3 Tone Bars

[PickitPaul]

Inside my J60, i've noticed 3 tone bars. Most of the other acoustic i've look at had two tone bars. What difference does it make tone wise with two or three? Would the AJ use 3 as well?

[duluthdan]

Inside my J60, i've noticed 3 tone bars. Most of the other acoustic i've look at had two tone bars. What difference does it make tone wise with two or three? Would the AJ use 3 as well?

I detect a history lesson is on its way from some of the forum's august folk. I think some guitars in the 30s had 3 tone bars.

[Motherofpearl]

My J60 was 3 tone bars as well.

My 1930 J35 reissue is the same

[MissouriPicker]

Three on my J60 as well. From what I've read (and that's the extent of it) the tone bars help support the top from the string tension and also help in projecting the sound. Don't know how accurate of a statement that is, but I do know for a fact that the J60 is an extremely vocal guitar. Very distinct note separation and lots and lots of volumne.

[tvguit]

I learn something new everyday. I didn't know that the J-60s had 3 tone bars. Gibson produced the J-35 with 3 tone bars from '36-'39. I hear people describe them as more raw and direct with quick attack. My '39 had 3 tone bars could be described as focused with quick attack and maybe a little less sustain. Do you have any pictures of the bracing on your J-60? I'd be curious to see what it looked like.

[tpbiii]

We have three old Gibsons with three tone bars -- '36 AJ, '36 Jumb35 and '35 Jumbo. The three tone bar AJ seems to be incredibility rare -- in ten years of searching, I have only ever found one other reported, and that was a rumor.

 

Our '35 RSRG and '36 RSSD both have two tone bars.

 

Best,

 

-Tom

[Motherofpearl]

I learn something new everyday. I didn't know that the J-60s had 3 tone bars. Gibson produced the J-35 with 3 tone bars from '36-'39. I hear people describe them as more raw and direct with quick attack. My '39 had 3 tone bars could be described as focused with quick attack and maybe a little less sustain. Do you have any pictures of the bracing on your J-60? I'd be curious to see what it looked like.

 

You may be right but my 5 star 1930 J35 that Ren built the top on is three tone bars

[zombywoof]

You may be right but my 5 star 1930 J35 that Ren built the top on is three tone bars

 

 

A 1930 J-35?

[Motherofpearl]

It's a 2011 1930 J35

[tvguit]

A 1930 J-35?

 

I think what the label should have said on that Ren J-35 is "1930s J-35." Whoever was at the typewriter that day just forgot the S. Ren knows that it didn't come out until '36.

[tvguit]

The three tone bar AJ seems to be incredibility rare -- in ten years of searching, I have only ever found one other reported, and that was a rumor.

 

 

I remember you telling me about your three tone bar AJ. That thing is rare! I guess it is hard to say what they had since there were so few.