Brian O Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I've been looking at and playing each chance I get a 1965 Country Western. The asking price is 2199. However, my curiosity of it's worth is due to some structural issues. I've looked at others of this year and they seem to run around 3k. Here's a few pics and maybe you guys can steer me clear of disaster (if there is any) or the alternative, make my wallet a little slimmer. Actually, I'd be trading/selling a Santa Cruz VJ in order to get this if I do. Thanks! Here's the pics. P.S. From what I can tell the braces are all glued properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Em7 here has one or two of similar vintage, and may be able to add comments. The saddle looks like it's pretty much cranked all the way down, although it still looks like a decent string break angle over the saddle. It's really hard to diagnose based on a single picture like that. If there's much of a hump behind the bridge--there should be a little bit, but not much--it is certainly worth taking it to a good repair specialist for evaluation. I wouldn't say the guitar is toast, but it probably needs professional evaluation of the potential issues. The top is a lovely pieces of spruce. In 1965, that guitar is basically a Hummingbird natural. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Blasphemy, but, doesn't the Santa Cruz sound and play better. That dip and hump is big trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian O Posted May 31, 2016 Author Share Posted May 31, 2016 Blasphemy, but, doesn't the Santa Cruz sound and play better. That dip and hump is big trouble. It may indeed be blasphemy but it's also probably correct. Think I will probably let some one else care for this CW. I do enjoy it's warm, sweet tone, but yeah having to let go of my SCGC is a move I'll possibly end up regretting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I agree. I love my old Gibsons, but SC guitars are high quality modern acoustics that have lifelong playing value. You'll get other chances in life to add vintage players to your stable, but you'll have that reliable high quality instrument to be able to count on for a good day of playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 My 65 CW has the same 'valley'. It's the most trashy acoustic here and I recognize the top crack too. The neck has a wrong bend back angle and someone sanded the highest frets totally down. It is however better sounding than the almost minty 64'er and could be described as the one of my vintage Gibsons that comes closest to what the new torrefied 16's try to emulate. Where yours seems to be born with rosewood, mine has an old-vase ivory insert and they just go extremely well together (in this case). A bit tinny highs and definitely not a loud guitar. Not overly bassy either - actually the whole creature is rather discrete. I tune down and capo it as the 9/16 is too narrow and there in the middle of this complete mess, we nice and easily find gold. I really dig the guitar. Can't/won't say anything about your set-up and basic physical conditions. But be careful - there a chance the Santa C might beat the old CW through a set of conventional ears'n'values. Exciting situation - do report. Btw the 65 has a significant 'yellow identity' - opposed to the red 64'er. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 I like the oldies, but would tread carefully here. You're considering letting go a nice instrument, possibly at a loss. Just depends on what's going to make you happier in the long haul. Doubtful that I'd have bought the SCGC in the first place unless I planned to keep it. I prefer to use newer guitars as beaters, because my mind set rebels against rough use of a vintage item and I prize my vintage finds. Odd? Probably. Otherwise, so what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian O Posted June 1, 2016 Author Share Posted June 1, 2016 Here's a very informal comparison between the CW and the VJ as well as my Larrivee D-02. I tried to put the mic and camera fairly close in order to take the room out of the equation as much as I could. Watch if you'd like. Thoughts always welcome. https://youtu.be/P8dFeIJqpIY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 Here's a very informal comparison between the CW and the VJ as well as my Larrivee D-02. I tried to put the mic and camera fairly close in order to take the room out of the equation as much as I could. Watch if you'd like. Thoughts always welcome. 3 excellent sounding guitars - I prefer the 2 bookends, but notice how different they are. The G tight dry woody and defined. The L with much more, what I call deep projection or should we say 'room'. Pretty wooden too. Choosing between the 2 would bring me in serious trouble. Maybe having those side by side and knowing they're yours is the solution. What more could one guy need. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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