The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    Yep, Another one...

    This is my second Gibson Solid Formed 17" Venetian. This one in Sunrise Tea Burst.

    My Impressions. Well, Gibson really blew it with this line of Guitars. They had a good idea. But they marketed it all wrong. From the bullshit, "It uses less wood to make the neck", to the God awful unbound pickguard, its almost like they weren't even trying to sell these guitars. But the fact is, they made an incredible, yet over priced guitar that failed miserably. And I am glad. Because I got this New Old Stock 4-1/2 years after it shipped from the Custom Shop for a little more than 1/3rd of their original asking price and I couldn't be happier. The guitar has a sound all its own. Acoustically, its as good as any guitar I've ever played. Loud and smooth. It is precise. Tremendously balanced across the entire fretboard. The Neck is dead straight and flat. It takes the lowest action I've ever seen on a guitar. It plays as good or better than any other guitar I've ever had. And with the new pickguard, its actually beautiful. The wood used on my guitar is the nicest I've seen on a guitar. The top has incredible silk and the back and sides have a 3D flame figure that is a real eye catcher.
    I recorded this video after the Pickup had to be completely rewired and shielded. The factory did a poor job. Brian the magician (Guitar Tech at Sam Ash) made this guitar sound and play as great as it should have when it left the factory.
    I am glad I have it.
    Thanks for looking..


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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    Really happy for you Joe. Dude I've said it before and I'll say it again now: when you bond with a guitar you really know how to play it to get the very best sound out of it... I'm gonna be lulling myself to sleep playing your video over and over....


    Love you Bro,

    Mikey

  4. #3

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    Joe,
    I agree with you completely. Gibson actually came out with a great product, but marketing was atrocious. The name was the worst idea for any guitar I think I’ve ever seen. I think it may have actually been a success if they had done it right. I think initially selling it at a loss and moving it upward after getting it in the hands of enough people may have been a worthwhile approach. As it was done, they left almost everyone thinking they were greedy and full of crap.

  5. #4

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    Here is some pictures Mikey.
    Love you too bro.
    Attached Images Attached Images Gibson Solid Formed - Sunrise Tea Burst-1c8ae635-e68c-4bb8-95f5-2ff6cf80fbff-jpg Gibson Solid Formed - Sunrise Tea Burst-4b671097-552c-4c64-abf8-a14cd51ffee3-jpg Gibson Solid Formed - Sunrise Tea Burst-bde40393-2ecf-4591-8c37-08a7912f375e-jpg Gibson Solid Formed - Sunrise Tea Burst-c5d35939-02bb-48f4-bbfd-3cb0b5b1e008-jpg Gibson Solid Formed - Sunrise Tea Burst-9239d5d7-e527-41eb-9afa-eaf46f250191-jpg 

  6. #5

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    Sweet JD!

    Gibson's screw up is your gain. I dig the simplicity of the appointments. And as always, I dig your playing.

    May she inspire your playing for many years to come.

  7. #6

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    some beautiful playin right there Joe D....maybe not my favorite sounding guitar you have ever used...(you have used some great ones!! hah)...but great playing...i think you got every bit of tone out of it as possible!!!

    as always

    nice!

    cheers

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by DMgolf66
    Wowzers! How did you find that, Joe? That is very, very pretty. Congrats!
    Yeah, baby. It wasnt that hard to find. It just popped up one day. Thanks DM

    Quote Originally Posted by Stringswinger
    Sweet JD!
    Gibson's screw up is your gain. I dig the simplicity of the appointments. And as always, I dig your playing.
    May she inspire your playing for many years to come.
    Hey Bro, Brian calls my recordings musical sleeping pills. The guitar very clearly translates my effort into sound. So, I will be able to alter its sound by altering my playing. Its a great tool for expression. And yes, simple but made with beautiful wood. JD
    Quote Originally Posted by neatomic
    some beautiful playin right there Joe D....maybe not my favorite sounding guitar you have ever used...(you have used some great ones!! hah)...but great playing...i think you got every bit of tone out of it as possible!!!
    as always
    nice!
    cheers
    N, Thank you buddy. Give it time. It's still a baby. Once it gets to vibrating, it will open up nicely. I like like it because its the same and different at the same time. I think Johnny Smith would have liked this guitar. It would have displayed his perfection, perfectly..

  9. #8

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    Joe,

    First, Wow! That is some totally out of this world playing Bro! Made my day. I absolutely loved it! And, I'm not easily impressed. Not that I'm that great, but a very discerning listener. So nice to hear your playing.

