Gibson Jumbo Quandary

Andy79 · January 2020

This year I’m in a position to purchase, for me, what has the ultimate blues tone for what I do. A pre ‘55 ish J45, J50 SJ etc with scalloped bracing Trouble is I don’t think I can live with a 11/16 nut anymore. Really has to be 3/4 minimum and to get that on an old J you have to go back to far for my budget.

The next option is a modern higher end J but I’ve played lots and I end up preferring Chinese copies at 1/3rd the cost.
So I go from a 1952 dream guitar to a Far East off-the-shelf clone in one thought.

Any my ideas how to fix this?
Atkin don’t even offer a 3/4 on their 43 as far as I know

i dont really fancy boutique builds, much prefer to play the thing before I buy

artiebear · January 2020

Try a Collings CJ35SB. I sold my 50's J45 then spent the next 10 years regretting it while trying out everything I could find (without the associated vintage issues) nothing got close until I picked up one of the aforementioned Collings s/h. 45mm nut, lovely low end thump, slightly more open mids and trebles, light as a feather, 45mm nut and a very vintage round C neck. All in all a really vintage vibe rather than a modern sounding guitar in J clothing. Its worth mentioning that it is nothing like the Collings CJ, which is a very different beast and much more typically Collings sounding. The CJ was actually designed by the late Bill Collings based on an old J35 he had on long term loan. Even the sunburst looks great.

Andy79 · January 2020

Interesting. They have an awesome price tag.

Brize · January 2020

If you can handle the V neck, look at a 1934 Original Jumbo reissue, which has a 1.75" nut width. They're brilliant guitars that were only produced in limited numbers and they knock spots off the regular Gibson acoustics, which I agree are generally lacklustre.

Edit: There's one here (no affiliation):

https://notomguitars.com/products/2014-gibson-custom-shop-1934-jumbo-reissue

artiebear · January 2020

Andy79 said:

Interesting. They have an awesome price tag.

I know, that just seems to be the way its going price wise. I was lucky to pick up a pretty much unplayed s/h one which was still a significant wedge, but the way I figured it was in the ballpark of some pretty beat up vintage guitars I had tried and significantly cheaper than some better examples albeit with repaired cracks etc.while actually sounding and playing better.

Andy79 · January 2020

Brize said:

If you can handle the V neck, look at a 1934 Original Jumbo reissue, which has a 1.75" nut width. They're brilliant guitars that were only produced in limited numbers and they knock spots off the regular Gibson acoustics, which I agree are generally lacklustre.

Edit: There's one here (no affiliation):

https://notomguitars.com/products/2014-gibson-custom-shop-1934-jumbo-reissue

A V neck would be preferable. That’s a good thought. I thought I played one of these in Vintage Rare, don’t remember a V neck it was a fat C. Maybe it was a different issue.

Andy79 · January 2020

Brize said:

If you can handle the V neck, look at a 1934 Original Jumbo reissue, which has a 1.75" nut width. They're brilliant guitars that were only produced in limited numbers and they knock spots off the regular Gibson acoustics, which I agree are generally lacklustre.

Edit: There's one here (no affiliation):

https://notomguitars.com/products/2014-gibson-custom-shop-1934-jumbo-reissue

Look at the specs on this sigma. It even has a Red Spruce top! I think it runs a good chance of competing with the 1934 Gibson.

https://www.coda-music.com/sigma-sjw-sg45.html

artiebear · January 2020

Maybe a bit left field, but if blues is your thing try to check out a Waterloo by Collings JK. This is their take an the 1940's Jumbo King. Very vintage spec and vibe.

Andy79 · January 2020

Funny thing. I was about to buy a used one in GG. It sold before I hit the button. I already have guitars that have this vibe. Good shout though

Brize · January 2020

Andy79 said:

Brize said:

If you can handle the V neck, look at a 1934 Original Jumbo reissue, which has a 1.75" nut width. They're brilliant guitars that were only produced in limited numbers and they knock spots off the regular Gibson acoustics, which I agree are generally lacklustre.

Edit: There's one here (no affiliation):

https://notomguitars.com/products/2014-gibson-custom-shop-1934-jumbo-reissue

Look at the specs on this sigma. It even has a Red Spruce top! I think it runs a good chance of competing with the 1934 Gibson.

https://www.coda-music.com/sigma-sjw-sg45.html

That's likely to be wishful thinking.

Andy79 · January 2020

I’m full of that

Brize · January 2020

Andy79 said:

Brize said:

If you can handle the V neck, look at a 1934 Original Jumbo reissue, which has a 1.75" nut width. They're brilliant guitars that were only produced in limited numbers and they knock spots off the regular Gibson acoustics, which I agree are generally lacklustre.

Edit: There's one here (no affiliation):

https://notomguitars.com/products/2014-gibson-custom-shop-1934-jumbo-reissue

A V neck would be preferable. That’s a good thought. I thought I played one of these in Vintage Rare, don’t remember a V neck it was a fat C. Maybe it was a different issue.

The neck on the 1934 reissue is a very prominent V so it was almost certainly a different model that you played.

p90fool · January 2020

Do The Loar make any suitable flattops? You'd probably love the neck on my LH300 but I don't know what the spec is on their other guitars.

