New Web Site

Just a wee post to let you know I've got a new site Learn Guitar 365.

Gibson Acoustic Electric Guitar

From the specially made Gibson acoustic electric guitar played by Emmy Lou Harris to the signature models crafted for several other well-known singers and musicians, these instruments remain a great choice for all musical styles. Over the course of the last century musicians, singers and songwriters have used new Gibson guitars or a vintage Gibson acoustic guitar to perform live, record or just strum a few chords when home alone.

The new Keb' Mo' Bluesmaster model joins a range of traditional acoustic guitars and several quality choices in the Gibson electric guitar category. The options include: the Solid Mahogany Series dreadnought style with single cutaway; the Songwriter Deluxe with both a similar design to the Mahogany Series and a non-cutaway design. The J-185EC Blues King Electro Jumbo resembles the classic jumbo style but has a single cutaway for access to higher frets. The company also offers an acoustic/electric version of its popular J-200 model.

Players might choose the Songwriter Thinline from the Gibson guitar catalogue or select the sunburst appearance of the J-45 series. Other models that resemble a vintage Gibson guitar are the J-165 in a natural finish or sunburst and the J-185 Rosewood Modern Classic Jumbo. Don't pass up the Historic Collection Hummingbird Dreadnought if you are looking for a top-shelf acoustic/electric instrument.

If signature models are your main interest the J160E John Lennon Peace Round Shoulder Dreadnought and the SJ200 Pete Townshend Jumbo are at the high end of the price range for the Gibson acoustic electric guitar.

No matter what specific model of guitar you choose, chances are it will give you and your audiences listening pleasure with or without amplification and tone controls. Both a new guitar from the Kalamazoo company and a vintage Gibson acoustic guitar are constructed with care and the best materials, as the company continues its century-old tradition of excellence.

Dozens of people have purchased and consistently used a Gibson acoustic electric guitar then provided feedback on various features of their instrument. Nearly every report from players gives the Gibson acoustic/electric line very high marks. On the traditional 10-point scale, every model receives 9 or 10 points.

One factor may keep a vintage Gibson acoustic guitar or an acoustic/electric out of the hands of the amateur - price. New models in the Gibson acoustic electric guitar category range in price from $1,299 for the Solid Mahogany Series to $4,600 for the Pete Townshend J-200. But if you look at this as an investment, you won't be disappointed.

Julie-Ann Amos is a professional writer. She regularly writes on the topic of electric acoustic and vintage guitars.

The Gibson Thunderbird Guitar Story

Gibson Thunderbird is one among the different classic models of bass guitars that were introduced by Gibson. It was launched in the year 1963. One of the biggest challenges that Gibson had was the lead of Fender that was ruling the market with both their electric and bass guitars at the time the Thunderbird was launched.

The Gibson Thunderbird was designed by an engineer who was from Germany, Ray Dietrich, who also designed another masterpiece, the Gibson Firebird, which was just the mirror image of its name. The Gibson Thunderbird is a masterpiece. It had a neck-through design where the neck just followed the entire length of the body. The rest of the body was glued to give it the right curves.

The previous models of Gibson bass guitars had a scale of 30.5 inches, which was short, whereas the Gibson Thunderbird had a scale of about 34 inches, which was similar to the scale that the Fender's bass guitars had. Originally there were two Gibson Thunderbird models, one was Thunderbird II, which had one pickup and the other was Thunderbird IV, which had two pickups.

It was in the year 1966 that Gibson changed the design and structure of the Gibson Thunderbird. The design of the original Gibson Thunderbird had the treble horn extended and the bass horn recessed, which was also known as the reverse body. The change in the outlook was given by flipping it over so that it is more appealing for the clients and this version was known as the non-reverse body.

Another change that was brought in the design was the neck. The tough but costly neck-through construction was taken over by the more traditional Gibson set-neck construction. The non-reverse Gibson Thunderbird was in the assembly line till 1969 and then it was discontinued. Interestingly enough, the non-reverse Gibson Thunderbird is the gem of the eye among collectors and is categorized as rare.

Then a new version of Gibson Thunderbird came out in the market, which was named as Thunderbird IV. This model was introduced in the market in the year 1976 as a bicentennial edition. The Gibson Thunderbird IV had the original body and neck-through construction. This model stayed for about four years until its production stopped again in 1979.

The Gibson Corporation planned to bring the Thunderbird back and it was Gibson Thunderbird IV that was introduced again in the year 1987 and it has been in the production line till now. The current versions of the Gibson Thunderbird that are present in the market these days are the Gibson Thunderbird IV, Gibson Thunderbird Studio (4 string), Gibson Thunderbird Studio (5 string) and Epiphone Thunderbird IV. All of them are the reverse style with two pickups.

