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Taylor Swift's J-180


Leonard McCoy

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Thanks much! I enjoy watching her solo like this, she is uber talented. Not my kind of music but she can (obviously) write a hit pop song! She has grown into a very confident woman. On stage, anyway. I find her personna very watchable, engaging. Nice guitar! I wonder what kind of mic she is using, that's interesting.

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I think this is great on so many levels.

First of all, I think she is incredibly brave to meet her audience in this way, without the usual big production, with lights, video screens, and dancers etc etc.  Very few pop star would be able to pull that off as well as she did. She is a great talent, although the music is not my style, I can appreciate her stuff.

Also, this is good news for Gibson. I bet they will sell a few guitars from that video, even though the capo obscures the headstock logo. It will put guitars back in the hands of young pop music fans. 

Lastly, the video will let young people discover NPR, and hopefully also some of the wonderful but less mainstream artists available there.

I like it!!

Lars

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While her music isn't really my style, she's got a lot of talent when it comes to songwriting.

It looks like all the NPR employees under 30, plus all their friends, were in that little room.

Edited by j45nick
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10 minutes ago, j45nick said:

While her music isn't really my style, she's got a lot of talent when it comes to songwriting.

It looks like all the NPR employees under 30, plus all their friends, were in that little room.

 

The female ones, anyway! She certainly is an icon to young females. This gal got amazingly rich, and quick. Even in the age of piracy and streaming.

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1 hour ago, livemusic said:

Thanks much! I enjoy watching her solo like this, she is uber talented. Not my kind of music but she can (obviously) write a hit pop song! She has grown into a very confident woman. On stage, anyway. I find her personna very watchable, engaging. Nice guitar! I wonder what kind of mic she is using, that's interesting.

 That's a Sennheiser MKH 418 or 418-S, depending on whether it's stereo or mono. Here's an article on the mic's they use:

Tiny Desk microphones

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5 hours ago, Leonard McCoy said:

 

 

That J 180 is not her guitar actually.

 

It was gifted to her by Madonna  after T.S acted as Madonna’s guitarrist for a performance of her hit song Ghost Town at some award show.

 

It seems after she was gifted that J 180 you saw her with less and less Taylor Guitars.

 

Madonna isn’t really known as a guitarrist but as an artist and as a writer of hit pop songs she is someone who is in a class of her own.I’m sure that J 180 holds a special meaning for that reason. 

 

 

It was one of several J 180’s M has.

JC

Edited by JuanCarlosVejar
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NPR's little desk series is a gas- not everyone is going to like everyone but there are some real gems such as an appearance by Yo -Yo Ma and a really fun gig with Sting and Shaggy-check 'em out!

Edited by olie
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As a retired guy I never payed much attention to Taylor. My thinking was she’s a glitzy, ego driven pop star my granddaughter likes. What a warm, humorous, talented and down to earth person she seems to be. That assume thing got me again. New respect. Enjoyed it immensely. Thanks for posting.

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I have liked Taylor Swift for quite a long time - not that teenage angst "break-up songs" as she referred to them are my thing.  Bob Taylor recognized her as a talent (and marketing tool)  many years ago and started giving her guitars and even making signature TS model guitars to sell as well as making some custom models for her to use on stage.  First time I've seen her play a Gibson, and didn't know she played piano as well.  Two things I like about her; first, she writes her own songs (not too many pop stars doing that these days) and second when she performs she seems to genuinely get lost in the song and feel it.  Maybe that isn't the case in the big production concerts where it is more about the look and glitz of the performance, but seems to come through in this type setting.  Refreshing and enjoyable.  

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My daughter works for a local radio station that has sponsored a couple of Taylor's concerts; here's a pic of my granddaughter Gracie and her Aunt Jessie with Taylor.  The pic's a few years old, Gracie's 16 now!  Taylor had met Jessie before and remembered her; she was very nice and accommodating.  Yeah, she's super rich and a big pop star, but compared to what I read/hear about some of the others out there, she seems like a really genuine person.   And I gotta admit, I like some of her songs!

