BluesKing777 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I will leave the guitar business to the experts here, but I love the look of that top wood. My LG3 and B25 -12 have a bit of that look when viewed close - looks like a pair of old, comfortable corduroy pants that you really did NOT want to throw away, but family members insisted.....perhaps why it can be called 'corduroyed'. BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I will leave the guitar business to the experts here, but I love the look of that top wood. My LG3 and B25 -12 have a bit of that look when viewed close - looks like a pair of old, comfortable corduroy pants that you really did NOT want to throw away, but family members insisted.....perhaps why it can be called 'corduroyed'. BluesKing777. I agree, but somebody must have picked that pretty hard to wear the finish off between the strings. I don't know how you even get a pick down in there while playing, at least the way I pick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I agree, but somebody must have picked that pretty hard to wear the finish off between the strings. I don't know how you even get a pick down in there while playing, at least the way I pick. A set of these metal ones and a crowd driving you harder might get that job done.... DUNLOP 3020 NICKEL...Dunlop Brand Nickel-Silver Fingerpick € 1.70 VIEW DUNLOP 3040-T THUMB...Nickel Silver Thumbpick € 1.90 VIEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fp Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I'm amused that everyone is focused on this pickguard and what it might mean. The pickguard has three very small deviations from being absolutely correct for 1955: the rosette is covered, rather than being exposed the way we expect it to be (although we have seen plenty of pickguards installed this way: the Hummingbird, for example, and most modern J-45's). The lower inside corner (next to the bridge) is a hard corner rather than having a very slight radius. The outer shape at the edge of the top does not perfectly follow the shape of the top outside edge, although it's very close. The position of the pickguard hard up against the neck above the soundhole, and the position relative to the strings just above the bridge is absolutely correct. People are making all sorts of assumptions about cracks, etc, which I think are baseless assumptions without an inspection. They give you a heads-up to check it out, but nothing more. Pickguards get replaced, and for any number of reasons. My 1948 J-45 has now had four different pickguards of three different designs over its life, and none of the replacements had anything to do with a crack in the top. Pickguards, along with tuners, are the most commonly-changed items on vintage guitars. Generally speaking, they aren't that hard to remove without damaging the top, unless someone has put it on with epoxy or super glue. That's just me. I won't purchase a vintage Martin or Gibson with a replaced pickguard. I don't have a problem with replaced guards on over the finish models but if it came stock with an under the finish guard I'm out and I don't care what the guitar cost ! I always buy a guitar knowing that someday I am going to sell it and guitars with original appointments are always easier to sell for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 I had the salesperson do a mirror inspection inside with the understanding that I will do one when I stop back this coming tuesday. He said the entire inside looked great. No cracks (even under the pickguard) and all the bracing looked good. He adjusted the trussrod and said it helped but the action is still a little high. When I go back I will - - mirror inspect the inside looking for cracks and checking the braces. - tap on the top to hear if any braces sound loose loose - measure the action and saddle height to see if there's room for adjustment - bring up the replaced pickguard and try to get the price down - play it some more and try to make a decision. Thanks for all the input, I'll post an update later in the week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I had the salesperson do a mirror inspection inside with the understanding that I will do one when I stop back this coming tuesday. He said the entire inside looked great. No cracks (even under the pickguard) and all the bracing looked good. He adjusted the trussrod and said it helped but the action is still a little high. When I go back I will - - mirror inspect the inside looking for cracks and checking the braces. - tap on the top to hear if any braces sound loose loose - measure the action and saddle height to see if there's room for adjustment - bring up the replaced pickguard and try to get the price down - play it some more and try to make a decision. Thanks for all the input, I'll post an update later in the week. Like it. A couple things concerning action and neck resets: If you have to take the saddle down because the action is high, plan that it takes about 1/4" to gain 1/8" at the twelve fret. If the action ain't good or real close to it, evaluating how much you can go can be tricky. But the 12 fret is halfway, so it literally does take nearly twice the amount at the saddle to get the same thing. Check carefully the height of the bridge itself. It could have been shaved. Guitars that are headed toward a neck re-set often have shaved bridges. Remember, even if you have enough saddle to get the action where you want it, you don't want no saddle left to get there. Playing a guitar where the pins are above the saddle is not the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted January 18, 2013 Author Share Posted January 18, 2013 Like it. A couple things concerning action and neck resets: If you have to take the saddle down because the action is high, plan that it takes about 1/4" to gain 1/8" at the twelve fret. If the action ain't good or real close to it, evaluating how much you can go can be tricky. But the 12 fret is halfway, so it literally does take nearly twice the amount at the saddle to get the same thing. Check carefully the height of the bridge itself. It could have been shaved. Guitars that are headed toward a neck re-set often have shaved bridges. Remember, even if you have enough saddle to get the action where you want it, you don't want no saddle left to get there. Playing a guitar where the pins are above the saddle is not the same. Went back and checked it. Needs neck reset, fret job and truss rod needs modified to get a little more out of it. Absolutely no cracks. I made them an offer but GC did not want to budge on price so I passed on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvguit Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 That's too bad, Dave. I wish it could have turned out differently. But, there are always more fish in the sea. Good luck finding the right one! TVG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 There's more out there. http://www.williesguitars.com/index.cfm/home/1/newlisting/7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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