Pics Added Gibson Johnny Smith - I got my baby back!!!

**skykomishone** · 09-01-2023, 01:28 PM

Joe,

I'm happy for you brother! That JS hits all the buttons. The story is amazing, and so is your playing. Please tell me that you didn't reserve a hotel suite and take it on a honeymoon! Those pictures are awesome, like a photoshoot for a guitar glamour magazine.

Congratulations on the return of your incredible guitar. I wish you the best and many years of fine playing with it, and for us to enjoy your presence here to experience it.

Very cool!

Thanks,

Steve

**AKA** · 09-01-2023, 04:07 PM

Beautiful instrument, beautiful playing, wonderful story!!! No, I’m not crying, just something in my eye.

AKA

**vinnyv1k** · 09-01-2023, 04:22 PM

Bro - you are getting a whole lot of love here !
Almost as big of a blessing as getting your baby back.

As the Bible says : A good name is worth more than diamonds and rubies :

It is so great to see everyone rejoice in your joy also.

**deacon Mark** · 09-01-2023, 04:39 PM

I worked this arrangement up once or close to the JS version. I have forgotten it and glad I have because I could not pull it off with your precision and sound. The guitar sounds great and they will never make another GIbson Johnny Smith. Joe............do not under any circumstances, let this guitar go again it will only end up in less capable hands.

**Max405** · 09-02-2023, 02:07 AM

Originally Posted by skykomishone

Joe,
I'm happy for you brother! That JS hits all the buttons. The story is amazing, and so is your playing. Please tell me that you didn't reserve a hotel suite and take it on a honeymoon! Those pictures are awesome, like a photoshoot for a guitar glamour magazine.
Congratulations on the return of your incredible guitar. I wish you the best and many years of fine playing with it, and for us to enjoy your presence here to experience it.
Very cool
Thanks, Steve

I’m sorry I didn’t respond earlier. I was out imaging the Fireworks Galaxy all night, just got in..
Steve, that was a great post. And no, I just brought it along with to our home away from home, Ocean Resort in Atlantic City.
And I always say this and I alway mean what I say, the pleasure is all mine. Who else would be interested in this stuff. I’m glad I have you guys.
JD

**Max405** · 09-02-2023, 02:09 AM

Originally Posted by AKA

Beautiful instrument, beautiful playing, wonderful story!!! No, I’m not crying, just something in my eye.
AKA

Beautiful post! Thank you AKA. You are always a classy dude.
Thank you sir!
JD

**Max405** · 09-02-2023, 02:11 AM

Originally Posted by vinnyv1k

Bro - you are getting a whole lot of love here !
Almost as big of a blessing as getting your baby back.
As the Bible says : A good name is worth more than diamonds and rubies :
It is so great to see everyone rejoice in your joy also.

My brother. This is a great place isnt bro? I won’t take it for granted. The whole experience is priceless bro.
L,J

**Max405** · 09-02-2023, 02:19 AM

Originally Posted by deacon Mark

I worked this arrangement up once or close to the JS version. I have forgotten it and glad I have because I could not pull it off with your precision and sound. The guitar sounds great and they will never make another GIbson Johnny Smith. Joe............do not under any circumstances, let this guitar go again it will only end up in less capable hands.

Deacon, first off, thank you sir.
And Johnny arrangements start out very complicated. Then over the years, they evolve into something simpler. Because we all forget half of it! Johnny was a genius. He seemed like such a gentleman. His playing reflects that. Like Shenandoah.. A beautiful rendition of a beautiful place, by a beautiful man.
I am so honored by all of this.
I played my baby earlier today. I continue to be blown away. It’s not going anywhere.
No way. No how.
JD

**Zigracer** · 11-10-2023, 10:12 PM

Joe, Haven’t been on the forum in several months. Congratulations on getting that beautiful guitar back. Fantastic playing as always. Greg

**nevershouldhavesoldit** · 11-11-2023, 01:57 PM

Like everyone else, I love this - the story, the instrument, the playing, the sound, and the family spirit! And I'm thrilled that you worked your way through what must have been a pretty unpleasant few years. But I'm surprised no one has asked the question begged by your sound. What's between the "crappy gray cord" and my ears? How'd you capture that gorgeous sound?

The view over the Showboat from the "old" Revel building gave away the AC location. I'm a native who cut his gigging teeth at the old hotels within blocks of there, playing kids' parties and "cotillion" dances at which the girls prepared for womanhood while the boys pretended to learn to dance. Your JS is clearly the most beautiful thing to hit AC for years!

