Johnt Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Now is not the best time for another GAs outbreak as I just bought a L5 copy over the w/e but I am thinking a lot about a small bodied Gibbo! Nick Lucas, Robert Johnson, Roy smeck that sort of thing. My rationale is that the J45 and SWD cover a lot of ground between them and whereas my GAS attack in favour of a J-300 makes a degree of sense perhaps a "little one" makes more. Was reading earlier about the Costello model and the Century. I think I'd try those if the costello model doesn't have his logoon it (LOL) So can I have some advice please from those with small bodied guitars, any of them but for example, jannusguy what do you really reckon about the Roy Smeck? sounds great for me >>>big hands! I don't have performances to cater for just playing for myself. On another subject but still guitar related. When I was about 6 my parents bought me an "Elvis Presley" guitar for Christmas. It was plastic,about 24inches long, had a really nice pic of the King on the headstock, 4 nylon strings all same diameter and best of all a contraption you stuck on the neck which enabled you to press a G chord etc. This thing worked on the basis you pushed a button and it pushed a shape down onto the strings <<<<Howls with laughter! EDIT FOUND IT! http://collectibles.about.com/od/priceentertain/ss/PGdickclarkauc_3.htm OH Hell I just read the above it had an auction estimate of $540!!!! see below When I was at an antique & collectables show at the w/e I saw one! The guy wanted £20 for it and it would have been mine all mine except for three things 1. I'd was carrying the L5 copy I'd just bought 2. My wife was with me and she can only be so encouraging, in her mind a guitar ia a guitar! 3. The "contraption" for the neck was missing and I don't know any chords for a 4 string plastic guitar BR John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I think that contraption was also marketed with some Arthur Godfrey ukes. I googled it and found it in with some Maccaferri stuff: Maccaferri ukes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnt Posted July 22, 2008 Author Share Posted July 22, 2008 I think that contraption was also marketed with some Arthur Godfrey ukes. I googled it and found it in with some Maccaferri stuff: Maccaferri ukes Yes that's it. Jeez I am sick The thing' was worth £250!!! Here is the "rare secol guitar"again. http://www.billnelsonmusic.com/html/villa/study.php?Month=08&Year=2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermionik Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Fundamental error there JT..... 'The thing was worth £250' On the day it sold, it fetched £250. The one you saw would have sold to you that weekend for £20. If you put it into auction (for example) and if there were two people in the room who really wanted it, then the thing might have fetched good money. But if one of those people was the guy who already paid £250, he might not bother again - he already has one now. So then there is only ONE person in the room who really wants it, nobody else interested, and he gets it for the starting price. Things are only worth what someone will pay on the day. Market value. The blue book says this much, the insurance company says that much. What would YOU be prepared to pay for it - that's what it's worth TO YOU. To a completist, missing it from his collection, it could be worth a LOT more. To a one armed, tone deaf miser who hates Elvis, it might not be worth ANYTHING. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 In 2005 I outbid a guy in Japan for a small piece of smoked plexiglass with "Country Club" silkscreened on it, which was missing from the tailpiece of my '77 Gretsch. I paid $62 for it. A couple months ago I bought a very nice Victoria hard shell case for my Fender Villager; it was exactly the same thing as what would have been offered with the guitar in the mid 60s. I paid 99 cents for it. Just goes ta show ya.... anything is only worth what someone is willing to pay that day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 JT SAID: So can I have some advice please from those with small bodied guitars, any of them but for example, jannusguy what do you really reckon about the Roy Smeck? sounds great for me >>>big hands! actually john, my smeck is a 12 fret slope shouldered jumbo. nothing small about it. it has a 2" nut and tone and volume for days. it has a much bigger voice than my L00 blues king or my 'zoo kg-11 which fit more correctly into the small body category. this guitar has an amazing sound (ADI/RW combo) and is a joy to play. here's a pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnt Posted July 22, 2008 Author Share Posted July 22, 2008 JT SAID: So can I have some advice please from those with small bodied guitars' date=' any of them but for example, jannusguy what do you really reckon about the Roy Smeck? sounds great for me >>>big hands! actually john, my smeck is a 12 fret slope shouldered jumbo. nothing small about it. it has a 2" nut and tone and volume for days. it has a much bigger voice than my L00 blues king or my 'zoo kg-11 which fit more correctly into the small body category. this guitar has an amazing sound (ADI/RW combo) and is a joy to play. here's a pic. [img'][/img] Thats stunning the problem we have over here JG is that we can not SEE these guitars as albertjohn and I found the other day and if you recall Jinder made reference to in respect of a J-300 some weeks ago. I am envious of being able to go to stores and play a selection of new guitars. Therfore please forgive the stupidity of my question, from what you say I should be asking you about the Blues King. Is that about the same size as a Martin 00016. AJ and I saw a beautiful Koa example the other day which is still yelling "buy me" at me BR John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Player Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I know it ain't a Gibby, but as far as small