Johnny A signature Gibson

[Steve Z]

I just happened to hear about the Johnny A signature gibson and initially thought it would be a semi hollow 335-ish guitar, but the specs indicate a hollow body, 25.5" scale, ebony, 1 11/16" nut... pretty sweet on paper.

Anyone every play one?

More funky blues than jazz, but here's a great tune...

[Steve Z]

Here's a review of the guitar I just found. The more I eat the more intriguing it becomes.

Jazz Instruments: Gibson Johnny A. Signature Guitar - By Russell Carlson ? Jazz Articles

[Clamps]

Hi!! That guitar's on the list! In other sweet Gibson guitar news, I have had the pleasure of just recently playing a Howard Roberts fusion (with the finger TP)...it's like a Les Paul on steroids!

[Hammertone]

The Johnny A is a really nice guitar - I've had the pleasure of playing a few of them.
Not entirely hollow - the top and back are connected with a built-in wood support under the bridge/tp.
Lots of subtle differences between it and the CS-336 / ES-336 / Martino / LP Florentine etc. guitars, but IMO the most important thing is the 25 1/2" scale.

It's fairly small as well, but just looks big when being demo'd by Johnny A, since he's only like, 4 feet tall.

[DRS]

That is one guitar I will own before I'm 60 (I'm 52). By all accounts a gem.

[Gilpy]

I have tried one out in a guitar store. Beautiful guitar, but the neck shape was not to my liking. More D shaped than C. They also made a plainer version with, I believe, a mahogany top.

I was under the impression that Gibson had discontinued this model.

[Woody Sound]

I do like the fretboard inlays.

[fumblefingers]

I sold mine. wasn't crazy about the neck shape either, but the Bigsby was the issue with me.

live and learn. 'twas a beauty though. AAAAA Quilt on top.

[cosmic gumbo]

Even though the top and back of this hollowbody are carved on the outside, the insides are flat. It was a Johnny A design criteria.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

I would like a "workin' man" version of that. Lose the gold hardware, fingerboard inlay, quilted top, (Bigsby, too). Maybe make it an Epi version?

[DRS]

I would like a "workin' man" version of that. Lose the gold hardware, fingerboard inlay, quilted top, (Bigsby, too). Maybe make it an Epi version?

That's the Johnny A Standard. Mahogany top, chrome hardware, simplified inlays. It's still a $2500 guitar on Craigslist if you can find one.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

That's the Johnny A Standard. Mahogany top, chrome hardware, simplified inlays. It's still a $2500 guitar on Craigslist if you can find one.

Well, $2,500 is what I'd expect from Gibson.

[Hammertone]

This looks nice as well. I suspect it's one of the mini-Kessel prototypes on which the Johnny A was based:

[feet]

love many aspects about it, but at the end of the day, its still damn near $5000. i can do better (for me) for that money. also, i'll never have that money, so moot point. and the "stigma" of playing someone else's guitar is a little much for me. i do like that it is its own thing, and that someone actually put thought into their signature guitar for once.

personally, i wish it was larger, and i'm not entirely sold on the cutaways, pickguard or f-holes. i do like the long neck and ebony board. but above all, i love the inlays. they look like something i set aside for an inlay design. i do <3 art deco so very much.

[Hammertone]

They come up used between $3,000 and $4,000.

[Woody Sound]

For those who like the B&G look: http://www.pbase.com/harpozep/image/97508849.jpg

[fumblefingers]

yep, competing with PRS. looks great.

[Steve Z]

I have tried one out in a guitar store. Beautiful guitar, but the neck shape was not to my liking. More D shaped than C. They also made a plainer version with, I believe, a mahogany top.

I was under the impression that Gibson had discontinued this model.

The neck is based on a 1959 Les Paul burst neck that a friend of his owned.


Here's a video where he describes the neck shape... starts around 3:40...

[Playerizor]

I had one for a few years. A great guitar but was a little too dark for me.

[callouscallus]

Bumping this thread. Anyone have sound clips of one of these in a jazz context?

thanks

[Steve Z]

Maybe this is somewhat jazzy...

[jads57]

I used to own one serial# 053 beautiful guitar! But I'm not sure exactly what it was but could never fully bond w/it. I replaced the original p/ups w/ Fralin PAF's which definitely improved the tone for me. I also owned at the same time a CS Pat Martino which is based on the same type of hollowed out body design. Of those two guitars I prefered the Pat Martino overall. As far as just flat out beautiful looks, that guitar isa Pagaent Queen Winner!

[Flat]

I love Johnny's signature guitar too! And his first solo album, Someday Tuesday Morning. Just masterful playing!
That Wichita Lineman cut is magnificent. I assumed he recorded that with his signature model, so I was a little surprised to read later that those tracks were apparently recorded on an ES-295 and some other guitars. I think perhaps the record came out before the signature model? And maybe the second record and DVD were mostly the JA Signature? I dunno.

I think his goal with his sig was to get all of these guitar tones in one instrument. It is a compromise, of course, but a really nicely-done compromise, imho.

***
Johnny: Most of the record was recorded on an ES-295 with a Bigsby tail piece, which is basically like the old Elvis, Scotty Moore type guitar, an archtop P-90. But I'd say about 80 percent of the record was recorded with that guitar and flat wound strings. And the rest of the record was recorded with an ES-395 with a Bigsby, a couple of Les Pauls with Bigsbys, a Firebird 7, an L5, a bunch of different guitars.

http://www.guitar.com/articles/johnny-good

[dtfan4ever]

Those guitars are such a joy to play! I wish I could afford one, and one day I will have one.