**Max405** · 11-12-2023, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit

Like everyone else, I love this - the story, the instrument, the playing, the sound, and the family spirit! And I'm thrilled that you worked your way through what must have been a pretty unpleasant few years. But I'm surprised no one has asked the question begged by your sound. What's between the "crappy gray cord" and my ears? How'd you capture that gorgeous sound?
The view over the Showboat from the "old" Revel building gave away the AC location. I'm a native who cut his gigging teeth at the old hotels within blocks of there, playing kids' parties and "cotillion" dances at which the girls prepared for womanhood while the boys pretended to learn to dance. Your JS is clearly the most beautiful thing to hit AC for years!

Very good! That’s my home away from home. We are getting close to relocating near there (Barnegat, I can’t wait!!).
The grey cord is EVERYTHING! Funny thing is, no matter what I play, I think I always sound the same. Whether it’s my Tonemaster Twin Reverb, the JazzAmp 10 or the Boss GT001, which I use for my videos. I don’t add anything. The Boss GT-001is basically a small desktop digital interface, that I only use for reverb and volume. My EQ settings are flat. All I do is raise the level out so I don’t clip, that’s it. No effects. This way I can hear the differences in the guitars.
Thanks for liking my stuff and the Johnny Smith. I think I have it dialed in perfectly. The string spacing with the stock bridge was really wide (at the bridge), 2-3/16. I use a Tune-O-matic and I just cut an ebony bridge so I go back and forth. 2-1/16 is just right.
I love this guitar. My goal is to own it a lot longer than I did the 1st time, and even longer than MauiBob did. I keep promising the guitar a return to that special ocean air. That is coming in the Spring!

Originally Posted by Zigracer

Joe, Haven’t been on the forum in several months. Congratulations on getting that beautiful guitar back. Fantastic playing as always. Greg

Thank you Greg. Life has other plans for us sometimes, doesn’t it? I’ve been still playing a lot. But I am splitting my time between this and my Astrophotography. I imaged a Galaxy formation 300 million light years away last night. Another passion of mine.
Thank for the nice words buddy!
Joe D

**2bornot2bop** · 11-12-2023, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by Max405

But I am splitting my time between this and my Astrophotography. I imaged a Galaxy formation 300 million light years away last night. Another passion of mine.
Thank for the nice words buddy!
Joe D

Hey JD, how you doing brother!

Listen, I had no idea that you were so heavy into Photography! That is fantastic! Good on you man!!! So, just for fun, and since I’ve not shot anything for years, after viewing your comments I priced used photography gear on eBay. My two mainstays have been a Fujifilm XT-1, and a smaller X100F, which is mainly used for everyday shooting away from the home. Both cameras are mirrorless, which always sounds odd since each has a mirror. I was amazed as I’ve not purchased any camera gear since 2016? The camera gear world has turned upside down. Now everything I own has skyrocketed in price, as if it were a Gibson!

I would love to see some of your shots!

Anyway, I just wanted to say hello and I hope you and the family are all doing well!

**ccroft** · 11-12-2023, 04:13 PM

I believe Joe's been going direct with one 'thing' in between or another for at least as long as I've been hanging here. I've always admired his recorded sound on all his videos, whether it was a 175, a Herb Ellis, a Wes, an Epiphone... and the list goes on. He always sounds and plays great.

I'm into a slightly dirtier kind of thing, but for clean classic solo jazz guitar it doesn't get any better to my ears.

Now... I'm not quite sure what's up with that crappy grey cord. I don't know if I can hear it or not. Maybe it's a feel thing. I hope you've got a backup though :-)

**Max405** · 11-13-2023, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop

Hey JD, how you doing brother!

Listen, I had no idea that you were so heavy into Photography! That is fantastic! Good on you man!!! So, just for fun, and since I’ve not shot anything for years, after viewing your comments I priced used photography gear on eBay. My two mainstays have been a Fujifilm XT-1, and a smaller X100F, which is mainly used for everyday shooting away from the home. Both cameras are mirrorless, which always sounds odd since each has a mirror. I was amazed as I’ve not purchased any camera gear since 2016? The camera gear world has turned upside down. Now everything I own has skyrocketed in price, as if it were a Gibson!

I would love to see some of your shots!

Anyway, I just wanted to say hello and I hope you and the family are all doing well!

