The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    I posted some of this elsewhere on the forum, but it belongs here, and is nice little story on its own.

    Cleaning up one of the bunkers, the question arose of what one does with a pile of NOS Gibson parts and a '52 L-7P body with a
    smashed-up top, all gathering dust for the past 30 years. Bonfire? Wall decoration? Hat rack? Diorama? Put them together into a functional guitar?

    Having sorted out an answer, the next step was to find the right archtop maker to fixerate the whole thing. Not a difficult choice. I always thought an L-5 with Johnny Smith f-holes would be cool, the way Wilbur Fuller did it with the Kalamazoo Award (which is a JS with a 25 1/2" scale, fancier inlays and lots of tuning) and it does seem to be working out nicely. In fact, it ended up quite nicely. Hmmm... Gibsellone Award - has a nice ring to it.

    Here are a few pix of the journey.
    Last edited by Hammertone; 07-16-2022 at 05:24 AM.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    This was resting comfortably in a case for @30 years before I finally sprang into action.
    Attached Images Attached Images Resurrection-img_1468-face-jpg 

  4. #3

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    It ended up here and the surgery began.
    Attached Images Attached Images Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-1-top-removed-jpeg 

  5. #4

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    Sometimes a plan just comes together. Among the guitar parts littering my place were some useful bits - fretboards, tops, bridges, truss-rod covers, pickguard material, pickguard mounting hardware, old Johnny Smith pickups, tailpieces, tuners and so forth. I knew all that junk would come in handy one day. Here are just a few of the pieces:
    Attached Images Attached Images Resurrection-img_0812-jpg Resurrection-js-front668-lo_zpsrgzgp0jr-jpg Resurrection-gib-boards-jpg Resurrection-pickguardmaterial-1-jpg Resurrection-pickguardmaterial-2-jpg 
    Last edited by Hammertone; 05-06-2022 at 01:11 PM.

  6. #5

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    Some adjustments had to be made, but the component parts were beaten into shape. It's amazing what one can do with a hammer and a spoon.
    Attached Images Attached Images Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-0-fretboard-rebound-jpeg Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-16-completed-neck-blank-jpeg Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-17-neck-blank-w-board-jpeg Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-18-neck-rough-shaped-jpeg Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-21-neck-depth-92322-jpeg Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-22-neck-jpeg 
    Last edited by Hammertone; 05-02-2022 at 10:10 PM.

  7. #6

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    Similarly, the body was reconstituted. This part required some kind of adhesive magic and an ELECTRIC spoon, IIRC. Possibly two electric spoons. Note how the bottom of the cutaway of the rough-trimmed JS top doesn't quite clear the bottom of the cutaway in the L body, a situation that was remedied when cutting the binding/purfling channels.
    Attached Images Attached Images Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-7-top-jpeg Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-9-box-jpeg Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-10-box-binding-channels-jpeg Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-11-box-binding-jpeg Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-14-front-bound-jpeg Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-15-back-bound-jpeg Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-40-top-scraped-jpeg Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-41-back-scraped-jpeg 
    Last edited by Hammertone; 05-02-2022 at 11:19 PM.

  8. #7

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    It began to look like a guitar, the mutant lovechild of Johnny Smith, L-5, and Campellone, for those who hadn't figured that one out.
    Attached Images Attached Images Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-24-neck-body-front-jpeg Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-25-neck-body-back-jpeg Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-33-neck-body-front-finish1-jpeg Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-31-neck-body-back-sealer-jpeg Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-34-neck-body-back-finish1-jpeg 
    Last edited by Hammertone; 05-02-2022 at 09:26 PM.

  9. #8

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    Of course, the guitar had company during the process.
    Attached Images Attached Images Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-28-all-rack-jpeg Resurrection-img_1157-jpg Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-50-group-shot-jpeg 

  10. #9

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    And, after more alchemy, presto changeo! The guitar rises from its very long rest, ready for the next 70 years. What started out as a beat 1952 L-7P is now ... the Gibsellone Award. Some boudoir photography will follow soon enough. In the meantime... Hooray for Gibson! Hooray for Mark Campellone!
    Attached Images Attached Images Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-47-done-front-jpg Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-48-done-back-jpg 
    Last edited by Hammertone; 07-05-2022 at 12:27 AM.