Another classic marvel introduced by Gibson was Gibson Blackbird, which was a custom built model of Gibson Thunderbird. This model was being designed on the specifications that were asked for by Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue. This model was in the production line from the year 2000 to 2003. The changes included moving the strap buttons up and an appropriate strap to give it an appropriate balance. A specifically designed pickguard and all the hardware were finished in black chrome.

The Gibson Thunderbird has been used by some of the great bassist that world has ever known including Krist Novoselic of Nirvana, Simon Gallup of The Cure, Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue, Adam Clayton of U2 and a long list to follow.

For further information please visit http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com

All About Gibson Guitars - Trivia For Guitar Players

Gibson Guitars are an icon of the guitar industry. Gibson is currently a major player in both the electric guitar and acoustic guitar market. The company was originally named after Orville Gibson who made mandolins in Kalamazoo, Michigan at the end of the 19th century. Gibson used the same method to initially make the big body archtop acoustic guitars.

Gibson Guitars were one of the first to come up with the adjustable truss rod inside the neck of the guitar to give it strength. This remains in use today to also allow guitarists to impact on the neck relief.

Even today, just about every guitar has an adjustable truss-rod that runs through the neck of the guitar. This was developed by Gibson Guitars in the early days to give strength to the neck. The floating pick guard is also an innovation of Gibson.

After doing much experimenting with the amplification of the sound from the guitar in the 1930s, Gibson released the ES range of semi-acoustic guitars. The ES initials stands for "Electric Spanish". This is not a reference to the nylon string classical guitars that we know today. The term Spanish is used to separate the guitar from the Hawaiian guitars that were lap style guitars.

With the increasing popularity of electric or amplified guitars, the top end of the finger board could now be heard. Gibson Guitars had the idea to introduce the cut away style in the body shape. This was to be forever used in future electric guitars and many acoustic guitars and led to the world of the lead guitar hero.

Gibson's first majorly successful electric guitar was the es-175. It was also slightly different in that it had a pointed cut away. In 1950, with Fender's new Broadcaster guitar, Gibson was under pressure to produce it's first solid body guitar. This resulted in the issue of the Les Paul Standard electric guitar.

Gibson and Fender were not the only ones developing the solid body electric guitar. At the same time, development work was also being undertaken by Rickenbacker, National and Bigsby were also involved in testing.

Les Paul was one of the foremost guitarists of the time. His real first name was Lester. Paul had himself been tinkering with the idea of solid body guitars. His first concept model was referred to as the log guitar. He approached Gibson Guitars with his ideas in the 1940s but was rejected outright. Once Fender released the Telecaster, Gibson went back to Les Paul and asked him to work with them.

The original attraction of solid body electric guitars to Gibson and other makers was because of a number of issues. Firstly, ease of construction. Secondly, while the shape of the body of the guitar did not alter the sound, the solid body greatly increased the sustain of the natural sound. And lastly, electrifying hollow body guitars had always caused a great problem with feedback. This was virtually eliminated with the production of the solid body electric guitar.

The first Les Paul Standard guitar was released in 1952. Les Paul received an endorsement contract for a 5 year period which was worth 5% of retail sales. The first Gibson Les Paul cost $210 and was referred to as the Gold Top.

1958 was a big year for Gibson Guitars. In this year they gave the Les Paul a new cherry sunburst finish which is extremely popular among collectors today. Gibson changed the shape of the Les Paul Junior and Les Paul Special to now have a double cut away. The new style later became the SG which stands simply for Solid Guitar.

The same year Gibson Guitars also began getting radical with their body shape. They bought out the first double neck guitar. They also introduced the Flying V shape and the Explorer shape. This was a response to guitar players placing more emphasis on the look of their guitars as well as the sound and playability. Gibson Guitars were able to stamp their mark on the guitar industry for many years.

Author: Terry Booth has an interest in Gibson Guitars [http://www.guitarplayersworld.com/Electric/gibson_guitars] since being given his first electric guitar, (a Japanese Les Paul copy) as a young child. Visit his website GuitarPlayersWorld.com [http://www.guitarplayersworld.com]

Gibson Acoustic Guitars - Tradition, Tone, and Timelessness

Gibson acoustic guitars have a long and storied heritage. From the company's humble origination in 1902 to its journey to worldwide power player status today, the history of music has often been played out on Gibson acoustic guitars.

Although founder Orville Gibson only ever got a single patent (for a mandolin design), Gibson quickly rose to prominence as a premiere producer of acoustic guitars.

The Gibson J-45, known as the American Workhorse, has been a solid, simple performer since 1942. Relatively unchanged to this day, it is widely considered to be the most popular acoustic in the Gibson stable.

The Gibson SJ-200, "King of the Flattops," has seen expert play in the hands of the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, and Pete Townsend, among many others. Available today in a range of flavors, this guitar is carefully crafted in the Bozeman, Montana plant responsible for Gibson's best acoustic guitars.

The Gibson L-5 is arguably the standard in the jazz world, having been played by Wes Montgomery, Django Reinhardt, and Scotty Moore, among others. While this guitar boasts a hefty price tag, its place in jazz history cannot be overestimated.