Andy79 · January 2020

They make a pretty cool 00 which I’ve had before. Pretty low end though. Don’t think they do a slope

CloudNine · January 2020

Quick summary of the modern ones i have owned that are in this ball park:

Gibson 1934 Original Jumbo - Very loud, very dry sounding guitar. Amazing vintage tone, but this is a fairly extreme guitar in every way, you need to be sure it is what you want. Monster V neck. Heavy back bracing, the back hardly vibrates at all but really projects the sound out. Like driving a big American muscle car, fun experience but not relaxing.
Collings CJ35 - Nothing like any Gibson I have ever played. Much more sizzling kind of tone, and does not really do the Gibson thump in the bass. Quite stiff feeling compared to a Gibson, even though it has the shorter scale length than the regular CJ. Tried lights on it, sounded like shit with those, really needs the mediums to get the top moving. I do feel all Collings are slightly overbuilt. Still a great guitar, but nothing Gibson like at all for me. Would be interested to hear one of these after about 30 yrs of being thrashed. Not sure if it would become amazing, or just sound and feel exactly the same. Have owned a few regular CJs and also nothing like a Gibson.
Santa Cruz Vintage Southerner - Super light and responsive guitar. Definitely does the vintage Gibson thing, with a slightly different twist. May not wow on first strum, not Mega loud, but a very versatile guitar that feels old. Would be happy to own this one again.
Gibson J45 Legend - Hands down the best for me, and really captures the tonal character of the the old Gibsons I have played, and feels like it will just keep going in that direction with age. Big bass thump, and responds amazingly to very soft playing. HUGE fat round neck, which will not be for everyone. My all time favourite acoustic.

Have played a few Atkin slopes that I couldn't really get excited about. Decent enough guitars though.

Summary is imo, if you really want that Gibson acoustic tone, you really need to try and find the right Gibson. There are some dogs, no doubt, and it might be more of an effort to to find the right one, but will probably be time well spent in the long run.

Andy79 · January 2020

Thanks CloudNine. Very helpful. I think the original jumbo sounds the best on paper. V neck for me is best where possible
Hard to track down these limited runs

Andy79 · January 2020

Ok I got angry at Gibson over a couple of things so took a left turn and bought a Faith 12 fret slope shoulder. No chance to try it out but I’m pretty excited about it. On paper it should suit me very well
Theres not a great deal of choice on 12 fret dreds which is what I decided i needed.
Theres a Larrivee SD50 on eBay at a fair price but I couldn’t stretch that far for an untested guitar.
Also played a D-28VS again but like the last time, couldn’t justify the 2.5k
To be continued....

artiebear · January 2020

Andy79 said:

Ok I got angry at Gibson over a couple of things so took a left turn and bought a Faith 12 fret slope shoulder. No chance to try it out but I’m pretty excited about it. On paper it should suit me very well
Theres not a great deal of choice on 12 fret dreds which is what I decided i needed.
Theres a Larrivee SD50 on eBay at a fair price but I couldn’t stretch that far for an untested guitar.
Also played a D-28VS again but like the last time, couldn’t justify the 2.5k
To be continued....

I hope it works out well. Let us know how you get on with it

ICBM · January 2020

Andy79 said:

Theres a Larrivee SD50 on eBay at a fair price but I couldn’t stretch that far for an untested guitar.

A friend of mine had one of those. Fantastic guitar... it was one of the only totally flawlessly-built guitars I've ever seen, and to my huge surprise - given the totally different design, construction and woods - it sounded very similar to my Gibson Dove.

Andy79 · January 2020

I got the Faith. After a few teething problems got sorted it’s up and running. What a power house. The 12 fret joint and the bridge position help to give it a great thumping bass and for all I thought of Cedar as a tonewood I take back as it has a really delicious tone
The things sounds fantastic. I would prefer a shorter scale length. It’s on 13s tunes sown a half step as usual but it’s a great guitar
It has temporarily quenched my thirst and for way less than I was planning to fork out.

artiebear · January 2020

Andy79 said:

I got the Faith. After a few teething problems got sorted it’s up and running. What a power house. The 12 fret joint and the bridge position help to give it a great thumping bass and for all I thought of Cedar as a tonewood I take back as it has a really delicious tone
The things sounds fantastic. I would prefer a shorter scale length. It’s on 13s tunes sown a half step as usual but it’s a great guitar
It has temporarily quenched my thirst and for way less than I was planning to fork out.

12 fret acoustics do have something special. I am surprised they are not more popular bearing in mind that they drive the top better and a lot of folk going on about wanting a big powerful tone are not going up the top end of the board anyway.

Andy79 · January 2020

It does seem to be quite niche in the dread zone doesn’t it.
Im surprised and then again not surprised that this particular guitar is so controlled in the bass, not over boomy pud directly punchy. Mr Eggle clearly knows how to construct a guitar

wellsyboy · December 2020

I realise this is an old thread but I am thinking of letting my Collings CJ35 SB go - wonderful though it is I have small hands and find the 1¾ nut width a bit of a struggle just in case you are still looking

Andy79 · December 2020

Still on going but pretty sure I’m settling on a Gibson of some sort. Thanks for the nod

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