RockinB23 Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 I posted this in the vintage part of the forum too. I was looking at some of the bracing photo’s on the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum and found the differences and how they impact tone to be quite interesting. I’ve been very impressed with some of the vintage Gibson’s I’ve been able to played including a couple different 30s Roy Smeck converted guitars, a 1949 Gibson J-50, a 1949 Gibson SJ-200 and a 1957 J-200. I thought if people have some photos of internals on their old Gibson’s I’d love to see some and have people share the year, model and what they can comment on the tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kwlsky Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 Very interesting idea. I would love to see this thread grow with some good information. Unfortunately I don't have any vintage guitars to share to this discussion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 (edited) The Gibson Bracing Library has been dormant since around 2015. One of the problems is that photos originally hosted by Photobucket are no longer available since they changed their terms of service. The guy who restored by 1942 J50 decades back though did take some photos of the bracing when he had to remove the back. Where those photos have gotten off to though I do not have a clue. What I recall is the bracing rather than having a scalloped-out center, is more of a long taper down to just before they hit the kerfing where there is a slight uptick which quickly falls away. Not sure what the value of attempting to come up with one here would have. It might be better to start contributing to and resurrect the existing bracing library over at UMGF. That said, Tom who is a member here owns enough old Gibsons to pretty much create a library on his own if he had a mind to. Edited February 2, 2022 by zombywoof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockinB23 Posted February 2, 2022 Author Share Posted February 2, 2022 46 minutes ago, zombywoof said: The Gibson Bracing Library has been dormant since around 2015. One of the problems is that photos originally hosted by Photobucket are no longer available since they changed their terms of service. The guy who restored by 1942 J50 decades back though did take some photos of the bracing when he had to remove the back. Where those photos have gotten off to though I do not have a clue. What I recall is the bracing rather than having a scalloped-out center, is more of a long taper down to just before they hit the kerfing where there is a slight uptick which quickly falls away. Not sure what the value of attempting to come up with one here would have. It might be better to start contributing to and resurrect the existing bracing library over at UMGF. That said, Tom who is a member here owns enough old Gibsons to pretty much create a library on his own if he had a mind to. I actually did bump that up the other day hoping to help revive it. I have a 49 SJ-200 that I'll try and post some photos of soon here when I have time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, RockinB23 said: I actually did bump that up the other day hoping to help revive it. I have a 49 SJ-200 that I'll try and post some photos of soon here when I have time. Cool. So if the experts are right, yours would have been made during the few years the J200 sported a single X brace. I recall Willi Henkes posting a diagram of two 1951 J200s over at UMGF. One had the narrower angle single X bracing while the other had been built after Gibson had returned to the wide angle X brace above and below the soundhole that the pre-War SJ200s had. My wife plays a 1960 J200 with this bracing. Edited February 2, 2022 by zombywoof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted February 3, 2022 Share Posted February 3, 2022 Good timing. I'm about to go back into the diagnostic imaging department to x-ray and CT-scan guitars. I'm doing this for my upcoming book (The Acoustic Guitar: Inside the World’s Most Popular Musical Instrument (Oxford University Press, 2023), the publisher of which will also curate a companion website. At the same time, I'm working on a related project with Worcester Polytechnic Institute, called Fretology, that will conduct sonic studies on the guitars I X-ray and CT-scan and will make all the information publicly accessible. The website (yeah, currently under WPI's electric guitar heading, but it's an all acoustic guitar project) presents examples of the images I've already obtained. Both projects will be examining a number of vintage guitars from Gibson, Martin, and the Larson brothers, among other, as well as modern guitars. Stay, uh, tuned. 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted February 3, 2022 Share Posted February 3, 2022 How many would you like? 1934 Carson Robeson (KG-11) 1934 HG-C 1935 JUMBO 1935 ROY SMECK RADIO GRANDE Last half of the 30s tomorrow if I have time. Best, -Tom 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratherbwalkn Posted February 3, 2022 Share Posted February 3, 2022 Thanks Tom, the 34 HG-C has such sweet tone IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockinB23 Posted February 3, 2022 Author Share Posted February 3, 2022 Great post Tom!! Thanks so much for sharing!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted February 3, 2022 Share Posted February 3, 2022 (edited) 8 hours ago, ratherbwalkn said: Thanks Tom, the 34 HG-C has such sweet tone IMO The question of how to demo guitars has haunted me for the past decade and a half. When you compare digital speech systems, you can use materials are pretty much emotionally neutral -- for music not so. The best way to compare instruments is actually to strum them and pick them with no frills and listen to the tone. When you add great hot or beautiful picking or beautiful guitar/vocal combinations, most people -- especially musicians- can't hear their way through their long term and short term bias and actually hear the instruments. I have tried to explain the science behind all this for years, but I have decided I no longer care -- it is not my job educate anyone. So the demo on this thread are just whatever I feel like posting at the time -- I like them all. 1936 Advanced Jumbo 1936 Jumbo35 (Trojan) 1937 Roy Smeck Stage Deluxe 1938 L-Century Next -- late 30s and early 40s. Edited February 3, 2022 by tpbiii Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted February 3, 2022 Share Posted February 3, 2022 Great stuff as always, Tom! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and guitars with us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted February 4, 2022 Share Posted February 4, 2022 On 2/3/2022 at 2:34 AM, tpbiii said: How many would you like? 1934 Carson Robeson (KG-11) 1934 HG-C 1935 JUMBO 1935 ROY SMECK RADIO GRANDE Last half of the 30s tomorrow if I have time. Best, -Tom I could listen to David Dugas playing that Smeck all day long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockinB23 Posted February 10, 2022 Author Share Posted February 10, 2022 (edited) I took some interior shots with my iPhone to the best of my ability today during a string change. Sorry my photos are better. This one is a 1949 SJ-200. I put a video capturing the sound. This one is in the top 4 or 5 guitars that I've ever owned or played! Edited February 10, 2022 by RockinB23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockinB23 Posted February 10, 2022 Author Share Posted February 10, 2022 (edited) Post by mistake Edited February 10, 2022 by RockinB23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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