BAMA Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 Rod, I mentioned this in my first post above (#4). Click on the link I posted to the Nelson article. He mentions this on page 14. There is a similarity, but BAMA tells me that this Crest actually has a 24 3/4" scale. If only we had another example to inspect, we could compare the nut width on the different Crests. BAMA, if you're reading this, what is the width of the nut on yours? 1 11/16" is standard. 1 11/16 is what it measures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabberwocky Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Wow. Just WOW. This is like finding the unicorn or the Yeti. It is indeed very valuable. Get it appraised for insurance. Look after it well until you are ready to move it. There is a nice retirement nest egg in this when you find the right collector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 More pics! (thanks BAMA) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 New tidbit of info... I realize now that the Crest photos in the Tsumura book, the Ingram L5 book, and the Andy Nelson article/book are all of the same exact guitar. I wasn't sure, until I noticed that all three have the same (non-original, it appears) pickguard, with a distinctive light streak in the darker colored plastic. So, as far as I recall, I've never seen another example, so I've only seen two of the six that were made. Of the other four (if they still exist), I would expect most or all of them to have 22 frets, as Nelson described (as on the guitar in the three reference photos), but it's hard to say for sure. It's also hard to say whether the headstocks are shaped like BAMA's, or like the head on the "Tsumura" example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAMA Posted January 23, 2013 Author Share Posted January 23, 2013 Jim The one thing missing from my Crest is the pick guard that fell off when I was a teenager Unfortunately I have no idea what happened yo it It actually was made from wood also and not plastic like most It was a medium grey color Different than any other I have ever seen since on gibson BAMA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanh303 Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I'll give you $10-grand for it! j/k WHAT AN AWESOME GUITAR!!! Thank you VERY much for sharing!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Thanks for the info on your pickguard, BAMA. Wood pickguards have become more common now on archtop guitars, although the independent luthiers who have used them may not have popularized that practice until many years after your Crest was made (maybe in the 1980's?). Are you fairly sure that the wood pickguard was original on your Crest? Would your dad have been likely to have changed a part like that? Just curious. Well, this story just continues to grow. On my related thread at the Les Paul Forum, someone has posted photos of another Crest! http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2424992 There's also a possible lead to yet another one with a black finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAMA Posted January 23, 2013 Author Share Posted January 23, 2013 Jim The day I took it down from the guitar showroom it had a grey wood pick guard My dad was an accountant for the music store so guaranteed he did not change anything Whether it was used in those days or not I can guarantee that one came with a wood pick guard Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Well, this story just continues to grow. On my related thread at the Les Paul Forum, someone has posted photos of another Crest! http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2424992 There's also a possible lead to yet another one with a black finish. I just exchanged e-mails with Ken, the owner of the sunburst Crest posted in my topic at the Les Paul Forum. According to Ken, his guitar was purchased from someone who knew Andy Nelson. That person told Ken that Nelson stated that all six Crests were different from each other. Very interesting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Very intriguing! (sp)I would actually prefer to see a Venetian cutaway as opposed to Florentine on this body shape. Also, would like to see the little dip in the end of the fingerboard rather than just the straight-cut end. Just my preference of 'elegance'! Not a big fan of the peghead inlay either!....perfer the fluer-di-lis or 'torch' ....All that aside, if it were mine ....and 1 of 6.....I would be loving it.....! Jes Sayin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Stunning, absolutely stunning and how wonderful it has survived in such good condition. Surely the rarest Gibson out there? Is it me or does the Knight's head crest look like a cartoon? And (edit) the bridge on most f-hole guitars usually lines up with the widest (middle) part of the F. Very interesting thread and that other link too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAMA Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 It is a little cartoonish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 A Lot of rare things are.....cartoonish. Sometimes you just have to 'lean back' and laugh at the 'dang'(don,t use that word often) 'things'.....in all of their 'rareity' ! I will say....I LIKE IT! As a passdown from your Dad....Irreplaceable!.....also beyond 'dollar amount'... Please get it documented and in a book. Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Please get it documented and in a book. That raises a question that I've already thought about from time to time. Books aren't completely disappearing, but they do seem to be on the decline. In our neighborhood, major chains like Borders and Barnes & Noble have been closing stores. Also, although it's been nearly 20 years since the Duchossoir "Gibson Electrics" book was published, and 15 years since the Ingram L5 book, it doesn't seem very likely that anybody is going to be writing another Gibson reference any time soon. Also, the aforementioned book about Andy Nelson is a relatively obscure thing, which many guitar fans don't seem to know about. These things had something to do with why I was so interested in analyzing Bill's Crest here, and getting the word out by starting discussions about it on three other guitar forums. It was great that somebody saw the thread at the Les Paul Forum, and contacted the owner of another Crest who shared photos of his (and knows about the existence of yet another one, which we're still hoping to hear more about). So, for now, this may have to substitute for a new book (or a new edition of a previous publication). For what it's worth, I have edited the Wikipedia page for L5's, to reflect the most important info we have learned about the 1961 Crest model. Maybe there are guitar bloggers that ought to know about this Crest news also (if anyone has a contact, by all means spread the word). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flameburst Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 I share the same excitement as Jim. Thanks for showing this guitar to the world BAMA (and Jim for posting pics). That is one very, very special guitar. Stunning! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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