docr
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Posts posted by docr
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Just for classification purposes. I'm a hobby musician who plays a few gigs a year with various bands and takes part in jam sessions and open mic events.
The longer I spend on the subject of amplifying acoustic guitars and the more equipment I try out, such as preamp pedals, DI boxes or special acoustic guitar pedals, the more I tend to use a microphone. Of course, that doesn't always work, but I agree with Murph and Buc. My impression is that even relatively inexpensive microphones such as an SM57 or large condenser microphones bring the real guitar sound across much more realistically than pickups with the limitations of feedback risk, limited freedom of movement and problems in a louder band.
Murph - I also had the experience you describe with a Fender Rumble bass amp when experimenting with a Boss OC-3 octaver in the "Poly" setting on the acoustic guitar to generate a "bass simulation" with the lower strings. The guitar doesn't even sound that bad with it - just like a piezo pickup can sound. But as you write - be creative.
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JFK
Konrad Adenauer was the German Bundeskanzler ....
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On 1/23/2024 at 2:54 PM, Buc McMaster said:
A Google search for "J200 pick guard" returns a whole bunch of options..............some obviously cheap junk, others look quite good. These are probably the best available though they are expensive: J-200 Guards
PS: the one you have can likely be removed, flattened and reinstalled.
I replaced the pickguards on my J45 and Hummingbird, both of which were curling up and coming off the guitars, with new pickguards from MV-Customguitars. MV's products are not cheap, but they are good. As the company is based in Greece, the purchase and shipping within the EU was uncomplicated.
The pickguard on my 2016 J200 NA is also slowly starting to peel off, so it will probably need replacing in a while.
The often-discussed method of removing the pickguard, smoothing it out by heating and weighting it down and reattaching it with double-sided adhesive tape has unfortunately not worked at all on my two Gibsons. That's why I bought new parts.
Of course, I also had to remove the pickguards that were still partially stuck, using the method often described in the forum with lighter fluid and a thin thread. Everyone has to decide for themselves whether they are confident enough to do this themselves or go to a luthier. -
Have the Monel Retro Strings also on my J-45 but no other Gibson Acoustics tried. Sound different than bronze strings, the sound characteristics of the guitar changes a bit, the appearance clearly. Somehow the "freshness" is missing with the Monel strings, although chord playing works well. Anyway, after the test I put back on 80/20 or phosphor bronze strings.
I also tried the Monel Retros as a 0.13 set on my Martin D-28 and HD-28 guitars. I played them for a while and here it fits better than on the J-45, maybe because the Martins have more of a "bathtub EQ" tuning. I could live with that, but in the end I mounted Martin Bronze strings again.
Basically, the Monel Retro strings are very playable from the feel and they have lasted longer with me than bronze strings. I could imagine them well on jazz guitars without pickup.
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Will make some photos and try to upload them, but I have to clear my storage space for attachments here first. I do not want to use other apps or platforms, I know there are a lot of hints in this forum.
Sounds - difficult - I do not document or record music, maybe sometimes recordings with an old Zoom H2 from sessions. I think it is better if the sounds I produce disappear into the infinity of space after they have sounded. 🙂
I certainly take the hint, I like to look at what great guitars and musicians are represented on the forum myself.
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Wouldn't it be enough if the same songs just sounded great on the Adirondack J50? I can follow your thoughts very well, had the last Saturday also. Considering the balance of my bank account and the possibility of finding another guitar of the same type, I bought the 1939 J-55 after all.
Your comment about Adirondack tops is interesting. I only have 2 Gibsons with this wood for the top - a J-185 and just the J-55, but that one has a thermally treated version. I assume the J-50 has an untreated top because of the coloring?
Anyway, the J-185 sounds relatively unspectacular, kind of dull and doesn't really get going. I got the tip here in the forum that Adi tops need a longer break-in period - but if the guitar doesn't sound so great - compared to other guitars - you don't play it all the time. The J-55 is completely different, fortunately it sounds very balanced, the dynamics are also as you describe with the J-50.
So - the J-50 is missing in your collection. 🙂
References to age I can also understand, but I want to play at least now great guitars after many decades of making music on mediocre instruments. -
The photos are visible on my computer. The bubble can be seen - according to my interpretation, you can clearly see the warping of the reflection of the frame of the picture hanging on the wall.
