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Gibson American Eagle LG-2


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LG-2_americaneagle_m.jpgHi All,

 

I feel like I am ready to get this guitar and I wonder if anyone here would care to offer any opinions on it. I feel slightly funny about it as it was known as a student guitar in the past. For a tad bit more cash one could get a sunburst J-45....know what I mean??? I will say that I live in a very small house here in England with my wife and son, so I DO NOT want a canon. I also feel that I can hear the more complex Gibson tone in this guitar than I have in the recent J-45s that I have tried. I was playing different music on this guitar than the You Tube videos of this model e.g. Eagles, Moody Blues, Dylan, J. Browne, Ronstadt, J.D. Souther etc... and I was surprised how good it sounded. The chords did not have that harsh overdrive of midrange (nor did the single notes)that I have grown to dislike in many lighter braced guitars. It kind of reminded me of a Paul Simon/Janis Ian kind of sound... complex and warm, but not obnoxious.

 

 

 

This axe looks like a Martin-Gibson love child lol..... I must admit I passed it up many times, because I thought it was ugly. I played it and it somehow turned beautiful. This model is nice to look at once it is actually handled and looked at up close. It is actually bigger than many may think, but still maybe smaller than an 000 Martin.

 

I still kind of feel like weird about spending this much and being so close cost wise to a more classic model. Any opinions?

 

 

Thanks,

 

Freddie

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I love it. I play it every time I go to my local dealer. And I deserve a medal for not bringing it home. Sometimes I think this guitar would be the only one I would need if I ever could only have one guitars. It has a great comfortable size, a nice pickup, great balance for recording, and sounds warm and lush. Maybe one day I will give in.

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Like Sal, I'm smitten with this little giant of a Gibson! It is light weight, crisp and clear when strummed or picked, and sounds good plugged in. I think the choice by Gibson to leave all the woods in a natural gloss is perfect. Above all, it's comfortable to play. I feel like I'm playing a classic Gibson...yet it's brand spanking new.....................J.D.

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I have one and I like it a lot. I have several guitars, most more expensive than the LG2, but it holds it's own with most. As far as price goes, i have seen one trade used at around $1000 in the US. I agree with all Sal said. If you want small body guitar, you can't go wrong with this for the price.

 

Rich

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Sounds to me like you have fallen prey to that dread disease of overthinking the whole thing. No quicker way to take all the fun out of it. You can break it down into as many pro and con categories as you want but in the end it comes down to just two simple questions. Do you want it and can you afford it.

Alas, for me way more fall into the first categoy than the second. Such is life.

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Thanks for the feedback everyone! Since I don't collect, I could afford this. I only have one electric (Sg Standard) and one acoustic (Martin 000-15) at a time. I will look at it again tomorrow. I do like the way it is voiced and the playability is as usual with Gibson, very good. I tried to really like the other two more expensive sunburst siblings of this model, but they didn't have the same kind of tone. To be fair, they are more narrow at the waist than the Eagle, so maybe this changes the tone. I am not sure, but they sounded too old timey for my taste, although the Eagle put out some very impressive blues and Carter family stuff.

 

I find a lot of short scale Gibsons in shops tuned slightly flat according to my electronic tuner(s). Is this the correct tuning for them or should they be tuned up 'spot on' with the tuner? Do most folks tune them a tad flat? Some of them sounded better a bit flat. I haven't tried a tuner on the Eagle, but I will do.

 

Thanks,

 

Freddie

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... I find a lot of short scale Gibsons in shops tuned slightly flat according to my electronic tuner(s). Is this the correct tuning for them or should they be tuned up 'spot on' with the tuner? Do most folks tune them a tad flat? Some of them sounded better a bit flat. I haven't tried a tuner on the Eagle, but I will do.

 

Thanks,

 

Freddie

 

Some shops tune guitars a half-step down so they play easier. I once bought a Martin D-18V on the spot because it was SO easy to play, despite its medium-gauge strings. To be more charitable, maybe strings stretch and the shop tunes the guitar by ear, not to correct pitch.

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Hey EuroAussie...yeah in my dreams... The sunburst model sounds like it is voiced different. I found the Keb Mo' to be voiced different as well. Here is a cool video/lesson I found on You Tube of the Eagle. To me, this video captures the true tone of the Eagle, at least it sounds like the one I have me eye on. I want this dudes hat...too cool....Good lesson to boot...

