NGD: my dad’s Gibson

[TBman]

Congrats! Was the guitar kept humidified? If not I'd take care of that first before doing anything else.

[gfspencer]

That is a real treasure!

[zombywoof]

Cool. Guitars passed down in a family always have a special place. But you have made me feel old. If my Dad had bought a Gibson while of college age it would have been a guitar built in the later-1930s or a Banner.

The guitar though is kind of a mystery. It has a Hummingbird pickguard but the squarish fixed saddle belly down bridge which, despite what a previous poster has said, is exactly what I would expect to see on a '68 SJ Country & Western. Based on the bridge and tuner buttons (assuming they are original) I would think the guitar was an SJ which somehow acquired an HB pickguard.

[Mark Stone]

What a wonderful heirloom instrument! Congratulations.

[SalFromChatham]

Hey zombywolf,

Here is the reissue of that model (Sheryl Crow) which has a belly up bridge. They used to instead be belly down back then?

[Tube Sound]

Way cool. I love the story behind the guitar. Truly touching. I have a '68 and it likes DA EJ16's. Mine has belly down bridge, adjustable saddle, screwed down pg. This one does have some interesting elements, wish there was a label. I'm looking at little things like tuner buttons, truss cover, bridge, saddle, visible back brace.... I'm very curious. Regardless, love it.

[jaymarsch]

Very cool, Dan. Enjoy this one for years to come.

Best,
Jayne

[zombywoof]

Originally Posted by SalFromChatham

Hey zombywolf,

Here is the reissue of that model (Sheryl Crow) which has a belly up bridge. They used to instead be belly down back then?

As far I know the lower belly bridge was used on Southerner Jumbos from the very first ones which came out in 1942. Sometime in the late-1940s Gibson went to an upper belly bridge which I believed continued through the 1950s. MY 1956 SJ had one.

The SC guitar is a reissue and not meant to be a replica of a guitar from a past catalog. I gather that Ms. Crow had sent her guitar to Gibson for some work so original features such as the ADJ saddle bridge and oversized laminate bridge plate were likely changed or modified. These may well have been incorporated into the signature models.

[SalFromChatham]

Zomby I hear ya and defer to you.

[zombywoof]

Originally Posted by Tube Sound

Way cool. I love the story behind the guitar. Truly touching. I have a '68 and it likes DA EJ16's. Mine has belly down bridge, adjustable saddle, screwed down pg. This one does have some interesting elements, wish there was a label. I'm looking at little things like tuner buttons, truss cover, bridge, saddle, visible back brace.... I'm very curious. Regardless, love it.

1968 was a transition year at Gibson. So things were in flux. If nothing else Gibson was not about to change over to new specs until what they had left in stock was used up. The real thing to look for in these guitars is the top bracing. That year Gibson moved away from the well thought out light non-scalloped bracing they had been using since 1955 and started to bulk it up. This was far more about staving off warranty issues which are a drag on the bottom line of any company than it was about sound. It basically comes down to when the guitar rolled out of the factory that year. The following year the bracing got even heavier culminating in the now infamous double X bracing in 1971.

[Bob from Brooklyn]

Yeah, that is way more than just a guitar. Cherish it!

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by dan!

...It kinda sounds weak/flubby/cardboardy right now...

You don't give a serial number so I can't pinpoint the date of manufacture, but in addition to what Zomby said Gibson was making the transition to the early-Norlin era "Double-X" bracing, arguably in an attempt to standardize construction features and minimize warranty claims, around this time (interestingly enough, I've seen more seconds and "IMPERFECT-BGN" blowout instruments from this period than any other - BTW I owned one of the latter, a "Sundown" B45-12), which IME would largely explain the poor tone you're describing. In addition, the bridge appears to be wider than what I'd normally associate with the immediate pre-Norlin period: I had two former bandmates, who had a square-shoulder J-160E and a Hummingbird respectively, both of which had narrower bridges than the one pictured - which, given Gibson's move toward standardization, would allow them to use it on either a 6- or 12-string guitar with the correct slot/pin template. I'd get hold of a carpenter's inspection mirror and take a look inside: if yours resembles the photo it's likely no earlier than about 1970 - "1968-ish" as you say, but unfortunately a lifetime in Gibson history when it comes to tone and QC; whatever the outcome I'd restring it with a set of 12's to start, and enjoy it as "Dad's guitar" - and an indelible part of your life :

[Glennwillow]

Congratulations on the Gibson from your dad, Dan!

That is very cool! I do agree with others that 11s are probably going to be too soft and slinky to move the top on a Gibson enough to get much volume. I think 12s would be the best starting point. An alternative might be light mediums from Martin that have a high E string = 0.0125".

I played my old Martin to all my kids as they grew up. Now they are parents. I can only imagine how significant this guitar is for you!

- Glenn

[dan!]

Great questions and conversations! (That's why I love this place so much...)

[RvrDxn]

Oh man, that’s great. An old Gibson and family, can’t beat that.