If you had your choice, a Heritage Johnny Smith or a Heritage Super Eagle?

**Gitfiddler** · 08-29-2017, 02:04 AM

Bill, not many folks own a Johnny Smith as their first electric guitar! Well done, sir!

Play it in good health.

**Frank67** · 08-29-2017, 05:49 AM

I own both, and both with a floater. You cannot go wrong, both are fantastic guitars.

the JS is build very light, more acoustic and is brighter, the SE has a fuller, more electric tone (both statements are somewhat sweeping generalizations).

It has been said many times that the SE does not feel as bulky as other 18" guitars, but you should check whether you are comfortable with that size in general. It is still a big guitar.

Good luck!

**Max405** · 08-29-2017, 09:50 AM

You couldn't have made a wrong choice.
You are gonna love the Johnny.

**Archtop Guy** · 08-29-2017, 09:51 AM

Congratulations on choosing the Heritage Johnny Smith. Of all the incarnations of it ,the Heritage was IMHO the finest. I still have Joe D's. I love it due to the string spacing,scale and body comfort. They are the reason I pick up that guitar more than any other. Comfort makes you play more. You'll love her. AG

**Greentone** · 08-29-2017, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by FrankLearns

I own both, and both with a floater. You cannot go wrong, both are fantastic guitars.

the JS is build very light, more acoustic and is brighter, the SE has a fuller, more electric tone (both statements are somewhat sweeping generalizations).

It has been said many times that the SE does not feel as bulky as other 18" guitars, but you should check whether you are comfortable with that size in general. It is still a big guitar.

Good luck!

FWIW, Rick Derringer owned a Gibson Super-V (17") and a D'Angelico New Yorker (18") for years. Derringer--a GREAT guitarist--is only 5'4". You can be short, tall, thin, fat, and the big archtops can work for you.

**Woody Sound** · 08-29-2017, 01:06 PM

Congrats , you've just acquired one of the best.

**helios** · 08-29-2017, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by Greentone

FWIW, Rick Derringer owned a Gibson Super-V (17") and a D'Angelico New Yorker (18") for years. Derringer--a GREAT guitarist--is only 5'4". You can be short, tall, thin, fat, and the big archtops can work for you.

Here's (a very 70's) Rick Derringer:

**Stringswinger** · 08-29-2017, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by helios

Here's (a very 70's) Rick Derringer:

Every summer in Santa Cruz there are free concerts at the beach. I do not usually attend as I hate crowds (probably why I play jazz

) but a couple of years ago, my wife and I were nearby and I recognized the sound of the Edgar Winter band. I decided to brave the crowd and check them out. I was seriously impressed with the old guy playing lead guitar. It turned out to be Rick Derringer. That cat can play!

**Bluegrass Bill Ward** · 08-29-2017, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by Stringswinger

Congrats Bill, I am glad you found a guitar that works for you. Looking forward to your NGD.

Thanks for all the congrats and kind words.

I am certainly a very fortunate man to be able to find and acquire such a high quality and rare instrument like this. I enjoyed spending about 30 minutes of quality time this morning with it before breakfast. Being relatively new to the forum here not sure what NGD means? Probably some kind of recording or demonstration with the instrument? I promise to do something like that after alittle time getting more familiar with it.

The guitar is very "bright" with the current strings it has on it, “Bright Tone, Round Wound Nickel Wound, Jazz Light Gauge". I do plan to change the strings to take just some of the brightness down and use eitherThomastik-Infeld JS 112 Jazz swing series Flat wound or Thomastik-Infeld Electric Guitar Jazz Bebop Steel/Nickel RoundWound Light, .012 - .050, BB112. Any recommendations on what to try first?

Here are just a couple quickie photos.

Bill

**Stringswinger** · 08-29-2017, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by Bluegrass Bill Ward

Thanks for all the congrats and kind words.

I am certainly a very fortunate man to be able to find and acquire such a high quality and rare instrument like this. I enjoyed spending about 30 minutes of quality time this morning with it before breakfast. Being relatively new to the forum here not sure what NGD means? Probably some kind of recording or demonstration with the instrument? I promise to do something like that after alittle time getting more familiar with it.

The guitar is very "bright" with the current strings it has on it, “Bright Tone, Round Wound Nickel Wound, Jazz Light Gauge". I do plan to change the strings to take just some of the brightness down and use eitherThomastik-Infeld JS 112 Jazz swing series Flat wound or Thomastik-Infeld Electric Guitar Jazz Bebop Steel/Nickel RoundWound Light, .012 - .050, BB112. Any recommendations on what to try first?

Here are just a couple quickie photos.

Bill

Bill,

NGD just means New Guitar Day. No sound samples required!

I think your guitar is very pretty and was fairly priced. My issues with your guitar when I played it were the brightness, the acoustic volume and the string to string balance. No two guitars are alike and some wood is louder than others. I like my acoustic guitars to be very loud. Your guitar is, to my mind , an electric guitar first and foremost (and I suspect that is your purpose for it, so all is good in that regard.)

