NGD - Gibson Southern Jumbo - Really Gibson?

[joeappel]

When I was a kid I had a Gibson SG circa early 1970’s. I went to the mall where there was a kiosk that made custom nameplates for desks, office doors, etc. I had them engrave my name in the truss rod cover. It was pretty cool, I thought. Never bothered me that it was plastic, but then again that was a $250 guitar back in 1980.

[b1j]

Yep, Thalia:

https://www.thaliacapos.com/products...xoC6ZMQAvD_BwE

[Wellington]

I've never owned a guitar without a plastic truss rod cover, I can honestly say it had never crossed my mind, even on my $3400 CAD Guild.

[Sasquatchian]

I've had one of those new Southern Jumbos for close to two years now and since it seems like I need to adjust the truss rod several times a year, I just leave it off. Biggest improvements on the guitar for me were Waverly tuners, and why a guitar from Bozeman doesn't have tuners from Bozeman, I'll never know, and second was to make a new intonated bone saddle, which improved the tone and tune immensely. I know it was supposed to come with bone but mine was TusQ.

Go over to Reverb.com. They have dozens of replacement Gibson truss rod covers. Some of the nicest looking ones are multiple layer plastic laminates using black and white plastic layers in the laminate. Nice looking and a lot more substantial than the thin plastic one that came on your guitar.

[Zigeuner]

As far as I can recall, Gibson's always have had plastic truss rod covers. I didnt like the one on my 1965 B-25-12 so I bought a custom laminated one with two layers, black and white.

[Silly Moustache]

I've got a 1934 L-4 witt a cheap, thin black plastic T/R cover.

I also have a '60s Harmony Monterey with a white plastic cover which is thicker and has Made in USA printed on it.

[LeftyKev]

Originally Posted by Glob

Got my new Southern Jumbo. Absolutely great tone, superb sustain, etc. I'm in love. The finish is great, a few bits and bobs here and there, which I don't care about, but overall it's a fantastic music instrument.

And then...

The truss rod cover.

Hear me out: the Southern Jumbo is the 'pimped up' version of the J45 (with a different neck profile), so great appointments, yet still with a kind of restraint that makes it really appealing. It's quality without too much bling...

But the truss rod: a piece of crappy plastic that makes me feel ashamed of the Gibson company. Surely you can do wood here? Actually you should ALWAYS do wood. J45 or Southern Jumbo. How do you explain that on a $3k+ guitar? Which is even more unbelievable as the rest of the appointments are great. Why Gibson, WHY????

It's pathetic...

Now's the chance to make your own from a nice piece of hog or ebony, use the 'pathetic' plastic one as a template. If you hate it that much.

[Glob]

I'm now looking at bridge pins as well. Although I think the Southern Jumbo are made of Tusq it seems

[Zissou Intern]

I’d replace those with Antique Acoustics pins from Elderly Instruments. I much prefer the galalith material to tusk, bone, or ebony.

[Msedg]

It’s all down to the owner - personally, I put glitzy aftermarket truss rod covers on the pile with custom fretboard inlays of signature/nickname/girlfriend’s vital measurements, pearloid initialled scratchplates, blingy replacement tuner buttons etc. If you’re SRV you can get away with it, otherwise…

Give me bog-standard black plastic any day!

[The Bard Rocks]

Originally Posted by Glob

It's disappointing and in turn, in context of where that guitar sits on the scale of their line up, pathetic. Like buying a Ferrari with plastic covers on the wheels.
It's just such a small detail, why not do it right? Why not be proud of what you do? It's not about the cost, these are expensive guitars to start with and a truss rod cover is a few bucks.

It doesn't "ruin the whole thing", it's just shocking. It doesn't make it "authentic" (I don't buy the "it's the way it's always been" rationale), it makes a great guitar look and feel cheap. It doesn't change the sound or the musical quality of the instrument - and lucky me this one rings brilliantly, it makes for a poor experience. If they do plastic, what else do they do wrong?

I suspect that's Gibson after all. A Les Paul would not be a Les Paul if its neck wasn't ready to break at a moment's notice.

Yes, I will source an ebony truss cover

I agree, wholeheartedly. And not just with Gibsons. And in less polite company have compared them to the nether end of a cat who doesn't have the decency to lower her tail. It's a small thing, but it just blares out at me when it doesn't have to.

I also agree with the suggestion to make lemonade out of lemons and get one that is decorative.

[rmp]

Yep.. they all come with plastic covers, even the J200s which are quite a bit more $ than what you're talking about.

but hey, to the point, easy to change it, there's tons of options.

Sometimes Its the small things I guess.

[00045]

Originally Posted by Glob

Got my new Southern Jumbo. Absolutely great tone, superb sustain, etc. I'm in love. The finish is great, a few bits and bobs here and there, which I don't care about, but overall it's a fantastic music instrument.

And then...

The truss rod cover.

Hear me out: the Southern Jumbo is the 'pimped up' version of the J45 (with a different neck profile), so great appointments, yet still with a kind of restraint that makes it really appealing. It's quality without too much bling...

But the truss rod: a piece of crappy plastic that makes me feel ashamed of the Gibson company. Surely you can do wood here? Actually you should ALWAYS do wood. J45 or Southern Jumbo. How do you explain that on a $3k+ guitar? Which is even more unbelievable as the rest of the appointments are great. Why Gibson, WHY????

It's pathetic...

Gibson can't win. If they wouldn't use the plastic cover, guys would go crazy because it's not vintage correct. They do, now they are called pathetic...

The guitar playing crowed is a tough one!

[zombywoof]

As noted, two screw black plastic TRCs showed up on Gibsons in 1922, the year after Ted McHugh filed the patent for the adjustable truss rod. One of those Plain Jane TRCs adorns my 1932 L1, 1942 J50, and 1961 B45-12. They are as much a Gibson trademark as the logo and the burst.

[zombywoof]

Double Post - never mind.