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Got to visit Nashville briefly for the first last week, and what an experience!
A friend hooked me up with Andy Reiss of the Time Jumpers as a guide, and he was kind enough to escort me to both Gruhn's and Carter's, and we spent the day jamming an absurd selection of vintage acoustic archtops, and even a pair of vintage Selmers.
So, Gruhn's was the first stop, and we spent a couple minutes checking out the couple acoustic archtops they had on the first floor (an L-5 and an Epi Deluxe, both just post war), but then we went to the second floor. This is where the keep some of the rarer items...
Attachment 63971
So, here's a 1939 Super 400P, a 1940 Stromberg Deluxe, and a 1945 Stromberg G-1. I'm not typically a fan of acoustic Super 400s, as many of them tend to be surprisingly quiet ("Silent Giants" some say). This one sounded massive. And the Stromberg Deluxe was even bigger sounding - seriously filling the room with sound.
Attachment 63969
Next up was a c.1928-1930 L-10. It was one of the rare examples that clearly was started as a "dot neck" L-5, but somewhere in the production process they decided to paint it black, and put the basic headstock on it. But, make no mistake, this was all "dot" sound-wise. Andy was telling me he's been trying to get George to sell it to him for years with no luck.
Attachment 63968
Oh, yeah, and then there was a pair of dot neck L-5s, one of them with banjo tuners. Both were in fantastic condition. Sadly, both head pretty dead strings and could've used a seasonal adjustment, so we didn't hear them at their best.
Attachment 63970
Oh, and then there was the "Super L-5", apparently one of, it not "the" first Super 400. It's still got an L-5 headstock, and the heel cap inlay says "Super L-5".
I didn't take any more photos, but there were a couple prewar D28's that checked out, though I'm definitely not the kind of person that really knows what to do with them. Even then, my fake "Bluegrass" impression was enough to hear what a massive sound one of those things can put out. Wow!
So after that we went down the road a mile or so to Carter's. I checked out the one-of-a-kind c.1940 L-4 (L-5 head stock inlay, elevated fingerboard, blonde) that sounded great, as well as an 1934 L-10 that sounded even better. But, frankly, the real treat was when they broke out the pair of original Selmers they'd just gotten in. I've never gotten to play a real Selmer before, and these were out of sight. The D-hole even had it's original internal resonator in tact. But, the winner was definitely the oval hole. The high E string was like a laser cannon. The guitar was so resonant and had projection that was just off the charts. Damn, it's too bad a I didn't have a spare $30k, otherwise I might have had to take it home.
Truth be told, I'm pretty disinterested in Django-style guitars at this point because I really am an archtop player, but that oval hole was revelatory. One of the best guitars I've played and it really makes one understand what they're supposed to be.
Attachment 63967
Getting to hang out and jam with a player like Andy Reiss would've been a delight regardless.
Getting to do it on a parade of some of the finest acoustic archtops around was beyond bonkers.
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08-08-2019 02:11 AM
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No idea why the pictures aren't showing above, but here they are:
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Wonderful (literally.)
Thank you!
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Sounds like an excellent trip. Thanks for posting.
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Thanks for sharing. I'd love to try out a real Selmer one day.
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Oh man, awesome. Note that the L5 on the left has the dot at 3. I believe that indicates it's from later in the 20's but I'm not sure exactly about that.
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Hey Jonathan, what a great opportunity playing all those great guitars and thanks for sharing with us. Any chance you noted the serial number on the Selmer oval hole?
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The Time Jumpers are a fantastic band.
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5th fret dot is earlier...
Originally Posted by Woody Sound
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Jonathan,
Cool trip. Yeah, how about those L-10 guitars? They are grossly underappreciated, no? In terms of sound, they are "dot" L-5 all the way.
It's awesome that you got to play Strombergs and Selmers, too.
GT
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Yeah that's what I thought. But I wonder about when they added the dot at 3. Originally Posted by wintermoon
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Great timing: I have a biz trip there later this month! Thanks for the tips!
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Jonathan,
Thanks for sharing this with us. It helps me connect with my vintage archtop inner self and stirs a deep longing that I have held and goes still unsatisfied about someday making the Nashville pilgrimage. Very cool.
Steve
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It is always good to go the Gruhn's and see the stuff. I must admit George has always been very gracious about letting me go around and play the guitars and seems to keep an eye on things, he has been at it a long time. Nice report Jonathon and boy the Stromberg that would be a pretty cool guitar for sure. One guitar I have not owed is a Stromberg although played a fair number of them for sure. They tend to be not as consistant as the D'a s and even super 400's but when you get a good one.......you have scored a guitar!
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If you go by the pre Joe Spann dating system around '28, but w the revised list probably around 1930 ish Originally Posted by Woody Sound
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I'm fairly certain that both of the "dot neck" L-5's are on the registry at http://prewargibsonl-5.com including more detail on the serials/FONs/shipping info.
I did not get the Selmer serial number, but check with Carter's, it may be on the site or easily gotten over the phone.
As for the L-10's... well, I think some of them have the "dot" thing, but Andy was telling me how he hadn't seen one since that could hold a candle to George's. So, I'm not sure I could speak so broadly, but this one was sure as hell a "dot neck L-5 in L-10 clothing".
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Thank you so much, Jon, for this nice report about your visits in Nashville. I realize how much I have to learn as regard prewar Gibsons.
Thanks also for the tips about the L10.
Best.
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