Let's See / Hear Your Jazz Guitars

Nice. That's what I usually play on bass when everyone else is deciding what to play next. Nice tone!
Thanks! Yes, the intro line is played by the bass. I had just learned this tune at that time and decided to play along. Thanks for listening!
 
I'll try to get decent phone camera shots of my '64 ES-175 and '77 Johnny Smith UL'd here.
I found that my iPhone camera takes better, clearer pictures than my 'real cameras' do.
When I mentioned it to my daughter her response was somewhat of a "well, duh!"
 
Yes, Abersold backing. The McCarty pickup is actually quite different from a P90. It is very similar to a Fender pickup; Alnico polepieces and a wire coil. No magnets below. I'm recording with a Mesa Maverick because it has master volume better eq. I built the tweeds from various circuits out there but they sound better with a tele or strat.
Finished.jpg
 
Fine playing & a great sounding gorgeous Gibson!

So that was your dad's 1952 Gibson ES-175, what a treasure! When did he obtain it and such, let's have the facts and nothing but facts brother! :beatnik:
 
Yes, Abersold backing. The McCarty pickup is actually quite different from a P90. It is very similar to a Fender pickup; Alnico polepieces and a wire coil. No magnets below. I'm recording with a Mesa Maverick because it has master volume better eq. I built the tweeds from various circuits out there but they sound better with a tele or strat.
Finished.jpg
That's a sweet setup. I did not know about this. So your L7 is strictly an archtop acoustic! What year is it?

Here's an archtop I made,View attachment 1081797
That is gorgeous!!! Are you a luthier than?
 
Fine playing & a great sounding gorgeous Gibson!

So that was your dad's 1952 Gibson ES-175, what a treasure! When did he obtain it and such, let's have the facts and nothing but facts brother! :beatnik:
To be honest I don't know exactly when he got that one. He had moved back to Illinois many years ago before he passed away.
His main guitars for playing with the bands were an old archtop with no name, probably made by Kay in the 40's according to a local luthier. this one sported a DeArmond pickup as shown in the pic.
The action is incredibly high. The neck could probably stand to be re-set, but I use it for slide work.
The other one is the 1953 Gibon L-50 also shown here.
AmpFront.JPG Gibson L50-1.JPG
 
To be honest I don't know exactly when he got that one. He had moved back to Illinois many years ago before he passed away.
His main guitars for playing with the bands were an old archtop with no name, probably made by Kay in the 40's according to a local luthier. this one sported a DeArmond pickup as shown in the pic.
The action is incredibly high. The neck could probably stand to be re-set, but I use it for slide work.
The other one is the 1953 Gibon L-50 also shown here.
View attachment 1083395 View attachment 1083396

Beautiful, that's great that you have these in your possession after all this time.
 
That's a sweet setup. I did not know about this. So your L7 is strictly an archtop acoustic! What year is it?


That is gorgeous!!! Are you a luthier than?

I got into fixing and playing electric guitars because they were 'electronics projects,' not much different to me than fixing amps and other audio equipment.
I got started in this when I bought a Kay electric in the 1970s for $5 at a flea market with the intent on fixing the electronics. I did not know how to play guitar at that time. I re-wired the electronics and put a new pickup in it. Then used it to learn on.
So your L7 is strictly an archtop acoustic!
McCarty's first job at Gibson was to design a pickup for the archtop guitars that did not require making a hole in the guitar (like I had to do to my L50). I did not want to put a hole in my 1947 L7.

My McCarty pickup is a replica I made based on McCarty's design. Below is an original for comparison.

Pickup Coil Unwound.jpg
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1937 L50 (ES-150 wannabe) and 1947 L7E. These represent the first two archtop pickups Gibson offered. These pre-date both the P90 and of course the Humbucker.
In ten years the development was rapid. The CC pickup has two massive cobalt magnets practically built in to the guitar. Ten year later, the L7E has tiny alnico magnets in a package smaller than just about any pickup on the market today.
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1937 L50 (ES-150 wannabe) and 1947 L7E. These represent the first two archtop pickups Gibson offered. These pre-date both the P90 and of course the Humbucker.
In ten years the development was rapid. The CC pickup has two massive cobalt magnets practically built in to the guitar. Ten year later, the L7E has tiny alnico magnets in a package smaller than just about any pickup on the market today.
View attachment 1083512

View attachment 1083521
View attachment 1083527
Both beautiful guitars!!
I've thought about putting a Charlie Christian pickup in my L50 and the main thing that has stopped me is having to put holes in the top to do it.
Otherwise, I love the sound of the CC pickups, not to mention the looks.
 
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