 

 

 

 

 

Freddie

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I like the sound of The American Eagle. Very "gibsonesque" to me. I've got too many guitars, but the LG2 is smaller, so I just might be able to squeeze it in. I might sell something first. I've been thinking a lot about small-bodied guitars lately and I do like this Gibson.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for your feedback everyone!!! I bought the one I have been eyeing up today. I love it and it sounds just as good at home as it did in the shop 'try out' room. I almost bought another Gibby model, but this one had me from hello. I will post some pics soon. I didn't realize it is as quality as it is until I got a real good play/look when I got it home. This is a very responsive guitar with some of the best wood I have ever seen (at least in any acoustic I have ever owned).

 

It looks quite cool with my SG Standard. Two little twins here.

 

 

 

Freddie

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Thanks for your feedback everyone!!! I bought the one I have been eyeing up today. I love it and it sounds just as good at home as it did in the shop 'try out' room. I almost bought another Gibby model, but this one had me from hello. I will post some pics soon. I didn't realize it is as quality as it is until I got a real good play/look when I got it home. This is a very responsive guitar with some of the best wood I have ever seen (at least in any acoustic I have ever owned).

 

It looks quite cool with my SG Standard. Two little twins here.

 

 

 

Freddie

 

Congrats! Where did you buy it?

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Thanks. I bought it from 'Nevada Music' in Portsmouth U.K. It was the only one they had, but I have seen it for sale online from other U.K.music shops. I was looking in the 100 year Gibson book to see if I could find when Gibson started making anything that looked like it and it looks like this prototype is quite old. There is a smaller 1930's Gibson guitar that looks pretty much just called the 'Oriole'.

 

I wonder why the neck doesn't meet the sound hole??? I personally like this feature as it is more comfortable to play and it is like my SG in this respect... no hunching over like with some smaller models I do not really feel smaller models are easier to play, but with the neck extended out a bit, I find it to be very comfortable. The American Eagle (luv the name...we know it is an LG-3 or B-25) top is without a doubt coloured mostly lemon yellow/a little bit orange with the back,neck and sides having a orange/slight cherry tint. It has that colour scheme that only Gibson can do. I always find shop lights to be very harsh, so I was quite pleased when I got it home and it looked so 'Gibson' in normal lighting. I love sunburst, but I really like some of the other colours Gibson do and I wouldn't want this to sunburst. The whole guitar just kind of glows, very cool.

 

It was finished in the factory on April 05, 2013, so it will be one in a couple of days. I will put pics up as son as I get time. I have been calling it Patty after Patty Griffin.

 

 

GIBSON ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Freddie

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" I was looking in the 100 year Gibson book to see if I could find when Gibson started making anything that looked like it and it looks like this prototype is quite old. There is a smaller 1930's Gibson guitar that looks pretty much just called the 'Oriole'."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now ya got me interested in looking into this. J.D.

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Hi All,

 

I am still loving it. I will get a professional set up soon as it the action is a bit hard. This has a very tall bridge on it. I wonder if a tech shimmed it down if it would make it easier to play and relax the tone a bit?????? It has lovely tone, but since it turns one year old today (born on Arpril 5, 2013 in Montana), I guess it has many years to develop. I do not regret buying this guitar one bit, I am just helping it reach it's full potential, which I know is a lot. Hmmmmm it likes capos too..... I am thinking a red tortoise B-25 pick guard if I can find one.

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Hi All,

 

I am still loving it. I will get a professional set up soon as it the action is a bit hard. This has a very tall bridge on it. I wonder if a tech shimmed it down if it would make it easier to play and relax the tone a bit?????? It has lovely tone, but since it turns one year old today (born on Arpril 5, 2013 in Montana), I guess it has many years to develop. I do not regret buying this guitar one bit, I am just helping it reach it's full potential, which I know is a lot. Hmmmmm it likes capos too..... I am thinking a red tortoise B-25 pick guard if I can find one.

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"red tortoise B-25 pick guard "

 

 

 

 

 

That will look perfect! My Eagle is set up low for finger-style and light strumming. If you decide to lower the saddle, be for-warned that it won't take to a pick digging in without getting some buzz. Also, if you put "New Mediums", or "Bluegrass" gauge strings on her, the balance between trebles and bass gets excitingly more pronounced. J.d.

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