Incoming NGD. Fingers crossed

[rbpicker]

I placed an order for a 50s Original J50.  It’s supposed to show up tomorrow.  Looking forward to trying it out.

 I’ve got a large Guild Sitka/mahogany dread and a Sitka/mahogany 000 that are candidates for the chopping block as I try to maintain a one in, one out pattern.  If the J50 doesn’t absolutely knock me over, it will go back and the rest of the herd can relax.  I don’t favor ordering sight unseen/unheard, but nobody locally has one. Hoping to not send it back as I love the nut and neck and the scale of the J50.  It’ll be a good stable mate to my J45.  I know, same guitar in natural, but…..

It’s funny, I still recall the J50 that Sal had and remember how great it sounded…should have bought that one from him.

Roger

[E-minor7]

 

                         🤞

[MorrisrownSal]

Good luck Roger!

 

You will love it.  I’m down to just a few guitars now… the J45 TV and my D15. Consigned/sold the others. I’ll probably buy  Taylor I want…

That J50-  I shouldn’t have sold, ha!

By the way I played your 2013 J45 Standard recently… my buddy Mike loves it. He is battling an illness and I’m tuning it up for him while he gets squared away.

Edited July 8, 2022 by Salfromchatham

[Murph]

So.

That's today now.

Let's see it!

[egoidealmusic]

Yes, can't wait to hear the review!

[rbpicker]

They say it’s on the truck.  I’ll post pics and an early reaction once I can give it a test drive.  Like most of you, I can tell pretty quickly whether a guitar has what I’m looking for or not.  

Sal, I’m  glad to hear that my J45 is still with your buddy.  I hope he is doing better soon, but I’m glad you’re keeping the top loosened up for him.  Hope things are good with you and your family.

roger

[62burst]

6 minutes ago, rbpicker said:

. . .  I’m glad you’re keeping the top loosened up for him.  .

roger

. . . which could be your own cautionary tale, Rog – if I only knew about how it takes a while for a guitar to open up, I probably would’ve kept the first J-45 I ever had- it was dry, percussive, but sounded tight to me. Two out of three ain’t bad, and the other might’ve happened with time. It was a beautiful tricolor 50’s reissue. I wonder what it sounds like now.

And to all the a/b’s & a/b/c’s where we’ve been so quick to proclaim a winner when so many other factors can come into play on how a guitar sounds.

Happy “waitin’ for a truck day”, just the same.

[Lars68]

Looking forward to a verdict and a song.

Lars

[Kwlsky]

I played a 50’s Original J50 at my one locally owned Gibson dealer. Loved it. Congratulations and can’t wait to see yours!

[rbpicker]

Well, the herd is starting to settle down in the corral.  In all likelihood, the new kid is going to get sent back. 

while it is a great sounding guitar, the neck shape isn’t going to work for me I’m afraid.  The width is fine, but it’s a lot chunkier than my J45, and it causes a bit of pain in the first finger knuckle…the arthritis spot.  I was thinking I’d be ok, but as I played it more, the pain started.  I might be able to just play through the pain, but that hasn’t worked for me in the past, so… I’m really sad, as this is a great guitar in all respects, just not for me I’m afraid.  Dang it.

the 60s version has a slimmer neck, but I’m not sure about the adjustable saddle on that model .. the YouTube vids all sound good, but I’m not sure how it would be in person.    Any experience with that model out there?

Roger

Edited July 10, 2022 by rbpicker

[Boyd]

I got the 60's model a little over a year ago and love it. It's the only guitar I play now. The adjustable saddle is great IMO, these re-issues are not over-built like the real 1960's ADJ models. I also have a real 1965 J-50 ADJ and the sound is not at all similar, the re-issue definitely has the modern Gibson sound. Neck width is the same as the real 1965, however the re-issue has a chunkier carve which makes is quite similar to the neck on a modern j-45/j-50.

Anyway, I love mine. An issue did develop a few months ago however, the bridge is separating from the top. Not too big of an issue since the bolts for the ADJ bridge are holding it in place, but this is something I will eventually want to get fixed.

[Sgt. Pepper]

On 7/10/2022 at 5:11 PM, rbpicker said:

Well, the herd is starting to settle down in the corral.  In all likelihood, the new kid is going to get sent back. 

I have a question about guitar returns. Obviously if there is a QA issue a guitar can be returned. Now you are just not feeling it. Ok, so what happens to that guitar. There is nothing wrong with it other than your stated preference about the neck. So when that guitar goes back is it now in my eyes used, and can it be sold as new or does it have to be sold as used?

Edited July 11, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper

[Boyd]

I have seen guitars advertised as "demos" (I think that was the term) at SweetWater before, selling for maybe 10% less than new. I bought an 8-track field recorder from them as a demo, it was cheaper than I could find anywhere else and looked/worked like it was brand new.

Guitar Center has a really liberal return/exchange policy although reports have suggested they are very strict about anything that might be considered wear and tear and can deduct for that before refunding your money. IIRC, somewhere on their site they show examples of wear and tear and the amounts it could cost you. 