bodies go, Taylor X12 size guitars also known now as the GC bodies are wonderful!!! I prefer the older ones that are full 25.5 scale like my 1993 612C. The 600 series guitars are sitka/maple and the tone is spectacular! They are truly the most comfortable guitars I have ever played. Here are some photos for you! [imghttp://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd219/lofapco/PICT3386.jpg][/img] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnt Posted July 22, 2008 Author Share Posted July 22, 2008 Thanks very much Paul That is a very pretty guitar well named. I don't think I am pro Gibson to the point of obsession but again here in the UK we are so used to "buying" guitars from catalogues ( I don't mean Bargain Store whatever) I mean Gibson/ Fender/Taylor. Although in fairness the parcity is mostly Gibson since they split with Rosetti ( once their distributor in UK) One of the things I have concluded re the 2009 Homecoming is that it will be better for me to take cash aimed at buying a good guitar than take cash to pay for a guitar which I have only seen a picture of. Albertjohn and I were really p*ssed last week when we went to Denmark Street in London. the ONLY NEW Gibson in the entire street was a lefty SB SJ200 which as far as we are concerned is as much good as a chocolate teapot! Things may get better with a new distributor in the meantime help such as JGs and your own is 100% invaulable Thanks to both BR John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Player Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Hopefully now that Taylor has worked out a distribution agreement with Fender for overseas distribution, you may see more Taylors in your shop as well. Going to the source at Homecoming with cash would be a very dangerous thing for me (or at least for my marriage! ) Good luck with whatever you find be it Gibson or Taylor.... You can't go wrong in my opinion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 i have the same problem here john. not a lot of turnover in the stock of the local chain stores or mom & pops. it seems when i visit my usual haunts i'm playing the same guitars over and over. most everything i have purchased over the last 2 years has been via the web. that includes the smeck which was from fuller's vintage in houston. as far as being able to hold forth on the merits of various small bodied guitars, i'm not really qualified. i came across the L00 in a trade with a gentleman here on the forum. swapped him out for an AJ that i felt was too much like much of what i already had. while this L00 is a lovely guitar i feel i got a little closer the "bluesy" sound i was curious about with the 'zoo purchase. that being said, i typically find myself with one of my jumbos at hand. of course this was no help to you at all. cheers, rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnt Posted July 22, 2008 Author Share Posted July 22, 2008 Hopefully now that Taylor has worked out a distribution agreement with Fender for overseas distribution' date=' you may see more Taylors in your shop as well. Going to the source at Homecoming with cash would be a very dangerous thing for me (or at least for my marriage! '](*,) ) Good luck with whatever you find be it Gibson or Taylor.... You can't go wrong in my opinion! Naw that's Ok Sharon's coming as well so I'd imagine that she'll allocate me $200 and keep it in her purse until I find the beat up laminated top Korean Takamine! Taylors are not too bad actually, there's a couple of reasonable stockists as there are with Martin it's Gibson that's rubbish You guys are going to get a bit of this over the next months. AJ is desperate for a good 12 string and as I said we value your opinions! BR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefleppard Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Hopefully now that Taylor has worked out a distribution agreement with Fender for overseas distribution' date=' you may see more Taylors in your shop as well. Going to the source at Homecoming with cash would be a very dangerous thing for me (or at least for my marriage! '](*,) ) true, but a new gibby is still much cheaper than a divorce! and JT - keep your hands off that bonjovi takamine....its mine!!!!!!! and speaking of smeck - check this out if you haven't already. jackson browne will give you a good idea of its tone since there are no known vids of JG playing his! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duGU7oRy4RI there are some other tunes listed where he plays a cf-100 and though that model has taken a bit of a beating here, it sounds quite good live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertjohn Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Naw that's Ok Sharon's coming as well so I'd imagine that she'll allocate me $200 and keep it in her purse until I find the beat up laminated top Korean Takamine! Taylors are not too bad actually' date=' there's a couple of reasonable stockists as there are with Martin it's Gibson that's rubbish You guys are going to get a bit of this over the next months. AJ is desperate for a good 12 string and as I said we value your opinions! BR[/quote'] JT's right. You'd expect Denmark St to be full of them but alas, no. Anecdotally at least, the supply seems to have dried up a bit. The UK distributor lost their contract earlier this year and my understanding is that Gibson will supply direct to the retailers. I've no idea how that will work. The problem is that the retailers are fast disappearing too. On shop in Denmark St went pop last year. This year the big shop below the Virgin Megastore in Oxford St (can't recall the name).............Pop! There was a good acoustic shop over in The City as well which now only stocks basses. When you do find a decent shop, and there still a few around, very few Gibsons. The larger web sites like GAK list plenty of choice but no so much in stock. Even local to me, there is a high end retailer with lots of Custom Shop