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What year is your LeGrand from? Obviously there are LeGrands in different sizes around.
Originally Posted by Bluedawg
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04-04-2016 04:05 AM
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Hello JazzNote. I got these measures from reverb.com, there was a Johnny Smith, which was sold. Somehow these dimensions make sense. Johnny Smith is certainly bigger than 17 inch, at least slightly. And longer than Golden Eagle, that is for sure. So, in general, Gibson JS is longer and wider than Heritage GE. Even the upper bout is wider in Gibson JS compared to the Heritage GE. The lower bout width in guitars in general, are not exactly written in the specs. They say it is 17, but it can be slightly below 17, or above, but not exactly 17 inch wide. I think that GE is slightly under 17 inches, but I am not sure. I think Gibson L5 or L7 is slightly wider than GE, that how it seems like in the pictures. The measurements of these guitars are roughly defined in the specs, that how it is very often.
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And I think Patrick2 also said the same in one of the topics which was made earlier in this forum.
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Actually, there are two sources, and say the same about the body dimensions of Gibson JS. This is the same guitar, though.
1978 Gibson Johnny Smith - Archtop Guitar at Dream Guitars
https://reverb.com/item/434964-gibson-johnny-smith
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There are things which can make the guitar sound of an archtop, deeper. Johnny Smith of Gibson has, when I have listened those YouTube videos and some records, deeper sound than in the Golden Eagle. I think that it's very much because of the bigger body size of Gibson Johnny Smith. Very small things in the dimensions of an archtop guitar can make a difference. The woods in both of those guitars are the same, basically. And I am quite sure that Le Grand has the same body size as in a Gibson JS. One reason why I would like to have a little bit bigger body size to my possible Golden Eagle, if I am really going to do a custom order to Heritage.
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I finally found a minute to compare sizes of one of my L5's with my LeGrand.
They indeed measure both more or less the same in the lower bout which is about 17 inches.
The body of the LeGrand is shorter than the L5 which is the reason for it's being more comfortable to play than the L5. As the shorter body places the neck in a different playing position the guitar feels quite different from the L5. And last not least ...... it fits into my very portable eastman case which can not accommodate any of my other 17" archtops as they are too big.
Last edited by JazzNote; 04-04-2016 at 03:21 PM.
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sorry i was convinced but WRONG! :-( Originally Posted by Woody Sound
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Originally Posted by JazzNote
I finally found a minute to compare sizes of one of my L5's with my LeGrand.
They indeed measure both more or less the same in the lower bout which is about 17 inches.
The body of the LeGrand is shorter than the L5 which is the reason for it's being more comfortable to play than the L5. As the shorter body places the neck in a different playing position the guitar feels quite different from the L5. And last not least ...... it fits into my very portable eastman case which can not accommodate any of my other 17" archtops as they are too big.
Very Cool
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I was wrong, I am sorry about that! I finally found the right dimensions of the Gibson JS. It is because I haven't seen those guitars in real life, the dimensions in the pictures look larger to me than what they really are. Here they are, these are surely the dimensions of Le Grand as well. My father has all these catalogues, but I didn't remember to ask him. I remember this was one of his catagues, which he had in paper form, it was from 1970s. Gibson Johnny Smith - 1970 Gibson Electric Acoustics catalogue Page 3
Last edited by Epistrophy; 04-04-2016 at 07:25 PM.
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And the body width is 16 3/4. There is one guy, Gary Hines, who owns Gibson Johnny Smith, he said he sold one as well, with the same body width. Both guitars were from the 1960s. Originally Posted by Epistrophy
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In the 70s you could get Gibson Johnny Smith for under 1300 dollars in any finishes available, the prices were ridiculous compared to the prices nowadays. Now it usually is at least 3900 dollars.
Last edited by Epistrophy; 04-04-2016 at 07:34 PM.
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You could get a nice car for 1300 dollars in the 70s ... maybe even a new one before the 70s inflation kicked in Originally Posted by Epistrophy
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No you couldn't. I bought a Johnny Smith in 1976 and $2k was about the going rate then. Originally Posted by Epistrophy
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Gibson Johnny Smith has been my dream guitar no. 1 for a long time, the Smiths from the Norlin era are generally speaking the most affordable Smiths. When we go back to the 60s, they are more expensive. And after the Norlin era. Maybe I find one. It has fatter neck than Le Grand, wider at least. I haven't seen either of those guitars in real life. Super Eagle could also be a potential one, because it's body size would be maybe more comfortable for me because of my long arms. I have ES-165, and it helps when the body is a little bit thicker, so the guitar is at least playable for me, still. I was messaging with Gary Hines, and he recommended a Super Eagle for me, I hope he could possibly find one with a fat neck. Hines also likes big necks, he has big hands as well.
Last edited by Epistrophy; 04-05-2016 at 01:29 PM.
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I wish that Gibson retained the Super-400 sized headstock on the LeGrand. Instead, Gibson squashed the dimensions of the headstock down to L-5 size, but retained the Super-400/Les Paul Custom/ES-355 headstock inlay.
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I asked my local Gibson dealer how much Le Grand costs when ordered as new, just for fun. The price was 11000 euros. Heritage Golden Eagle ordered as new is somewhat cheaper. Hahaha.
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No way. Even in early 70's a Ford Pinto was $2k. A VW bug was $2200. What car are you thinking? Originally Posted by Bluedawg
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Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
Well a nice used car, then .....
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In '68 my parents won a big cash raffle prize at a new years eve party at his American Legion Post. They went out and bought a new loaded Malibu in the then-cool two-tone paint, for about $2800. (IIRC) Just like this one. Originally Posted by Bluedawg
Well a nice used car, then .....
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Too bad they didn't opt for the Super Sport. The powerful L78 engine returned for that year...worth over six figures today! Originally Posted by Woody Sound
In '68 my parents won a big cash raffle prize at a new years eve party at his American Legion Post. They went out and bought a new loaded Malibu in the then-cool two-tone paint, for about $2800. (IIRC) Just like this one.
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Nice car! Prices have gone up in everything, indeed. I have a laminate Gibson, ES-165, I never regret my purchase. It has been the most reliable jazz guitar I have ever had, and it is very affordable, maybe the most affordable 175-type guitar one can have. Le Grand as a new costs at least three times as much. Putting a 57 Classic and a wooden bridge in it, it is as good as any vintage ES-175, I am sure about that. Of course, the acoustic sound is not as good as in the old ones, because it has a thicker top, but the amplified sound is awesome.
Last edited by Epistrophy; 04-07-2016 at 12:07 PM.
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I was lucky to have a Golden Eagle made by Heritage, but when I grew up and my hands came bigger, the neck does not feel so comfortable anymore. Now I am just trying sell my current to get a similar one with more comfy neck and in the same price range, without paying too much. When buying a Heritage, it can be a super deal. Originally Posted by Epistrophy
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Can you hear the difference between Golden Eagle and LeGrand, both guitars played by same guy, with same amp. He has some youtube videos where he plays different guitars, including archtops and tries to sell them. Amplified those two guitars are equal, at least in my opinion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYaYWGvqRak
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Yep, the LeGrand sounds better to my ears. More articulate, fatter, maybe not as mellow as the GE but with stronger personality. I bet the difference would be far more audible with a less reverberated, more acoustic sound. Originally Posted by Epistrophy
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I would go for a little bit darker sound when it comes to Golden Eagle. That sound is a little bit too bright in my taste, I have a bit darker sound when I play my GE, and less reverb. LG sounds great. If there wasn't any reverb, the difference could be even more audible.
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