CJB Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Just saw this one for sale. Just wanted to make sure y'all saw this beauty while it surfaced. https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6619940#post6619940 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Gorgeous, but a bit rich for my blood. I've always admired these. Some of the first "modern" Gibsons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 (edited) In my not remotely humble opinion, there are no guitars better than early Nick Lucases. I prefer the 12-fret versions, and love my 1929 Nick But this is a lovely example. And here's some ragged playing on my quite ragged 1929 Nick: Edited January 31, 2021 by jt 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJB Posted January 31, 2021 Author Share Posted January 31, 2021 (edited) @jt I've heard the same from multiple sources. Hopefully one of these days I'll get to check one out. But honestly, I'm happy just looking at those pictures. Nice to see a well preserved example of fine early Gibson artistry. Edited January 31, 2021 by CJB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 This is a case where I would go for a modern re-issue with vintage specs. Madagascar rosewood in place of Brazilian would be a reasonable trade-off. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJB Posted January 31, 2021 Author Share Posted January 31, 2021 1 hour ago, j45nick said: This is a case where I would go for a modern re-issue with vintage specs. Madagascar rosewood in place of Brazilian would be a reasonable trade-off. OOH man! Wouldn't that be cool? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 You might have more luck finding a maple NL reissue - this one is sold, but you can look at the pics https://www.elderly.com/products/gibson-nick-lucas BluesKing777. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcf Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 Hey guys, that one’s mine. It has a very modern feeling neck. Maybe JT can confirm but I believe all the 13 fret NL’s had floating bridges. That’s what John Arnold told me. Anyway, this guitar may be my all one favorite but arthritis is limiting my play so I’m selling all my high end stuff. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 11 hours ago, pcf said: Hey guys, that one’s mine. It has a very modern feeling neck. Maybe JT can confirm but I believe all the 13 fret NL’s had floating bridges. That’s what John Arnold told me. Anyway, this guitar may be my all one favorite but arthritis is limiting my play so I’m selling all my high end stuff. It is a gorgeous guitar. Interesting that it has wood internal side stays, rather than the fabric ones Gibson seemed to use on some other models in the 1930s. Tom Barnwell's 1943 FON 910 rosewood banner SJ has similar wooden stays. I've always thought the side stays were there to mitigate cracking. Maybe Gibson thought rosewood was more vulnerable to this than mahogany. In the late 1940's, Gibson seems to have dropped the fabric side stay and gone to wooden ones, as seen in your NL. Both of my 1950 J-45s have wooden side stays. Modern Gibsons, other than historic re-issues like the Legend series, generally have no internal side stays. This does save a bit of weight, if the guitar rims are the same thickness with or without stays. I have no vintage Martins for comparison, but there are those here who have 1930s Martins and Gibson who might offer comments on this particular construction detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 On 2/2/2021 at 9:23 PM, pcf said: Hey guys, that one’s mine. It has a very modern feeling neck. Maybe JT can confirm but I believe all the 13 fret NL’s had floating bridges. That’s what John Arnold told me. Anyway, this guitar may be my all one favorite but arthritis is limiting my play so I’m selling all my high end stuff. Yes, as best I know, all of the 13 fretters had floating bridges. Good luck with the sale! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 22 hours ago, j45nick said: It is a gorgeous guitar. Interesting that it has wood internal side stays, rather than the fabric ones Gibson seemed to use on some other models in the 1930s. Tom Barnwell's 1943 FON 910 rosewood banner SJ has similar wooden stays. I've always thought the side stays were there to mitigate cracking. Maybe Gibson thought rosewood was more vulnerable to this than mahogany. In the late 1940's, Gibson seems to have dropped the fabric side stay and gone to wooden ones, as seen in your NL. Both of my 1950 J-45s have wooden side stays. Modern Gibsons, other than historic re-issues like the Legend series, generally have no internal side stays. This does save a bit of weight, if the guitar rims are the same thickness with or without stays. I have no vintage Martins for comparison, but there are those here who have 1930s Martins and Gibson who might offer comments on this particular construction detail. My 1929 Nick also has the wood side reinforcement strips. As you point out, Gibson seemed to jump from wood to cloth and back again from the 1920s through the 1950s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 Blues Licks ... great selection to show off that treasure, Thanks ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 1 hour ago, fortyearspickn said: Blues Licks ... great selection to show off that treasure, Thanks ! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 Given the price tags originals carry these days, I agree going the repro route. The one that jumps out in my mind is the Fairbanks F20 Nick Lucas. I have seen them with a maple and mahogany body but am not sure he has offered one with a rosewood body. Still about as dead bang accurate as you are going to find in a modern take on an NL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 Here’s my modern NL RW, but pcf’s is tempting me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 The maple Nick reissues are fantastic. I can only imagine how good the originals are. A grail guitar for me. I'll own a reissue one day and it'll make me happy as a clam though, I have no doubt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 6 hours ago, Dave F said: Here’s my modern NL RW, but pcf’s is tempting me. Are those pickup controls I see inside the soundhole? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, j45nick said: Are those pickup controls I see inside the soundhole? Yes, just a Baggs under saddle transducer it came with. Edited February 5, 2021 by Dave F Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 I hate to say this, but let me know if you decide to part with it. Something here would have to go, however, and I'm not good that type of decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
generaldreedle Posted February 10, 2021 Share Posted February 10, 2021 I have a modern Nick Lucas maple I bought used. It’s the one in this video, fantastic guitar https://youtu.be/YcBn38hffQw 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.