Lemsky Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 I'm about to make a gift to my brother and i need some advices....What's your thoughts on these guitars ?Melancon Cajun GentlemanBB1200 Semi Hollow body ElectricGibson 1937 L-00Motor Ave Bel-air Please tell me all you know about these guitars and what's your thoughts about it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 If my brother gave me a 1937 Gibson L-00 it'd be one of the happiest and most surprising days of my life. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BigWheeledWagon Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 If my brother gave me a 1937 Gibson L-00 it'd be one of the happiest and most surprising days of my life. I have to agree on this one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
the_fliz1 Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 If my brother gave me a 1937 Gibson L-00 it'd be one of the happiest and most surprising days of my life. I third that emotion. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anthony Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 The Gibby kicks ass (and is north of 5 G, no?). The others blow. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lemsky Posted January 3, 2008 Author Share Posted January 3, 2008 If my brother gave me a 1937 Gibson L-00 it'd be one of the happiest and most surprising days of my life.do you think its the best acousic guitar ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BigWheeledWagon Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 do you think its the best acousic guitar ? Ever? That would be a tough call. It's really a matter of personal taste. It's not my favorite of all time, but it is a great guitar. If I had better financial resources, I would prefer something bigger, like an SJ-300. Still, the l-00 is an amazing guitar, and a gift of said guitar would make you the best sibling ever. If he doesn't like it, feel free to send it my way. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 do you think its the best acousic guitar ? There's no such thing as best when it comes to guitars, but it is an amazing instrument. If I were you, and I was going to spend thousands on a gift, I would bring your brother to a guitar shop and have him take his pick. Just because a guitar is expensive and high quiality doesn't mean it will feel right in his hands. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lemsky Posted January 3, 2008 Author Share Posted January 3, 2008 There's no such thing as best when it comes to guitars. I know,but in your opinion could be one of the top 5 acoustic guitars around ?At least,this is what a music teacher told me a few weeks ago... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lemsky Posted January 3, 2008 Author Share Posted January 3, 2008 I would prefer something bigger, like an SJ-300. But the SJ-300 is an acoustic/electric guitar... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 I know,but in your opinion could be one of the top 5 acoustic guitars around ?At least,this is what a music teacher told me a few weeks ago... I don't know for sure that I've ever played that exact model, but the Gibson acoustics I've tried out in the last year or two have been the nicest guitars I've ever played. They sound like a dream. Unfortunately, I've read on guitar forums that Gibson has a reputation for inconsistent quality control. For this reason, I'd bring your brother, or someone who is an experienced guitarist, with you to check out the guitar before you spend $5,000. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimmyjimmy Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 But the SJ-300 is an acoustic/electric guitar...An SJ-300 is a acoustic guitar.It may or may not have some type of on board pickup (transducer etc. I'm to lazy to look it up), however it can't be qualified as an electric as it's primary design, like the L-00 mentioned earlier is directed towards producing sound sans amplification. It's an acoustic with a pick-up. Maybe. Unfortunately, I've read on guitar forums that Gibson has a reputation for inconsistent quality control.This has been true at various times over the years. A guitar is a very personal thing for the guitarist. Make damn sure it's and instrument your sibling will want before you drop thousands of $$s on one. EDIT: But it's an awfully generous thing your considering IMO. Good luck. Go together, let him choose/play it.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lemsky Posted January 3, 2008 Author Share Posted January 3, 2008 Gibson has a reputation for inconsistent quality control.what do you mean ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 what do you mean ? I mean if you line up a dozen Gibson L-00 guitars, some are going to be as close to perfect as you can get and some are probably going to have some problems (scratches and dings, poor fret work, imperfect setup, sloppy glue joints, etc.) that should have been caught upon final inspection before being shipped to the authorized dealer. To be fair, the things I've read about Gibson's quality control were primarily in reference to their electric guitars...specifically, Les Pauls. I don't know if the complaints apply to their acoustic guitars, but it's worth considering before spending $5k on a gift. I haven't noticed any problems with Gibson acoustics, buit I've only tried them out in one (very reputable) shop over a fairly short time span. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rileykill Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 A new off-the-rack L-00 isn't gonna set you back $5K ... more like a little north of $1K. Vintage 30's L-00's can still be found for $3K - $3.5K (although the price is rising). Of the guitars you showed us, picking the Gibby would be a no brainer for me ... but then again I'm a Gibson acoustic nerd. The QC at Gibson Montana isn't any worse than Martin or Taylor, IMO. I play new Gibsons all the time and they are fine. The biggest problem is that the factory doesn't set them up (or, I should say, sets the action really high) ... so if you are playing new guitars in a shop take that into consideration. Any reputable dealer should set up a new guitar for free when you buy it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rileykill Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Oh wait I see ... maybe that is one of the Legend L-00's? Those have a street price of about $5K I think. IMO, that's crazy when you can buy the actual vintage model for much less. