gibson j-40

Subject: gibson j-40
From: 53
Date: 01 Oct 01 - 01:17 PM

i have a 1979 gibson j-40 which has no bridge pins, the strings are just run right thru the saddle. it has a beautiful tone and the luthier that i use to set up my guitar said the extra tone comes from not having the bridge pins. i think gibson only made this model for 2 years and mine is a walnut color, and i have played the hell out of it. i bought it brand new in march of 1980 and it has been everywhere with me. bob.

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: catspaw49
Date: 01 Oct 01 - 04:05 PM

So Bobbo....Does it look like this? The J40 was built for perhaps 8 or 9 years in the 70's and some were walnut back and sides with a stained spruce top. Others were natural top and mahoghany. All had a pinless bridge which many luthiers claim will transmit sound better.

Actually Bob, if you want another, you can still buy a NEW ONE.....although it's 23 years old.........Click Here

Spaw

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: 53
Date: 01 Oct 01 - 04:17 PM

spaw, i tried both of your blue clickys and they don't work try again. bob.

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: catspaw49
Date: 01 Oct 01 - 04:43 PM

Hmmm.....They both work for me! I'd try them again, but if they both work.............The URL for the first is http://www.gbase.com/guitar_picture.asp?guitar=273777 and the second one is http://www.gbase.com/guitar_picture.asp?guitar=284347. They may take awhile to load?? Beats me Bob. What do you get when you click them?

Spaw

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 01 Oct 01 - 04:49 PM

They worked for me.

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: catspaw49
Date: 01 Oct 01 - 05:15 PM

Thanks Steve....At least I know I'm not nuts.......well, that's debatable, but the links work! Thanks.

Spaw

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: 53
Date: 01 Oct 01 - 06:17 PM

Yep, Catspaw, after several failed attempts, getting error messages that said Netscape didn't "recognize the DNS...." we finally got on.

Yep, it looks like mine, except I have replaced the tuning machines with the Gibson pearloids. Great, Thanks for the site.

Bob ( & Glenda)

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: 53
Date: 01 Oct 01 - 06:23 PM

Oh, yeah, the white binding of mine isn't white, more of a yellow. Mellow-like with age and use. Plus the finish is worn off the back of the neck from being played so much.

Beautiful guitar there tho'.

Bob

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: 53
Date: 09 Jan 02 - 10:20 AM

what size nut would this guitar have? 5/16 or1/4 , i'm looking for a truss rod wrench. BOB

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: catspaw49
Date: 09 Jan 02 - 11:36 AM

I don't know of any "chart" that gives the sizes by model and year but Gibson uses both sizes. My suggestion is that you get yourself a quarter inch drive socket set which is handy to have anyway. You don't need the highest quality stuff. Stop by a local auto parts store or hardware or Sears and pick up a set. A set will also have a short extension which I find makes the fit easier. (Under 20 bucks, often about 12-15)

Spaw

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 09 Jan 02 - 11:50 AM

At the local CarQuest shop you can get a ratchet, extension, and a small set of sockets for $4.99 + tax.

So - bit of a side creep question -

Would Ebony pins transmit sound better than the plastic ones??

Steve

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: catspaw49
Date: 09 Jan 02 - 11:54 AM

Yeah....but don't expect too much of a difference. You'll get the biggest difference with brass, but even that is pretty small in the grand scheme of things. I think the better pins of harder materials look better if nothing else and it's up to you to figure out if the cost is worth it.

Spaw

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 09 Jan 02 - 12:29 PM

Hmmmmmm Other than the "straight through" bridge, this guitar is exactly like my new mid-seventies J-50 Custom. Wonder if there are "inside differences"

Just read another account of Gibson's "Troubled years". Suspect both Bob and I were lucky to find these two models that sounded good, and stayed in one piece. The Norlin Company that bought Gibson were very into 'bottom line' and cut corners so much that they almost completely ruined the Gibson name. I've played many Gibsons from that era, that had NO sound at all....and guess what? They're still fetching pretty high prices on the market. Whaddya gonna do?

Rick

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Jan 02 - 03:18 PM

A pin type bridge anchors the string thru the bridge and the ball end of the string makes contact with the inside of the top itself, while a pinless bridge just pulls from the bridge I'm not an engineer, but that results in a shearing action..If the strings are fastened pinless or not, they will "load" the top, but in my opinion, the pinless bridge is much more apt to shear the bridge off of the top. I'm at work, but I'm a member--- so please no comments about my being a guest

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: CraigS
Date: 09 Jan 02 - 03:56 PM

Gibson guitars from the Norlin times were a bit variable, but the worst period was around 67 - 70. I usually like the sound of a square shouldered Gibson dreadnaught better than the round shouldered model. The exception for me is the Hummingbird - I've never seen one I like, they all seem too quiet and lifeless to me. The notable thing about the dreadnaughts made from the 70s on is that they had a symmetrical X brace, which means that if you find one that sounds good you can almost guarantee it will sound as good if converted for a Lefty.

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: 53
Date: 09 Jan 02 - 04:53 PM

what i am trying to do is to adjust the truss rod and the stew-mac catalog says that it could be either size, is it very hard to do? , i don't want to lower the saddle,but i do have a bone saddle that i had made for it, so should i install that first before adjusting the truss rod or what? BOB

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: 53
Date: 09 Jan 02 - 09:38 PM

GUESS WHAT FELLAS, I DID IT, I ADJUSTED THE TRUSS ROD AND THE GUITAR NOWS PLAYS FABALOUS, THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP. BOB

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 09 Jan 02 - 11:26 PM

Brass is best - Hmmmm - I've seen the ones with the pull through hole - would that be what you are talking about Spaw?

Bob - you are amazing -

Steve

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: catspaw49
Date: 09 Jan 02 - 11:38 PM

Nope...just brass pins. Some get a bit fancy though.....Check These

Spaw

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 09 Jan 02 - 11:50 PM

K - I'll talk to Shaun tomorrow. Thanks

Steve

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: 53
Date: 10 Jan 02 - 06:32 PM

i did some more work on it today, and now i really have my gibson j-40 back in my lineup of guitars to play, plus tonite at supper a man told us that a friend of his picked up a real nice martin for 60.00 but he didn't know what kind, if i could get a martin for that i'd buy it too. BOB

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 11 Jan 02 - 09:30 AM

I don't know Bob - firewood is only about $80.00 a cord here - $60 for an armload seems a bit steep to me.

Steve

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: 53
Date: 11 Jan 02 - 06:40 PM

NORTON, YOU MEAN THAT YOU DON'T LIKE MARTINS.? BOB

Subject: RE: gibson j-40
From: 53
Date: 12 Jan 02 - 12:20 AM

norton i haven't heard from you about the martins. BOB