firestripe or tigerstripe pickguards

[greenthi102]

So who made these firestripe/tiger stripe pickguards famous?

my J-45 has one and I don't know if I like it or not.

[jt]

In the 1930s Gibson used a particularly beautiful batch of Italian celluloid for pickguards. Here is my 1936 L-Century:

 

 

Circa 1941 Gibson switched to a tortoisiod celluloid. Here is my 1943 SJ:

 

 

Lots of folks, myself included, think that the firestripe celluloid made for Gibson's most beautiful pickguards.

[MissouriPicker]

I've always liked this kind of pick guard. It's different, yet simple. Something else that makes a Gibson different.

[Lefty Guy]

Here is my 1943 SJ:

 

 

 

Now if that was a lefty I'd be consumed with envy - sweet SJ!

[JuanCarlosVejar]

why don't they use celuloid anymore ?

 

 

 

 

 

I really like the old firestripes =)

 

 

JC

[j45nick]

Now if that was a lefty I'd be consumed with envy - sweet SJ!

 

 

Believe me, I AM consumed with envy. That particular SJ is just about the most beautiful Gibson ever, IMHO.

[jt]

why don't they use celuloid anymore ?

JC,

 

Celluloid is flammable, is not produced in the US, and is only made in Italy these days. It cannot be imported. So, unless you've got an old supply or a black market source, you need to use a different material.

 

When I had Kim Walker build a tribute to the L-Century, he had a piece of 1930s celluloid in the shop that a European client had sent him:

 

 

Yeah, that binding was literally the last existing piece of new-old-stock 1950s Rickenbacker checkerboard binding left on the planet.

[j45nick]

JC,

 

Celluloid is flammable, is not produced in the US, and is only made in Italy these days.

Yeah, that binding was literally the last existing piece of new-old-stock 1950s Rickenbacker checkerboard binding left on the planet.

 

 

Just don't let anyone smoke around that guitar!

 

It's pretty shocking how flammable celluloid is.

[jt]

Believe me, I AM consumed with envy. That particular SJ is just about the most beautiful Gibson ever, IMHO.

 

Nick,

 

Someday you need to play the guitar. As you know, it's the only Banner Gibson ever to pass inspection twice by the original inspector, first in 1943 and then again 65 years later in 2008. It's a precious possession, but one that I like to share.

[j45nick]

Nick,

 

Someday you need to play the guitar.

 

 

Yes, yes I do......

[Hall]

That SJ - confirms my loyalty to the model.

 

 

[j45nick]

That SJ - confirms my loyalty to the model.

 

 

As it should. I'm hoping against hope that this will become a "JT Special" re-issue, when and if Gibson gets around to it. In a way, with that unusual wide binding, it's as unique in the SJ lexicon as the FON 910 rosewood models.

 

If they do ever reproduce it, I'm hoping they will keep it as accurate as possible, including the binding and the unbound 19-fret board. The only change I would "let" them make is to include a truss rod. You've got to be practical about some things here......

[jt]

As it should. I'm hoping against hope that this will become a "JT Special" re-issue, when and if Gibson gets around to it. In a way, with that unusual wide binding, it's as unique in the SJ lexicon as the FON 910 rosewood models.

 

If they do ever reproduce it, I'm hoping they will keep it as accurate as possible, including the binding and the unbound 19-fret board. The only change I would "let" them make is to include a truss rod. You've got to be practical about some things here......

 

I'm confident that we'll get to the JT Special eventually. Gibson has detail measurements and X-rays of every aspect of the guitar and has sourced that purfling.

 

There were several batches of rosewood SJs but only batch of these:

 

[JuanCarlosVejar]

John ,

 

thanks for the info on the Celluliod .

Tom Barnwell has a really pretty banner SJ too have you seen his ?

 

those rosewood backs are really beautiful !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JC

[j45nick]

sorry. Unintentional post.

[j45nick]

John ,

 

thanks for the info on the Celluliod .

