2014 Gibson Custom Crimson L-5 CES

[Bluedawg]

Not that it's important, but I'm confused. You just bought it on Labor Day sale with a 45 day trial, but Labor Day was more than 5 months ago(?)

Later on he says Pres Day ... so I'm guessing he means last Monday

[vinnyv1k]

Keep the smoking deals coming. As you all remember last year I got a brand new blonde Super 400 for $7649.00.
About time......a buyers market for a change. Hopefully the Gibson gouging days are over.

[rio]

Welcome to the club. It looks lovely - big congrats and enjoy that fine instrument!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[compoundz]

Congratulations! Curious which GC you got her from?
Enjoy!

Sherman Oaks, Ca.

They've also got that Wes in there that's been on clearance for a while, and a Martin Authentic D28 with a VTS top that is also on clearance.

[compoundz]

Not that it's important, but I'm confused. You just bought it on Labor Day sale with a 45 day trial, but Labor Day was more than 5 months ago(?)

Sorry, I meant Presidents day.

[Stringswinger]

Congrats on the L-5. Gibsons rule. Yesterday, today and tomorrow. An iconic Gibson is the safest guitar investment I can think of. May it inspire your playing for many years to come.

[compoundz]

How do you guys manage using a strap so you can stand while playing, string around the headstock?

[Jabberwocky]

How do you guys manage using a strap so you can stand while playing, string around the headstock?

That's the decision you have to make. Wes Montgomery-style, leather strap around the headstock or drill a hole in the neck heel for a strap button. I have seen 2 positions which seem to do no harm to value: one is in the middle of the neck heel. The other is centred on the heel cap.

Walker & Williams AT-1 BLK Acoustic Guitar Strap Button Headstock Adaptor – Walker & Williams

[silverfoxx]

007 can I borrow your tranquilizer gun ? I may also need to use your jag with the ejector seat. Always good to have Mr.Bond for your friend.

The Tranquiliser gun has been superseded by a Stun Gun, more effective and painful. likewise the Jag
is only used for shopping, if you can make do with the DB9, the Beach House in the Bahamas, liberal servings of Martini, Verve Clicquot or Dom Perignon,... Ms. Galore will be on hand to look after you , I expect you will
be stirred, not shaken. After which you may need an extended recuperation period.
I feel certain that your wife will concede you need this R & R, she can enjoy redecorating the house and
landscaping the garden in your absence, Tell her please not to thank me for this suggestion, She might
wish to respond with some well chosen compliments.

[compoundz]

That's the decision you have to make. Wes Montgomery-style, leather strap around the headstock or drill a hole in the neck heel for a strap button. I have seen 2 positions which seem to do no harm to value: one is in the middle of the neck heel. The other is centred on the heel cap.

Walker & Williams AT-1 BLK Acoustic Guitar Strap Button Headstock Adaptor – Walker & Williams

Thanks for the info, I didn't realize that guys commonly do this.
I just don't have the stomach to drill into this guitar. I know I have one of those adaptors around here somewhere that I'll try out.

[Bluedawg]

How do you guys manage using a strap so you can stand while playing, string around the headstock?

I use the sting around the headstock .... I avoid drilling holes in my guitars ... LOL

I just buy the clip systems for my archtops and set the one clip end on the headstock and then have a couple of straps handy with the other clip end

works great for me .... I use the strap even while sitting so that I can hold the guitar in the "classical" position

here is the "quick-release" system I use

D'Addario Planet Waves Quick-Release Guitar Strap System | Guitar Center



My Super 400 was bought used and came with a strap button in the heel of the neck .... works great, also ...

but I can't bring myself to be the first guy that drills on an expensive guitar

[Jabberwocky]

...but I can't bring myself to be the first guy that drills on an expensive guitar

Neither can I, Bluedawg. Some of the ones that I buy used come with them drilled and mounted. There are those I avoid with strap buttons mounted in "odd" locations.

Once I bought an archtop with a repositioned neck strap button thus leaving an old hole filled with putty and lacquer. I had it drilled out and covered it with a neat abalone inlay dot.

If need be, take it to a tech who knows what he is doing. This is something I won't attempt myself...not on an expensive L5CES anyway.

Won't the Planet Waves thingy eventually wear a groove in the headstock?

[Bluedawg]

Won't the Planet Waves thingy eventually wear a groove in the headstock?

That seems to be a risk .... I'll have to check and see how my guitars are doing .... I haven't looked that close at them

My Sweet 16 has seen the most action so if it is going to be an issue it should be showing on it by now

hopefully the material on the Planet Waves thingy is kind and gentle

[landshark99]

congrats I have seen that guitar behind the glass

[Bluedawg]

Won't the Planet Waves thingy eventually wear a groove in the headstock?