[Sgt. Pepper]

9 minutes ago, Boyd said:

I have seen guitars advertised as "demos" (I think that was the term) at SweetWater before, selling for maybe 10% less than new. I bought an 8-track field recorder from them as a demo, it was cheaper than I could find anywhere else and looked/worked like it was brand new.

Guitar Center has a really liberal return/exchange policy although reports have suggested they are very strict about anything that might be considered wear and tear and can deduct for that before refunding your money. IIRC, somewhere on their site they show examples of wear and tear and the amounts it could cost you. 

Demo's are in store models. That guitar was mailed to him cause he purchased it new.

[Dave F]

6 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

Demo's are in store models. That guitar was mailed to him cause he purchased it new.

From GC site - Open-Box items have been returned to our distribution center under the Guitar Center Return Policy. They are in "Like New" condition if they are removed from the factory packaging but show no signs of use.

 e.g. Gibson Generation Collection G-Writer EC

MAP $1599    Open Box $1407  Blemished $1279

[rbpicker]

Don’t know the answer.
I called them Saturday, the day after I received it and told them I’d be returning it.  The sales guy said “well,  you have up to 30 days to decide”.   I said that I can tell almost immediately whether a neck will work for me, and got a return shipping label from them.  I shipped it today (Monday) not having played it since Saturday.  It’s just like it was when I received it.  I even put a post it note over the pickguard area so my little finger wouldn’t mar the plastic ( I only fingerpicked it).

I can’t imagine keeping anything longer than the time it takes to decide (couple days max).

……………..however, the J50 saga continues, which I’ll post tomorrow.  Going to bed now.  G’night all.

roger

[Murph]

And so it goes...

[Boyd]

21 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

Demo's are in store models.

Actually, it turns out that this term is specifically defined on their website and one of the things they state is "maybe it was in a customer's hands for a few days"

https://www.sweetwater.com/help/product-information.php#demo-gear

What is Demo Gear?
At Sweetwater, we're so picky that what we call a "demo" is actually better than what most music retailers sell as "new" gear! Our gear hasn't endured hundreds of people a week plunking away at all the keyboards, fumbling through Stairway to Heaven on every guitar or playing with every fader and knob on a mixer or control surface.

What demo means to us is that we've had it out of the box, or maybe it was in a customer's hands for a few days and isn't "factory fresh" as a result. Every demo item we sell has Sweetwater's 2-year Total Confidence Coverage warranty, and has been tested and verified up to "new" specs by our factory-authorized technicians to make sure it's in perfect working order before we ship it to you.

Edited July 12, 2022 by Boyd

[Sgt. Pepper]

3 hours ago, Boyd said:

Actually, it turns out that this term is specifically defined on their website and one of the things they state is "maybe it was in a customer's hands for a few days"

https://www.sweetwater.com/help/product-information.php#demo-gear

What is Demo Gear?
At Sweetwater, we're so picky that what we call a "demo" is actually better than what most music retailers sell as "new" gear! Our gear hasn't endured hundreds of people a week plunking away at all the keyboards, fumbling through Stairway to Heaven on every guitar or playing with every fader and knob on a mixer or control surface.

What demo means to us is that we've had it out of the box, or maybe it was in a customer's hands for a few days and isn't "factory fresh" as a result. Every demo item we sell has Sweetwater's 2-year Total Confidence Coverage warranty, and has been tested and verified up to "new" specs by our factory-authorized technicians to make sure it's in perfect working order before we ship it to you.

Call it a demo, to me its called used. It is no longer new. You can call it mint, but not new. New means I'm the first one to own it.

[JWG4927]

On 7/12/2022 at 1:52 AM, rbpicker said:

I called them Saturday, the day after I received it and told them I’d be returning it.  The sales guy said “well,  you have up to 30 days to decide”.   I said that I can tell almost immediately whether a neck will work for me, and got a return shipping label from them.  I shipped it today (Monday) not having played it since Saturday.  It’s just like it was when I received it.  I even put a post it note over the pickguard area so my little finger wouldn’t mar the plastic ( I only fingerpicked it).

I can’t imagine keeping anything longer than the time it takes to decide (couple days max).

roger

"They", especially Guitar Center, where they've upped the return period to 45 days on most items, is hoping you'll keep it until the last days of the return period. Imagine the interest income generated while they are holding your money and the thousands of other people's money while the customer is  "deciding". The programs to do that are widely used, not just in banking. And the longer you keep the gear, the less likely you are to return it.

[rbpicker]

4 hours ago, JWG4927 said:

"They", especially Guitar Center, where they've upped the return period to 45 days on most items, is hoping you'll keep it until the last days of the return period. Imagine the interest income generated while they are holding your money and the thousands of other people's money while the customer is  "deciding". The programs to do that are widely used, not just in banking. And the longer you keep the gear, the less likely you are to return it.

You know, I never thought about that aspect of the game.  Interesting.
 I guess also the longer you keep it the more likely it will get scratched and deemed un-returnable.   Although in GC’s case, they don’t seem to care based on some of the “new” guitars I’ve seen hanging in there.

rb