benk Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Hi there. I'm interested in learning the difference between these two models. I have an opportunity to get either or both "previously owned." Please help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geelinus Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 I believe that the CL-20 and CL-20 Plus are mahogany guitars, while the Songbird/Songwriter Deluxe has a rosewood body. The CL-20 models are then comparable to the Songbird/Songwriter (NOT Deluxe), and the CL-30 is, I believe, essentially the same guitar as the Songbird/Songwriter Deluxe. I hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geelinus Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 I believe that the CL-20 and CL-20 Plus are mahogany guitars, while the Songbird/Songwriter Deluxe has a rosewood body. The CL-20 models are then comparable to the Songbird/Songwriter (NOT Deluxe), and the CL-30 is, I believe, essentially the same guitar as the Songbird/Songwriter Deluxe. I hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djeffcoat Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 The CL-30 and CL-35 (cutaway) preceded the Songwriter Deluxe and Songwriter Deluxe Cutaway. They have floret inlays on the fretboard, which IMHO, are nicer and more tasteful than the current parallelogram inlays of the Songwriter Deluxe models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 I'm glad you guys in here know your stuff and can help with questions like this, BUT how did this naming of guitars get soooooo complicated? Try to find out some information about some custom limited runs like my J-30 Firebird, and there is just not much info about the design, and when I phoned up Gibson, they won't give me any info about productions numbers, etc. How did it get so secretive and complicated????? LOL>...just venting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benk Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 Thanks for all the info so far. Sounds like the CL-20 Standard Plus and the Songwriter Deluxe are made of different kinds of wood and have different inlays. What about the difference in sound quality? Are they designed for different kinds of playing situations? Is one considered a "higher quality" guitar? Based on the info I have seen on the internet, it sounds like the Songwriter Deluxe is the pro-version of the CL-20 Standard Plus. That would be cool for me to know...cause then I'd have a reason to get both. ;) Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarstrummer Posted October 27, 2008 Share Posted October 27, 2008 Thanks for all the info so far. Sounds like the CL-20 Standard Plus and the Songwriter Deluxe are made of different kinds of wood and have different inlays. What about the difference in sound quality? Are they designed for different kinds of playing situations? Is one considered a "higher quality" guitar? Based on the info I have seen on the internet' date=' it sounds like the Songwriter Deluxe is the pro-version of the CL-20 Standard Plus. That would be cool for me to know...cause then I'd have a reason to get both. Thoughts?[/quote'] The rosewood would typically have a darker sound. Many find a mahogany easier to sing with. As far as higher "quality", it all depends. I think among guitars of the same model (but made of different woods) the rosewood guitars are generally priced a bit higher than mahogany. Build quality will generally be close to the same, I would think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleumax Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 Does anyone know if the CL-20 Standard Plus' back and sides are solid Mahogany? Particularly, for the 1998 models Awhile back, I almost bought one, but the old Gibson website did not specify that it was solid and when I checked with Gibson, they indicated that the back and sides were laminate. I also almost bought a 1997 CL-30 until I realized that the 1997 version had laminate back and sides. Funny thing is that the CL-20 that I was looking at had the backstrip in the interior, whereas some of the pre-1998 versions of the CL with laminate back and sides do not have a backstrip in the interior. I once read that if there isn't a backstrip in the interior, that is a sure sign that the back and sides are laminate. Is the opposite true? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleumax Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Does anyone know if the CL-20 Standard Plus' back and sides are solid Mahogany? Particularly' date=' for the 1998 models Awhile back, I almost bought one, but the old Gibson website did not specify that it was solid and when I checked with Gibson, they indicated that the back and sides were laminate. I also almost bought a 1997 CL-30 until I realized that the 1997 version had laminate back and sides. Funny thing is that the CL-20 that I was looking at had the backstrip in the interior, whereas some of the pre-1998 versions of the CL with laminate back and sides do not have a backstrip in the interior. I once read that if there isn't a backstrip in the interior, that is a sure sign that the back and sides are laminate. Is the opposite true?[/quote'] Sorry for piggybacking on this thread with my question. Does anyone know the answer to my question? Perhaps, another way to ask the question is to ask whether Gibson has ever used a center back brace (running down the middle of the back) in the interior for a laminate back model? It seems to me that they would primarily use the interior back brace to support the attachment of two back braces? When I've looked at the interior of a guitar with a laminate back, they tend to have no back braces or the back brace runs horizontal, not vertical. Thanks for any input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefleppard Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 the swd, which i have owned, is rw b/s, spruce top, hog neck, ebony fingerboard. i believe the nut is bone and the saddle is tusq. the body shape is the same as the dove and 'bird. the p/u is a baggs element. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleumax Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 Would it be safe to assume that this CL-20 (circa 1998) has a solid back? This is the 1997 version of the CL-20: Thanks for any input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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