Gibson WM-10, what's up?

[Larry Mal]

Hi all- so, I just bought a 1998 WM-10. I'm familiar with the line and see that the WM-45 was very popular, and I know that the fingerboard is Pau ferro and so on. But does anyone know more details about the WM-10?

Like, I get that it's a square shoulder mahogany dread, long scale and all, but what about the bracing? Did they kind of use the Dove template for it, or was it a J-30/J-60 stripped down? Gibson isn't always known for the mahogany square shoulder dreads, and it isn't short scale like a Hummingbird or anything. 

Anyone ever have one? I was in the market for a mahogany dreadnaught, and I like Gibson acoustics a lot, so I am pretty sure I'lll like this. 

[zombywoof]

These were one of four "budget" models released by Bozeman around 1998.  They sold new for around $1K.  The WM10 was essentially a no frills Hummingbird.  Gibson apparently did not have a lot of faith in the line as only the WM-45 continued to be issued for a couple of years after 2001.  The rarest of the bunch was the WM-180.  I owned a WM-00 for a bit.  An interesting guitar in that it had an L1-ish rounded lower bout, a jumbo body depth and 1 3/4" nut.  Fattest back braces I have ever seen in an acoustic.

Edited December 17, 2022 by zombywoof

[zombywoof]

Forget to mention that at least the WM-10 and WM-45 were built with a 25.5" scale. 

[Larry Mal]

Interesting, I didn't know that about the WM-45 being long scale. It seems that was the popular one of the group, although that 00 seems very cool.

[62burst]

30 minutes ago, Larry Mal said:

Interesting, I didn't know that about the WM-45 being long scale. It seems that was the popular one of the group, although that 00 seems very cool.

Yes, didn't know about that either. Mr 'Woof has so much guitar info in his head, he could've easily been thinking of another model.

Here's my '99 WM-45. Scale length from the nut to the middle of the 12th fret.   12.375" x 2 = 24.75"   :

[zombywoof]

Oops.  Just going by what a friend of mine who owns (or at least did own) told me.  

[Larry Mal]

Well, it's a nice guitar:

The neck is like nothing else I've seen from Gibson. Flat but with rounded shoulders and not very thin or anything. 

The finish is all crazing because it was applied so lightly. I had heard that these came with Grover tuners, but if Grover made these, they didn't want to talk about it and the tuners say nothing. They are also the worst tuners I have used since I can't think of when. I always replace the tuners on guitars with locking tuners so that's not a big deal. 

Overall, it's a fine playing and sounding guitar. Needs a little work, new bone saddle and the nut in time. But for the $800 I spent, it's a fine guitar to have around. 

Edited December 24, 2022 by Larry Mal

[62burst]

Congrats, nice guitar and nice photo. The body looks to be a bit more pinched than the Hummingbird's., and the lower bout a bit more rounded?   . . . maybe more like the Gibson Songbird, which also had the 25.5" scale. 

Here's a photo of a Hummingbird (left) and a photo of a '98 Songbird (right). Which body style do you think more closely resembles your WM ?  :

[Larry Mal]

You know, I was noticing that also, the WM-10 does seem a little narrower at the waist there. I also have a J-60 and I had them both out and you can see that the J-60 is physically larger. 

In trying to learn more about this model I have seen the name "Songbird" applied to it at times, there's barely any information about these out there but I think you are right, maybe it is a stripped down Songbird. I don't know much about Songbirds... where they an interim model in between the CL line and the Songwriters? 

Gibson is often all over the place with their models, but that means that there are things like this that don't sell for much because they were never very popular but are still made with Gibson quality. 

[Larry Mal]

I do have a Dove, maybe I'll take a picture of these guitars together. But I'm feeling that the WM-10 is a Songbird shape as you say. 

[62burst]

  Maybe it's no small coincidence that the Songbird started the next year after your 1998. Personally, I'd prefer the mahogany of your '98 WM over the rose'. My WM-45 is the J-fortyfive-iest of any of the J-45's I've had.

[Larry Mal]

Yeah, people really love those WM-45s. I already have a -45, -15 and a -29, so I'm covered there. 

 

This WM-10 is a winner, I think. I like these somewhat under the radar Gibson acoustics... Bozeman never made anything but great instruments from what I can tell, but you can get really good deals on some of the more obscure stuff.