1968 Southern Jumbo - beautiful, ,

[E-minor7]

Must admit that the late half 60's SJ is one of the less played guitars of the herd.

I like and respect it lot, but the heavier bracing can't be denied and the lighter built versions are preferred.

This cherry square has a much stiffer box than the first wave dittos - besides it has longer scale length.

Still it's always within reach, waiting in the orange case for the next round - ready, willing, , , and sometimes surprising.

 

 

Yesterday was time to give it some love. I took it to the studio and gave it a Pete-Townshend-work-out.

Bashed away for some 20 minutes in a remote room to wake that wood up and then went back in a made a test recording.

 

The strings are old - for some reason my file don't have anything on them. We are a half step down and capo comes on at 4:45.

Everything is original on this one and the tuners are double-ring tulips (might be a replacement, who knows).

It was born with adjustable rosewood saddle, but now has the ceramic version. I think this is what gets the most out of it.

However the trebs turn a bit brittle, which can be heard here and there in the zigzagging take.

The test also shows the SJ is able to provide what I sometimes call the dry splash.

A highly rated virtue here in the temple.

The recording was done as neutral as possible - with a hair of reverb.

Lend it you ears - https://soundcloud.c...hern-jumbo-1968

 

and let's hear what you think

 

1968 ~

[MorrisrownSal]

I think :

 

a) I love your playing.

 

b ) sounds like a Martin all hog dread. I swear I feel like I am listening to my Martin D15.

 

c) i hear no brittle trebles... just a mellow easy going vibe.

 

Very cool guitar

[62burst]

The ol' cherry 'bird has 1968 written all over it, sight & sound.

 

By the one head-on photo, the action looks to be already on the low side (?). Combine that with the half step down tuning and aged strings (and your touch on them) takes things down to a Nick Drake/nylon sound for the low end, almost scraping bottom. Very cool, it's nice to have that effect (is this the Dry Splash mentioned?) there if you want, sometimes.

 

General condition and strength of the burst says this one doesn't get out much, but will be a survivor. Thx for putting that up.

 

★(Edit: the photo in the SoundCloud track page does not look to be a low action string height. And: you seem to be a fan of the squares. Is this the equivalent of a long-scale Hummingbird?)

[flatbaroque]

Great playing Mr 7.Nice to see someone loving their red headed stepchild of a guitar .

I really liked the last two tracks played with a gentler right hand.

The boom/buzz bass on the more aggressive attack is good too but can be a bit overpowering with too much on display.

Again lovely nuanced playing.

[OldCowboy]

Damn, but that's a nice guitar! I have a strong affinity for 1960's adj bridge Gibsons (but not for plastic bridges😋). Assuming the fretboard is wide enough for my arthritic sasquatch paw to navigate, I'm a happy camper playing one for most everything. The 2-ring tulips might well be replacements, but not necessarily. The guy on the bench might have just grabbed a set from the electric pile if he was out of acoustic machines and wanted to keep busy. Either way,😎

[EuroAussie]

Yes, firstly, love your playing, but you already know that. Secondly, I do hear a lot of old my 69'er (since sold) but i hear more bass in your tone and a bit more sweetness. Mine was very dry, very fundamental, more Martin than Gibson i would say. I also hear the thick bracing, which I can see you have to dig in a bit more to get the optimum tone, take quite a bit of work doenst it. I think it excels with the fingers listening to the samples. She's a beauty, although I would never call her a Southern Jumbo, maybe confused Bird ?

[Buc McMaster]

Well played. Sounds very Gibson-ish to these old ears. Thumpy and warm, fundamental. And a looker too!

 

Sometimes it's quite easy to identify a maker with audio only. Heard the Cat Stevens' Free To Be track currently being used for a Jeep TV commercial? Undeniably a Gibson in that one without seeing it.

[E-minor7]

a) I love your playing.

b ) sounds like a Martin all hog dread. I swear I feel like I am listening to my Martin D15.

 

I try not to play music in these tests - mark a handful of styles used when playing songs and stitch them together in absurd zigzag. It's done like a zen-painting.

Might sound too restless - next time it'll be more laid back.

The M D15 thing is a bit peculiar.

 

 

By the one head-on photo, the action looks to be already on the low side (?). Combine that with the half step down tuning and aged strings (and your touch on them) takes things down to a Nick Drake/nylon sound for the low end, almost scraping bottom. Very cool, it's nice to have that effect (is this the Dry Splash mentioned?) there if you want, sometimes.

★(Edit: the photo in the SoundCloud track page does not look to be a low action string height. And: you seem to be a fan of the squares. Is this the equivalent of a long-scale Hummingbird?)

 

I believe the action fell a hair when winter sat in here. A square fan - yes indeed, , , and I guess you're right about the dry splash - it's about taking the steel down to the exact right height and bash it with the right percussive pick.

 

 

Damn, but that's a nice guitar! I have a strong affinity for 1960's adj bridge Gibsons (but not for plastic bridges��). Assuming the fretboard is wide enough for my arthritic sasquatch paw to navigate, I'm a happy camper playing one for most everything. The 2-ring tulips might well be replacements, but not necessarily. The guy on the bench might have just grabbed a set from the electric pile if he was out of acoustic machines and wanted to keep busy. Either way,��

 

It also says custom on the tr-cover - don't know about that, , , but the double-rings are old. It's a 11/16 ^

 

 

I really liked the last two tracks played with a gentler right hand.

The boom/buzz bass on the more aggressive attack is good too but can be a bit overpowering with too much on display.

Again lovely nuanced playing.

 

I quote a local 70's folk-beat-tune in the last section. In the beginning there are hints of some 1974 Jethro Tull.

 

 

 

, I do hear a lot of old my 69'er (since sold) but i hear more bass in your tone and a bit more sweetness. Mine was very dry, very fundamental, more Martin than Gibson i would say. I also hear the thick bracing, which I can see you have to She's a beauty, although I would never call her a Southern Jumbo, maybe confused Bird ?

 

Yes, one have to approach it with a stronger grib to really get the response goin'.

I'm sure the adjustable ceramic plays a crucial role in mine being less dry than yours. The porcelain tends to ring the timbre up.

 

 

Well played. Sounds very Gibson-ish to these old ears. Thumpy and warm, fundamental. And a looker too!

Sometimes it's quite easy to identify a maker with audio only. Heard the Cat Stevens' Free To Be track currently being used for a Jeep TV commercial? Undeniably a Gibson in that one without seeing it.

 

 

Cat was (is) a maple-cat till he went Ovation - and knew the effect of using the pick in that certain percussive way.

 

All in all thanx for comments guys - appreciated.

Admit the guitar now takes a nap, , , but only till it's time for another heavy-bracing round.

And flatbarogue is right - though the SJ can rock'n'roll when bashed, maybe its strongest side is f-picking w. capo on 4th. Really makes this 'Bird' sing.

It must be my strangest keeper.

 

CU

[Victory Pete]

Sounds great, What were you recording to and with what mic? I am going to be recording all my new and old acoustics soon. I am an analog fan and have some Tascam reel to reels for the job.