Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

Do You Have a "Beater" Gibson?


Danner

Recommended Posts

You know, the one you don't mind nocking around a bit. I have to baby mine all the time.

 

ABSO-FREAKIN-LOOTLEY!

 

My 1969 Jubilee.... headstock broken about 25 years ago..... top cracked in 3-4 places, (but have been repaired), and it plays like a dream.

 

Not as powerful as the dreads, but it's my "anywhere" guitar!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Given how much of a beating the SWD and SJ get when I gig with them, if you asked them personally Im sure they would reply that they are beaters all the way ...

 

My true beater guitar is my Cort Earth, but after 10 years of hard playing and the full bone treatmetn it sounds like a D-18 anyway, so Im happy with that, and it aint going anywhere, thats for sure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have never been accused of having a light touch but no matter how many scars my guitars have, if it cost me over $100 or so I just can't think of it as a beater.

 

I do have me a Guild and Harmony Sovereign that qualify as a beach guitar but no Gibson. About as close as I can come is an Epiphone.

 

epift-790042.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My Gibson F-25 looks like it was someone's beater before I found it. The top has a real cheesy refinish, there's dings and scrapes all over it and some of the finish is checked like it had been too close to a fire or heater. I don't abuse it but being a mid 60's Gibson means it's built like a Mack truck and I don't have to baby it either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wish KSDaddy would chime in on this one. He specializes in rehab for beaters, so I know he has a story or two.

 

My Gibson beater came to me as a broken dream - it was an SJ from the 1960s that had been through at least two wars. Every time I managed to fix something on it, something else went wrong. I busked in five countries with it, carried it around for a while in a backpack and did everything to it short of paddling a canoe until finally, and some would say mercifully, the bridge peeled off it on a hot summer night in New Zealand, shortly after I replaced the nut with a brass and bone one and installed brass bridge pins because I wanted it to be brighter.

 

Yes, I was retarded back then. No need to comment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bought a Gibson LG-0 and a Gibson LG-1 this year from the Ebay.

 

I still consider them my pride and joys, but a lot of you people would think they were beaters, especially the LG-1 which, quoting 'ballcorner' in the reply above, looks like the previous owner used for paddling a canoe. (Complete with high water mark).

 

But then, the sound!

 

BluesKing777.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have an Austin Japanese Copy of a Gibson that is my beater. Even the headstock looks Gibson. I have had this guitar for at least 30 years.

 

 

+1. I've got an Alvarez J-200 copy from the early 70's that my beater.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's always beaters around, but I can't say I've kept a beater Gibson around for long.

 

The closest I came was a '73 J-45 that had a shattered top. The former owner worked in a music store and they had an Alvarez top that was a store display. He put that top on the Gibson body and dumped it in my lap cheap. Looked awful and had wood putty everywhere. I refinished it in Cadillac dark brown metallic. Looked great.... but was no longer a beater.

 

I once picked up a 1970 cherry sunburst Les Paul Deluxe that had been routed for three full sized humbuckers. I think I had $200 into it. To me it had been ruined so I PLAYED it instead of admired it. There's something to be said about that.

 

As to a current beater (regardless of brand) I would say it's my '98 Seagull S-6 cedar. It does a pretty good job pretending to be a Gibson, personality wise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can't imagine a Gibson beater! I bought an epi ej200 about a month before the j45. Had it set up and it is an unreal guitar for 200 bucks. So that's what I'v been messin on when I'm out grilling or watching the kids flop around in the blow up pool.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...

 

As to a current beater (regardless of brand) I would say it's my '98 Seagull S-6 cedar. It does a pretty good job pretending to be a Gibson, personality wise.

 

The S-6 has to be one of the best affordable guitars in the world. I know some fine musicians who started on an S-6 and played it long into the night before getting a better guitar.

 

Thanks for chiming in Scott.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

'57 Country Western. Original "shrunken head" tuner buttons, neck inlays falling out, finish worn well into the top by someone's pick hand, lots of stage rash, tobacco smoke patina overall. It's still worth some money, but I don't have to handle it like a Ming vase, and it sounds great.

 

Brian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...