Regarded as a workhorse guitar since 1942 when it replaced the natural top J-35, the slope-shouldered Gibson J-45 has been used by countless artists in innumberable performances.
The Gibson J-160E is one of the most recognisable steel string guitars, due largely to a series of recordings and performances during the early 1960s by The Beatles. Both John Lennon and George Harrison had J-160E models, while McCartney used an Epiphone Texan strung as left handed. Though it looks a lot like the traditional classic J-45 round shoulder dreadnought, the Gibson J-160E has major structural differences. First, because the design goal was to reduce feedback at high stage volumes, the guitar body is entirely laminate, including the top. Rather than X-braced, the top is strongly Ladder braced.
he Larrivee SD-60 is influenced by early Dreadnought designs, which date as far back as 1916. The earliest Dreadnought body guitars appeared around 1916 and were built by Martin for the Ditson company. The Martin-Ditson Dreadnought body style tends to be long with a wide waist. It has developed into the Dreadnought, the single most used body style in the world. The original Ditson dreadnoughts had many of the features found here on the Larrivee SD-60.
This Gibson J-45 TV guitar was built during 2014 at the Gibson Acoustic plant in Bozeman, Montana, and is in very nice condition. It’s no secret that I really like the J-45 design, with its warm, rich yet brilliant tone. There’s a substantial but not overwhelming amount of harmonic content, so it does a wonderful job at filling its space in a mix but doesn’t try to take over everything else. Great for recording, or to pair with a voice.
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Like a Southern Jumbo, the Gibson Northern Jumbo features a slope-shouldered dreadnought body, with a Sitka Spruce top and Mahogany for the back, sides and neck. The fingerboard and bridge are Rosewood, with Mother of Pearl used for the inlays. A Firestripe type pickguard was stock. The top has a sunburst finish, on some promotional materials referred to as ‘Maple BUrst’, and the body has a dark tint. The rear of the headstock carries a decal of a Maple Leaf and ‘Limited Edition’ below. The truss rod cover is engraved ‘NORTHERN JUMBO’. As typical of Gibson acoustics of the period, an L R Baggs pickup system is discreetly installed, and the tuners are Grover Roto-Matics with nickel finish.
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In the 1960’s, 12-strings like the Gibson B25-12 were very popular, and the 12 was found on many recordings, in Canada especially Gordon Lightfoot’s.
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Hello Grant. Just want to let you know that my banjolele arrived on Monday afternoon, so the postal strike didn’t hold it up too long. I’m delighted with the quality craftsmanship of the instrument and I was right that the shorter fingerboard is much easier for my 81 year old hands! So, here’s a shot of me with it in my studio with my dog Dusty laying beside me. Now just to harden up my fingertips and loosen up my finger joints! (Dusty loves it too!)
Thanks for everything.
Best. John.
John McConnell – Deering banjolele
October 2018
(Victoria, British Columbia, Canada)
