The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #26

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    I have a pickup selector grommet/bushing. If you're interested, send me a message.

    -Travis
    Gibson Johnny Smith "CES" -- Your Thoughts Please-s9w2ara2g74t479iq55a-jpgGibson Johnny Smith "CES" -- Your Thoughts Please-csorbbiyzce4cppyndl0-jpg

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #27

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    I'm with sgosnell on this one- try it as is for a while. If I didn't like it, I'd think about a blend pot ln the cutaway, no switch, master volume-tone-tone for the others (although the switch hole is probably bigger than the pot holes).

    Howzit play and howzit sound? Those are the important questions!

  4. #28

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sam Sherry
    It is what it is. It ain't what it ain't. But oh, what it is!

    And at the bottom, I need your input please.

    Maybe not the best phraseology to start a thread!

  5. #29

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cunamara
    I'm with sgosnell on this one- try it as is for a while. If I didn't like it, I'd think about a blend pot ln the cutaway, no switch, master volume-tone-tone for the others (although the switch hole is probably bigger than the pot holes).
    I'm swinging back toward V V T T w switch
    I taped 4 knobs on this morning and it looked Like It Sposed To.

    Quote Originally Posted by Cunamara
    Howzit play and howzit sound? Those are the important questions!
    It plays itself. Wearing the store set of pretty dead 0.012 flats, it has incredibly low tension and supports incredibly low string height. 17" x 25" x 3" is such a comfortable recipe, and you know Mr. Smith was very particular about his 1.75" nut.
    I'll probably try out an old 12 nickel round-wound set and higher string height before popping the box on TI flats.

    With the old flats, the 57 Classic on the neck through my home-built 12" 6L6 Princeton Reverb sounds gi-gan-tic !! Massive note presence, great separation, superior sustain and feedback resistance. It's easy to picture that as a stage guitar -- big sound, big look.

    The generic GFS SuperD bridge pickup may be hooked-up as internally out of phase. 14k DCR but a thin sound. I'll check it out in detail when I move things around.


    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Grass
    Maybe not the best phraseology to start a thread!
    I figured that there would be people who would say, "Aw man, it's been tortured." They're correct, but as it stands it's sweet. Different, but sweet.

  6. #30

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    You got a Unicorn, so let it be a Unicorn.

    I'd let it stand as is.

    At the very least, I wouldn't drill any new holes in it !!!!
    It's had enough surgeries already.

  7. #31

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    could have been worse.....



    much worse




    much much worse.....


  8. #32

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    I have a weak spot for guitars like this! (No, not the one Wintermoon posted... that one's too far gone.... made me cry....)

    I love a good vintage guitar that has been devaluated (money-wise) by some mods or a refin, thus rescued from the claws of the collectors and made available for the players!

    Enjoy!

  9. #33

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    One thing that's odd is, it looks like a JS tailpiece, but with an L5 badge. Also, maybe it's just the picture angle distortion, but the f-holes look more like an L5 than a JS. Wider. No?

  10. #34

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Grass
    Maybe not the best phraseology to start a thread!
    Ha, took me a few moments to get that one.

  11. #35

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    I get used to what ever guitar I play. Some are easier to get used to, other take a bit of time. I always think about crazy mods. When I end up doing those, I tend to find them not as useful as I thought I would. I would live with the guitar as is, and see if it really needs to be changed.

    The one important thing that I can say is, when the PU selector is on the upper horn, it flares up my CTS. What happens is that I end up using the PU selector less. Instead I might ride a volume knob or use a pedal.

  12. #36

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    Quote Originally Posted by Woody Sound
    One thing that's odd is, it looks like a JS tailpiece, but with an L5 badge. Also, maybe it's just the picture angle distortion, but the f-holes look more like an L5 than a JS. Wider. No?
    I didn’t notice the tailpiece before, but you’re right. It doesn’t have the Johnny Smith ebony insert. Regarding the f-holes, it’s hard to tell in the picture, but I think they are the JS shape. It would be very easy to confirm that it was originally a JS by measuring the body, the scale and the nut width as well as checking the neck to body joint.
    Keith

  13. #37

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    Altering a guitar may upset the collector (hoarder?), but a player sometimes can get the guitar he/she needs cheaper by altering an existing guitar, rather than having one custom built. And having the right tool for the job, which is creating great music is way more important than preserving intact guitars for the bragging rights of well heeled collectors.