Fsepah1l.jpg

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Never been a big fan of her "bubblegum" music.  No doubt, a lot of that's a generational thing.  There's a video of her singing "As Tears Go By" with The Stones and to my ears she is horrible.   However, I've also heard her on a couple of actual folk-style songs and without a rock band behind her and I really enjoyed hearing her.   This NPR performance is also good.  I like the personable and songwriter type venue.  In this video, she's very easy to relate-to.  I liked it.   Kind of gets you away from all the bull and hype and you get to see/hear the person.

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I taught guitar part time for 7 years or so, and I thought that I was going to be teaching teeneage boys to be the next Eddie or Jimi. Wrong! I primarily taught preteen girls how to play acoustic guitar. I must have taught 40 Taylor Swift songs over the years. She is very talented, and IMMENSELY influential.

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  • 3 years later...

Haven’t watched this video since it first showed-up in here.  However, I must admit that  watching it now has given me the opportunity to notice some things I might have missed earlier……First, I really like her Gibson.  Plus, her hands/fingers are very nimble on the piano.  In addition, she’s aging well.  Thus, I’ve decided that I probably would not kick her out of bed for eating crackers.

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  • 8 months later...

I’m a 61 year old  male and I love how MANY of my fellow “old timers” on here feel the need to add the disclaimer “She’s not my kind of music BUT………” before giving her the rightful accolades she deserves.  I’d like to ask them all “Well, what kind of music IS your kind of music” and see the small box or window of music it is that they listen to. Can’t good music” just be “good music”? 
 

That’s kind of like your kid walking into a room and saying The Eagles/JacksonBrown/CSNY/JamesTaylor really isn’t my kind of music but I respect them and I guess that they’re OK for being old guys.

 

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Gibson is about to release the J-180 again, with the double pickguard.

the model Taylor Swift is playing here, has a more modern appeal, with no pickguard. Considering her incredible popularity, it’s a total mystery why Gibson doesn’t jump on that wagon and put this one in production. They would sell truckloads in no time. It looks like a major miss.

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On 2/20/2024 at 12:47 AM, Swampdog62 said:

I’m a 61 year old  male and I love how MANY of my fellow “old timers” on here feel the need to add the disclaimer “She’s not my kind of music BUT………” before giving her the rightful accolades she deserves.  I’d like to ask them all “Well, what kind of music IS your kind of music” and see the small box or window of music it is that they listen to. Can’t good music” just be “good music”? 
 

That’s kind of like your kid walking into a room and saying The Eagles/JacksonBrown/CSNY/JamesTaylor really isn’t my kind of music but I respect them and I guess that they’re OK for being old guys.

 

MY kind of music is what I like . . . end of story. Her fluff music about breakups with John Mayer doesn't interest me in the least. Is she rich, yes. Is she hot, yes. Can she sing, yes. Do I like her music, no.

Edited by Sgt. Pepper
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Its about time Gibson gave up a guitar

that doesnt sell very well.  😀

wait . That will sell at auction 20 years down the road at a hefty sum. 
 

 

Edited by slimt
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  • 1 month later...
On 2/20/2024 at 12:47 AM, Swampdog62 said:

I’m a 61 year old  male and I love how MANY of my fellow “old timers” on here feel the need to add the disclaimer “She’s not my kind of music BUT………” before giving her the rightful accolades she deserves.  I’d like to ask them all “Well, what kind of music IS your kind of music” and see the small box or window of music it is that they listen to. Can’t good music” just be “good music”? 
 

That’s kind of like your kid walking into a room and saying The Eagles/JacksonBrown/CSNY/JamesTaylor really isn’t my kind of music but I respect them and I guess that they’re OK for being old guys.

 

@Swampdog62 

You get a mention at the the 2:44 mark…

 

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