Flight959 Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 I recently collected my acoustic from a local luthier who had basically checked the guitar over as I had some concerns. The guitar is 48 years old and is in very good condition. I was told by several people that the guitar wasn't very loud although it had a great sound. The luthier who did a few bits to the guitar said in his opinion the guitar had not been played very much. He stated that the more the guitar is played the sound would eventually open up and get louder! Is this true?? Regards Fligh959 Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Guess this could be considered a slow starter. Don't know. . . If the guitar hasn't been played, we might presume it never really vibrated. Still the woods had a lot of time to mature. Bit peculiar combo. I think it should be possible to warm up this veteran. What guitar are you talking about ? Let's see a pic ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 The guitar in question is a 1962 Epiphone FT79 Texan made in Kalamazoo. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarrr Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 That's some fine looking wood there... guess I'll never know about my stray dogs history, he just won't say. Guess the wood grain should be open by now but who knows about the years of humidity, etc. In general, a lot of the old mahogany Gibsons were given the rosewood option for more volume, same for Martins, etc. The spruce top on yours is mazin... Found this descript: http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/20U-11914.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 Given the bright sunburst finish she must have lived in the case... Im not much of a guitar player, im just wondering if a change of strings (Brand) would make a difference.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Ouh YES man – What a guitar. It's up to you, you can't go wrong. . . If you're into ceramics, fine. If not, have a closer look at the bridge/saddle later - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 If its not broke then dont fix it..... Right?? I was advised to leave the bridge as it is. I was told there would be a slight increase in the mids if the bridge was changed for a wooden one!.. Bit of a trade off I guess... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 If its not broke then dont fix it..... Right?? I was advised to leave the bridge as it is. I was told there would be a slight increase in the mids if the bridge was changed for a wooden one!.. Bit of a trade off I guess... Wait and see if you like it. Alternatives would be : Tusq Bone Rosewood Rosewood w. common sized bone saddle plus more. . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 If its not broke then dont fix it..... Right?? I was advised to leave the bridge as it is. I was told there would be a slight increase in the mids if the bridge was changed for a wooden one!.. Bit of a trade off I guess... Is that a plastic adjustable bridge with a ceramic insert, or a wood bridge with a ceramic insert? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 Yes, its plastic.. not sure what the saddle is made of! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Yes, its plastic.. not sure what the saddle is made of! To the best of my knowledge, the white inserts used in the Gibson adjustable bridges are ceramic. Don't know about the Epi's. If your Epi is built like the Gibsons with plastic bridges in this time period, the bridge is simply bolted on, rather than glued on like a wooden bridge. The lack of a loud voice may in fact be linked to this inferior bridge design, which is poor for transmitting string energy to the soundboard, rather than a function of the top not having "opened up" in the last 40 years. It all depends on whether you want to keep what appears to be a pristine instrument completely original, or you want to improve its sound. I don't know what the vintage value of this guitar is, and how that might be affected by upgrading to a better bridge and saddle design. Chances are if you were to change to a better bridge, you could do so on exactly the same footprint as the plastic bridge, and the process could be reversed if done properly. Don't throw away the plastic bridge. In all cases, keep removed orginal parts (tuners are a good example)in case you someday sell the guitar to an "original" fanatic. You never know what is going to become a collectible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 Thanks.. Yes the Bridge is held on by 4 bolts. The saddle had a thin strip of metal underneath which has been removed as it was serving no purpose except rattling.. I think its original intention was to act like a spring making the bridge adjustable... Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 If the guitar began to grow on me, I would do as Nick says. Though a Gibson expert I recently met in London told that plastic bridges actually can be good sounding, I would go for an exchange (unless the plast-sound on yours is bulls eye). Yes, keep the plastic if it's removed and be aware of the fact that this maneuver isn't considered blasphemy in incarnated guitar circles. This is the one of 2 things 'allowed' – the other would be exchanging tuners. Not an issue here. Let's hear what happens. The choice is yours. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 Its a tough one because the guitar sounds beautiful! Its just not very loud.. The guitars sound is also very boomy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 The guitar in question is a 1962 Epiphone FT79 Texan made in Kalamazoo. Regards She certainly is "pretty"....Even if not "sonically superior".... