#1
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Gibson Reissues the J50! As a J35?
Only they're calling it a J35 now. It's basically Emmylou Harris's new model. Guess in her old age she's getting sick of playing that huge super jumbo guitar.
The shop nearby got two in, today. They're already both gone. Whoa! Here's mine, next to my '62 J45 Last edited by LightningBolt; 02-28-2013 at 07:37 PM. |
#2
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Gibson Reissues the J50!
The J-50 and J-35 are 2 different guitars. The Emmylou Harris sig model, which already exists, is the L-200 which is a smaller version of the J200. But yes, the J-35 is now a standard production model. What do you think of it?
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#3
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Bolt, the J-35 designation is one that Gibson has used in the past for a natural finish round-shouldered dreadnought. When Doc Watson first started gigging he used one, though I couldn't tell you what year his was. I presume his was 1950's-vintage, but perhaps someone who has more in-depth knowledge can let us know.
whm |
#4
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How do these sound?
I've been waiting for them to come out and for some reviews before I pull the trigger. At $1599 - $1699, they appear to be a great deal!
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Gibson J-45 Martin D18 |
#5
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OK, quick search for specs indicates solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides...so does that mean laminate in this case?
Also, what's the nut width? Anyone? Nice looking guitar. Dirk |
#6
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Gibson Reissues the J50!
I can't imagine Gibson doing laminate b/s on this but the specs I have seen do say solid spruce top and mahogany b/s.
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#7
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I would guess 1.75" nut width and I doubt Gibson would do laminate back and sides although I have not heard for sure what they are.
I'd bet solid though.
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Gibson J-45 Martin D18 |
#8
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Quote:
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#9
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The good folks at Gibson took along their "J-35/45", as pictured here. Nice enough guitar, plays and sounds fine, and I'm sure it'll be a winner, but it just seems like Gibson couldn't copy their way out of a wet paper bag when it comes to getting the details right! Their new "J-35" guitar notably sports a banner and script logo as was used on many of the war-era guitars. For comparison, an original: Hopefully they'll correct that little detail on *most* of the production guitars! Fred |
#10
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The J-35 was Gibson's answer to the Martin dread. While I am not positive about the chronology, they came with two or three tone bars, sometimes scalloped, sometimes not. The originals are the lightest built guitars I have ever run across. The earliest ones were sunburst - the natural top versions were introduced around 1939. There are even some with an opaque yellow finish. I believe the last ones were made in 1942 - the same year Gibson started shipping the J-45 and J-50.
I would also agree that the original J-35s are the best Gibsons I have ever played.
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"You start off playing guitars to get girls & end up talking with middle-aged men about your fingernails" - Ed Gerhard Last edited by zombywoof; 02-28-2013 at 10:22 PM. |
#11
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All that said, it's a hell of a guitar. I did a rehearsal tonight with it and it sounded and felt great. Can't wait to see how it goes this weekend. Not sure about the pickup - it's an LR Baggs and those are just fine I suppose but with a J35/J45 I really prefer the Fishman sound hole pickup. A buddy has a real J35 and I've always been super jealous. Kind of like a younger brother version of my J45. Sounds fantastic. I was a little bummed when I found out that this was really a J50 because I'd have loved a smaller guitar, but I played it and decided pretty quickly that it was among the best of the slope shoulder dreads I've played. And I've played a lot of them... $1500 well spent. This guitar is going to see a lot of use. At least 125 gigs a year probably. |
#12
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This might help:
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Gibson J-45 Martin D18 |
#13
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The price is nice...
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#14
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Thanks for posting this...clears up the "solid or lam" question. All solid, as one would expect from Gibson. Now to find out about nut width. Most modern Gibsons I've tried have been 1-11/16" or 1-23/32"--just shy of the 1-3/4" that's become my minimum requirement now that age has broadened/rounded my fingertips. Gibson has always run just a little narrow for me...when I was a teenager in the '60s, the Gibson models that got me pumped were closer to 1-5/8".
Dirk |
#15
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Quote:
as stopped sometime before spring 1942.
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"You start off playing guitars to get girls & end up talking with middle-aged men about your fingernails" - Ed Gerhard |