '90s & early 2000s. Sure, they could have built them with nitro instead of poly, and one-piece necks instead of scarfed, but they were made to fill a price-point niche. There are other factories in Korea today, as well as the Indonesian Samick factory that can build whatever quality guitar you want, and these recent all-solid-wood Epiphone models are an indicator of that.
We no longer are talking about highly skilled craftsmen performing tasks by hand at Gibson & Martin for decades, and then retiring from the company. What we now have are significantly automated guitar production lines, with staff that most likely last no longer than five years. The playing field has leveled, and essentially similar production environments now exist in factories outside the USA, with capabilities to match.
I don't buy it.
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1 hour ago, Larsongs said:
No.. They were originally introduced at $2399.00.. I know because I bought the Casino… The Frontier was introduced right after the Casino on the Gibson/Epiphone website at the same Price.. Right after I got my Casino in October 2021 they were increased to $2699.00…
The Frontier is quite nice & I’m glad for the OP that he got a good deal on his… I wanted one of these Frontiers. But, at $3999.00 I’m looking at Martin & Guild too…
You are probably misremembering...
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45 minutes ago, bobouz said:
Whether it be the currently utilized Indonesian Samick factory, or Terada-Japan, or Peerless-Korea, they’ve all been capable of building instruments that are equal to those from the USA in build quality.
Not really, not even close.
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It's a fine fit. Nothing to worry about here.
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I'd love to see that repair to be honest.
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I would assume not many players here are in the market for an Epiphone EJ-200. I certainly am not.
Weird Creaking Noises During Truss Rod Adjustment? Fear of Maxing out?
in Gibson Repair and Restoration
Posted · Edited by Leonard McCoy
Yes, the manual given above is easy and straightforward. And you still got it wrong as to what the truss rod does. Tightening a one-way truss rod puts tension on the neck so as to counteract the string tension, and to make the neck straight again; on the contrary, loosening the truss rod relieves the neck, removing all tension from it that the truss rod previously exerted.
Anyway, Dan made a video about the whole thing: