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TomPhx

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Everything posted by TomPhx

  1. Thanks E-m7. Imgur worked on another forum just now. This is what I got... If you click on the pic it looks like a real guitar, not some fun house reflection... I love technology.
  2. Not much more red than the one in the video, but the back/sides are a deeper brownish color. No sounds, I don't have a video account on any of those hosting sites, but can do pics. Mine sounds somewhat more lush and resonant in person than the one in the vid, but that could be from the audio in the recording. Maybe some Bird pics will lure Eyal back... Or maybe not, I can't get the Imgur stuff to work for some reason...
  3. My SJ200 Western classic has similar waviness on the high side, lower bought bend. I thought it was just a symptom of the wood being bent, and haven't worried much about it. Mine is from 2017, and is doing just fine. Enjoy that nice J150 golfski.
  4. I'm a little late but my opinion is your guitar top looks fine. It looks like natural wood is supposed to look. Some grain lines and different colors running through it. The saddle looks OK, several Gibsons I'm acquainted with look similar in height. A couple were lower, with a too low action to match. On those two I had to put in a taller saddle to raise the action. Try the straight edge along the fretboard, as 62burst suggested. It should come in right at the level of the bridge, ahead of the saddle.
  5. The 2017 J200 Western Classic has side braces. Don't know if the Standard 200s still do or not.
  6. I have one of the 1960 Fixed Bridge HBirds, and am really liking it. Got it slightly used a couple months ago from a friend on another forum. I had a Standard for a few years and sold it shortly before getting this one. I missed the Standard and was kinda looking for a replacement when the 1960 HB/FB came up. Big difference in sound quality, with the 1960 sounding richer and just all around better. It's lighter than the Standard, and of course the baked top and VOS finish probably help. I'd recommend this one to the OP, if he's still looking 3 months out from the start of this thread....
  7. I have a 2017 SJ200 Western Classic and one of the new 60s Hummingbirds with fixed bridge. Both have thermally cured tops, with the 200 having Adirondack and the bird Sitka. The 200 has rosewood back/sides, which makes it tough to compare with a maple backed, non torrefied Standard. I did have a Standard Bird for a few years and sold it shortly before I got the 60s Bird. The difference in sound is definitely there, with the 60s sounding deeper and more resonant than the Standard. How much of that difference is based on the top is hard to say. The thin VOS finish and any other build differences would also have an impact on sound I would think. This newer Bird is noticeably lighter than the Standard was. They both sound really good to me though, so there is that... 🙂
  8. D'Addario EXP11, 80/20 Lights are on mine now. Just got it a couple weeks ago and these were the first string change. I like them so far on this Bird. It came with John Pearse Medium Phos/bronze strings on it, but they sounded a little too dark for me. The 80/20s brightened it up a little. Probably going to try some John Pearse light 80/20s on it next string change. My last Standard Bird sounded best with 80/20s so I'll probably stick with them... maybe. One of many string suggestions you'll get. Enjoy your Hummingbird!
  9. Here's another recommendation for Bob Colosi saddles and pins. I've ordered 4 or 5 saddles from him, and he was very helpful and quick to deliver each time. Phone call with my credit card and he sent them out. Plus he's a nice enough guy speak with about any information I needed prior to purchase. I don't bother to look anywhere else for saddles or pins.
  10. I had both the J29 and Songwriter at the same time, a couple of years ago. The J29 was loud in a raucous, party at the honky tonk sort of way. Kind of sounded like a rosewood backed J45. The SW was more refined and rich in tone. Almost rosewood Martin D28 sounding, but with a Gibson sound to it. I always thought if I didn't own a rosewood backed Martin the SW would have stayed with me. The finish on the SW was very nice with some abalone trim, and on the J29 it was more utilitarian but still pretty nice. Depending on your music style and what sound you prefer, either guitar would be worth owning. As far as used prices I sold the J29 for 1350 and the SW for 1550 last year. They were both in excellent condition and sold pretty quickly. Hope this adds to the information your looking for.
  11. That's a really cool looking J200. I like the three piece back. Pic #20 shows some bridge lift on the left corner. Would that be a problem, or considered normal for one of this age? There's a lot of bridge surface holding it onto the top. It would be worth trying out to hear what it sounds like...
  12. There are two HBird Standards on my local Craigslist, for $2500, that haven't sold yet. I think they've been there for 5-6 weeks now. One is a 2002 and the other a 2005 and they're both appear to be in excellent condition. Somewhere in the $2000 to $2200 range would be my best guess for a sale.
