Gibson Johnny SMith 25th Anniversary / Nat finish

Bob Sneider · #1 03-29-2010, 01:01 AM

Just put mine up for sale:

Bernunzio Uptown Music - Instrument sales Archtop Guitars, Gibson Johnny Smith

Great guitar....just a little big for me.

randyc · #2 03-29-2010, 03:07 PM

Oh. My. Word. What a beauty. For me, it would be conspicuous consumption, I think. Because I wanted the L-5 all my life and finally bought one ... I have too many years of longing invested in the L-5 to appreciate your lovely guitar, I'm afraid.

BUT lightning might strike at any time, so I'll keep looking at it. Thank you for sharing with us - if nothing else, we can appreciate that classic instrument as a work of art, however unobtainable.

BigDaddyLoveHandles · #3 03-29-2010, 03:42 PM

I'm no gentleman, but I do prefer blondes! Very nice. I know people are divided, but I like the look of the six finger tailpiece -- modern yet classic.

rpguitar · #4 03-29-2010, 10:10 PM

A stunning, sensuous guitar, to be sure. Ironic, though, that the 'A' string tuner is clearly mounted cockeyed!

Still, lust-worthy it is.

randyc · #5 03-29-2010, 10:39 PM

That's a perceptive, interesting observation.

Since it doesn't affect form, fit or function (and is normally invisible) it definitely wouldn't deter me from buying the instrument. I'd consider the tuner mount to be an error by a craftsman - as opposed to the mass-produced CNC perfection to which we have become accustomed.

(Although I wouldn't be above using the slight imperfection as a negotiating point, LOL!)

TommyD · #6 03-30-2010, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randyc

That's a perceptive, interesting observation.

Since it doesn't affect form, fit or function (and is normally invisible) it definitely wouldn't deter me from buying the instrument. I'd consider the tuner mount to be an error by a craftsman - as opposed to the mass-produced CNC perfection to which we have become accustomed.

(Although I wouldn't be above using the slight imperfection as a negotiating point, LOL!)

"Error by a craftsman"? It "doesn't affect form, fit, or function"? "Invisible"?
Well, I wouldn't want that "craftsman" to make anything for me! That's crappy work and there's no two ways about it. I wonder if the same "craftsman" did other, out-of-sight construction on the guitar?

JohnW400 · #7 03-30-2010, 09:15 AM

I've noticed that on a lot of Gibsons that use the large tuning machine. I'll have to check my Super 400 and see if there off as well.

rpguitar · #8 03-30-2010, 09:43 AM

Yes, this kind of thing is probably hiding nothing - probably just an "oh sh*t" moment for the guy who drilled the holes - but it takes away confidence in the care used to make the guitar. It really takes very little time to orient a tuner in its reamed hole, sight it out for symmetry with the others, and commit to the screw hole locations. So to mess that up one must be pretty careless.

FatJeff · #9 03-30-2010, 10:24 AM

Wow - that's a beautiful guitar

randyc · #10 03-30-2010, 01:53 PM

In any event, that's a fairly routine fix. Done it many times, when changing tuners and the old screw hole is too close to where the new one needs to be. I'm still looking at this guitar - the main problem is psychoaddiction to my L-5. I'm sure that BDLH understands since he has a rather stunning example of L-5dom.

BigDaddyLoveHandles · #11 03-30-2010, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randyc

I'm still looking at this guitar - the main problem is psychoaddiction to my L-5. I'm sure that BDLH understands since he has a rather stunning example of L-5dom.

I'm lurking! Randy, are you saying you're thinking of selling some guitar(s) to get the Johnny Smith? By the way, what's the scale length on this model? 25" even? I seem to recall it wasn't a full 25 1/2.

randyc · #12 03-30-2010, 02:22 PM

No, I learned forty years ago not to sell a guitar that I once had good reason to buy. These things are so much a part of my life that I couldn't even part with my old camping (classical) guitar.

I think that you're right about the scale length. That doesn't trouble me as much as I once thought. One of the reasons for initially purchasing an Epi Emp Rej was to see if I COULD play a long scale guitar, since I'm a small person. The 25 inch scale would probably suit me just fine.

I really can't see it in my future, though. I'm not kidding about my L-5 addiction, it's for real. Buying a JS would be like bringing a younger woman into the house with Mrs. randyc - just couldn't work out.

derek · #13 03-31-2010, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randyc

No, I learned forty years ago not to sell a guitar that I once had good reason to buy. These things are so much a part of my life that I couldn't even part with my old camping (classical) guitar.

I think that you're right about the scale length. That doesn't trouble me as much as I once thought. One of the reasons for initially purchasing an Epi Emp Rej was to see if I COULD play a long scale guitar, since I'm a small person. The 25 inch scale would probably suit me just fine.

I really can't see it in my future, though. I'm not kidding about my L-5 addiction, it's for real. Buying a JS would be like bringing a younger woman into the house with Mrs. randyc - just couldn't work out.

I got the opportunity to play one of these this summer. Just an outstanding guitar. The floater is not for me, but just an excellent example of Gibson getting it right. Good luck with the sale.

randyc · #14 03-31-2010, 04:18 PM

I did enjoy that Eagle a LOT ! With the semi-floating Bartolini, I thought that it was the best compromise for unamplified/amplified tone that I'd ever heard. I don't care for conventional floaters at all but loved the Bartolini - made a ton of sound clips and nobody could consistently pick out the Eagle from the L-5, both amplified. That would have been a fairly simple comparison with a conventional floater and conventional humbucker.

My Uncle is enjoying that guitar immensely. In fact just last week, he sent a CD of the Eagle played through three different amplifiers (two vacuum tube, one solid-state) asking my opinion about which sounded best. I couldn't make up my mind, even though he made the comparison simple by playing the same tune three times.

If not the last year the guitar bore that name, it certainly was close to the last year !