2B! How are you bro?
I've gotten very deeply into Astrophotography lately. It is a VERY involved hobby, involving the same level of patience that is required for playing Guitar.
I have your phone# and I will try and text you some of my pics.
I took an image of the Rose Galaxy last night, which is 2 Galaxies sort of combining. They are 300,000,000 light years away. Which basically means, the light that hit my camera last night, left the galaxy 300 million years ago. So taking pics of very distant targets, is basically looking into the past.
Its an amazing hobby.
Thanks Bro.
JD

**Max405** · 11-13-2023, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by ccroft

I believe Joe's been going direct with one 'thing' in between or another for at least as long as I've been hanging here. I've always admired his recorded sound on all his videos, whether it was a 175, a Herb Ellis, a Wes, an Epiphone... and the list goes on. He always sounds and plays great.

I'm into a slightly dirtier kind of thing, but for clean classic solo jazz guitar it doesn't get any better to my ears.

Now... I'm not quite sure what's up with that crappy grey cord. I don't know if I can hear it or not. Maybe it's a feel thing. I hope you've got a backup though :-)

Ccroft, 1st off, thank you for the wonderful things you said. I really appreciate it.
The story behind the crappy grey cord is, it what Gibson supplied with these guitars back in 1976. I've said many times and its just my opinion, but I believe it was made unshielded, by design. Because the cord plugs into a jack which is located under the pickguard, a fair amount of the cord itself is against the body of the body or the guitar. This allows the cord itself to pickup vibrations (or sound as it were) from the, mixing it in with the electric sound creating a different texture to the sound.
Ive proven this to my self by purchasing a shielded cord with the same mini plug and plugged the guitar in and I can certainly hear the difference. The Shielded cord generates purely electric sound. Deeper in tone. The crappy cord, sounds electric and acoustic, at the same time. There is no doubt to me. And I prefer the crappy cord sound, hands down.
Thanks again guys.
JD

**wintermoon** · 11-13-2023, 02:43 PM

Ok that does it. since I apparently coined it I'm naming my next band The Crappy Grey Cords.
all rights reserved, etc....it'll be a sensation I tell ya.....

**Max405** · 11-13-2023, 10:36 PM

The band is going to sound amazing, no doubt!

**wintermoon** · 11-13-2023, 10:53 PM

Originally Posted by Max405

The band is going to sound amazing, no doubt!

That's what I'm shooting for Joe, amazingly crappy!

**oldane** · 11-14-2023, 06:24 AM

Originally Posted by Max405

I've gotten very deeply into Astrophotography lately. It is a VERY involved hobby, involving the same level of patience that is required for playing Guitar.

Yes, astronomy/astrophysics is very exciting. Especially now after the lauch of the James Webb Telescope, which has already debunked some old theories and given rise to some new ones. Some have even begun to question the Big Bang theory. I am still very fascinated - and puzzled - by the idea of dark matter and dark energy.

I believe astrophotography gear is no less costly than fine guitars. Me, I'm a bit into photography myself and have used Sony MILCs for the last 8 years. There has been discussions about the "star eater" problem of Sony cameras. It's not relevant for my kind of photography, but It may well be for yours.

**Max405** · 11-16-2023, 04:33 PM

I don’t feel so bad about hijacking my own thread..
I’ve taken these over the past couple of months..
1. ARP274. This galaxy combo is 300 million light years away. That means, what you are seeing in that picture took, 300million years to get to my camera. Mind boggling..
2. Heart Nebula. A nebula in our own galaxy that is shaped like a heart.
3. M31 or the Andromeda Galaxy. No words can describe (or, are needed) to explain the beauty of this.
4. The Bubble Nebula. A nebula in our own galaxy that is shaped like a, well, bubble.
I hope I don’t get in trouble for this.
Joe D

**wintermoon** · 11-16-2023, 04:45 PM

"Fly Me To The Moon" and then some!
Or maybe "Stairway To The Stars"?

**Stringswinger** · 11-16-2023, 04:48 PM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

"Fly Me To The Moon" and then some!
Or maybe "Stairway To The Stars"?

"look to the Sky" in E flat.

**ESCC** · 11-17-2023, 12:22 PM

I'm late to this party, what a good one it is. Joe, glad to see you re-connected with your JS, you deserve each other and thanks for sharing with us another wonderful recording. You're on a roll, keep doing what you're doing!
(photos ain't bad either)

**Max405** · 11-17-2023, 05:41 PM

Thank You Kindly.
Recently, I've reconnected with my L5's a bit more and I've been playing them alot. But this guitar will be my baby, always..
I am so lucky. I thank my dear God every day.
Thank You,
Joe D