Seventies-Fan
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Posts posted by Seventies-Fan
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Great old song, and nicely done! I was singing along 🙂
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Hi Twang Gang, this is a 1967 Southern Jumbo. I was SUPER lucky to get it! It was owned by a man who bought it new and never learned to play, and it was in Time Capsule condition when he sold it to me in it's original case w/hang tag. It only has one blemish which is a small ding on the heel cap! Other than that, it has minimal nitro checking. The bridge is rosewood with adjustable rosewood saddle. It sounds wonderfully woody 🙂
Em, we've spoke before about this one, I've been out of touch for a while though, and just now getting back in touch.
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Thank you 62burst, trying your suggestion!
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I've been away for so long I don't remember how to share a pic... sheesh 😞
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Wanted to share a pic of my dear friend who has been keeping me company on the porch swing during this isolation! Hope the link works.. <blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" lang="en" data-id="a/jHd35nR" ><a href="//imgur.com/a/jHd35nR">What a day for a daydream</a></blockquote><script async src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Could be they found their way that year, but not as a rule. Let's keep our eyes open regarding those 67 tops.
1970 ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOIo4lEpsPY
And sure, the good looking red 'second' sounds okay - still nothing outstanding if you ask me.
But the first part of the test provides an interesting opportunity to A/B with another slightly older slope.
There one hear how Taylor's also adjustable rosewood saddled third-fret-capoed 1964/65 J-50 really has it.
Not only a lower actioned, but also much looser 'n' soul-full guitar, , , on which he by the way had the bridge fixed - for then never to play it again.
Hi Em, yes as you described, that guitar sounds great... I've barely had ANY time to spend with mine yet, but I am beginning to like the rosewood saddle, (at least as much as I can discern at this point) compared to other materials. Pretty mellow for fingerstyle, but definitely comes alive with a pick.
James Taylor... so much great music!
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Looks entirely possible that 67 was a year for 4 piece tops:
If I may say so this J 45 sounded stellar to my ears!
JC
Hi JC,
Hey thanks for sharing that video, I enjoyed it! This is the reason I was excited about joining this forum... I'm late to the game with these old Gibson's but am learning as I go. I've now seen several of these 4 pc tops from 67. I don't know if anyone considers a 4 pc top a bad thing, but I guess perhaps it just makes it a bit more unique...
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My SJ is a 1964 and the adj bridge was swapped out sometime prior to 1984 for a regular one. I made a bone saddle for it around 1986 and it's not moved. I have Nickel Bronze mediums on it that are at least a year old. That guitar will never again have 80/20 or PB...never. I won't make that statement about any other guitar, but that one...case closed. I would try Monel though.
There is a strange phenomenon about that guitar. If I were to do a direct comparison to either of my J200s or Martins, it would seem lifeless and weak. And by comparison, that's probably true. However if you sit down with that guitar on the couch and play it solo, you'd swear it was the only guitar on the planet. It has a complex richness that doesn't come out in the standard, predictable way, where we look for volume, scooped mids, sparkle this and sparkle that. The SJ has no sparkle but it will hold your hand and make you thank God you decided to take up guitar. I have louder, brassier girls in the herd but none makes me want to play like that guitar can.
I was happy to read your description of the "strange phenomenon", pretty much described a feeling I've been having with the 1967 SJ I just acquired. I have a variety of guitars that all sound good and play well, but as you said, when you sit with this one and listen to it, there is a complex richness! I mostly play fingerstyle and so this one with the rosewood bridge is pretty mellow until you dig in. It's very articulate sounding, chords easily and I'm really enjoying it!
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Today I took in a 1967 B45-12 that will replace my 1969. When it left Kalamazoo, it had a cherry sunburst finish. That was a long time ago. It now has a fairly uniform pumpkin finish. I notice it, too, has a 4 piece top, probably hidden to some degree by the sunburst back in the day.
Thanks so much for sharing your photos! The additional pieces on this 4 pc. top are fairly slim, whereas the pieces on mine are considerably wider.
I bet that B45-12 sounds sweet!
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Trying this out to see if it works...
https://i.imgur.com/rFHLQaW.jpg
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Absolutely try a ceramic saddle (if you can find one). The difference is astounding, and it'll give you a good insight as to which you prefer. I'm a fan of ceramic.
Thank you OldCowboy! Yes it sounds like I should search one out... I haven't really had much time to enjoy it yet, but I definitely like the sound it makes with the stock setup!
