identify Bireli Lagrene's Gibson ?

**medblues** · 07-08-2017, 08:28 PM

starting at 4:35. A Johnny Smith ? Le Grande ? Or a single floating pickup L5 ?

**Jim Soloway** · 07-08-2017, 09:32 PM

I'm pretty sure it's a Le Grande. Have a look here. (BTW, for anyone who speaks French, shouldn't it be La Grande?)

**rpguitar** · 07-08-2017, 10:32 PM

Actually I believe it is a Super V BJB. The brass truss rod cover and pickguard/pickup screw configuration, along with the dark sunburst finish, peg it to that circa '78-'81 timeframe.

**ThatRhythmMan** · 07-08-2017, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by rpguitar

Actually I believe it is a Super V BJB. The brass truss rod cover and pickguard/pickup screw configuration, along with the dark sunburst finish, peg it to that circa '78-'81 timeframe.

Definitely a Super V, very much like this one.

Gibson Super V BJB 1980 Sunburst | Reverb

**archtopeddy** · 07-08-2017, 11:47 PM

The Super V BJB looks like a very hip guitar, but not sure what's what in the photos of the two guitars. They are different instruments. The first one that the OP had a question about has a pickup selector in the upper bout and the second one Bireli's playing doesn't.

**JazzNote** · 07-09-2017, 02:45 AM

Originally Posted by archtopeddy

The Super V BJB looks like a very hip guitar, but not sure what's what in the photos of the two guitars. They are different instruments. The first one that the OP had a question about has a pickup selector in the upper bout and the second one Bireli's playing doesn't.

The one with the pickup selector is another players 175.
Definitely it is a Super V BJB in Bireli's hands.

**JazzNote** · 07-09-2017, 02:48 AM

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

I'm pretty sure it's a Le Grande. Have a look here. (BTW, for anyone who speaks French, shouldn't it be La Grande?)

Jim, the Super V BJB has a longer headstock than the LeGrand. The same length as a Super 400 or a Johnny Smith.

**Rob MacKillop** · 07-09-2017, 03:03 AM

What does BJB stand for?

**fws6** · 07-09-2017, 03:32 AM

Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop

What does BJB stand for?

Bruce J Bolen, the guy who designed this pickup

**Rob MacKillop** · 07-09-2017, 03:34 AM

Many thanks.

**Jim Soloway** · 07-09-2017, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by JazzNote

Jim, the Super V BJB has a longer headstock than the LeGrand. The same length as a Super 400 or a Johnny Smith.

I am clearly out of my depth when it comes to the fine points of Gibson archtops

**Greentone** · 07-09-2017, 10:19 AM

For sure, it's a Gibson Super-V BJB. IMO, it's one of the very best Norlin-era archtops. I don't think Gibson made over 50 of the BJB version. To me, they are close to the Kalamazoo Award in concept, but a little short in bling.

Danny W. might know something about the comparison.

**JazzNote** · 07-09-2017, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by Greentone

For sure, it's a Gibson Super-V BJB. IMO, it's one of the very best Norlin-era archtops. I don't think Gibson made over 50 of the BJB version. To me, they are close to the Kalamazoo Award in concept, but a little short in bling.

Danny W. might know something about the comparison.

Being not a native english speaker i'm wondering what you mean with "short in bling".

**Greentone** · 07-09-2017, 01:12 PM

"Short in bling" means that the Super-V BJB doesn't have as much decoration (binding, inlay, etc.) as the Kalamazoo Award. 20 years ago, in American English, "bling" was used in urban dialect to signify lots of conspicuous jewelry--diamonds, gold, etc.

identify Bireli Lagrene's Gibson ?-kalamazoo-award-jpg

identify Bireli Lagrene's Gibson ?-kalamazoo-award-jpg

identify Bireli Lagrene's Gibson ?-super-v-bjb-jpg

**archtopeddy** · 07-09-2017, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by JazzNote

The one with the pickup selector is another players 175.
Definitely it is a Super V BJB in Bireli's hands.

The ES-175; Christian Escoude, I should have noticed...

And of course, the Rosenberg Trio too.

**medblues** · 07-09-2017, 04:57 PM

Yet another exception to how floater pickups are expected to sound.

**MilesPG** · 07-09-2017, 06:09 PM

[QUOTE=Jim Soloway;786613]I'm pretty sure it's a Le Grande. Have a look here. (BTW, for anyone who speaks French, shouldn't it be La Grande?)

It's Le Grande, la grande, actually la gran, would be in Spanish

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**Danny W.** · 07-09-2017, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by Greentone

For sure, it's a Gibson Super-V BJB. IMO, it's one of the very best Norlin-era archtops. I don't think Gibson made over 50 of the BJB version. To me, they are close to the Kalamazoo Award in concept, but a little short in bling.

Danny W. might know something about the comparison.

I used to own this one:

It compared well in sound to the KA, but had exceedingly plain wood, an indifferent sunburst and a deeper body, which made the KA more comfortable for me. Although it was a good guitar for the Norlin era, my LeGrands were a big step up in quality, and seemed more balanced with the smaller headstock.

Danny W.