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BigWheeledWagon Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 An SJ-300 is a acoustic guitar.It may or may not have some type of on board pickup (transducer etc. I'm to lazy to look it up), however it can't be qualified as an electric as it's primary design, like the L-00 mentioned earlier is directed towards producing sound sans amplification. It's an acoustic with a pick-up. Maybe. This has been true at various times over the years. A guitar is a very personal thing for the guitarist. Make damn sure it's and instrument your sibling will want before you drop thousands of $$s on one. EDIT: But it's an awfully generous thing your considering IMO. Good luck. Go together, let him choose/play it.... Thanks for the support there. The super-jumbo comes in numerous configurations, but it's the purely acoustic one I'd love to have -- Gibson's changed the name of the guitar so many times throughout its history that I lose track. It began life in the 1930's as simply, the Super Jumbo, then became the Super Jumbo 200, then the J-200, then the SJ-200, and now Gibson produces models with the titles j-200, sj-200, and the sj-300 -- all with slightly different features. I believe the SJ-300 currently produced does have active electronics, so Lemsky's right that it's not purely acoustic. So, I guess I actually meant the sj-200 (or maybe the j-200). I've never bothered to really look into because they are all out of my price range right now (or at least it would be hard to justify the expense to my wife, who would insist that $4K-$6K could be better spent on home improvements, college funds for the kids we don't have yet, etc.), especially considering that I already have a '67 Gibson Dove (given to me by my dad who bought it new) We're just splitting hairs, anyway. Either way, it's a big, beautiful guitar. Regardless, I agree with the general consensus that it's always a good idea for the owner-to-be of a new guitar to play it first. Any mass-production guitar (even the most high-end) will vary some from guitar to guitar. I've played cheap guitars from less than reputable companies that somehow ended up sounding great, and I've played expensive guitars that sound terrible. Believe it or not, my Japanese-made Strat (before I started rebuilding and customizing it) sounded better than a lot of American-made Strats that were much more expensive. That's why I can never take the risk of buying a guitar online (with the exception of my Epiphone ES-335 that my wife bought for me online that, after a little work, ended up sounding pretty great for the price). Also, a guitar that I think sounds great or plays great may sound or feel wrong to your brother. It may ruin the surprise, but I think the best option is to let him pick it out after playing it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BigWheeledWagon Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Oh wait I see ... maybe that is one of the Legend L-00's? Those have a street price of about $5K I think. IMO, that's crazy when you can buy the actual vintage model for much less. Yeah, I've noticed that Gibson is selling a lot of new guitars now for more than the cost of their vintage counterparts. I don't get it. It's like if Fender were to sell their '52 Telecaster reissue for more than the value of an actual '52 telecaster. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lemsky Posted January 4, 2008 Author Share Posted January 4, 2008 What can you tell me about these ones ?Taylor T5C2-12 Koa 12 StringTaylor T5-C1 Gibson Custom ES-339 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimmyjimmy Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 What can you tell me about these ones ?Taylor T5C2-12 Koa 12 String Taylor T5-C1 Gibson Custom ES-339These are all fairly new/ recent models. All are semi hollow bodied instruments. The Taylors are hybrids designed to give players a wide pallet of sounds with an emphasis on traditional acoustic overtones that can be easily amplified, recorded and manipulated;(Read:signal processors, effects, etc.). They are well crafted, as are most products by Taylor. Versatile and somewhat unique in that they offer you voicing that is appropriate for many styles of playing. But as with all hybrids there are compromises. Some, myself included, prefer an actual acoustic guitar over a narrow chambered instrument like these. While it makes some beautiful sounds, and you never have to mike it, it never really nails the sound of a deep opened bodied guitar. They have ...* a fast neck* low action*very easy to play*make lovely sounds All that said, I don't like 'em. But that's my opinion and just the way my tastes swing. I'm old school. I like the nuances, the buzzes and rattles of a flat top like a Martin D-18. The jingly sound of a Gibson J-45. This stuff is all subjective. The ES -339 is a different beast altogether.Unlike those Taylors it is a instrument that defines itself as an electric guitar. To make the description short and sweet it is basically a smaller ES-335, if your familiar at all with that model. It never pretends to anything that it's not. You can't really illicit/mimic the sounds of a fully acoustic instrument with it. What you can do with it is the same thing players have been doing for years with models like the 335,345, Epiphone Sheratons etc. Play rock, R&B, jazz, country...every application you can think of for an electric. If you want the approximate sound and feel of an ES-335 in a smaller package, produced by Gibson, this is for you.Personally if I were choose a smallish semi hollow guitar like this one w/dual humbucker pickups I'd pick the Paul Reed Smith Hollowbody model. Stating that with the caveat that I'm a dyed in the wool Gibson guy. Additionally, with THAT said I'd never pick either one of them. I'd go with a full on ES-335/345 for various substantive reasons and an shallow indictment against myself that I think the thing just looks funky/ugly. But there's that subjectivity again... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rileykill Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Yeah, I've noticed that Gibson is selling a lot of new guitars now for more than the cost of their vintage counterparts. I don't get it. It's like if Fender were to sell their '52 Telecaster reissue for more than the value of an actual '52 telecaster. Ohhhh man .... I played a 30's model L-00 at lunch today. It was worn as hell but **oh my gosh** what a sound. It was articulate and well balanced but also really wide open and airy. Huge sound for such a small guitar. Marked $3.5K. Now that's where you should put your L-00 money! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Reflectedinthemoon Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 out of all of those choices, i'd definitely go with one of the gibsons. preferably the 339. although i do have this to say: if yer gonna go with a gibson ES guitar, go for the real deal. the 339 is basically (in my opinion) a cop out of a design. If you want to go that route, just go all the way and get a 335 or one of the full-sizes ES models. they won let you down. I have a cherry red satin-finish ES-335 reissue, and i couldnt be happier. And for me, the size of it is no problem whatsoever. Its actually lighter that my Les Paul. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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