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I know these guitars don't keep you awake over nite.
Never the less it was you who introduced me to the deeper levels and literally guided me inside the vintage square Gibsons 7-8 years ago ^
1963 ~
Here's an older link to some sounds from my 63'er. It's the ceramic saddle and the strings are plain ph. b. or b.
I haven't had my 67 long enough to grow familiar with it's voice yet, but I believe I can hear the difference the ceramic saddle makes, thanks for sharing that!
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You could call me E all the way to the next chord as long as you realize that the film isn't me or mine.
Calling the Southern Jumbo a Hummingbird-Dove would never happen here, , , not even after a genuine 1970's giga-hookah.
Just found the clip before X-mas and waited for an opportunity to post. You provided it. Thanx.
Lets talk more about these guitars in the time ahead.
They are something special, , , slightly controversial for some G-fundamentalists, yet so mesmerizing, lush'n'rockin'.
And yes, do try to find a ceramic saddle. Comparing the sonic difference/expression is intriguing and a bit of a mind-opener in itself.
Definitely worth it.
Thanks E,
Oh ok..not you in the demo, but a couple of nice guitars!
I look forward to talking more with you about these guitars, hopefully I'll learn a bit more along the way!
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No theories or thoughts on this one. I have run across guitars with pieces of top spliced in where mucho damage had occurred but never one that came out of the factory that way.
The good news with these is that 1967 is the last full year that Gibsons were built with the same top bracing they had been using since 1955. It started getting heavier the following year. If you go with the fixed saddle inset I would also recommend swapping out the bridge plate which had been designed to support that heavy ADJ saddle. The downside though is it would be a whole lot more difficult to go back to stock condition if you ever wanted.
Thank you zombywoof, glad to hear about the bracing! I probably wouldn't change anything on this old beauty unless it were easy to revert back.
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Thanks for the welcome E! (you don't mind if I call you E do you?)
You have some nice Guitars there! I'm still researching and learning about these SJ's, but have been thrilled to get this one!
I did notice the rosewood adj. saddle, it's in great shape and moves freely when adjusted, and I can imagine there would be a difference between the wood and ceramic. Maybe I'll try to get my hands on one someday and hear the difference myself.
I saw that they did a re-issue of the 1967 model, lovely guitars, and I'd take one for sure, but I'm almost giddy about having the real deal! ha
I don't know if having a 4 pc top is a negative or not for this guitar, but it certainly sounds great to me!
Thanks for sharing your demo, sounds good! I need to do something like that..
-Keith
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Hello, I have posted a longer description of my guitar in the "Introduce Yourself" forum, but I wanted to say hello to all of the folks here in the Acoustic forum!
I recently acquired a 1967 Gibson SJ (Southern Jumbo) that is in pretty incredible condition from the original owner who never learned to play, and so it lived in the case.
Here is something unusual... I could tell by examination, that this guitar has a 4 pc top! I had heard that was done on early examples, but not for one made in 1967.
I contacted Gibson and provided them with serial# and photos, and the response was that it was very interesting and unusual, and that a veteran repair tech said he had never seen one (of that vintage I'm assuming).
They wondered if it might have been a "Second" and asked if there was a stamp on the back of the headstock, but there isn't anything except the serial#, so it's not a second.
A bit of intrigue! It sounds great and even though the additional seams are visible up close, they aren't very noticeable.
Any Theories?
1967 Gibson Southern Jumbo
in Gibson Acoustic
Posted
Hi Winterfell1,
Congratulations on the 67 SJ!!! I started this thread about my 67 SJ some time ago. I 've become used to the thin neck width and don't have any bad feelings about it. Does yours have the rosewood saddle or ceramic? Mine has the rosewood and I like it a lot. Maybe one day I might look for a ceramic just to see how it sounds.
My guitar has the 4 pc top, but didn't have a "2" impressed in the back of the headstock, so I don't think the two conditions are related. All in all I love mine. Every time I pick it up, it makes me happy 🙂 It has a very balanced woody tone to it, very sweet sounding, perhaps a bit quiet, but I mainly play fingerstyle.
I have another more recent post called "Sitting on the porch swing" and I added a fairly recent pic there if you want to look at it. This is the only acoustic Gibson I've ever owned, and so I have nothing else to personally compare it to, but I think it sounds fantastic, and I have the action quite low and so it's super easy to play!
I hope you enjoy your new guitar!
-Keith