Historic Series Bracing

[Rosinante]

Does anyone know if the new Historic series guitars with baked tops are using bracing based off of actual 30's and 40's guitars?  I can't find any info on this and based on descriptions alone it seems like they are using either the standard scalloped X bracing or the AJ Scalloped X bracing.  I am wondering if they are using the bracing from the Legend series or other vintage correct reissues they have put out over the years?

[pimousso]

From AGF :

"Looking at the Gibson website, they use two types of bracing on 5 Historic Series jumbos:

- Standard X bracing on: '42 Banner J45 & '42 Banner Southern Jumbo.

- Advanced X bracing on: '34 Jumbo, '36 J-35, & '39 J-55.

All five guitars have scalloped bracing and 2 scalloped tone bars, according to Gibson customer service. "

 

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6843957

[Rosinante]

2 hours ago, pimousso said:

From AGF :

"Looking at the Gibson website, they use two types of bracing on 5 Historic Series jumbos:

- Standard X bracing on: '42 Banner J45 & '42 Banner Southern Jumbo.

- Advanced X bracing on: '34 Jumbo, '36 J-35, & '39 J-55.

All five guitars have scalloped bracing and 2 scalloped tone bars, according to Gibson customer service. "

 

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6843957

That appears as if it is just the regular standard versions of the bracing and nothing historic, unless these are based on the historic bracing patterns?

[BoSoxBiker]

It's been a couple of years since I've watched any of them, but some of the promotional videos had some generalized verbiage that might have had a hint or two for whatever it is you might be hunting for.

There may be some detailed knowledge in these forum pages over the years as folks with fine vintage examples have examined theirs versus new re-issues and historic collections. Some have even sent their vintage guitars in to Gibson per Gibson's request to be x-rayed in efforts to copy the old ways or to at see how they ticked.

[zombywoof]

It is my understanding that Gibson uses two standard bracing systems.  What is different about them is the pattern.  The angle of the X in what they refer to as 1930s bracing so results in differently spaced tone bars, a longer bridge plate and such.   But all in all, the bracing in the Historic Series was not an attempt to replicate that in the originals.  So, while build specs tended to vary year to year, I would expect a 1936 J35, as example, to have three non-scalloped tone bars rather than two scalloped braces.    After a lot of years of trying this and that, it appears Gibson finally settled on a standard slope shoulder bracing in 1941.  

[RockinB23]

I too wondered about this.  The prewar SJ-200s mostly had the odd double X bracing and I was curious if they copied that factor.  I guess by 52 that feature came back on SJ-200s.  I have a 1949 SJ-200 that I really love!  According to the Gibson web site it seems they likely didn’t copy the bracing patterns much from the old days.

[JuanCarlosVejar]

6 hours ago, RockinB23 said:

I too wondered about this.  The prewar SJ-200s mostly had the odd double X bracing and I was curious if they copied that factor.  I guess by 52 that feature came back on SJ-200s.  I have a 1949 SJ-200 that I really love!  According to the Gibson web site it seems they likely didn’t copy the bracing patterns much from the old days.

According to a Mark from Folkway Music who has been able to examine 3 SJ 200’s from the prewar era the 3 he looked at had regular X bracing and not double X bracing like the Gibson literature suggests .

 

 

JC

[RockinB23]

Interesting Juan, thanks for sharing!  

[Tim Tim]

I had a 2006 Legend, which had straight (unscalloped) bracing, and I have a 2019 custom J-45 with the same specs as the 2020 Historic, which has scalloped bracing.  They sound worlds apart, and the Legend was gone in a heartbeat.