The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #51

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    This is how I got mine sounding (listen of laptop or in landscape iPhone as audio is panned for some reason.)


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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #52

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    PS this is the Micro-Manouche which is a little more acoustic than the PAF and crucial for me works with both electric and acoustic strings. But I might get the PAF as well. Jason is dead nice and supportive.

    you have more than enough PAF action in your life surely haha?

  4. #53

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    Not that this doesn’t look like a very hip combo:

    1938 Gibson L-50 Archtop Jazz Guitar Sunburst with DeArmond Rhythm Chief Floating Pickup and Case
    1938 Gibson L-50 Archtop Jazz Guitar Sunburst with DeArmond | Reverb

  5. #54

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    Something like that can be done very easily with Blu-Tack and thumbwheel controls. The jack could be problematic, but there are multiple ways of handling that. I like a standard endpin jack, but there are other methods, including a 1/8" endpin jack, jacks attached to the tailpiece, or to the pickguard, or just flopping free.

  6. #55

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    Quote Originally Posted by fmorelli
    Yes. I found many of the prior posts interesting. Gibson's production varied quite a bit over the years.

    I just finished restoring a 1935 Gibson L-50 for a client. It had the usual structural damage and came apart. The resulting instrument sounded excellent. Contrary to popular belief, top crack repairs have little effect on the sound. This was a Honduran Mahogany guitar with carved spruce top, 15' radius back. Aside from the typical structural damage, this guitar was original an owned by a professional musician since it was new. These were hot hide glue construction with the exception of the lining, where were installed with casein glue (an off-white glue made with milk protein).

    We see a fair bit of pre-war archtops that come through the shop. Glad to answer any questions if I am able. Photos of this particular 1935 L-50 can be seen here: Repair & Restoration - Morelli GuitarsMorelli Guitars

    Filippo
    I looked through the restoration pictures and had a little déjà vu as I had to do many of the same repairs on my L50 back in 2016.
    1937 Gibson ES-150 Tribute Guitar

  7. #56

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    I have really been wanting an old Gibson acoustic to play at home often but likely never gig. An early L5 is my dream, but the pockets aren't that deep....so these prewar L-50s seemed close. I believe this is the first years they were 16", and this one has the raised fingerboard over the body.

    I purchased this L-50 from a forum member and it just arrived today. One replacement tuner, a repaired back crack and refinish on the back only, but otherwise original. I grabbed these pictures before playing.

    This is my first acoustic archtop, but I am thinking of swapping out these bronze strings out right away for some TI's or Martin Retro's.

    Gibson L-50-61039036166-8faea85f-106f-47da-bad4-b810f8d4cb68-jpg
    Gibson L-50-img-8575-jpg
    Gibson L-50-img-8576-jpg
    Gibson L-50-img-8578-jpg
    Gibson L-50-img-8579-jpg

  8. #57

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    Very cool guitar. Congrats! I'm a huge fan of Martin Retros, for both floating pickups, and acoustic only. I had tried a ton, and the Retros, for me, crossed off all the boxes.

  9. #58

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    Looks good!

    I like L-50's from this era.

    Does this one have a flat back with braces or an arched back?
    Some had the flat back at this time......and whether flat or arched I've played and heard good examples of each.

    I do see the elevated fretboard extension you mentioned..... which can make a difference for those that wish to install a floating pickup and get it a bit closer to the neck position.

    Take a look in through the treble side f-hole with a flashlight and see if you can see a factory order number on the back. If it's readable I can look it up in the shipping ledgers if you want.
    I certainly have lots of time to fuss around with stuff like that lately.

    Hope you enjoy!

  10. #59

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    Thanks! It is a flat back.

    It’s a little hard to make out but appears to be 181 A33

    Gibson L-50-7cb20be2-9f9e-4237-a1bb-3e336331969f-jpeg

  11. #60

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    Looks like 181 A 33 to me too.....

    Sometimes my eyes want to see 131 A 33 but I'll go with the 181 number and see what shows up.
    It might take awhile.....the shipping ledgers are just hand written entries of everything that shipped out the door on a given day.
    Also salesman's samples coming and going, returns and repairs inbound and outbound....lots to get tangled up with.

    Hope you like how it plays and sounds...

  12. #61

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    Looks great! If that guitar could talk...

    Oh I guess it can with the right player...

    You might think of D'A PB Flattops for strings--mellower tone than regular PB roundwounds.

    Love those tuners! I'm not necessarily advocating this, but if a fellow were handy he could grind the corners of the replacement tuner with a Dremel tool with a small grinding stone so that the shape is the same as the other tuners. Or not. It took me a few looks to figure out which was the new one.

    Play it in good health!

  13. #62

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    Quote Originally Posted by Paulie2
    I have really been wanting an old Gibson acoustic to play at home often but likely never gig.
    You're certainly starting at a high point.

    Play it long and well, and let it show you a lot!

  14. #63

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    Paulie2,
    Congratulations on the vintage Gibson. It's hard to describe how awesome it is to own an archtop built at the beginning of the species. All modern archtops trace their heritage to these primogenitures. What a nice guitar. Enjoy every minute you spend with her!
    S

  15. #64

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    Paulie2....

    Its been so long since I did a ledger search I completely forgot I've only got back to March 1936.

    So no 1935 listings or anything before that date.

    Sorry!

  16. #65

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    Lovely guitar! Very nice condition. The top on my L50, in addition to having multiple cracks, was pretty beat up...

    Gibson L-50-l50-top-scratches-jpg

  17. #66

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    there is an estate sale in my area on 7/13. This is the picture of the guitar available. Would anyone know from this poor picture what type of gibson this is/vintage? thanks!
    It would be a hassle for me to get to the sale so I am trying to see if going is worth it.

    Gibson L-50-gibson-jpg

  18. #67

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    it looks like a prewar L-50 w/an offgassing guard

  19. #68

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    Best guess at a distance is a mid to late 30's L-50.
    I'd be leaning towards mid '30's.

    Oops....I'm just a minute later than wintermoon!

  20. #69

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    thank you, are those worth pursuing - any idea of going value for these?

    thanks

  21. #70

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    maybe about $1500-2000 depending on condition

  22. #71

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    I've had one for nearly 50 years. Nice guitars.

  23. #72

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    A friend of mine has loaned me his L-50 (late 40's, I think) until my L-12 arrives. It is in really really fine condition and both of us are relatively inexperienced with archtops so I don't want to screw anything up. Right now, it has 0.11's on it with quite low action and it sounds a little "plinky." What guage of string is good for a guitar like this?

  24. #73

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    Check for top sink of the top in the bridge area. It should handle 12's and 13's
    Older Gibson's were typically built to handle heavy gauge

  25. #74

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    strings in the 40's were much heavier than these days...probably came with 13 or 14's!!...but on an 80 year old guitar better to be safe...try a set of martin retro monel 12's

    monel i.e. mona-steel is what gibson used in the 40's



    cheers

  26. #75

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    I like 12’s on acoustic archtop. I have D’Addario 12-53 phosphor bronze (EJ16) on my 1947 L7 right now. That set seems to feel about right on that guitar, having enough volume without feeling too heavy. I think 11’s are too light for an acoustic archtop and a regular set of 13’s feels pretty heavy to me. The only time I go with 13’s is on my electric L5’s, which are always strung with THOMASTIK JS113 13-53. Those strings don’t seem to feel heavy at all.
    Keith