But how can a solid frame form such a bump? It's not easy to explain even with a frame made of plywood, since the bubble would have to be very thin, being made of only one or a few layers of wood or veneer. -
I've been playing guinea pig and bought a 2022 Gibson 1939 J-55 "Faded Vintage Sunburst" over the weekend. I found it in a very well-stocked guitar store in Nuremberg (Germany) and tried it out, which was a mistake financially. It just sounds so good and plays so well that I had to raid my bank account and buy the guitar.
It is extremely responsive to the touch. It's just fantastic, chords sound full, single notes play well and when you let the guitar fade out you notice how well the instrument resonates. Somehow the sound goes in the direction of Martin D-18 and somehow you can also hear Gibson out. An interesting mixture. Martin-like parameters of the J-55 are the long scale and the ebony fingerboard. I can compare the J-55 directly with my 2022 D-18 and the direct comparison shows that the J-55 of course sounds different, just beautiful.
A first use at an outdoor jam session was a pure joy for me. The sonority is simply overwhelming. We played pieces by CCR, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash and also blues. All styles are possible.The 1939 is my first guitar with an "aged" look. It's not really trimmed to look old, only the finish is very thin, so you can clearly see the grain of the wood on the top and the body. One advantage is that fingerprints and other marks are not as visible as with high-gloss finishes.
The J-55 does not have a pickup and will not get one. I will certainly not send the great sound through a pickup of any kind, nor expose it to the harsh environment of gigs and open stages. This will be my guitar for the sofa and for small jams at home.Can someone please tell me what artists have played J-55s? I only know of one video of Ashley McBryde playing one, but who has played the historic J-55s?
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There may be a simple explanation for this: The graphics are only printed on the pickguard and the paint simply comes off over time while playing. I think there are experts on the forum who know the history of Hummingbird pickguard well and can say more about it.
I have a Hummbingbird Clone (Ibanez Concord) from 1978 and it shows the same paint peeling as your Hummingbird.
My 2018 Gibson Hummingbird came with the legendary "flubby pickguard" where the graphics don't disappear (probably in the plastic, two-ply?) but the pickguard stubbornly refuses to stay on the guitar in return.
I have since replaced the pickguard with a replacement part from a supplier in Greece. Not cheap, but very well made and with identical dimensions as the original pickguard. It seems that this one has the graphics engraved from behind and then colored, the surface that you touch with the pick is smooth and you can not wear off any paint. -
Quick update: Have since tried the BodyRez pedal, has not worked for me at all, sound was too "boomy", also sounded artificial but different artificial than the piezo pickups.
Have then bought the BOSS AD-2. This works on my Gibsons with L.R.Baggs VTC pickups quite well, with L.R.Baggs Anthem it does not bring much. The Notch Filter is very helpful, something of the reverb to it fits and Acoustic Resonance I turn up highest to 10 o'clock. This makes the guitars sound a bit more natural on the PA. The BOSS AD-2 pedal also provides a very useful level to the mixer, you do not have to turn up the gain so far there.
And yes - over a microphone in front of the guitar it just sounds better, a miracle electronics box I have not found yet. -
Have read different opinions about the T Type pickups. I have them on my ES335 (built late 2021) and am very happy with them. They really sound relatively "fresh" for humbuckers, but the output is similar to the pickups on my 2020 50s Les Paul. The build of the guitar certainly has an influence as well.
I'm a long-time single coil player (Telecaster) and also like Gibsons with P90 pickups. So the sound of the T Type pickups fits very well for my taste. I play clean or slightly distorted sounds through Fender Princeton or Deluxe Reverb and for that the T Types fit well.
However, it may be that some guitarists prefer more pressure in the mids or a slightly darker sound especially in connection with distortion sounds. The T Types remain on my ES335, I have only some time ago changed the pickups of my Epiphione ES335 Clone (still from Korean production), because they had extremely much output and a very mid, musty sound. And changing pickups on a semi-acoustic guitar is not really fun. -
Have a MV custom pickguard as replacement for the original Gibson pickguard which caused the same problems as the starter of this thread describes on my 2018 Hummingbird. It is not cheap. Buying and shipping within EU was very easy, the guys at MV Custom are friendly and helpful, fast reaction on e-mails. The MV pickguard fits very good. It is rather thick. The graphics are perfect. And - it stays on the guitar - no more lifting pickguard.
