RIP Gibson Archtop guitar

[wintermoon]

I've never understood the Gibson Hendrix guitars. I know he played a couple Gibsons (he also played a Danelectro as a young side man) but is there really anyone who thinks of Hendrix as anything other than a Strat player

yeah, but the fact he did play a V is enough for Gibson to capitalize on it.

[Doctor Jeff]

I have noticed over the years that people who play double bass often drive the smallest cars.
Keith

Well my partner’s wouldn’t fit in my double cab Tacoma once so we threw it in the bed, which is only 5 feet, so it still stuck out above the gate. Fortunately no rain that day!

He drives a Lexus 350 now, and it fits in there reasonable well apparently (there is a use for SUVs after all I guess...).

[jazzkritter]

And from what I’ve read his estate likes to capitalize on his name for good money deals.

he sure don’t look happy with that V around his neck)

[Doug B]

We'll probably see a lot more jazz being played on Teles ala Ed Bickert.

[John A.]

I don't get it either .. I mean at least the V has that videly known picture to go with it, but the SG?

Hendrix played a white SG custom from time to time. There are a few video on youtube of this (I've seen one of him playing Red House with the Expericence, and another of him on the Dick Cavett show right after Woodstock), and a bunch of photos. Supposedly he used it a lot on the last studio album (First Rays of the New Rising Sun/Cry of Love). But, obviously, yes, he was known for the Strat.

John

[silvertonebetty]

Hendrix played a white SG custom from time to time. There are a few video on youtube of this (I've seen one of him playing Red House with the Expericence, and another of him on the Dick Cavett show right after Woodstock), and a bunch of photos. Supposedly he used it a lot on the last studio album (First Rays of the New Rising Sun/Cry of Love). But, obviously, yes, he was known for the Strat.

John

I think people just simply forget some artists played other instruments. Like Carlos Santa used to be a Gibson artist, then Yamaha and now prs. Like Jeff beck used to be a Gibson artist but is mainly recalled as a strat guy.


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[Midnight Blues]

No affiliation, but there are some absolutely gorgeous WesMo's on Reverb and an equally gorgeous Lee Ritenour.

[silvertonebetty]

No affiliation, but there are some absolutely gorgeous WesMo's on Reverb and an equally gorgeous Lee Ritenour.

I was paying off an lr10 when he sold it to another person and I never got my $200 back


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[Doctor Jeff]

I think people just simply forget some artists played other instruments. Like Carlos Santa used to be a Gibson artist, then Yamaha and now prs. Like Jeff beck used to be a Gibson artist but is mainly recalled as a strat guy.


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The Yamaha he used during the 70’s, e.g., Moonflower, is his best tone, IMHO. Absolutely unbelievable sound.

[Gustavo Eiriz]

The problem is that Gibson sound is unique. No one does it. There are for sure other builders which might be even better in terms of quality. Like Campellone, or Trenier or Triggs. But the sound of Gibson is quite unique. The thicker tops... It is not that you can imitate that easy. Someones does even better instruments. But that sound of the L-5 no ones does it. Neither Heritage guys.

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[Alter]

Besides sound, two other strong points would be the playability and feedback resistance of Gibson archtops. Don't know how they do it, but there is a world of difference with most other brands in both areas.

[Midnight Blues]

I was paying off an lr10 when he sold it to another person and I never got my $200 back


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Not cool. Which one was it?

[silvertonebetty]

Not cool. Which one was it?

An 1982 ee ritenour. It had the pickups changed but the og pickups where in the case


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[vinnyv1k]

Everyone complains about slanted pickups on Gibson archtops.
Jim Culberson told me it helps reduce feedback.
They do it on purpose. Reduces magnetic strength.
Hence I don’t flip mine.

[RyanM]

We'll probably see a lot more jazz being played on Teles ala Ed Bickert.

Who's playing jazz on Gibsons? All the younger or working people are playing Ibanez or Eastman. Gibson is for the professionals, retired or higher income hobbyists. Aren't there enough Gibsons available on the used market for now?

[Herbie]

Oh man, sad news.

In 1960 Gibson stopped making Les Pauls because everybody thought they were ’yesterday’.

Then went seven years when they realised that the World needs Les Pauls and started to make them again in 1968. And it still goes strong.

Let’s hope that history repeats itself!

[Doctor Jeff]

Oh man, sad news.

In 1960 Gibson stopped making Les Pauls because everybody thought they were ’yesterday’.

Then went seven years when they realised that the World needs Les Pauls and started to make them again in 1968. And it still goes strong.

Let’s hope that history repeats itself!

I think they were still making the Les Paul SG though during that time period.

[citizenk74]

The Yamaha he used during the 70’s, e.g., Moonflower, is his best tone, IMHO. Absolutely unbelievable sound.

Stripped and re-equipped with Gibson parts - frets, pups, electronics per Paul Reed Smith to me in '86. The grand piano-shaped brass sustain block under the bridge was retained.

[Lobomov]

Oh man, sad news.

In 1960 Gibson stopped making Les Pauls because everybody thought they were ’yesterday’.

Then went seven years when they realised that the World needs Les Pauls and started to make them again in 1968. And it still goes strong.

Let’s hope that history repeats itself!

But they where yesterday at that point in time. Nobody wanted them and they didn't sell.


It was until July '66 when the Beano Album hit the record stores that things changed






So what we need know is a gifted guitar player to make a Top 10 record, where he makes new and innovative sounds on his Gibson archtop guitar

[lawson-stone]

Who's playing jazz on Gibsons? All the younger or working people are playing Ibanez or Eastman. Gibson is for the professionals, retired or higher income hobbyists. Aren't there enough Gibsons available on the used market for now?

Another contemporary player using a Gibson L5 don't know if CES or WesMo is Roni Ben-Hur.

[skittles]

Miles Okazaki - contemporary player, vintage Gibby.


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[Doctor Jeff]

Stripped and re-equipped with Gibson parts - frets, pups, electronics per Paul Reed Smith to me in '86. The grand piano-shaped brass sustain block under the bridge was retained.

Really? I didn’t know that. Not surprised about the pickups though. Hard to improve on Gibson pickups at least at that point in time.

[archtopeddy]

So what we need know is a gifted guitar player to make a Top 10 record, where he makes new and innovative sounds on his Gibson archtop guitar

Damn, too late!

[Hammertone]

Damn, too late!

Yeah, too late to tell him to rotate the &^%$# bridge on that thing.

[silverfoxx]

Who's playing jazz on Gibsons? All the younger or working people are playing Ibanez or Eastman. Gibson is for the professionals, retired or higher income hobbyists. Aren't there enough Gibsons available on the used market for now?

There may well be a plethora of used Gibsons available in the USA and Canada ? But there is not an abundance of them in Europe , and in particular
the UK, Cost as well as lack of availability is the problem for younger and the not so well off players. Gibson Archtop prices are now exorbitant
I assume that older players cling on to cherished Gibsons and private Luthier built guitars for that reason. The Gibson company's attitude to
their long term customers is one of indifference, The focus with their new CEO seems to be centred upon Solid bodied and thin line guitars.
Possibly an error of judgement in closing the Crimson Custom shop.(?) Having owned several Crimson Custom built Archtops one can say that they
are/were superb. and the prices, although high , were within reach of the serious buyer. The consequence has been the rise of the Independent good
Luthiers ,a number of whom are able to produce guitars equal to or better than the current crop from Gibson and at a considerably lower cost.

Kind regards, Silverfoxx