Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

2018 L-1 F Hole: Cool Looking New Gibson Offering.


bayoubengal1954

Recommended Posts

I love the look of it!

 

But that price will turn into almost $7000 by the time it gets imported to Australia.....doesn’t sound right, does it?

 

My wonderful L50 from 1935 cost me about $2K here in my hot hands. So 3 of those and an amp?

 

It is also screaming out for a pickup, but I don’t think you could ever get one with the saddle AND F holes?

 

 

 

BluesKing777.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good yo see Gibson doing this. I suspect Epiphone taking a chance with their modern version Masterbuilt Century acoustic archtops (Olympic, Zenith, Deluxe) paved the way for this one. Love the true acoustic F hole sound. I wonder if in time they will also add an alternative model with a pickup tied to under the bridge like on the Masterbuilt Century line that doesn’t deaden the acoustic F hole sound...if this thing has enough sales. Surprised this one doesn’t have one. Also, makes me wonder though how much this one sonically sounds different than the Epiphone Masterbuilt Century line considering how much more this one costs. Those also have solid Sitka wood tops.

 

Interesting! I want it, except it costs a lotta lotta.

 

QM aka Jazzman Jeff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I thought this guitar would let me sound like David Rawlings, I'd buy it in an instant.

 

The classic flowerpot on the headstock (Gibson has used a number of variations on this over the years) looks a lot like the one on my old J-45, which you can see in my avatar here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Top bracing is the issue. If braced like a flattop it comes from then the string pull over the bridge to the tailpiece will likely not have sufficient downward pressure to fully drive the top.

If not flattop bracing then it's anybody's guess what this'll sound like.

Nevertheless I feel the fancy neck and peghead inlays don't quite match up with the overall simplicity of the rest of the guitar, and may be there to help justify the pricetag.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A person on AGF called a dealer who had one in stock and got him to do some measurements. The results:

 

"So here are the basic measurements, according to a dealer who has these in stock already. 1.725 nut width, 9 3/4 inch upper bout, 13 3/4 inch lower bout, 4 inch depth, with a VERY slight arch on the top and back".

 

On the spec sheet it says it has "F-1 bracing".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Beautiful guitar, stupid price. I wonder how it compares to the Epis?

 

I really wanted an Epi Masterbilt archtop, I played one Zenith that was all bells/choirs of angels/woody majesty, but by the time I could afford it it was gone. I’ve tried dozens of Olympics, Zeniths and Deluxes since then and they’ve all been horrible. I’m not sure why the hit rate on the Epi archtops is so low, it’s very disappointing, especially after how special that first Zenith (with F holes not the round hole version) was. Instant Terry Reid!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guild makes a dandy repro of the Dearmond Rhythm Chief that will not empty your wallet like the originals can.

That pickup came with my 2014 Guild A-150b (X-braced solid-spruce archtop).

 

Very nice single coil tone - well worth checking out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That pickup came with my 2014 Guild A-150b (X-braced solid-spruce archtop).

 

Very nice single coil tone - well worth checking out.

 

I use a Kent knockoff. But I did get a chance to compare the Guild and the Dearmond. Scary close. The Guild has a higher output but that was probably because the Dearmond had lost some of its oomph over the decades.

 

Have you ever tried the Silvertone version of the Monkey on a Stick? I owned one for a bit. You could get them in one or two pickup versions. They were actually great sounding pickups. They sat between two rails on which they could be slid up and down. The bottom was secured by the bridge but the top had a spike coming out of each rail that would go into the end of the board.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you ever tried the Silvertone version of the Monkey on a Stick?

No, never have had one. When I did a lot of flea market shopping in the '70s, I was strictly an acoustic player (although I couldn't pass up a great deal on a '50s ES-125 w/Skylark amp).

 

If I'd been seriously looking for electrics back then, there's a reasonable chance I'd have come across a Silvertone with that pickup for $20 or less!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Beautiful guitar, stupid price. I wonder how it compares to the Epis?

 

I really wanted an Epi Masterbilt archtop, I played one Zenith that was all bells/choirs of angels/woody majesty, but by the time I could afford it it was gone. I’ve tried dozens of Olympics, Zeniths and Deluxes since then and they’ve all been horrible. I’m not sure why the hit rate on the Epi archtops is so low, it’s very disappointing, especially after how special that first Zenith (with F holes not the round hole version) was. Instant Terry Reid!

 

I got the round hole Century DeLuxe not too long ago. I'm in love with it. Not a conventional acoustic guitar sound by any means, but a very satisfying one. It does take a good five or ten minutes playing time for the thick top to wake up, in case you didn't get to spend at least that much time with the ones you were auditioning.

 

Red 333

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've fancied the idea of a 'new' monkey on a stick pickup for a while.......

 

All the retro-fit pickups for acoustic archtops I've ever seen have involved drilling/screwing into the neck or top

 

The idea of a self-contained clamp-on pickup attached to the strings behind the bridge is very appealing

 

I have a nice Eastman acoustic archtop just waiting to be so favoured.....[thumbup]

 

V

 

:-({|=

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...