Gibson Artist Posted February 21, 2016 Posted February 21, 2016 1974 Gibson J-50 acoustic! Funny, the Gibsons i played lately have large bodies, wide frets, but not this one. Slim neck, great frets, i believe its a hog body/maple neck? if anyone knows exact specs of these please feel free to share! She isnt perfect, has a cleated crack, and the binding is peeling, but the feel, tone and playability is awesome! Finally got myself a silver age Gibby! Anyone with info on these please share :)
merciful-evans Posted February 21, 2016 Posted February 21, 2016 Sweet. Looks the business. I imagine it sounds great too. Lovely guitar. Congratulations & well done for landing her.
retrorod Posted February 21, 2016 Posted February 21, 2016 Looks to be a sweet guitar. Have played a couple of those 70's acoustics that were really quite nice sounding and playing in the last couple of years. Can't rule out all Norlin-era double x braced boxes...
jdgm Posted February 21, 2016 Posted February 21, 2016 Looking good. The back of the neck shot shows the volute and 3-piece construction of the Norlin era, and from that and what you say I bet the neck has a similar profile to some LPs of the period. 3-piece necks were maple and also mahogany on some ES and higher-end guitars......I notice the label says Deluxe and it looks like mahogany from here. Where's the crack?
Gibson Artist Posted February 22, 2016 Author Posted February 22, 2016 Love the patina on that guitar! Thanks guys, ill prob google it maybe then i can actually find the specs.
kelly campbell Posted February 22, 2016 Posted February 22, 2016 Congratulations, nice looking guitar and I am sure it sounds great. Have fun
pippy Posted February 22, 2016 Posted February 22, 2016 Nice guitar! Congrats! It's hard to tell from the snaps whether it's a 'hog or maple neck. My sourcebook merely lists "...around '74..." as the changeover date from mahogany to maple so that's no help at all. I'm sure someone else will have the right info, though. And yes; spruce top and mahogany sides but you already knew that. Have lots of fun with her! Pip.
charlie brown Posted February 22, 2016 Posted February 22, 2016 Gibson has used the standard 2-screw truss rod cover, forever! However, this model year (apparently) used BOTH 2-screw and 3-screw versions. I looked up several 1974 J-50's, and some have the 2-screw, and some the 3-screw (more familiar (now) on Asian Made Epi's). Very Interesting!! CB
Gibson Artist Posted February 22, 2016 Author Posted February 22, 2016 Gibson has used the standard 2-screw truss rod cover, forever! However, this model year (apparently) used BOTH 2-screw and 3-screw versions. I looked up several 1974 J-50's, and some have the 2-screw, and some the 3-screw (more familiar (now) on Asian Made Epi's). Very Interesting!! CB Original owner told me he wasnt totally sure it was a 74, said it might be a 73? I dont see a serial number anywhere, its not on headstock or the label??
charlie brown Posted February 22, 2016 Posted February 22, 2016 Original owner told me he wasnt totally sure it was a 74, said it might be a 73? I dont see a serial number anywhere, its not on headstock or the label?? They sometimes used "lot" or "production" numbers, on the end of the neck joint/tenon, visible inside. Do you see anything like that? I found one, on my old '54 J-160E, years ago. CB
Gibson Artist Posted February 22, 2016 Author Posted February 22, 2016 They sometimes used "lot" or "production" numbers, on the end of the neck joint/tenon, visible inside. Do you see anything like that? I found one, on my old '54 J-160E, years ago. CB I found it, but even with the serial its still not exact. Says it could still be a 73 or 74, but the owner told me he believes he purchased in late 73, so i assume its a 74. These serials are definitely not an exact science.
charlie brown Posted February 22, 2016 Posted February 22, 2016 Because of the TRC differences, I wonder if some were outsourced, on the QT (to Japan, maybe), by Gibson/Norlin? I mean, why else would they produce 2 different spec's, on the same model, and years? Of course, maybe they just went back and forth, from year to year? Who Knows?! Another J-50, with 3-hole truss rod cover. http://joesguitarshop.com/images/1976j4550.jpg Anybody here (or at Gibson CS) know the answer? CB
Gibson Artist Posted February 23, 2016 Author Posted February 23, 2016 Because of the TRC differences, I wonder if some were outsourced, on the QT (to Japan, maybe), by Gibson/Norlin? I mean, why else would they produce 2 different spec's, on the same model, and years? Of course, maybe they just went back and forth, from year to year? Who Knows?! Another J-50, with 3-hole truss rod cover. http://joesguitarshop.com/images/1976j4550.jpg Anybody here (or at Gibson CS) know the answer? CB There are a lot of knowledgeable people on the acoustic forum here, i bet somebody there could give me more info. I just didnt want to double post both forums, so i wouldnt post pics if i did it would be only the neck. Thanks for all your help CB you're always pretty knowledgeable.
charlie brown Posted February 23, 2016 Posted February 23, 2016 There are a lot of knowledgeable people on the acoustic forum here, i bet somebody there could give me more info. I just didnt want to double post both forums, so i wouldnt post pics if i did it would be only the neck. Thanks for all your help CB you're always pretty knowledgeable. Well, you're most welcome. Just wish I was more knowledgeable, regarding the Norlin years, and Acoustic's in general. The 3-hole TRC intrigues me, because it's so unlike Gibson, in that small detail. So, let me know what you find out! CB
OldCowboy Posted February 23, 2016 Posted February 23, 2016 Is there any evidence that the 3 hole TRC might be a replacement? Curious to know what it looks like with the cover removed. Having known more than a few Norlin era Gibson employees, I can attest that not everything that left the factory was exactly true to specs.
charlie brown Posted February 23, 2016 Posted February 23, 2016 Is there any evidence that the 3 hole TRC might be a replacement? Curious to know what it looks like with the cover removed. Having known more than a few Norlin era Gibson employees, I can attest that not everything that left the factory was exactly true to specs. I wondered that, too, at first. Then I did a little Google images research, and found several more, like it, from 1970, '72, 76, etc. I also found some, of those years, of the same model, that had the "normal" 2-hole "bell" TRC's that Gibson has always been known for. So...??? CB
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