So, I bought a Blues King...

[Jinder]

I spent a long time scouting around for a great small-bodied guitar to ease my shoulder problems, and after I played pretty much everything I could lay my hands on in a 250 mile radius of home, I discovered a few things:

 

Proportion, when it comes to playing comfort, is as much about depth as width

 

There are a ton of great parlour guitars out there

 

I really enjoy Martins for their tone, but dislike their necks for my sausage fingers

 

Takamine's diminutive and very inexpensive G-Series 'New Yorker' is a great little guitar and silly value for money

 

L'Arrivee are making some tremendous parlour guitars

 

Nothing comes close to a Gibson.

 

 

After playing probably close to 50-60 small guitars, the one that was head and shoulders above the rest was an L00 Blues King. I just liked EVERYTHING about it-the size, the tone, the (surprising) versatility, the volume (the thing is a cannon, far louder than my SJ200), the looks, the lot.

 

I had to take it home, and I haven't put it down since. I actually bought it several days ago, but wanted to play it for a while so I could assess and review it when I wrote about it.

 

It's a phenominal little thing...I love the tone that the Bubinga back'n'sides produce, it's an airy-yet-woody sound, somewhere in between Rosewood and Hog. It sounds like a J45 and a Martin 000-28 had a few too many drinks one night and had an illegitimate child!

 

A lot of the little guitars I tried sounded beautiful for fingerstyle, but got buzzy and messy when strummed hard, which is most definitely not the case with the BK-it really pushes back at you when strummed, but generates so much volume that it doesn't need to be strummed as hard as, say, an SJ200 which likes to have the big ol' top driven hard.

 

It's short scale, but the soft-V profile neck makes it so much more comfortable to play than my Hummingbird.

 

Speaking of which, alas the Hummingbird did have to go in order to finance the BK, but I have no regrets...both are superb instruments, and I am really enjoying the fresh challenge the changing body size and tone is providing.

 

I've played two shows with the BK so far, and it's made such a difference to my shoulder pain. The shallower body, when worn at the same height as my other guitars, allows me to tuck my elbow in much closer to my body, eliminating the awkward (for me) arm position that was causing me so much grief...the last show I played with the BK, on Sunday, was a three hour stint with one half-hour break, and I had no pain at all-such a relief, and a very enjoyable show as a result.

 

There are a few things I need to address with the guitar, firstly I need to change those stock pins out for bone or wood, and secondly (I get a free setup from the store I bought it from after three weeks) There are two tiny lacquer cracks either side of the end of the bass-side bridge wing. They're only noticeable in a certain light and from a certain angle, and I suspect they're due to the temperature fluctuations in the shop it was hanging in from day to night, but they will hopefully address them in some way.

 

Anyway, that's a tiny irrelevance on an otherwise stupendous instrument. It's also the best-finished Gibson I've ever seen-the lacquer is like a mirror, and it's just perfectly made all-round.

 

I'm about to go into the studio to make my next album, so I'm very excited to record with the BK. I'm wrapping up a tour at the moment and playing the heck out of the BK to break it in...it sounds amazing now though, so I can't wait to hear how it sounds in a couple of years.

 

I'm not altogether sure why Gibson have marketed this guitar so squarely at the Blues arena...to me, it excels at everything, and although it does kick *** for Lightnin'-style blues, it's certainly not limited to that.

 

Interestingly, the BK holds it's own with my friend Lotte's Legend L00, which surprises me...the Legend is a little bassier (probably due to the extra body depth) and a leans a little more towards the fundamental (probably due to the Adi top and traditional bracing), but I like the extra complexity in the midrange that the BK exhibits. I would attribute this to the Bubinga back and sides, I'm happy to say I'm a convert to Bubinga as a tonewood, it's superb stuff.

[NevadaPic]

Hurray! I had a Blues King but sold it to help fund a Legend L-00. Love the body size and love the tone. I'm playing mine mostly in open D for slide and blues stuff. They sound great in standard tuning for all manner of material though. I think the added body depth of the Legend adds a bit to the sound in a way that favors the way I play. Yeah bassier I guess.

 

Pic

[bkharmony]

Awesome! Thanks for the info. I never thought I'd be interested in a small-body/parlor guitar, but I've kinda got the itch now. No Blues King in my future, but maybe I'll check out that Takamine.

 

And as someone who just got a Bubinga-backed Goodall, I will agree with you that it is an awesome tonewood: like Mahogany with experience and authority.