My original pickguard could not be convinced to stay flat by any methode (heating, pressure ...).
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Jinder, egoidealmusic,
Thank you very much for your contributions! Are helpful to me because I got information about the Boss effects from you and you also have them in practice. I could remember Jinder using a BOSS effects unit but didn't remember on the AD-10 or the AD-2.
The AD-10 is really loaded with everything you need for amplified use an Acoustic on stage. I'll try to test it, the delivery time is also currently almost a quarter of a year. I'm going to the Thomann store soon and hope that they still have an AD-2 and an AD-10 there to try out.
At the AD-10 I like as Jinder writes that you have everything in one device. It is already enough the effect board for the electric guitars, which I also still have with me, there would be a box for the acoustic handy. The quality of BOSS effects is set, I bought my first chorus and DS-1 in 1987, they still work perfectly.
Doc -
12 hours ago, Murph said:
Indeed.
I used to be that guy...
🙂 - Yeah I cam imagine that you are the guy! For most of the songs on our setlist I´m playing an SG, ES335 or LP through a Fender Deluxe to put the lead guitarist in his place. It´s only Rock´n´Roll. But - Pinball Wizzard, Whiskey In the Jar and some other tunes sound good with an acoustic in the band.
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Murph,
I would prefer mics, too - but it is unfortunately not possible everywhere. A Marshall tube amp from the lead guitarist in my back my be a problem.
Doc
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As written in an earlier discussion, I usually connect my Gibson acoustic guitars directly to the mixer via a Radial DI box (passive). This sounds good enough for occasional use of the acoustic guitar in the band with decent PA systems. I am not a singer/songwriter or fingerstyle guitarist who depends on a very fine, high-resolution guitar sound.
Nevertheless, I have recently had bad experiences with PAs and very simple mixers, through which even a Gibson with LR Baggs VTC and especially LR Baggs Anthem pickups did not sound good. Typical piezo sound with annoying frequencies or with the Anthem just thin and tinny.
Therefore, I went in search of an effect or preamp to improve the sound. I would like to enter below the price segment in which, for example, the LR Baggs Voiceprint DI lies and have read and watched many reviews and YouTube videos on the BOSS AD-2 and the LR Baggs Session DI. Ultimately, they seem to specifically compress the guitar signal and add harmonics through distortion. A notch filter is never wrong, of course, although I wonder if you don't play too loud when you need it. But some electric guitarists are just half deaf ...
My question to you is whether you have experience with the BOSS AD-2 or the LR Baggs Session DI in live use at sessions/open mic events/band gigs in small settings and possibly with old and terrible PAs and one can really give the poor acoustic guitar back some of its beautiful natural sound - of course within the technical possibilities.
Especially the LR Baggs Session DI is quite expensive and the BOSS AD-2 box currently has 15 weeks delivery time in Germany. With the BOSS AD-2 I somehow miss that you can not adjust gain / volume in the direction of the mixer.
In addition, LR Baggs describes in the systems that the signal comes somehow pre-compressed and amplified from the guitar, just to not have the piezo quack. Would this pre-treatment of the signal harmonize with the sound enhancement devices inserted behind it in the signal chain?
Thanks for the answers! -
Jesse, good luck trying to glue the pickguard back on. The point that you do not want to use industrial adhesives that can never be removed again I can well understand. I've had the familiar problem with pickguards coming off and rolling in on my J45 and Hummingbird, mine on the SJ200 VN is slowly coming off as well. On the J45 and Hummingbird, an authorized Gibson Service Luthier reattached the pickguards with 3M adhesive vinyl (exact type I don't know), that came off after 3 months. The pickguard of the Hummingbird I could not persuade with different "hair dryer" methods with additional ballast after heating to become flat again. In the end, it upset me so much that I ordered a new pickguard from MV Custom in Athens, Greece, and it's holding now.
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Sgt. Pepper - thank you for the video link. I was wrong. Have seen the Live 8 concert 2005 in TV, was fascinated, especially in the evening (here in Europe). Helter Skelter, Long And Winding Road ...
Anyhow, I will stay with mit 2018 SJ200 AN Standard 🙂
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Was it really used in the Live 8 concert 2005? I'll have to watch the performance again on DVD. Thought he played a Martin back then? Or was that the 12-string for the intro?
Price is slightly outside my range ....
