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NGD 1993 Dove


Dash_Starkiller

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Well hello all…it’s been a few since I’ve posted here. Gone through a few guitars in my quest to play and own most Gibson acoustic models. J45 adj reissue, 91 sj banner reissue, 95 hummingbird, TWO f25 folksingers (63 and 64), and a 66 lg0. Well now it’s time to try a Dove. Was about to pull the trigger on an 89 every bros j180 but it was a little worse for wear and tear. Played amazing and sounded better than most guitars I’ve ever heard. But then on the local Craig’s this popped up for a crazy price and I had to jump on it. Excellent condition. Truss rod tweak and that’s it. Saddle is a bit low but plays very well as is. Very very crisp sound. 
 

Here are some pics!

https://imgur.com/a/7DTkbpp

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1 hour ago, Dash_Starkiller said:

Well hello all…it’s been a few since I’ve posted here. Gone through a few guitars in my quest to play and own most Gibson acoustic models. J45 adj reissue, 91 sj banner reissue, 95 hummingbird, TWO f25 folksingers (63 and 64), and a 66 lg0. Well now it’s time to try a Dove. Was about to pull the trigger on an 89 every bros j180 but it was a little worse for wear and tear. Played amazing and sounded better than most guitars I’ve ever heard. But then on the local Craig’s this popped up for a crazy price and I had to jump on it. Excellent condition. Truss rod tweak and that’s it. Saddle is a bit low but plays very well as is. Very very crisp sound. 
 

Here are some pics!

https://imgur.com/a/7DTkbpp

It's beautiful!  You won't be sorry.

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Ah, what a beauty! My ‘95 Dove is about as good a guitar as I’ve ever owned. Everything about it is just right. So balanced, records better than anything I’ve owned in 23yrs of session work and record making, inspiring to write with, looks gorgeous, sounds immense plugged in (I have a Seymour Duncan MagMic in mine, a very good fit), the neck is effortless and the build quality is immense.

The ‘90s were a real sweet spot at Bozeman in my experience. I had a 1990 Hummingbird for a while too, which was exceptional. 
 

Yours looks perfect-I wouldn’t worry about the saddle height at all, that looks fine to me. More height than most new Martins ship with, and that action looks buttery smooth.

Enjoy!

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Yes - the Dove too is a fantastic creation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       You'll get a rich flight out of this guitar, do doubt. Here's mine from 1996 - with new golden waffle back tuners, but unfortunately no stinger. 

mIU2DBB.jpg

I'm not sure it'll remain particularly crisp when the steel dies down. Could you report about this. . 

                             HAPPY NEO YEAR

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Thanks for the replies guys! Haven’t gotten around to putting my preferred strings on it (Martin retros) but might try this weekend. Curious about the stinger, there is no hint of a neck repair and I had my luthier look it over so I’m guessing it’s just cosmetic? I had one on the heel of a f25 folksinger but I’m guessing that was to hide a neck adjustment. Also it has the different truss rod adjustment that my 95 bird had. Not the normal Gibson size, I think it’s a double rod? It works tho and that’s all that matters haha. 

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On 12/31/2021 at 2:41 PM, Dash_Starkiller said:

 Curious about the stinger, there is no hint of a neck repair and I had my luthier look it over so I’m guessing it’s just cosmetic? 

Probably yes - (primarily) the maple guitars sometimes have them, sometimes not. The balance is something like 7 to 93 ☺️ I really like them - enjoy yours. 

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On 12/31/2021 at 8:41 AM, Dash_Starkiller said:

Thanks for the replies guys! Haven’t gotten around to putting my preferred strings on it (Martin retros) but might try this weekend. Curious about the stinger, there is no hint of a neck repair and I had my luthier look it over so I’m guessing it’s just cosmetic? I had one on the heel of a f25 folksinger but I’m guessing that was to hide a neck adjustment. Also it has the different truss rod adjustment that my 95 bird had. Not the normal Gibson size, I think it’s a double rod? It works tho and that’s all that matters haha. 

I think the debate about whether the stinger was used to cover a flaw in the grain or something or whether it was there simply because somebody just liked the way it looked is probably still ongoing. 

Oddly in 55+ years of playing Gibsons the only square shoulder acoustic I have ever owned was a 1963 B45-12.   Not sure why so I just rack it up to one of those sweet mysteries of life.  

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On 12/31/2021 at 1:41 PM, Dash_Starkiller said:

Thanks for the replies guys! Haven’t gotten around to putting my preferred strings on it (Martin retros) but might try this weekend. Curious about the stinger, there is no hint of a neck repair and I had my luthier look it over so I’m guessing it’s just cosmetic? I had one on the heel of a f25 folksinger but I’m guessing that was to hide a neck adjustment. Also it has the different truss rod adjustment that my 95 bird had. Not the normal Gibson size, I think it’s a double rod? It works tho and that’s all that matters haha. 

It’s very likely a double action rod. My ‘95 has one, works well and the neck is rock solid, but you need to be super careful with the double action rods or you can easily crack your neck…tiny adjustments will do the trick, imagine the adjustments you’d make to a single action rod and reduce it down to a quarter of that. 

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