    Now, regarding the guitar, I'm very impressed with the sound. I remember your previous Solid form, and am curious about the neck profile and what sort of pickup the thing sports.

    Oh, and Congratulations!

    Thanks, Steve

  10. #9

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    Looks great. Much nicer burst than some of the other solid formed's I saw pics of.

    Sounds excellent. This type of guitar is just soooo you.

    If I could score a deal like you, this would be a "new" Gibson I'd strongly consider playing myself.

  11. #10

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    WOW Bro ! Beautiful tone and playing. The bound pickguard is what that guitar needed. The stock ES125 type pickguard made the SF look cheesy. Sweet my man. I think if Gibson originally single bound the pickguard and headstock from the get go these guitars would have been a huge success. They are as good as a L7 IMO. Also with the dual action trussrod you can get feeler gauge action. Nice !

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by skykomishone
    Joe,
    First, Wow! That is some totally out of this world playing Bro! Made my day. I absolutely loved it! And, I'm not easily impressed. Not that I'm that great, but a very discerning listener. So nice to hear your playing.
    Now, regarding the guitar, I'm very impressed with the sound. I remember your previous Solid form, and am curious about the neck profile and what sort of pickup the thing sports.
    Oh, and Congratulations!
    Thanks, Steve
    Hey bud, Dont cut yourself Short my man. You are a beautiful player. Beautiful.
    The neck profile is identical to the Tal/L5 neck. Just a TINY bit slimmer than the 165 I have. I like both.
    The pick up... Oh boy thats a sore spot. Vinny distinctly remembers that 1st SF having a real BJB on it. This guitar has a pickup called a "J. Smith" pickup. Out of the box, it was bad. Weak, poorly wired horribly shielded - just a mess. Probably why this guitar sat and waited 4-1/2 years for me rescue it. The pickup was removed from the guitar and was on its way to Lindy Fralin, but Lindy told my tech to not send it, because he knew the pickup and he wouldnt trust a full wax potting because he though he might ruin it. So he and Brian collaborated on what to do. Brian re-wired it, reinsulated it and shielded it from the idiotic STEEL cover that is soldered onto the back of it. Right now, it is acceptable. But in the future, I will probably get a hand wound KA for it on a separate pickguard. Something more Classic 57 sounding. So then I will have this crystal clear pickup and a more muddy sounding pickup that I can swap in and out depending on my mood.
    The guitar is a definite keeper because of its beauty, playability and acoustic sound. So its not a money pit. I dont mind experimenting a little with it.
    Thank You Steve once again for your post.
    JD

  13. #12

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    Sounds great, Joe, and it's very nice looking. I tried one of these a while back that didn't have the flame, and was a darker sunburst. This one looks way better than that. Is that your own arrangement of the tune?

    John

  14. #13

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    Hey Joe, where you goin' with that guitar in your hands? Sounds good. I played one for ten minutes or so in Edinburgh. I thought it was good, but the price was ridiculous. But for the price you paid, that's a bargain. And it can count itself lucky falling into the right hands!

  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
    Looks great. Much nicer burst than some of the other solid formed's I saw pics of.
    Sounds excellent. This type of guitar is just soooo you.
    If I could score a deal like you, this would be a "new" Gibson I'd strongly consider playing myself.
    Mr B, Thank you buddy. The price to me made this guitar a no brainer. As I continue to rebound from the worst financial disaster of my life, I am still not able to get exactly what I want. But, I like variety. It keeps me interested. So when I thought about what I could get for under 3k, there wasnt many guitars that I was attracted to. Then, I saw this one and thought it would be a good idea. So far, so good.
    Thanks buddy.
    Quote Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
    WOW Bro ! Beautiful tone and playing. The bound pickguard is what that guitar needed. The stock ES125 type pickguard made the SF look cheesy. Sweet my man. I think if Gibson originally single bound the pickguard and headstock from the get go these guitars would have been a huge success. They are as good as a L7 IMO. Also with the dual action trussrod you can get feeler gauge action. Nice !
    Hey bro,
    When you bought the 1st one, I remember you telling me it would be a great guitar for my way of playing. You were so right. But during that time, I had to get the Vintage D'Angelico and Gibson Johnny Smith out of my system. So, the 1st one ended up being sold to fund that venture. But I never felt the SF was sold because it wasnt a good guitar. So I always left it open to the possibility of getting another one. When this one came along, I talked to you immediately about it and the rest is history.
    The pickguard is a great L5 pickguard sold by an online dealer called All Sound. I HIGHLY recommend this pickguard for anyone who needs a replacement for their's. Apparently its made in Japan. Super high Quality. And it was only like $55. No brainer..
    Thanks Vin. JD
    Quote Originally Posted by John A.
    Sounds great, Joe, and it's very nice looking. I tried one of these a while back that didn't have the flame, and was a darker sunburst. This one looks way better than that. Is that your own arrangement of the tune?
    John
    Thank you John. The arrangement, like most of the arrangements I play are not my own. Its a gorgeous guitar. It really is. As was the 1st one had. There is a lot work with and its worth the effort. It really reminds me alot of my old L7c, but with bigger frets.