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Interesting observation Murph. I'll have a look at the different modes of the StroboClip HD. By the way - I almost don't want to say it - my J-185 has intonation problems, especially on the deep E string. Saddle fits, bridge changed because the inlay was narrower than the slot and tilted away towards the neck due to the pull of the strings. Neck curvature also normal for me. The G at the third fret of the deep E string does not come close to matching the empty G string. Too bad, nice guitar actually.
Fortunately, my other Gibson Acoustics - and Martins 🙂 - do not have this problem.kidblast - Your comment about price is true for the Peterson StroboClip HD, of course, but the UniTune is not that far off from $20.
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I bought my Peterson StroboClip HD in December 2018. It looks exactly like the one on Murph´s photo. The StroboClip really has a lot of interesting features and works very accurately. I use the "ACU Sweetener" feature, but only tune my guitar at home with it. Murph's comment about not using this feature in the context of a band is correct, I hadn't thought of that.
For sessions and gigs I use a tc electronic UniTune anyway. It's built more robustly for my feeling and is very easy to read even in brightness. The StroboClip is already well made, but the joints are certainly more sensitive. With the lid of the battery compartment I am also not entirely happy, but you do not have to change often. But as I said - accuracy of tuning is wonderful with the StroboCip. -
I have fulfilled a long-cherished dream for a "round" birthday with a 2021 Gibson ES335 in Cherry Burst. In the standard version not so easy to get at the moment in Germany, there were also only some version in the price region over 5,000 €. I was on the interest list for an ES335 of one of my favorite guitar stores, was notified, was there the next day and bought the ES335. So much for "trying it out" - would be better, of course, but not always possible. I could only compare the ES335 with my 2004 Epiphone Dot - but that's not really a comparison, the Gibson is much better. It is lighter, the neck is more comfortable, it is well made and looks very good in the Cherry version.
My purchase came out happy. The string action was set extremely low from Gibson. The luthier at the store readjusted it for me right away and improved the nut notches a bit. Is just the advantage if you do not buy over the Internet (which is not always possible).
I am a sworn Fender Telecaster player and also came over Gibson acoustic guitars to Gibson electric guitars. For comparison, I have a Les Paul Standard and an SG Standard with humbuckers and a Les Paul SpecialTV Yellow with P90. The ES335 has the calibrated T-humbuckers and is amazingly "airy" in sound. For a musician coming from the Telecaster interesting, because humbuckers used to always sound kind of fat but dull or mid in my ears. Both bridge and neck position are well usable for me. I play through Fender Deluxe (Tonemaster and with tubes) and Princeton Reverb, little distortion, now and then a Wampler Tumnus, Belle or MXR Timmy Mini in between. Funk licks work fantastically on the ES335, Blues or Blues Rock too. Have now used it with bands and both with a 60s/70s cover band, as well as with Tom Petty and similar things felt very comfortable. May be that the ES335 sounds too "fresh" for some ES335 playing with these pickups. It's good for me. The playability of the neck is very good. And yes - the ES335 is big, actually like a J45 - at least. But it is lighter than my 2020 Les Paul Standard.
Good luck and have fun finding your own ES335!-
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Who needs a cutaway on an acoustic guitar?
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I have often asked myself the same question. I own a 2004 Epiphone Dot, which was built in Korea. Beautiful guitar, but no comparison to my 2021 Gibson ES335. The Epi is much heavier, I had to replace the tuners because they didn't hold tune and I changed the pickups because the Epiphone humbuckers just had too much output and sounded very dull. Changing pickups and volume and tone controls on a semi-acoustic guitar is no fun.
I can't judge the current state of the Epiphone ES335 versions, they are supposed to be quite good. I assume, however, that they do not have a nitro finish, for example, and also differ in some other specifications.
Does that justify the high price difference? Probably not, but I wanted to have a Gibson ES335 once in my life, use it a lot and have fun every time I get it out of the case. And before inflation further reduces the bank account I prefer to enjoy a beautiful guitar.
Just for fun.........
in Gibson Acoustic
Posted
Another option for me as coming from the JFK "group" is Martin - so not Taylor again. But I'm so happy that at an advanced age I can finally afford the classical instruments that I know from my musical heroes and - again due to my age - there are few of them that have played Taylor, but this is not due to the guitars, but rather to the relative "youth" of this manufacturer.