 

Anyway, congrats! Would love to hear a sound clip if you have the time and inclination.

[Dove Histronic]

Great news --- glad you can play pain free

 

Lately I've been missing a deep bodied L-00 that I traded away --- as you say, quite versatile and loud...

 

Told my wife I'd bought it to have as a quieter house guitar, and she said it was as loud as my Martin dread

 

Just found out where it is, so I'm scheming

[Hoss]

Hey! that's good news, Jinder! Anything that keeps you pain-free and playing is Great news!

 

I only ran into one Blues King, but I was impressed with it, too. Nice guitar and great value for the $$.

 

There are a lot of small body Gibsons in the old time community- mostly vintage Lg2s and L00s. I actually believe that smaller guitars come off as 'louder' than dreds. The sound is more focused and there's less air around the notes.

 

One of the local guitar players that out here works her magic with a Larrivee Parlor- the older version with the simple finish and low key appointments. http://www.thetallboys.com/

One of the loudest guitars you'll ever run into!

[thabesh]

Congratulations, and, welcome to the wonderful world of Bubinga! Kind of just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it? My L130 continues to amaze me regularly and it is a Bubinga model. It's a heavy tone wood but, it suits me just great for most every type of playing that I do. It records absolutely perfectly too. I am envious of your new purchase as I've been thinking of adding one to my Gibson stable. I imagine that you found a real case for it instead of the gig bag that comes standard? Particularly after your latest adventure with your SJ200. I've never understood the reasoning behind the Blues King still being sold only with a gig bag?

[eds111]

Congrats. Sorry to hear you let go of the HBird, but glad to hear the pain is gone. As you can see from my sig line I am a fan of both the BK and HBird.

 

My BK is a long scale hog version, but your description fits mine just as well; including the great finish.

 

My BK has THE best bass in terms of quality of tone of my steel string guitars. It is warm and woody as heck. I like it with older strings it sounds even warmer. The guitar also resonates more than my other guitars. The tone and warm vibrations make it kind of addictive at times.

 

I had a chance to play mine next to a new short scale Bubinga model for a hour or so. They were surprisingly similar to me. I didn't even realize it was short scale at first. Mine might of had a slight edge in tone, but it is five years old.

 

I also played a deep body BK awhile ago, mine sounded better, including the bass. You just can't beat the bass on this little thing, it defies its size in both bass and volume!

 

I agree it is versatile but it is one fantastic finger picking blues guitar. Put some finger picks on and play some Lightning Hopkin's and the volume is outrageous!

[BigKahune]

Sure sounds like you're really happy with the new BK - both for alleviating your shoulder pain and being such a great player and sound box. That's great. Interesting comments on the Bubinga and tone, as well as liking the soft-v neck.

 

Congrats!

 

 

 

If you get a chance, how about a pic?

[Guth]

Jinder,

 

I'm really glad you found a new guitar that works for you physically and yet manages to inspire you at the same time. What more could one ask for?

 

I love L-00s, and many years ago, numerous times I came close to buying a vintage example (they were quite a bit less spendy back then). As a fingerpicker, they tend to work really well for me . But I've seen a number of them take a beating from some hard core strummers and they just kept coming back for more. In fact I have a hard time imaging too many guitars leading a harder life than Ed Hamell's 1937 vintage 12-fret L-00. He strung his up with mediums and beat the living daylight out of it and yet it somehow survived. (Willie's "Trigger" has nothing on Ed's L-00). If you haven't heard of Ed, he performs (or at least he used to) under the moniker of "Hamell On Trial". You can find him on youtube, but be warned that you might encounter harsh language, and more than likely some harsh treatment of a L-00.

 

Amazing little guitars.

 

All the best,

Guth

[albertjohn]

...........................Nothing comes close to a Gibson.

 

 

 

Fantastic news Jinder. Onwards and upwards my friend.

 

And for all you doubters out there, I refer you to Jinder's comment above.

[Buc McMaster]

Excellent grab! A well made small body guitar is a wonder to behold and play - congrats on the score! I am consistently amazed at the volume that jumps out of small bodies.......how does that work?!? Glad to hear you found a remedy for the shoulder pain. And it's a shame you had to let go of the Hummingbird, but as a fellow musician I understand sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do...........

[Red 333]

You'll have to post the first song you write on it. Congrats.