  13. Martin MA540T Lifespan Treated Phosphor Bronze Authentic strings are my favorite on the J-45. The HBird sounds best to me with D'Addario EXP Phosphor Bronze Bluegrass strings. These are light gauge top/medium bottom strings. That's what I like on these two mahogany backed Gibsons. As someone else said, this is the time of the year strings are on sale everywhere, good time to experiment.
  14. Just speculation from your pics: Looks like there's too much neck relief, and maybe the nut slots too low, especially the low E. You said it buzzes worse when you tighten the truss rod; but If you can tighten the truss rod again to get a relief of around .008-.010" at the 7th, and then capo the first fret and see if the buzzing goes away. Or measure the string clearance at the 1st fret to see if the nut height is sufficient. The Kimsey video he posted on the other forum has great information in it. You may have to install a higher saddle also. All those things are inter-related so fixing one problem may lead to another. But that neck relief looks too deep as it is now. Just my 2 cents worth... I hope it's an easy fix.
  15. Not sure if you're asking about rosewood Southern Jumbo or SJ200. I have a rosewood SJ200 that I enjoy playing. It's the more recent Western Classic with Adi top. Gives a nice deep, rich sound when I strum it and fills the room with music. Doesn't feel nearly as big as it looks, but it does have a presence.
  16. I have a 2018 L-00 Standard that I really like, got it a couple months ago. It has a big sound that I didn't expect from such a small guitar. Not sure if the Studio model sounds similar or not. Mahogany vs Walnut back/side woods should give different sound qualities. If you can find a store that has both it would be an interesting comparison.
  17. jschmitz54; Glad you're enjoying your new J45. It sounds like you have the perfect pair of guitars now. For strings, I like Martin MA540T Lifespan Treated Phosphor Bronze, light gauge strings on mine. For me, these really sound good on the J45. Have fun with the new guitar!
  18. I've been drooling over that one too, almost makes me want to take a trip to San Antone. 😄 Beautiful maple! Since I have a Standard Bird, I should ask, what would be the difference in sound out of a maple backed one? The top looks identical to mine, same burst colors...
  19. I'm not a luthier and don't play one on TV... I've resorted to doing my own guitar set-up work due to several bad experiences with some of the local "luthiers". Drop in saddles are cheap and plentiful, and available in bone, Tusq, and other materials. Sanding the bottom flat to achieve a lowered action is the easiest way to go. If you buy one or two saddles you can try it out with one of them, and only be out the cost of the saddle if it gets messed up. For me, trying to match the shape of the top of an original saddle is harder and I've screwed up a couple trying to do it this way. Put your sandpaper on a flat surface and concentrate on holding the saddle square. After you get the height close to where you want, hold the saddle against a flat 90 degree edge, like a piece of wood or square stone, while you finish sand the bottom to the correct height. Take it slow and measure often.
  20. Very impressive work! I don't know what else to say, but I enjoyed it.
  21. I can tell you that your pic works in the second link, the first link requires a google sign-in. As far as my wisdom and knowledge, well it depends on who you ask... I'd guess, as you have, that the crack shouldn't go much further because of where it is and the direction it's pointing. If it was mine I'd run it by a trusted luthier to see if it should be stabilized somehow. Hope it gets no worse and you can enjoy that J-35 for a long time.
  22. Sounds like high humidity issues. I has a Songwriter that showed signs of too high humidity with everything you describe, except the bridge corner lifting. Since the bridge is now starting to come off I'd return it, either for another or refund.
  23. I like seeing pics of all those nice acoustics! Favorite Gibsons? It's hard to pick a favorite, but... I just got an L-00 last month, no pics yet... It's given me a whole new respect for small guitars. Not boxy or subdued and really a good acoustic to sing with. This is my last one, honest.... 😄 Now to make up for the lack of pics of the L-00. SJ-200 Western Classic, I bought it about a 6 months ago. The rosewood back/sides really gives this SJ a nice full sound. The J-29. I looked for one of these for a few months and found this NOS 2016 model on the net about 7 months ago. It's loud and proud, pretty much sounds like you'd think a rosewood J45 would.
  24. Congrats on your new HBird! The model year and serial number year codes sometimes don't match up with Gibson acoustics. Some of the guitars built later in the year have the following year stamped under the serial number. My 2017 Bird has a 2016 serial number (2017 is stamped under the serial number and Made In USA stamp). I believe 2016 was the only year that Gibson engraved the year on the TRC. Enjoy the new Bird, they are special guitars.
  25. I've been using Martin 80/20s on my Standard HBird, since switching from PBs last year. Haven't tried Retros on it, even though I do like them on several other mahogany backed guitars: D18, J-45. I'm happy with the sound of the Bird with 80/20s so haven't felt the urge to experiment further...
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