|
|
#1
02-18-2020, 02:52 PM
|
||||
|
||||
NGD - 1957 Country Western (it's a sickness!)
I haven't bought a nice guitar in 18 years until a month or so ago
when I got a 1953 cf-100... I must have drank some koolaid or something, because, today I went to the Acoustic Cellar in Clarkesville Georgia and bought a 1957 Country Western.  It came in this case which we think is the original (?) ... it is both awful (cardbord) and valuable (original) ...  It was "looked over" before the fellow put it up for sale, the work order is in the case, it's had the bridge removed and reglued, it's got a new bone saddle and has had the bridge pin holes reamed. I played it and numerous other fine guitars a week or so ago, and couldn't get this one off my mind. Today I played numerous other guitars too... A 2002 Santa Cruz. I didn't really give it much of a chance... it was like it had no neck radius... yuck...  A 1963 D-18. If I played it for a while I guess I'd like it, it must be a good guitar.  A 1937 D-18. It played GREAT, fingerpicking, pentatonic noodling, whatever! It had brand new Elixir strings on it and just strumming a G chord with a flatpick on it sounded like angels singing, much better than my Country Western. The finish was worn smooth on the back of the neck from one end to the other. It costs $45,000 though  ... I decided, on the one hand, I'd be a fool not to get the Country Western, and on the other hand, I should give up guitars since I can't have the Martin  ...-Mike 
|
|
#2
02-18-2020, 03:11 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Wow, what a fun day. Congrats on the CW and case. They have always been on my "those are cool" list. You played some really great guitars. I would love to have a day like that but I'm staying away from your "koolaid". I'm in enough trouble already. Enjoy your CW.
|
|
#4
02-18-2020, 04:06 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
The first Gibson I ever played that spoke to me was a '56 Country Western I played at GC some years ago. It just had that perfectly dry, earthy tone and sweet highs that you hear in (good) old Gibsons. And it was attractively priced at $1200, which to this day is by far the lowest price I've seen on any Country Western (let alone a slope-shouldered first year model) but that was due to the condition: it looked like it had been dragged on the interstate. The top had aged to this perfect honey color but it was otherwise covered in bruises, cracks in the top, back and sides, alligator-ed finish checking all over, cigarette burns on the headstock, etc.
I thought there was no way I'd pay $1200 for a guitar that was so badly beaten up. But I couldn't stop thinking about the tone and just the vibe that guitar had; IMO old Country Westerns are some of the vibiest guitars out there. So I went back two days later and it had been sold. That was in 2012 and I've periodically lusted for a Country Western ever since. I finally solved this dilemma last fall when I bought a 2003 Sheryl Crow model (for which I admittedly neglected to do a NGD thread). But I dig your '57 for sure, it seems like Gibsons often don't age very well but that is one sweet ol' C-Dub!
__________________
2004 Martin D-28CW 1983 Martin D-12-28
|
|
#6
02-18-2020, 04:39 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
some, but mostly finger picked it. They're big bluegrassers at the shop, and I picked out a fragment of a bluegrass song that someone showed me in the 70s and asked if they knew the name of it: Under The Double Eagle. I just listened to Roy Clark play it on youtube, if I try to learn the whole thing it will have to be a more basic version ...-Mike "I'll post back about the bass against the chest..."
|
|
#8
02-18-2020, 04:45 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
it seems like Gibsons often don't age very well but that is one sweet ol' C-Dub!
Thanks  ...One of your guitars is a D-35 "shadetop"... The lady at the store told me they had some 1930s model shadetops they keep at home since they are quite valuable (dang, more valuable than the $45,000 Martin I played )...what's a "shadetop"? Martin slang for a sunburst? -Mike
|
|
#9
02-18-2020, 05:00 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
I can feel the bass! I also have some low E (at least) buzz when playing at that volume... I go to a good luthier, I hope he can adjust some of that out of there without affecting the way it plays with such... buttery ease... -Mike
|
|
#10
02-18-2020, 05:35 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Congrats! Stunning guitars and I love your taste.
That CF - 100 - I think that gent from the Wood Brothers plays one, and I have been looking for one kind of lackadaisically for two years now. Great guitar as well.
|
|
#11
02-18-2020, 06:42 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
aren't so collectible as some others, so it only cost way too much instead of a ludicrous amount. They have one more cf-100 last time I looked: https://www.garysguitars.com/ -Mike "I got the best one "
|
|
#13
02-18-2020, 06:51 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
I really don't think you can find a cooler guitar than that.
|
|
#14
02-19-2020, 11:17 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
__________________
2004 Martin D-28CW 1983 Martin D-12-28
|
