flatbaroque Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 My daughter got me a F harp for father's day recently (cause I wanted one)..so I asked her where she got it.She said Allan's Billy Hyde at Alexandria (Sydney).This was a surprise as the whole music chain went into liquidation last year. But apparently an odd one or two have been bought as stand alones and been restocked and reopened. So I thought I'd check it out, only 20 minutes drive. It used to carry maybe 3 or 4 Gibson acoustics. Now it has turned into Gibson Nirvana...24 Gibson acoustics!This was a bit of a thrill as Sydney is poorly served Gibson acoustic wise. I got to see and play a lot of things I haven't experienced before. The marked prices were insane of course. Hummingbird and J-200 TV's marked at $6999..(and our Ozzie dollar is not far from 1:1 to US).Legend L-00 $6500, Keb Mo $4800 etc. But in contrast and strangely it was in a glass cabinet was a J-35 for $1585...it had been marked down 4 times on the ticket.Played it first up and it was as all have described..brilliant but pretty close in sound to my J-45...a little less bass a bit brighter. So I played a standard J-200, a TV J-200, Keb Mo, American Eagle LG-2,Legend L-00, TV Bird,30's reissue Advanced Jumbo and the J-35. Toss up between the J-35 and the Advanced Jumbo as the winner on the day-not price wise though.Enjoyed them all.The J-200's were much more quietly voiced than I expected - maybe strings were old. If I was A/B ing my J-45 and the J-35 ..the J-35 would go close to getting the nod.It looked superb with the back woods resembling those photos posted by Delboy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Sounds fun, but a little dangerous, FB, but I see you came home empty-handed? Not even a string? For the others reading, we use to have in Aust. a chain of music instrument shops that had been around since forever called Allans. In the early years, their focus was on, let us say, operatics and symphomaniacs and other high brow stuff, including pianolas and piano rolls! As far as guitar players, pfffttt what's that stink....... but they would happily sell you a music book designed for piano/violin and leave you to work THAT out on guitar! A drummer called Bill Hyde opened his own store that had it's finger on the pulse, BABY, him being a session drummer and they did a roaring trade in guitars, drums, amps, PA equipment for many, many years. There is a specialist guitar shop called Gallins that had it's first shop in a trendy shopping street - they are a Gibson dealer...... Allans went bust.... Billy Hydes bought the remnants and called it Allans Billy Hydes so as not to scare off any existing customers??? Allans Billy Hydes went bust and the receivers sold everything they could off and you never guess it but who bought some little bits that were left? Of course - Gallins. So really, the shop is called Gallins Allans Billy Hydes, but they don't want to scare anyone off either, so they don't advertise much and like to keep Gallins as Gallins and Allans as Allans...... AND ALL THEIR PRICES ARE LUDICROUS - FULL RRP ONLINE. BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatbaroque Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 Thanks BK777. Didn't realise it was Gallin's-that explains the prices. They've always been Highwaymen of the worst kind! The J-35 was indeed tempting.But I came away with some Gibson Pump polish...which I've never had before. And the obligatory Ronnie Wood look a like salesman was a nice enough guy who said "no worries" when I asked if I could play anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Thanks BK777. Didn't realise it was Gallin's-that explains the prices. They've always been Highwaymen of the worst kind! The J-35 was indeed tempting.But I came away with some Gibson Pump polish...which I've never had before. And the obligatory Ronnie Wood look a like salesman was a nice enough guy who said "no worries" when I asked if I could play anything. Next time you are in Melbinn, FB, take a full wallett.credit card and get on down to Chapel to have a look at Gallins main shop, though the salesman look perhaps a bit more like Charles Manson than Ronnie perhaps..... Not much of a picture they give us below, but straight through to the back area is the Gibson acoustics and others - the first home of my Blues King and J45........ http://www.gallinsmps.com.au/about-us/ BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Darn, FB! That is a Gibson Nirvana. We've currently got four at our local GC. In the last two years, the most we've had at one time is six. I'd have to drive to Nashville to equal what you're describing....Glad you enjoyed yourself... .The good reports on the J35 keep coming and coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 After reading FB's post, Something was churning away at the back of my mind - it is Sunday and brain was a bit fuzzy, but I was thinking about a visit to the Gallins Billy Allans but I need another guitar like a hole in the side of my head but still something was back there trying to come forward......... Boom! A new case to replace the shocker that came with my L-0! After FB said they have a whole range of Gibsons in Sydney, I thought they might have a whole range of Gibson case at last. But after ringing them, it became clear that nothing has changed, especially when the guy didn't know what an L-00 was, so I said Gibson Blues King. Nope - no idea. I asked then if they had any Martin TKL 000 cases, which are a touch big but with a bit of packing are quite nice. Nope - they are "phasing out Martins at the shop", I am told. So it all comes back to me - the Blues KIng bag drama and the chance of getting a Gibson L-00 case here are ZERO - and now I have another guitar the same size. I may just order TWO Gibson L-00 cases from the US and be done with it. Who knows how much that is going to cost to import? BluesKing777. EDIT: The Martin Dealer I rang later explained the situation - the guitars come in there respective cases and they don't usually have spares hanging about, but if you order ....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Now that sounds like a fun trip and says volumes about the strength of the J-35 if it was right up there along some of the TV's at 4 times the price. You boys still need to go and make a trip to visit Terry at Twang Central for some vintage Gibson Nirvana ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del Nilppeznaf Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Now that sounds like a fun trip and says volumes about the strength of the J-35 if it was right up there along some of the TV's at 4 times the price. You boys still need to go and make a trip to visit Terry at Twang Central for some vintage Gibson Nirvana ! I think I been in there EA is it the one where the front room is all vintagge stuff on the walls..and the cheapest box is about 20 grand? ( I was in there maybe 13 years ago ?? ) Edit i nearly bought a nice Guild off him..but I knew feck all about acoustics at the time...wish I had got it tho ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del Nilppeznaf Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Nice story btw FB...must have been very tempting :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del Nilppeznaf Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Excuse-moi ( that ok for u PM... ;)..where is the old rouge anyway ?) Aussies...Im talkin out me arse..I was actually thinking of a place in Melbourne ( I luv that city BK hehe x ) Not Sydney...or shud that be Snideny ?..haha joke..I love Sydney also...got some good friends up there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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