 

Very good review, by the way. As writing goes, it's as good as any I've read about guitars. I could really imagine hearing the guitar and holding it in my hands. Your impressions seem consistent with the Blues King's I've played, too. You can really turn a phrase: "It sounds like a J45 and a Martin 000-28 had a few too many drinks one night and had an illegitimate child!" Well done.

 

Red 333

[onewilyfool]

Great catch Jinder.....post some pics and sound clips when you get a chance.......have fun with that puppy!!!

[mr newhaven]

i had an L-00...got rid of it to fund a custom tele...

then i bought an arlo guthrie lg-2 3/4

 

the nut width is a little narrow but im used to it now...sounds great, plays great, is great!

 

its perfect for ragtime blues playing...and just fingerpicking in general...

 

i also got an old green label yamaha fg-160 (sorta like the gibson john lennon model)

and i like the feel but still find myself going back to the lg-2 everytime...

 

i think eventually an l-00 legend is in my future...but there are so many more electrics i wanna buy....

 

argghhhh

[The G]

Great review. Well done.

Oh............And thanks for the Gas Attach.

[Buc McMaster]

I forgot to ask...........does it feel like you're holding a ukelele?

[Johnt]

Nice one Jinder

 

Nearly tooki that plunge myself but at the time I couldn't find a decent BK so bought a recording King which is a poor second!

 

But then again I don't gig si it's only my misery!

 

Hope and trust that the BK is a keeper.

[Jinder]

Wow, great to see the BK getting so much love!

 

I'm enjoying mine more and more each day, it's one of those guitars with a ton of personality which is hard to put down.

 

Case-wise, I'm not sure I understand the thinking behind the BK coming with a gig bag-neither I, nor most people in their right mind who wanted to leave the house with such a nice instrument would put it in a gig bag. As nice as the bag is, I'll never use it-I'll probably put it in the loft or eBay it eventually.

 

Thankfully the good folks who sold me the BK threw in a lovely, sturdy SKB hard case (originally for a dinky reso, but fits the 'King perfectly), which is just right for what I want.

 

The stock Baggs pickup sounds very nice with the 'King, for some reason it picks up a lot more of the body of the guitar than it did in my Hummingbird, which is nice for some gentle body tapping for percussion etc.

 

All in all, a real winner. I'm a happy man!

[eds111]

I bought mine used at Elderly a few years ago. I wouldn't walk out the door without a real case. A gig bag is an accessory, not a case! I have never used the gig bag.

[fretplay]

Hi Jinder, Good to hear you have found the guitar of your dreams and that it is the answer to the pain problem.

 

I see your BK is short scale, most of the Bks on offer I see seem to be 25.5 was yours a gustom made?

 

What made you go for the Bk rather than the CJ 165 I know many members like and own that guitar.

 

d Oh yes and did you try a Tanglewood TW 73 in your hunt?

[Jinder]

Ed, I couldn't agree more!!

 

Fret, I believe the last couple of years' run of Blues Kings have been short scale, but I know they were long scale for a good while before that. The neck on mine is lovely, and because there's plenty of saddle and a strong break angle, it doesn't feel slack and in need of mediums as some short scalers do.

 

I really like the CJ165, both that and the BK are great but what pushed me towards the 'King was that I couldn't track down a non-cutaway 165 anywhere in the south of England...they seem pretty scarce for some reason. I did, however, stumble across a lovely new AJ, which I had been led to believe had been discontinued, so it's a funny ol' world! I'm not a fan of cutaways from an aesthetic standpoint so I didn't even try out a CJ165 EC. Too small a guitar to lose any more air inside it from a cutaway, IMHO.

 

A friend of mine tours with a Tanglewood TW73 and makes a fabulous noise with it, but I just couldn't stray from Gibson...I've been a Gibson player for all my professional life, from toting a Cherryburst Les Paul Standard and pretending to be Jimmy Page when I played rock music to using my SJ200 and BK for the country/folk stuff I do now, and they just do their job so beautifully that I couldn't be parted from a Gibson as my main guitar!

[Paul E]

The Blues King is a great guitar, congrats on getting one. I really love mine. What kind of strings are you going with?

[Jinder]

D'Addario EJ16 12-53 PBs at the moment. I like them on the BK, but I'm always keen to experiment with such things to see if there's some hidden bonus loveliness in there that a certain brand and gauge can bring out.

 

What are you using?

[Paul E]

John Pearse Nickle Medium gage.

[Johnt]

s'cuse me Jinder young man!

 

You know the rules

 

Where's the eefine pics?