Tom Barnwell has a really pretty banner SJ too have you seen his ?

 

those rosewood backs are really beautiful !

 

JC

 

 

The one Tom has is the one (FON 910) I looked at and coveted--looked at it twice over the course of a year. In the end, I decided I didn't want to have that much money tied up in a single guitar, but I still gaze at it wistfully.......

 

Tom is the perfect owner, however.

 

Lauren Sheehan plays another FON 910 on the "Hard Times" cut on "The Light Still Shines" CD, and then plays JT's SJ (the one above) on "My Baby's So Sweet". My wife picked those two SJ's out as the best-sounding guitars on the CD, and I agree with her 100%.

[jt]

The one Tom has is the one (FON 910) I looked at and coveted--looked at it twice over the course of a year. In the end, I decided I didn't want to have that much money tied up in a single guitar, but I still gaze at it wistfully.......

 

Tom is the perfect owner, however.

 

Agreed. The guitar is in good hands.

 

I've played about half a dozen batch 910 SJs. All great guitars, imho. My favorite, though, was the one we used on the CD.

 

Lauren Sheehan plays another FON 910 on the "Hard Times" cut on "The Light Still Shines" CD, and then plays JT's SJ (the one above) on "My Baby's So Sweet". My wife picked those two SJ's out as the best-sounding guitars on the CD, and I agree with her 100%.

 

Fascinating. Those are my two faves on the CD, too. As folks here know, I did

. In comments and emails to me, folks have split about 50/50 in preference.

[ChrisM]

Nick,

 

Someday you need to play the guitar. As you know, it's the only Banner Gibson ever to pass inspection twice by the original inspector, first in 1943 and then again 65 years later in 2008. It's a precious possession, but one that I like to share.

Wow can you expand on this a bit more? Sounds like a cool story.

[davenumber2]

Wow can you expand on this a bit more? Sounds like a cool story.

 

Buy his book and you'll hear the whole story. :)

[jt]

Buy his book and you'll hear the whole story. :)

 

:)

Couldn't have said it better. I found the original WWII Gibson guitar inspector and asked her to reinspect my SJ 65 years after she'd originally approved it. For a guitar geek like me, this knee buckling event.

[Dave F]

In the 1930s Gibson used a particularly beautiful batch of Italian celluloid for pickguards. Here is my 1936 L-Century:

 

 

 

I don't think my AJ's looks as nice as your 30's Gibson, but I like the look. I took this picture before I removed the plastic.

[jt]

I don't think my AJ's looks as nice as your 30's Gibson, but I like the look.

 

A gorgeous guitar, Dave! Thanks for sharing it with us.

[Lars68]

My 2007 AJ has a replica firestripe guard. I think it looks very cool!

 

http://www.firestripepickguards.com/wp-content/uploads/larsaj1.jpg

 

By the way, John I have been listening to the CD for the past couple of days, and it is a timeless classic in my book. My favorite is Johnny Comes Marching Home. The lyrics are as relevant today as ever. I must also complement you on the sound of the recording. Not too flashy, and not too dull. To my ears the sound is very rich, and extremely "real".

 

Lars

[rar]

Celluloid is flammable, is not produced in the US, and is only made in Italy these days. It cannot be imported. ...

I think it is not quite that bad. China and Japan also manufacture celluloid in quantity. In fact, Jiujiang Celluloid Industrial uses the same processes and equipment as Mazzuchelli. Also, celluloid can be imported into the U.S. -- thank goodness! since I can live without celluloid pickguards, but not without celluloid fountain pens -- but its import has been restricted at least since the '60s. The reason why it's not used here is not so much that it can't be obtained as that it's too hazardous to work with. (It is true that the big blocks Gibson used in the '30s can't be obtained in the U.S..)

 

-- Bob R

[brannon67]

I like them both. If I had to pick one, I guess it would be the firestripe, like on the JB model, and also I noticed on the new J35. I know they have been around for a long time. Love that look.