Gibson, Fender and PRS electrics, a good choice of Martins - no Gibsons! But I did buy my second son's first guitar there last weekend. A red Squier Tele - love the neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry K Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I have a maple Nick Lucas reissue, a Bubinga L-00 reissue, and a CJ-165 RW. In certain respects I think the mahogany and bubinga small bodies have the nicest note separation and definition so I would recommend looking at the mahogany small bodied guitars. For volume, warmth and fullness, the rw 165 makes a very good all-around guitar. I also very much liked a maple 165 I played recently. Very different sound and also very sweet and resonant. The nicest one I have played so far was a Legend L-00 - adirondack top, mahogany and Madagascar RW. Pricey but excellent. The Nicks are deep and have a cavernous quality which is really good for some material but maybe not so good as an all-around guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I'm partial to the Gibson L-20.....hard to find but worth it..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry K Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 That L-20 looks like a rosewood Nick Lucas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J45dale Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I am currently in Gibson small body heaven. Easy playing, dry, woody, sustains forever, finger or flat picked, combined with a surpriseing amount of bass. All of this is found in my 48-52 model???, X-braced LG-2. This little Mohogany and Spruce has become my main guitar. It reins surpreme on Blues, Old time, and folk. It rarely finds its way back to its case, and the rest of my herd is starting to get jumpy. I can't say enough about these little Gibsons. They are riseing in price, but IMHO are worth the money. Mine is pretty "mojo" worn, but well broke in with no real problems, so shop for a player instead of a looker, for less $. Just my pitch, Dale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Here is a 1993 L1CM (custom maple). They made 23 of these. I have seen one other blonde and one sunburst. It is a rather lively and loud guitar with that old time sound, a lot of punch. This series is discussed in the Fabulous Flat Tops book. I had this guitar slated or sale, but have been dragging my feet. I have three original L1s and a two small body Nick Lucas guitars. I rather like the shape. I hope I can post a pic of the L1CM. Here is a link to an old webpage with most of my guitars pictured. http://home.insightbb.com/~tmitchell59/ This seems to work. I have more pics of the L1CM at this link: http://home.comcast.net/~tmitchell59/site/?/home/ Thanks, Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Player Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I lost out on a Kalamazoo built Epiphone Caballero last year through the local Craigslist. Guy wanted $400 and I was ready to go but got beat out by an hour!!! It's basically a LG-0 guitar built at the same time Gibsons were being built there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampa Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 My Gibson F-25 has a L-G, Smeck sized body with a neck like a classical guitar, 2" nut and 12 frets. It has that wonderful Gibson thump and I absolutely love it. They were made in the 60's so you have to find one used and I've seen them on eBay for $1000 - $1600. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
korby Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 I'm having a Nick Lucas copy done by Bill Bonanzinga but it wont be started for a year . I might try to get a Gibson L-00 to use while I wait . I too am wondering which one is the best . They make so many different ones its confusing . None of the stores carry them around here so I'll have to buy it off the web without playing it first . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 If you can find one, I'd heartily recommend trying out a B15-it's basically an LG0 (ladder braced, mostly all-Hog but some have Spruce tops), but with the mid-60s style narrow nut and skinny neck (don't let that put you off though, I am a 6'6", 18st guy with fingers built accordingly and I get on famously with the neck on mine!), and the neat, skinny Melody Maker style headstock. Mine is just a great, super-cool little guitar. Not hugely valuable, but with a great vintage vibe and, if you find a good one (mine is the best of several I've played), a great and very individual vintage tone. Some were made with a Spruce top, but most were all-Mahogany...and for good reason I think, as I've tried a couple of Spruce examples which were rather bright and unforgiving, as opposed to the very warm and chalky, velvet-like mid-rich tone of mine. They're cheap as chips too!! Happy days :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 Gibson concert size guits: they make a hog (L00, L1), a couple of maples (Century, Lucas), not so much in Rw (L20, NLs/Rw arent inproduction). The hogs are probably the most versItile, the maples work better as finger style boxes. A rw would sound best with a pick--see Dylan in his dont look back period--that's a rw NLs. Other brands. Martin 0018v (hog concert, sweet), 0021 (12 fret slothead rw), 000/oms in hog (18) and rw (28)--these crank out more sound. Taylors as mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnt Posted July 25, 2008 Author Share Posted July 25, 2008 Firstly please all accept my apologies! You have all been so kind in contributing to the internal debate raging in my head. I have been "otherwise engaged" for a few days and have neglected to say thanks. So thanks to all! I wish, in some ways, that Guitarstrummer had't posted the pic of his Robert Johnson elsewhere after seeing Suzy Boguss you don't need Bet Midler any more if you know what I mean! Thanks again guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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