| Author |
Message |
Eayf
Username: Eayf
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Friday, April 14, 2006 - 12:09 pm: | |
In the late 70's I bought a 1977 Ibanez Archtop with numbers in the back A776420. In the body, there is a modle # 2461NT.
It looks like a blond Johnny Smith on whih the luthier who owned it, changed the hanging mics for a humbercker byt he neck and new plate and controls on the body. Any idea if this was a Johhny Smith? The guitar sounds great and is in perfect condition, as good as any expensive Gibsons, but what do changes like those make to the value of a guitar? |
Bigmike
Username: Bigmike
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Friday, April 14, 2006 - 7:47 pm: | |
So what you're saying is the previous owner removed the floating pickups and cut a hole in the top to accomodate a neck position humbucker ?? I just checked my office copy of American Guitars by Tom Wheeler and there's two photos of a Gibson craftsman hand carving and tap tuning a Johnny Smith top - the top is X-braced but the X is off center with the longest part of the X being down near the F-holes and tailpiece - the shorter end up near the neck. Now if the person didn't cut into the braces to do this modification then the bracing of the top should be relatively stable...
I've modded a lot of guitars over the years and each time I'd bring my guitar to my tech to do something he'd give me the same spiel I'm gonna give you:
anytime you change an intstrument from it's basic stock configuration you're risking degrading it's resale value. And one thing I have learned is sooner or later you will likely sell the guitar.
I don't let mods like what you described scare me off too often when I'M THE ONE buying - but it will make selling it a little tougher...
SO NOW you tell US, what does it sound like with a nice fullsized humbucker ?? Back in the early 90's I bought a sunburst Ibanez Johnny Smith that had been modded - the owner ditched the pickguard setup and had someone set it up with just one floating pickup (neck) and cut some holes in the top for the volume/tone pots.
Have you figured out how to post photos here yet ?? I'd love to see the guitar (I've had two Ibanez Johnny Smith's - real nice instruments). For many years before George Benson got his first Ibanez GB10s he was using a Ibanez Johnny Smith - it made GB look really tiny - he's used it as recently as his tour with McCoy Tyner in the 90s. |
Rguit
Username: Rguit
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, April 15, 2006 - 7:26 pm: | |
What you guys are describing is the guitar I have and believe me, would never sell. I have 77 JS copy, I believe it is a 2461-NT and I checked the label itside and it is signed by, Sugahara, can't make out the first initial. These were excellent jazz guitars although they might have been made with laminates. My guitar is definetely a laminate top. I worked with floaters for years before deciding to bring it to a guitar tech who is great and he cut a hole and dropped in a full-size(GB gold 57 classic) humbucker and also put the volume and tone controls on the body like an L5. Its great, the parellel bracing is perfect for this and the top handles the humbucker fine, (its been at least 8 years since I did this), I have had many very expensive jazz guitars and to be honest, always came back to this one for gigging and playing. A real workhorse. |
Eayf
Username: Eayf
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, April 16, 2006 - 6:40 pm: | |
Rguit, we have the same guitar! Mine also has a switch to change the volume control from the guitar to the amp and vise versa. So I can flip it to play lower chords and higher solos on a preset level. It was modified by a luthier outside Paris in 1978. I was a kid and I decided to buy another guitar for me to get into Jazz music. I had 2 classical guitars already. So I went to a place that had plenty of classic Gibson archtops but I couldn't pay for them so I bought the Ibanez, already modified, for $150.
BigMike, to answer your comment, I was just interested in knowing the value but that gutar is not only a great instrument, it now has a sentimetal value. As you may have guessed already, I would sell a lot of things before I would get rid of it.
I will snap a picture and post it.
I play it on some small and cheap amp but I get a pretty good sound from it.
Rguit, what strings do you like best for it and what amp do you run it through? |
Bigmike
Username: Bigmike
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, April 16, 2006 - 8:59 pm: | |
Hey Guys,
One of the "good things" about a laminated top and maybe the reason GB used an Ibanez JS so much onstage in concert is it wouldn't feed back at the louder playing levels he needed to use at big venues...
Nice deal you got on yours. I am very interested in seeing both guitars if you guys can post photos... |
Rguit
Username: Rguit
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, April 16, 2006 - 9:35 pm: | |
I will try and get a picture if I can, I bought this guitar new in 77 for about 475 with case. So it was great deal. I usually play through an Evans combo, have played it through RE cabinet and acoutic image head and now I just bought a jazzkat amp from this new company, its a real small combo and great for my bad back. For some reason, this guitar never gives me a problem sound wise through anything. |
Rguit
Username: Rguit
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, April 16, 2006 - 9:37 pm: | |
I forgot to add strings, sorry, I have been using dadario 13-56 round wound strings for at least 10 years on this guitar. The truss rod seems to handle the tension ok and I just like the fatter tone it produces. |
Bigmike
Username: Bigmike
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Monday, April 17, 2006 - 8:17 pm: | |
You see this yet ??
http://www.qksrv.net/click-1802666-10381315?loc=http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI .dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D7407305089
Pretty nice |
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