    Thanks again everyone.
    Joe D

  16. #15

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    One thing I must say is Gibson came out with awesome sunbursts for this model. Both this color and the bourbon burst are gorgeous. They also used very nice wood.

  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tal_175
    So what is Gibson's next big archtop model naming idea? Gibson Animal Glue?
    Nice playing. Sounds like a great guitar.
    Hahaa.. Naa they would try to get cute and call it The Large Mammal Adhesive 16" Florentine. And focus on the fact that the adhesive was not made from crushed up animals.. Thanks Tal.
    Quote Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
    Hey Joe, where you goin' with that guitar in your hands? Sounds good. I played one for ten minutes or so in Edinburgh. I thought it was good, but the price was ridiculous. But for the price you paid, that's a bargain. And it can count itself lucky falling into the right hands!
    Thank you Robster. I always appreciate the input you have. You know that. Thats a catchy line. Maybe we should make a song out of it..


    The Guitar, Well, Its a Gibson. And its made from all solid wood. Not carved. So they could have gotten away with that. But the pickguard? No way. I think if they sunk $20 more into the pickguard and sold these for $4,000 online, they would have made MORE money on them and hit a home run. But, they struck out instead. Just so everyone knows, The MSRP was $6,999. The store paid $3,500. The retailers make ALOT of money on Gibsons. So I dont want to hear them cry about it. Gibson sold this guitar (and probably others too), for half the price that you see in the MSRP.

    JD

  18. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
    One thing I must say is Gibson came out with awesome sunbursts for this model. Both this color and the bourbon burst are gorgeous. They also used very nice wood.
    They did bro.
    It is probably a very stupid mistake on my part to cast dispersion on a guitar that I just bought. There are SOOOO many positive things about this guitar. I shouldnt dwell on the negatives.
    The is the Gibson. And this guitar has a shape and a design that they invented almost 90 years ago. And it is now the benchmark that all other Jazz Guitars have aspired to be. The guitar has that legendary Gibson feel of solidness. You mentioned the dual action truss-rod. The tailpiece is iconic. The Grover tuners are nice. I happen to love the endpin Jack. Right now, there is nothing not to like about this guitar. And yes, the color. It is my absolute favorite color for a guitar, period, bar none.
    I will explore everything this guitar has to offer. I will learn its strengths. I will see it through its break in period. And I will enjoy it. Will I die with it? Probably not. But I feel lucky that I will be able to live with it. I am very fortunate to have this guitar. Lucky, big time.
    Thanks, Joe D

  19. #18

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    I like the concepts that Gibson used to build this guitar. I agree the marketing was ill advised. I hope the Gibson solid formed guitar doesn't follow the Firebird X into oblivion.

    The guitar has intrinsic beauty, not an overly adorned shiny object. The pickguard is a tasteful replacement to the original.

    I am a fan of the BJB pickup. The KA 12 pole is also a winner.

    Joe, you sound great on the Heritage GE and the HJS jumbo, too. I hope your new guitar serves you well for a very long time, sir.

  20. #19

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    It's a truly lovely instrument and your playing is so expressive, Joe - just exquisite. Congratulations on your new guitar, and thank you for sharing this with us. To your health!

  21. #20

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    Just beautiful playing as always. And the guitar is gorgeous, despite the lack of "bling." This is one I might keep my eyes open for if I can sell off a handful of instruments I currently have, keeping the ones that are gold.

