-
Originally Posted by vinnyv1kOriginally Posted by vinnyv1k
Originally Posted by pilotony
Agreed, a Campellone is an exceptional guitar, but it's got a different voice. I don't say better or worse, or even bang for the buck, but if I had a daughter who wanted a beagle for her birthday and I bought her a basset hound because it was $50 less at the pet store, I think I'd soon realize there was more at stake than the cost at the counter.
In all fairness though, the last Gibson JS I got was hanging on the wall next to a Campy. It was the hardest decision I could have been confronted with. Both were priced identically, both in great shape and both SO different.
Honestly, I'd rather not had to chose. It's not about the money, it was about which guitar would be my partner to making me a better guitarist.
Only holding and playing that JS will confirm whether it's right. Buy what's right if you can.
-
04-17-2024 12:30 PM
-
I bet that economy L7 sounds great acoustically and is light. Frankly it is a world class guitar. Today we might see it as a plain jane L7 not an L5. But remember those plain jane D'angelico Stye A's and B's are considered first class guitars today.
-
Originally Posted by floatingpickup
-
Originally Posted by deacon Mark
-
Originally Posted by omphalopsychos
That's a different scale of economy deferentially with respect to awesome!
-
Originally Posted by deacon Mark
That’s why people are confused by their slightly underwhelming acoustic performance.
This was part of the Johnny Smith’s requirements when spec’ing the guitar. The same is true of the original 'Johnny Smith’ by Guild. It has surprisingly little acoustic performance but that gives it a better electric tone, which is what Johnny is famous for.
-
Originally Posted by Archie
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
I play my 76 ALL THE TIME acoustically.
It’s not jumbo or a dreadnaught loud, but it’s certainly not dead. In fact it’s very much alive and its my baby.
JD
-
Wow that's nice. I had a tea burst '69.
-
Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
-
Originally Posted by wintermoon
-
Originally Posted by ThatRhythmMan
We could debate ‘good’ and granted, I’d prefer an even tone to a loud one but in general, a ‘good’ acoustic guitar should be loud, responsive, with a broad spectrum of peaked frequencies.
What we would consider ‘good’ in bebop language is, 'slightly less responsive, not so loud and a preference for an even tone that translates well when amplified'.
We’ve all played fantastic acoustic archtops that sound awful, when amplified. Ime the better the acoustics, the worse the amplified tone.
All JS signature guitars, bar the Benny JS Award, are subdued acoustic archtops.
-
Originally Posted by Archie
To top it off when I got the Heritage JS the person, I got it from had a blond Benedetto AA guild too. In direct comparison it was no contest the Heritage sounded much better acoustically and electrically too, otherwise I would have got the Guild Benny. I think it sounded better electically because of the Bartonlini floating PU a winner to be sure.
-
Originally Posted by deacon Mark
Johnny Smith left his association with Gibson owing to the quality issues and inconsistencies with his namesake guitar. I have played some Gibson Johnny Smith examples that were seriously underwhelming and I have played others that were seriously impressive. The thing is, the dogs sell for as much as the gems (which is pretty much true of all guitar models). Caveat Emptor applies when purchasing any guitar.
-
Originally Posted by deacon Mark
Volume is an indicator of a well made acoustic guitar. A balanced range of frequencies denotes the tone and ‘fine sound’, that I think you're commenting on.
Laminates have a nice balance of tone because in part, the top does not move as much and so everything is more even. They are also quieter for the very same reason.
My Heritage Johnny Smith is not loud and certainly not nearly as loud as my Guild Benny JS Award but we have to factor in irregularities.
If we take simple build physics into account, a reduced size 17” body (The Rose) being louder than an 18” body? Would that that would lean to the 18”, being the one that is slacking (for want of a better term)?
It’s about moving air right? Surely all things being equal, the 18” should be the louder more ’acoustic’ guitar?
I understand that smaller guitars can be brighter and project more directly but..
Happy to take advice from yourself. You’re a very knowledgeable person but the Gibson Johnny Smith is a reduced size 17” guitar. Therefore it is not as ‘acoustic’ as an L5C. If the L5C or the L7 is the standard acoustic for a 17” guitar, then the JS is a designed to be less acoustic and deliberately so.
Last edited by Archie; 04-18-2024 at 02:39 PM.
-
Originally Posted by Stringswinger
I don't agree with the neck scale length.
-
For me the most astonishing thing about my 76 JS is the difference between unplugged and amplified. I feel that it does not really retain the properties of it's acoustic voice when plugged in, but gets a new, different voice. Unlike my other archtops which have their acoustic properties (more or less) amplified, the JS retains it's clarity when amplified, but the "machoism" which i feel in it's purely acoustic voice, turns into a smooth even sound, which somehow merges astonishingly flexible with the "surrounding music" when amplified. None of my other guitars has this "chameleon-like" quality.
-
Originally Posted by bluejaybill
Keith
-
You won't regret it. I've not regretted it 3 times now!
HeadRush?
Today, 11:54 AM in Guitar, Amps & Gizmos