    Check out Jack Wilkins playing an L-7 that has a humbucker installed into it's carved top. It works just fine for me....


  14. #38

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    I bought a very similar beast.......a 1957 gibson l7 with dual hums installed long ago.

  15. #39

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stringswinger
    Altering a guitar may upset the collector (hoarder?), but a player sometimes can get the guitar he/she needs cheaper by altering an existing guitar, rather than having one custom built. And having the right tool for the job, which is creating great music is way more important than preserving intact guitars for the bragging rights of well heeled collectors.

    Check out Jack Wilkins playing an L-7 that has a humbucker installed into it's carved top. It works just fine for me....

    Unfortunately, Jack had that L-7 and a 335 stolen a long time ago. Im always looking on websites and Reverb to see if it ever shows up. Id love to get it back to Jack, i know he misses it.

  16. #40

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    I almost never use a bridge pickup, so the only thing I want from the switch is the inability to move it by accident.

    I use master volume and tone. So, I don't need 3 knobs. If I was feeling antsy, I'd pick two and bypass the other one by unsoldering the wires from the pot and soldering them together.

    Alternatively, master volume and separate tone controls. I'd still probably never use the bridge pickup, but I'd be tempted to see if rolling off the bridge pu treble and blending the two pickups might produce a useful result.

    But, my major move would be to change out the knobs. Put two regular size black ones by the bridge and one bigger black one on the horn. I don't like the way those gold ones look. I'd go with black cylinders rather than gold tapered.

  17. #41

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    If it were mine, I would go a ebony bridge and either:

    A. Master Volume with treble bleed at the horn, 2 ea volume, 1 master tone. ( a bit Gretschy)
    B. Toggle at the horn, 2 ea volume, 1 master tone

  18. #42

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    Thank you all again. I am a very lucky gearhead!
    Here's where this has wound up, with V V T T.

    Gibson Johnny Smith "CES" -- Your Thoughts Please-kimg0631-jpg

    Still to come:
    > Install the lovely grommet so very graciously provided by @Socraticaster
    > Source a treble-side Kluson SealFast. First tuner I've ever had strip out; yuck!
    > Try out the NOS 60s Brazilian RW Epi Howard Roberts bridge-top, sold on EBay by someone who did not recognize BRW. @HotPepper, it's not original-spec ebony but I'm still eager to check it out.
    > Make a spruce circle to fill the extra hole. My daughter, a badass nail tech, can match the color.
    > Play it daily until it falls apart.

    It is what it is; it ain't what it ain't. But it sounds like it looks, and it feels like it always did, and that's a winning combination!

  19. #43

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sam Sherry
    Thank you all again. I am a very lucky gearhead!
    Here's where this has wound up, with V V T T.



    Still to come:
    > Install the lovely grommet so very graciously provided by @Socraticaster
    > Source a treble-side Kluson SealFast. First tuner I've ever had strip out; yuck!
    > Try out the NOS 60s Brazilian RW Epi Howard Roberts bridge-top, sold on EBay by someone who did not recognize BRW. @HotPepper, it's not original-spec ebony but I'm still eager to check it out.
    > Make a spruce circle to fill the extra hole. My daughter, a badass nail tech, can match the color.
    > Play it daily until it falls apart.

    It is what it is; it ain't what it ain't. But it sounds like it looks, and it feels like it always did, and that's a winning combination!
    I think you made all the right decisions. With this configuration, it looks like a normal Gibson, even though it is not exactly a model that was produced. It has many of the features of a Super 5 but the dimensions of a JS, which would actually be a great combination. I agree with filling that extra hole with a piece of color-matched spruce. That will help even more. Nice job!
    Keith

  20. #44

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    Quote Originally Posted by floatingpickup
    I think you made all the right decisions. With this configuration, it looks like a normal Gibson, even though it is not exactly a model that was produced. It has many of the features of a Super 5 but the dimensions of a JS, which would actually be a great combination. I agree with filling that extra hole with a piece of color-matched spruce. That will help even more. Nice job!
    Keith
    Or how about a nice big ruby or emerald, because that gem deserves one!