Collings version of Gibson AJ?

[Truckjohn]

Re: Gibson taking a beating for inconsistency....

A lot of that has to do with some specific idiosynchrasies of Gibson's J-45/AJ bracing scheme that produces the classic and recognizable "Gibson thunk" we know and love..

The arrangement of the X and tone bars make it more sensitive to over-bracing than the usual Martin arrangement... Hard to explain on a forum.... But its obvious when you are voicing a top prior to assembly.... And if a Gibson pattern top is braced too stiff - the "thunk" soaks up everything and it sounds/feels dead. Too lightly and there is no thunk....

When you are making the top - tapping and shaving on the braces - the Gibson pattern starts out going "thwap" where the Martin pattern starts out going "bong".. The "magic" spot in my mind is to stop shaving when the Gibson pattern bracing starts to "bong" but there is still a little "thwap" left.... You end up with a lively guitar that still has the classic "thunk" in the sound.

This isn't a huge amount of shaving - only a few swipes of the plane and it's there....

I think that makes it harder to get right in a factory... But when it's right - man oh man are they sweet....

I suppose it would be a perfect opportunity for a luthier to offer services like Bryan Kimsey does with Martin guitars - take a so-so instrument and voice it to bring out the fantastic Gibson sound in a way the factory just can't afford to do...

[Wru]

and sweet is exactly what Kevin Kopp builds. Having spent time with the man touring his shop, the guy knows what he's doing - these are a labor of love for him... you can't go wrong.