  22. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Grass
    I like the concepts that Gibson used to build this guitar. I agree the marketing was ill advised. I hope the Gibson solid formed guitar doesn't follow the Firebird X into oblivion.
    The guitar has intrinsic beauty, not an overly adorned shiny object. The pickguard is a tasteful replacement to the original.
    I am a fan of the BJB pickup. The KA 12 pole is also a winner.
    Joe, you sound great on the Heritage GE and the HJS jumbo, too. I hope your new guitar serves you well for a very long time, sir.
    Hey DrM
    How are you sir?
    I like the concept too.
    Glad you like the pickguard. I made a big difference to me. I wish this was a BJB. Electrically this guitar would have been a complete package if it was.
    Thank you for saying what you said about the GE and the HJS18. The GE is my baby. I have grown attached to it. It fits like a glove. The 3” depth creates the perfect geometry for me. That little bit 3/8 takes a bit to get use to. I will because this guitar deserves it. You would like all the silk in this one MG..
    Gibson Solid Formed - Sunrise Tea Burst-d67c464d-87df-4371-bf1d-d2f66f8ddf16-jpgGibson Solid Formed - Sunrise Tea Burst-1638a03e-b476-407c-a26d-9a2a25498136-jpg

    Quote Originally Posted by citizenk74
    It's a truly lovely instrument and your playing is so expressive, Joe - just exquisite. Congratulations on your new guitar, and thank you for sharing this with us. To your health!
    C74, thank you sir. As I always say, the pleasure in the sharing is all mine. I remember when I went bed last night I went to sleep hoping you guys would like what I did. I am happy!
    Thanks buddy.

  23. #22

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    Very nice going there Joe! I must admit I have never even see a Gibson solid formed. Is it like a Johnny Smith?

    DB

  24. #23

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    I played a few of these when they came out and they are excellent guitars.
    Gibson was too stupid to list many specifications of consequence, but they can be found.

    DB: This should help - definitely NOT like a Johnny Smith:
    -Body size/depth - same as an L-7C or L-5C
    -Neck - mahogany w/rosewood board, large-ish "'59" profile neck w/1.687" Corian nut
    -Pickup (from Gibson, if they got it right) - 44 gauge wire, ceramic mag, DC resistance 16K
    -Bracing - My guess is parallel - perhaps Joe could check?
    -Scale - Gibson marketing literature claimed it's 24 3/4" but one member reports it as 25 1/2" - perhaps Joe could check his? One measures from the leading edge of the nut, between the D and G strings, to the center of the 12th fret, between the D and G strings. Then multiply by two.

    Some info is buried on this forum in here, including some nice-sounding demos:
    I bought a PM2-aa and just played a Gibson Solid Formed 17 V Cutaway...wow
    Last edited by Hammertone; 03-04-2020 at 01:21 PM.

  25. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by DB's Jazz Guitar Blog
    Very nice going there Joe! I must admit I have never even see a Gibson solid formed. Is it like a Johnny Smith?

    DB
    Thanks DB. Thats big time praise coming from you. I appreciate it.
    I think you would kill it on a Solid Formed. Its a very precise, professional grade instrument. Your powerful playing style would be well suited to this guitar. Its very different in some respects than a Johnny Smith. Although, with a couple of modifications, I think Johnny wouId have liked this guitar. It would have accentuated his playing accuracy perfectly. He would have demanded a real Johnny Smith pickup. The one that came standard is called a "J. Smith" but I dont think the "J." stands for "Johnny". It is a weaker and more microphonic pickup than a real Johnny Smith. Poorly wired and shielded. It needed work. Its nice now, although in order to get decent volume out of it, I have it a little too close to the strings. You can hear my pick clicking when it comes in contact with the PU cover.

    The scale length on my Guitar is closer to 25".
    The depth is 3-3/8 at the rims. There is a good healthy arch, but not too much recurve.
    The frets are Medium Jumbo.
    The neck is Rosewood as opposed to Ebony.
    The Nut width is 1-11/16 as opposed to 1-3/4"
    The neck profile is very close to the L5 Wes and the Tal Farlow.
    It is louder acoustically than the Gibson Johnny Smith was.
    Notes feel very comfortable and sound pure when played on the "No Fly Zone" (frets 10-15, E, A and D strings). Johnny was adament about this..
    The Johnny neck was flatter and wider, more like a D. This is more like a C profile.
    Radius is the same at I am guessing 12 degree.
    The neck on my particular guitar takes extraordinarily low action and maintains perfect intonation from the 1st fret all the way up to the end.
    Its a very stable guitar. Maintains tuning perfectly from day to day.
    The top at the F-Holes is thin, but not too thin. I remember the Johnny Smith being a little thicker, and heavier.
    The Kluson Sealfasts tuners on my Johnny Smith got very stiff 40 years after they were born. The tuners on the Solid Formed are very smooth. The notes seem to "snap" into tune on the Solid Formed.

    Joe D

  26. #25

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    Joe: sorry if you already answered it before.. Which amp or chain do you use?
    It sounds sweetly scouped.
    Thanks

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