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There is a '72 Johnny on Reverb, at what seems to be a very reasonable price. I don't know much about '70's Gibsons, other than that they very generally have a bad reputation and they didn't use much figured wood at that time. What do you know? Any Red Flags? Gibson Johnny Smith -1972, Sunburst | Reverb
Thanks!
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02-08-2024 06:13 PM
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Just buy it forget about being talked out of it that price is reasonable the guitar looks good. Try and avoid Reverb and contact seller some other way. I am not talking you out of it either............
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Hmmmm.... crack in the top. Are they hiding the volute (if there is one)? Not that I mind a volute at all.
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No volute on that one. You can see the full stinger on the back of the headstock in one of the photos.
Originally Posted by Jimmy Mack
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Talk me out of it.
What’s wrong with you?
- It has a friggin crack in the top!
- You can get a nice used Campellone for that price.
- C’mon, you don’t really need another guitar!
- It can’t be the Holy Grail - the guy’s trying to give it away!
- You need to think about replacing the roof before next winter.
Talk me into it.
What are you waiting for?
- You better hurry before someone snags it!
- Gibson’s not building these anymore you know.
- Sure, you don’t need it, but so what - it will make you happy.
- What the hell - enjoy life.
- What the hell - you deserve it.
- What the hell -it doesn’t have a volute. It must be special.
- All the cool kids have a Johnny.
- What the hell, offer him $6K; if he accepts done deal.
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I completely missed it had crack in the top. I take back all I said find another one.
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Oh man, that’s a nasty crack. It should really be properly repaired.
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Consider these two things
Which one sounds better when you strum it?
Which one will lose value in these inflationary times?
Which would you rather spend your spare time with?
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Just a FYI, that belongs to forum member DMgolf66.
Yes it's a pretty significant crack that should be repaired. That said it's priced accordingly imo and there's a best offer option. I can't speak for the seller but as AKA suggested if he'll let it go for 6ish you can fix it and you'll have a pretty nice Smith if you dont have 7.5-8K for an uncracked example. I guess if it's gonna have a crack in the top at least it's under the guard never to be seen in normal use. btw, it's gonna need a new guard as the original is offgassing, but you can get one for around $75.
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I'm going to urge you to consider buying it if you've always wanted one. I have a blonde one of similar vintage and around then they must've had a billet of similar wood, not spectacularly figured and dead on quarter, very fine silk if you look at the right angle. To me, as a builder this is THE finest, best to work with wood because the quarter sawn is the filet mignon of wood cuts, the highest strength to weight ratio and in the hands of the best luthiers, can be an easier wood to get an easy clear tap tone out of. This is my personal experience and the reason I love clear quartered maple.
As far as that crack, the Gibson Johnny Smith of that vintage has a massive upper bout mahogany block under that section of the upper bout. That being said, putting a pickguard screw, essentially spreading the grain apart at that point is, in my opinion, a questionable decision on Gibson's part. Let's let that be my generous opinion.
Good news is: It takes a splice very nicely in the hands of a good luthier. It's covered by the pickguard, so even if your luthier can't match the aged finish perfectly, it's not a blemish anybody will see from a distance. AND, if you get it now, in the dead of winter, (You're not in AU or NZ are you?), the humidity is at its low and a well done wedge splice should be fitted while the crack is as wide as it can be, and let summer's humidity expand the grain without any detrimental effect to the repair.
If it were mine, I would have had that addressed the moment it was noticed to minimize open grain exposure. That being said, when your luthier places that splice in, a V shaped channel will be cut and mated with a wedge shaped splice and trimmed flush, then refinished in that spot. I've done splices that are essentially invisible. Admitted coloured finishes are trickier.
I'd say if you're looking for a player, and the present owner has played it as a stable and well playing working guitar, you can very well have it brought to a much better condition than what it's in now, and you stand every chance of having a long and happy partnership with that beautiful guitar.
Oh, if you do, you might suggest that your luthier place a cross grain cleat just beyond the splice so any potential undetected checks can be stopped... in their proverbial tracks. This will require some through-the-F-Hole work and not fun to do, but it's not too far in so that's what I did on mine. And then I was good to go.
Hope this provides you with some information by which you can form your own opinion.
Deacon, have you done these splices? Want to weigh in on my assessment? Any other luthiers?
Good luck with what ever you decide. Gibson Johnny Smith is a good guitar. Try the neck out and see if it's right for you. This early Norlin era had some not-so tight quality control. Great guitars and not so great ones left their doors side by side.
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I bought a 76 Johnny Smith a few years back. For the past couple of years this has been probably the guitar i played most. It's not as "responsive" as some of my other guitars, but i love it's power and projection. The volute has absolutely no negative influence playingwise, i just think that a volute does not look that great. I also own a 70 L5CES which sounds good, not as good though as my 2003 Hutch signed. Vieving the pics of this 1972 JS i would never consider buying it for myself because of the crack in the top. I wish you the best to take the decicion which is right for you!
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I have the same year guitar same crack. I’ve seen a few others same vintage with the same crack. It’s under the pickguard. Mine was cleated and repaired long ago. @jimmy blue note is on to something. It devalues the guitar from a money stand point but means nothing from a guitar standpoint.
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Yes, this is my guitar. You had Pm'd about it and I replied to you last week but never heard back. Originally Posted by JazzDaddyD
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Just an update for those keeping score at home. I dropped the Johnny Smith off with Marc at Guitars N Jazz who will take care of the repair of the crack. Marc is a great tech and builder and an even better guy. Happy to have him addressing the crack.
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Sure is a purdy burst.
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DM,
That is a Beautiful Guitar. And just looking at the pictures, I can hear it. Gibson Johnny Smiths have the most unique sound. I think it is the way an acoustic/electric archtop should sound. I've said it before and I'll say it again.. YOU NEED THE CRAPPY GREY CORD that came with the guitar. I'm serious. I bought a newer, shielded cord, 1/8" on the guitar side and 1/4" on the amp side. Its not the same. Not at all. Too Sterile. The crappy grey cord picks up the acoustic sound of the guitar. The cord, the highly unique build and dimensions, in combination with the Original Gibson Johnny Smith pickup (which is not potted and tends to microphonic, which I LOVE..), you have the sound of the Johnny Smith Guitar. The repair wont change anything. The guitar will still be great, and it wont ever be made, ever again. A masterpiece.
By the way, I met Marc twice. He is a really good dude.
Joe D
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crack n all!
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Oh, Skiboy!
Man it doesn’t get better than that.
Beautiful
Joe D
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Beautiful guitar. If it were me, I would do something sick and get the crack repaired, then have it refinished in a charcoal dyed finish and keep it for the rest of my life. I've always dug the look of Frank Gambale's Trini. I know it's supposedly sacrilege to remove an original finish, but think of the possibilities, especially if you don't care about resale value....
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