Regarding the brightness, two things may contribute, the strings (I would go with TI flatwounds) and the pickup (I also think the string to string balance would improve with a better pickup). I would try a Kent Armstrong Johnny Smith pickup on your guitar. The adjustable polepieces will enable you to get perfect string to string balance and with the TI flats it should warm up quite a bit. Be forewarned that Heritage guitars, in general are brighter than Gibson guitars. But with the right amp, pickup and strings, that guitar is all the archtop you will ever need.

Welcome to the forum and the world of archtop guitars and Congrats again!

**Max405** · 08-29-2017, 05:29 PM

You will be very pleased with that Guitar.
Ive always said the HJS makes sounds that no other guitar makes. Just slide up the fretboard, middle strings, fingers depressed. pluck the strings and slide up. Here that? Its the sound of Aaron Cowles saying, thanks for giving me a way to speak to you from heaven.
Enjoy the guitar.
Joe D

**petermelton** · 08-29-2017, 05:31 PM

Congratulations on the new guitar! I was lucky enough to get to check that one out last time I visited Gryphon for a "work" trip. That is really a great guitar. Cheers

**2bornot2bop** · 08-29-2017, 05:34 PM

Duh - The link ad was marked sold because by the time I chimed in you had bought it!

Congratulations. Quite a step up from an EXL-1 huh! Making the drive from Sactown to Palo Alto you were on a mission!

The HJS I owned was very bright, and still vibrant. I installed TI Bebop rounds which seemed to tame its brightness a bit, giving the guitar a warmer and fuller sound. I'm from the 'no flats' on an acoustic archtop school. Best of luck with your new found gem!

**deacon Mark** · 08-29-2017, 05:45 PM

Nice guitar for sure. I bought a super Eagle acoustic maybe 15 years ago and it was nice. Blond and in almost mint shape. It sounded ok but frankly it never really did anything for me and I sold it within 60 days. It was not a bad guitar and had decent sound but it was not a Super 400 and that is what I was expecting, stupid me for sure but I should know better.

I have owed 2 different JS Gibson's and they were all fine guitars but I sold them just because I had other guitars I like better. To add to this I also had 2 Guild AA guitars and sold those for all the same reason. Of the batch the one guitar I really wish I had keep was a 1978 L5 c with a BJB pickup. The guitar was great the neck, the sound, and I really like the BJB pickup. It was mint but had no flame or much grain in the maple back. Frankly I am a bit spoiled with guitars so my only thing I miss is having a real Super 400 c. No CES for me.

The HSJ I do believe are probably not quite the real deal of a Gibson JS, at least a good one. That is entirely my take which probably is not worth much but that is one fine guitar..........play it well!

**guido5** · 08-29-2017, 05:56 PM

I have had good luck with La Bella flatwounds taking the excess brightness from a very bright instrument. Might be worth a try...

**Hammertone** · 08-29-2017, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by helios

Here's (a very 70's) Rick Derringer:…[ ]...

I dig the Ampeg mega-backline. Very '70s indeed!

**QAman** · 08-29-2017, 06:50 PM

Bluegrass Bill,
Congrats on your purchase ! If you are unable to temper down the brightness with a string change - I would recommend adding a brass TOM bridge saddle, which will add warmth and sustain.

Wishing you many hours of enjoyment.

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk

**Bluegrass Bill Ward** · 08-29-2017, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by Stringswinger

Bill,

NGD just means New Guitar Day. No sound samples required!

I think your guitar is very pretty and was fairly priced. My issues with your guitar when I played it were the brightness, the acoustic volume and the string to string balance. No two guitars are alike and some wood is louder than others. I like my acoustic guitars to be very loud. Your guitar is, to my mind , an electric guitar first and foremost (and I suspect that is your purpose for it, so all is good in that regard.)

Regarding the brightness, two things may contribute, the strings (I would go with TI flatwounds) and the pickup (I also think the string to string balance would improve with a better pickup). I would try a Kent Armstrong Johnny Smith pickup on your guitar. The adjustable polepieces will enable you to get perfect string to string balance and with the TI flats it should warm up quite a bit. Be forewarned that Heritage guitars, in general are brighter than Gibson guitars. But with the right amp, pickup and strings, that guitar is all the archtop you will ever need.

Welcome to the forum and the world of archtop guitars and Congrats again!

Thanks again to all for all the congrats and suggestions to consider for my guitar! I will take things slow starting with the string change to flatwound strings first and see what that does. If at some point I decide to consider the Kent Armstrong Johnny Smith Pickup I will ask again about that. For now I will do a google search on that topic and see what it tells me about it. I would imagine not just any luthier can do that kind of work on this kind of guitar? Are there trusted luthiers identified on this forum for doing this kind of work on guitars like this? Thanks! Bill

**Bluegrass Bill Ward** · 08-29-2017, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by QAman

Bluegrass Bill,
Congrats on your purchase ! If you are unable to temper down the brightness with a string change - I would recommend adding a brass TOM bridge saddle, which will add warmth and sustain.

Wishing you many hours of enjoyment.

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk

Thanks very much, Wow, the level of knowledge on this forum is really amazing!