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertjohn Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 She's a fine looking guitar Flight. Just keep playing it. That's the only real way you'll know whether things need relacing/upgrading. It may not improve the sound too much, particularly if it has a laminated top, but what the hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 Thanks Bud!! (everyone) Thanks for putting up with me in here.. I would post in the Epi acoustic section but it seems to be getting less traffic these days.. Some really knowledge filled people in there too!! Cheers Peeps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 She's a fine looking guitar Flight. Just keep playing it. That's the only real way you'll know whether things need relacing/upgrading. It may not improve the sound too much, particularly if it has a laminated top, but what the hell. If this is a laminated top, all bets are off. The guitar will never be as loud as the same guitar with a solid top. Just listen to the sound of one of the laminated-top J-160e's vs the solid-top versions. To get an idea of how the coupling and material of a good bridge and saddle work, strike a tuning fork, and hold it close to the top of the guitar, but not touching it. Now, strike the fork again, and hold the fork with the bottom of the handle touching the top of the guitar. Big difference in volume, huh? That's what the saddle, bridge and pins are doing: transmitting the vibrating energy of the strings to the resonating body of the guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I'm pretty sure this is an all solid wood guitar. Very very beautiful. If it hasn't been played much and is in this shape, it is very desireable and probably worth upwards of $3000US. McCartney's was a '64 (the "Yesterday" guitar). Lovely guitar mate! Play it. If you don't want to ... send it to me and I'll play it in for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 . My oh my that guitar is in great shape and the finish is gorgeous. The top has so much cross grain lines it looks like it's figured. Beautiful old girl. B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freak show Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I'm pretty sure this is an all solid wood guitar. Very very beautiful. If it hasn't been played much and is in this shape, it is very desireable and probably worth upwards of $3000US. McCartney's was a '64 (the "Yesterday" guitar). Lovely guitar mate! Play it. If you don't want to ... send it to me and I'll play it in for you! Yup, according to the current Vintage Guitar Price Guide this guitar is worth between 3,000 and 3,800 USD. I don't think they put laminated tops on those back then. I imagine they probably used a nice piece of spruce, and I'd bet the back and sides are made of Honduran mahogany with Brazilian rosewood for the bridge and fretboard, so we're talking about some pretty fine woods. Don't modify it at all! If you can't bond with it the way it is, you can always sell it to a collector and buy a couple of very nice used Martin's for that money! Beautiful guitar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I don't think they put laminated tops on those back then. I imagine they probably used a nice piece of spruce, and I'd bet the back and sides are made of Honduran mahogany with Brazilian rosewood for the bridge and fretboard, so we're talking about some pretty fine woods. I think it's already been established that this guitar has a plastic bridge, not a rosewood bridge. On a related topic, anyone who takes blue book values for vintage guitars at face value also probably believes that their house is worth the same thing it was in 2006. Nothing personal, it's just the reality of the times. Collectible Gibson ES 335's from 1959 and 1960 for example--among the best electric guitars produced by anyone, anywhere-- could sell for $50k or more before the recession. You'd be lucky to get much more than 60% of that today for the same instrument. It may be that $3k guitars are less impacted by this than $50k guitars, but the effect is still there. The good thing about this guitar is that it appears to be pristine, which is a huge plus. I would not recommend changing the bridge unless you are unhappy about the sound of the guitar--in which case you may want to sell the guitar and get something that suits you more if you can't afford multiple guitars. If the guitar is a "keeper" for you for other reasons, but you want to see if you can improve the sound, consider a bridge change, but keep in mind that it may impact on the value of the guitar to someone who is a collector rather than a player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted July 5, 2011 Author Share Posted July 5, 2011 I really enjoy playing and owning this guitar. If its worth something then thats just a bonus for me.. Its nice owning such an admired instrument. To my original post at the start, its just a little quiet... Thats all.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I always loved the acoustic sound on the Yesterday. So glad glad it wasn't played on one of the J-160E's – (Paul you clever young lad). It's in my book to ask the following. Does anyone know if Maccas 64 Texan had the plastic bridge ? Don't think so - If your guitar is vague, never mind the collectors. Get the replacement fixed and enjoy the wood'n'bone tone. You'll find buyers the minute you want it. . . I'll say it again : The old slope is a HIT ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 My oldest guitar was made in 1932 and my youngest in 1960. Problem is for me they are like kids. They grow up but you don't really notice any change when you see them every day. My own thought is that most of the change in a guitar took place the first couple of years after it was built and was responsive primarily to the finish curing. At Gibson, as example, they would actually heat the lacquer because they wanted it to go on in a thick and even coat. They wanted the finish to go on thick because in the first year or so it would lose more than 1/2 its thickness as it cured. So as the finish cured it would have less of a damping effect on the instrument. Just an opinion but I reckon a guitar that did not have alot of volume when built is not going to get appreciably louder over the decades. The body shape, braces, thickness of top wood, mass of neck and so on just ain't gonna change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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