I checked my Sweet16 and the L5CES ... no issues ... no sign of wear

They've been on there at least 6 years, maybe 10 years with the Sweet 16 and the Sweet 16 has seen a good bit of gigging with the quick release system

[silverfoxx]

That's the decision you have to make. Wes Montgomery-style, leather strap around the headstock or drill a hole in the neck heel for a strap button. I have seen 2 positions which seem to do no harm to value: one is in the middle of the neck heel. The other is centred on the heel cap.

Walker & Williams AT-1 BLK Acoustic Guitar Strap Button Headstock Adaptor – Walker & Williams

Jabber, thanks for this tip, ditto Bluedawg, both simple and inexpensive solutions which can apply to an
Archtop, and , I suspect might provide better weight distrubution?
I had the same problem with a badly sited straplock on my Ibanez GB100, when I asked the dealer to fit
A straplock to the Heel cap. Instead it was put in the centre of the neck heel, after almost having apoplexy
i had a friend ( builder) fill the hole and replace with an abalone insert.

[floatingpickup]

Wildwood offered me a smoking deal on a L5/BJB Premier. New/old 2014. Been thinking but my wife will kill me. That would make 4 L5's but I do need a floater model :-)......BTW congrats !!!

I also have four L5's but I still need a Wes!
Keith

[vinnyv1k]

Personally I think putting a strap knob on the heel completely ruins the guitar. I would never buy a guitar with one there. It totally gets in your hands way playing up high IMO. Thankfully I always play sitting so I don't need a strap anymore. On the flat back of the heel would be a better choice IMO. I like where Guild put them on their archtops.

[stringmaster]

In my experience--with the strap attached to the headstock guitar drifts to the left, on the heel cap tends to lean forward, and the most stable at the heel of the neck or angled on the treble side of the neck like the bluegrassers do. That said there are some guitars I don't feel comfortable drilling into.

[lawson-stone]

In my experience--with the strap attached to the headstock guitar drifts to the left, on the heel cap tends to lean forward, and the most stable at the heel of the neck or angled on the treble side of the neck like the bluegrassers do. That said there are some guitars I don't feel comfortable drilling into.

The problem shouldn't be the drilling, but rather the attempt to put a screw in a pilot hole that is not big enough. That risks splitting along the grain. But a screw of the right length, fitted into the right sized pilot hole, located in the right spot on the guitar, should pose no structural or tonal problems. Personal feelings, of course, and aesthetic issues, naturally, have a big role to play. I personally hate the strap going out to the headstock and fear putting too much pressure on the neck, having the strap wear on the headstock. Plus the position of the guitar when the strap runs to the headstock is not comfortable for me to play in. My first move with any guitar is to place a strap button in the proper spot.

[JazzNote]

How do you guys manage using a strap so you can stand while playing, string around the headstock?

I use a thin leather string around the heel and under the neck extension, as i hate drilling holes into guitars. My newest version is to use a button on the string to attach the strap so it can easily be removed. Here's a photo of my new LeGrand, it will work equally well with a L5CES.

[lawson-stone]

Not to change the subject away from the mind-rending thrill of strap buttons... but... my favorite contemporary players of the L5ces, who IMHO bring out its tone wonderfully, are Joshua Breakstone and Royce Campbell. Breakstone tries working with the L5ces palette, Campbell has found a sweet spot that he works like crazy and both are fabulous.

[videorov]

I agree that GC has to move stuff out and I have bought some real nice Les Pauls at Big discounts because
they had sit way to long because of high price. Then all of a sudden they drop it big time, so you have to keep your eyes open and check back.

[compoundz]

Bumping this one back up. So now that I've had some more time on this L5, I decided to keep it when the 45 day GC return policy passed a little while ago. I just love this thing!
I'm thinking of toying with the string gauge. I've got 12 flats on there now, and it seems that the wound G doesn't speak as loudly as some of the others. I adjusted the pickup screws and that balanced it out, but it could be better. I'm thinking of moving up to 13's, maybe even round wounds. Any opinions on this?
My only other gripe is that there is squeaking and pinging going on at the nut when I tune. My tech told me that it was because of the plastic nut. Not a big deal, the guitar still holds tuning well, but just not what I would expect from a $10k guitar.
The other thing I noticed is that when I use a strap tied around the headstock, it pulls the guitar sharp when I stand. It would make sense to tune when in standing position, but I tend to sit and stand on gigs that I would use this guitar. Anyone else experience this?

Thanks!

[Stringswinger]

13 Flats will feel perfect.

File the nut out a tiny bit and the squeaks will disappear.

Put a strap pin on it. That is the one mod that IMO makes the stock guitar better. Guild figured that out. Gibson needs the memo.