The Gibson Dove guitar, and its more ornate sibling, the "Doves in Flight," are often called the King of Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric Guitars. Associated with the King of Rock n' Roll, Elvis Presley, these guitars became part of Gibson's "Modern Classics" series in 2002.

These are but a small sample of the acoustic guitars available from this venerable guitar company. Gibson relies on their Epiphone brand to cater to the lower end market, and for the last hundred plus years has crafted some of the finest acoustic guitars the world has ever seen.

My Guitar Guide covers all things Gibson, with a Special Report on Gibson acoustic guitars

Gibson Les Paul Standard Review - Are the Changes Worth It?

The new Gibson Les Paul Standard is a terrific guitar in many ways, and we sense the spirit of classic Les Pauls here.

Along with the Fender Stratocaster, the Gibson Les Paul is synonymous with rock & roll and blues guitar. Though the shape and thick, chunky sound have stayed constant throughout the years, the particulars, from pickup selection to neck design, have been modified to reflect Gibson's continued desire to innovate.

In 2008, Gibson introduced a Gibson Les Paul Standard that contained more than its fair share of alterations, some welcome and some not. Let's take a look at the guitar's construction details more closely.

Features

The new Les Paul Standard now includes Strap Locks (Dunlop), chambered body, Grover Locking Tuners, TonePros bridge/tailpiece, Neutrick output jack, and a setup via Plek.

The body wood is mahogany with a figured maple top. The scale length is 24-3/4" with a mahogany neck and rosewood fretboard. The pickups are Gibson's own Burstbucker Pros. A quality hardshell case is standard equipment.

Performance

We didn't ascertain any lack in tone due to the chambered body, and played acoustically, the Les Paul Standard had a well-balanced, deep tone. If you've ever gigged with a Les Paul for any extended period of time, you'll prize the lighter weight.

Since I ordinarily substitute tune-o-matic style bridges with TonePros, the upgraded bridge and tailpiece are a welcome addition, as is the Plek setup, which resulted in a solid playing and sounding guitar right out of the box.

We did have to make a small truss rod adjustment, but for an instrument that was sent halfway across the country, that's regular procedure. For the record, though, this guitar was ready to take to a gig straight out of the box. Not bad.

The finish on the revised Standard is as superb as ever. We went over a Heritage Cherry Sunburst finish that had just a gorgeous flame. We found no defects in either finish or fit, and the fret dressing and setup was as good as we've ever seen from a production instrument. Gibson also opted to exclude the pickguard from this model, though you could easily install one if you miss it. The pickguard is included, however.

We were intrigued when we found that Gibson built this series using an asymmetrical neck profile; however, we have to say that we're glad they did. The profile sports a thicker bass side and a thinner treble side.

Think of it as the best of a 50's and 60's profile in one neck design. The fretwork and factory setup were the best we'd ever seen from an out-of-the-box Gibson.

It's hard for us not to think of a LP without thinking of the sound of a Les Paul cranked up through a Marshall, so we ran the Gibson through a reissue Marshall JCM800 half-stack. We liked what we found, though you do need to know that the chambered body gives the guitar something of a ES-335 sound when cranked. Think old Clapton.

The Burstbucker pickups seemed to be a pretty nice fit, since they are aggressive and dark by nature. There are unquestionably some definitive Gibson tones to be found here, though the chambered body/Burstbucker combination has its own unique flavor. To each his own. We liked them.

We have to say, though, that there were a couple of things we just didn't care for. Gibson chose to include Neutrik locking input jacks, for example. Some individuals love them, but we're not fans. Still, the Neutrik jacks are superior quality, so we appreciate that at least.

Same goes for the PCB mounted volume and tone pots. In fact, all pots, the pickups, the selector switch, and the jack are all connected to a main PCB board via pluggable connectors. While it's cool in a way, it could also greatly hinder switching a pot or swapping pickups. We were left rubbing our heads on this one.

The Bottom Line

Still, these concerns are minor. Overall, the new Gibson Les Paul Standard is a terrific guitar in many ways, and we sense the spirit of classic Les Pauls here. Gibson also now makes a "Les Paul Traditional" that might appeal to individuals who want a more conservative Les Paul. Obviously, Gibson has something for everyone in their Les Paul series.

Name of Gear: Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus

List Price: $3,899.00

Manufacturer Info: Gibson Musical Instruments; gibson.com

Pros: Excellent setup; good classic LP sounds; nice feel

Cons: PCB mounted pots

If you are searching for the absolute cheapest price on a new or used Gibson Les Paul Standard, then you need to visit Ray's Guitar Shop, which offers the lowest prices on all new and used guitars. It doesn't matter if you're searching for a Fender Stratocaster, an Epiphone G-400, or a PRS McCarty. If you're searching for cheap electric guitars, then look no further than Ray's Guitar Shop!