EuroAussie Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 I have a rather uncommon long scale Hummingbird from the 60's. Only recenttly worked out that it is a long scale, and actually am starting to really appreciate this as it works very well against the short scale SJ, in terms of complementing tone. But it made me think for a second, and unless Ive completely missed something obvious (highly likely) I cant think of any Gibson long scale mahogany square shouldered acoustics that are being currently produced... perhaps the HB Pro, but i think thats also short scale ? And if thats the case, why not ??
Buc McMaster Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 They do make the Firebird.....a long scale based on the Dove. Maple back & sides, ebony board & bridge. There was a lefthanded model at the store last weekend when I bought my 45 and it was a very, very fine guitar! Very loud and powerful (with a price tag to match!). I played it for a half hour or so but the long scale is not agreeable with me. It was a dandy though! Gibson Firebird!
rar Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 ... why not ?? Well, the Dove is traditionally long-scale, and the three Dove-like models (Firebird, DIF, and Sparrow) listed on the website are all long-scale. But it's a good question anyway. And a big part of the answer is that there's a chicken and egg problem. To a first approximation, ... Gibson doesn't build any guitars with <fill in some combination of features> only because dealers don't order any. Dealers don't order any because customers don't ask for any. Customers don't ask for any because they want what they've seen and they've never seen any. Customers haven't seen any because Gibson doesn't build any. -- Bob R
J-1854Me Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 The J-60 is long scale, and a nice guitar to boot. And then there's all the square shouldered dreads from the later '60s and 1970s. I think the Dove is by default also long scale, n'est-ce pas? Fred
Rambler Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 I cant think of any Gibson long scale mahogany square shouldered acoustics that are being currently produced... And if thats the case, why not ??. Tradition! 60s squares were short scale, and so shalt they be. Bozeman did issue a batch of l/s Birds (and Doves and J185s) in the 1990s, but they were back to original specs by '00. Customer demand? In any case, Martin kind of owns the patent on l/s dreads and the average consumer who wants a l/s dread will go looking for a Martin knock-off. More Tradition (blame Lester Flatt).
JuanCarlosVejar Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 Well, the Dove is traditionally long-scale, and the three Dove-like models (Firebird, DIF, and Sparrow) listed on the website are all long-scale. But it's a good question anyway. And a big part of the answer is that there's a chicken and egg problem. To a first approximation, ... Gibson doesn't build any guitars with <fill in some combination of features> only because dealers don't order any. Dealers don't order any because customers don't ask for any. Customers don't ask for any because they want what they've seen and they've never seen any. Customers haven't seen any because Gibson doesn't build any. -- Bob R +1 quite true Bob couldn't have said it any better JC
Mojorule Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 But it made me think for a second, and unless Ive completely missed something obvious (highly likely) I cant think of any Gibson long scale mahogany square shouldered acoustics that are being currently produced... perhaps the HB Pro, but i think thats also short scale ? EA, the HB Pro is long-scale and hog. HB Pro Specs
j45nick Posted February 22, 2012 Posted February 22, 2012 On the issue of scale length, there was recently a short-scale, mahogany AJ for sale on ebay. That one sort of took me aback, and I wondered what you would gain over a J-45 or a 'hog SJ?
pschaafs Posted February 22, 2012 Posted February 22, 2012 There were long scale square shoulder models in the late 60's, from what I read. I have one - a 1969 J-50.
rar Posted February 22, 2012 Posted February 22, 2012 On the issue of scale length, there was recently a short-scale, mahogany AJ for sale on ebay. That one sort of took me aback, and I wondered what you would gain over a J-45 or a 'hog SJ? The caché of the "Advanced Jumbo" name. And possibly AJ-style bracing. (I didn't think to look the only time I saw some in person.) Guitarsale ordered a few each of these things in "all" tonewood choices for the backs and rims -- rosewood, mahogany, maple, and koa. The guitars sold reasonably briskly, so I guess they either knew what they were doing or got lucky. -- Bob R
pfox14 Posted February 22, 2012 Posted February 22, 2012 I thought all the square-shouldered dreads were 25 1/2" SL. Am I missing something?
rar Posted February 23, 2012 Posted February 23, 2012 I thought all the square-shouldered dreads were 25 1/2" SL. Am I missing something? Hummingbirds are the exception. They were short scale from their introduction until Norlin's Great Standardization -- with a few exceptions -- and the bulk of those built in Bozeman have also been short scale as well. -- Bob R
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