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UNPLANNED DOWNTIME: 12th Oct 23:45

Gibson 50s 60s Vintage

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Andy79Andy79 Frets: 881
edited January 2020 in Acoustics
https://www.gibson.com/Guitar/ACCSRX331/50s-J-45-Original/Ebony

Revealed at NAMM
Im irritated. They waffle on like theses are period correct but the 60s ones spec says scalloped bracing. Gibson stopped scalloping in 1955. 
So the difference between the two seems to be nut width. Unless it’s a typo 
A genuine early 50s vs 60s is night and day in tone. Far as I know the nuts were the same until they went super skinny in 66


Luckily they didn't re create a Norlin 60s one

What the hell is ‘select mahogany ‘ body wood. Hopefully is not ply. 

After all that im still looking forward to trying them out.
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Comments

  • earwighoneyearwighoney Frets: 3380
    Andy79 said:
    https://www.gibson.com/Guitar/ACCSRX331/50s-J-45-Original/Ebony

    Revealed at NAMM
    Im irritated. They waffle on like theses are period correct but the 60s ones spec says scalloped bracing. Gibson stopped scalloping in 1955. 
    So the difference between the two seems to be nut width. Unless it’s a typo 
    A genuine early 50s vs 60s is night and day in tone. Far as I know the nuts were the same until they went super skinny in 66


    Luckily they didn't re create a Norlin 60s one

    What the hell is ‘select mahogany ‘ body wood. Hopefully is not ply. 

    After all that im still looking forward to trying them out.

    I can't imagine it is laminate, Gibson use solid wood even on their cheapest £800 G-45's.  Maybe 'select mahogany' is akin to how to Martin specify 'select hardwood' for their necks when it is Spanish Cedar a lot of the time and for Gibson it could be something like Khaya Mahogany opposed to Honduran Mahogany.

    As for braces, it could be an error in listing.  The Gibson website lists the G-45 Studio as having scalloped bracing but other sources, even videos say it has straight braces.  I might be alone but I think straight braces work well for certain guitars.
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  • jellyrolljellyroll Frets: 3073
    @Andy79 I’m not familiar with Gibson model history but am interested. What are the differences between 50s and 60s ones that make them night and day in tone? How does the tone vary?
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  • Andy79Andy79 Frets: 881
    Pre 55 gives a great big thumping but focused bass with woody treble 
    60s has overall less punch. Ok maybe not night and day. I’m often one for exaggeration but I only fingerstyle and to me when I think of the last proper J45 (excluding custom runs) its the early 50s

    I think you can capture the 60s J45 with a good modern standard but not the 50s
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  • jellyrolljellyroll Frets: 3073
    Thanks Andy. 
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  • artiebearartiebear Frets: 810
    edited January 2020
    Andy79 said:
    Pre 55 gives a great big thumping but focused bass with woody treble 
    60s has overall less punch. Ok maybe not night and day. I’m often one for exaggeration but I only fingerstyle and to me when I think of the last proper J45 (excluding custom runs) its the early 50s

    I think you can capture the 60s J45 with a good modern standard but not the 50s
    Your description of the pre 55 classic tone pretty much fits in my old 53 (long gone), when played finger style it has a lot more high mid punch (but still sweet) rather than the modern scooped and compressed tone of more recent years. 

    Have you got a copy of "Gibson's Fabulous Flat tops" (Dan Erlewine was on of the 3 authors ). It's as comprehensive history of Gibson acoustics as you are likely to get. What is interesting from the research there was that, unsurprisingly, Gibson never stuck to the script regarding bracing and material. There are 45's from that era with 3 tone bars, unscalloped (as per a J35), 2 tone bars unscalloped , 2 tone bars scalloped  and even 3 tone bars unscalloped , not to mention variations in source materials. It does seem that they were all over the place, partly due to war /post war materials and economical decisions and also due to the classic Gibson ethos of use what's around never mind the specification. (apologies, just edited having read it back as I missed out the words tone bars, should make more sense now ).

    I never checked the construction of my old guitar tbh, it just sounded great. 

    The 60's J45's with the adjustable bridge never appealed to me, as everyone was dead due to the bridge assembly. Ive played a couple with a replacement bridge/ saddle which sounded a lot better but I can't get on with the narrow nut width.

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