  11. #10

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    Just to think what discussions this will spawn on a jazzguitar collectors site some hundred years from now. Endless discussions about if its legit or copy


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  12. #11

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    Great story - thanks for sharing!

  13. #12

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    Victory. Nothing short of victory.
    THAT is what a basement full of parts is for!!

    Congratulations. I bet it sounds at least as good as it looks and that is mighty fine indeed!

  14. #13

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    Good thing that the weevils didn't get to that JS top to give it a couple of nasty additional soundholes too

    Congrats on this beautiful resurrection!

  15. #14

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    Wow!!

    Thanks for the photos during the process.

    Looks fantastic.. nice job, Mark!

  16. #15

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    It is masterpiece of the highest caliber. Congrats on a awesome guitar !

  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by JohanAbrandt
    Just to think what discussions this will spawn on a jazzguitar collectors site some hundred years from now. Endless discussions about if its legit or copy
    In addition to the original Gibson label, there is a Campellone label next to it, with a date and "L-7 rebuild" on it, as shown below.

    Gibson made various small changes in its specifications between @1952 and @1972 (the age range of the parts used). Part of the fun was sorting out and accommodating the different eras of the parts, and guessing why Gibson made the changes.
    Attached Images Attached Images Resurrection-campellone-gibl7p-51-label-jpg 
    Last edited by Hammertone; 05-05-2022 at 12:12 AM.

  18. #17

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    Of course, a Gibson-branded guitar should be carried around in a Gibson-branded case (well, the little leather pull tab for the case pocket says "Gibson.") that weighs a thousand pounds. The faux-ostrich covering is a fun bit of icing. Hooray for Charles!
    Attached Images Attached Images Resurrection-cedarcreek-1722-gib-jpg 
    Last edited by Hammertone; 09-23-2022 at 06:40 PM.

  19. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hammertone
    In addition to the original Gibson label, there is a Campellone label next to it, with a date and "rebuilt by Mark Campellone" on it.

    Gibson made various small changes in its specifications between @1952 and @1972 (the age range of the parts used). Part of the fun was sorting out and accommodating the different eras of the parts, and guessing why Gibson made the changes.
    Its a really cool guitar and nice to see it brought back to life.

  20. #19

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    What a happy ending. If that was your only guitar you’d be so proud to own it. Congratulations HT, she’s a winner!

  21. #20

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    This chronicles an excellent adventure. The journey is as rewarding as the arrival!

  22. #21

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    Wow, that is amazing. You are an artist of the highest caliber, sir!

    Bet she sounds as good as she looks!

  23. #22

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    This is pretty awesome and a true work of creative and skilled craftsmanship.
    How on earth one acquires a basement full of such spares...a lifetime of experience.
    If you showed a before and after many would not believe you. I wonder how long before a clever person discretely glues in a Micro USB drive with a photo essay of the builds/rebuilds of such guitars as evidence of providence?

    One question I have HT- what are these 'spoons' you speak of?

    "This part required some kind of adhesive magic and an ELECTRIC spoon, IIRC. Possibly two electric spoons."

    Well done all involved and congratulations and a masterful build. Hope it sounds a great as it looks.
    EM

  24. #23

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    Wow. Hell of an effort, enjoy it Stephen !

    Great job Mark.

    Now, lets hear it...and some sonic/feel impressions !


    And, that FAT neck is something I would dig. (a rare thing for jazz gtrs).

    Stephen, what profile did you end up with on that neck ?

  25. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by ssdeluxe
    Wow. Hell of an effort, enjoy it Stephen !

    Great job Mark.

    Now, lets hear it...and some sonic/feel impressions !


    And, that FAT neck is something I would dig. (a rare thing for jazz gtrs).

    Stephen, what profile did you end up with on that neck ?

  26. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by ssdeluxe
    Wow. Hell of an effort, enjoy it Stephen ! Great job Mark. Now, lets hear it...and some sonic/feel impressions ! And, that FAT neck is something I would dig. (a rare thing for jazz gtrs). Stephen, what profile did you end up with on that neck ?
    SS, in keeping with the 1952 provenance of the original:
    -nut width: 1 3/4"
    -depth at 1st fret: @0.93"
    -depth at 9th/10th fret: 1"
    -profile: early '50s fat C
    You'll get to play it in person soon enough, once I have it in my hands.