Review: Gibson’s J-45 50s Faded and Keb’ Mo’ “3.0” 12-Fret J-45 Are Two New Takes on the Classic Workhorse
Both models stick to the strengths and depart from the script in terms of our preconceived ideas about the J-45 shape.
A Guide to Identifying Common Acoustic Guitar Shapes and Sizes
The steel-string acoustic guitar appears in many different sizes and shapes. This guide gives a general understanding of the most common styles and what they may offer players.
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Review: Gibson’s New Generation Collection Is an Affordable Line of Soundport-Equipped Acoustics
Gibson has released a new line of acoustic guitars with soundports, the Generation Collection. HEre's our review of the Gibson G-45 and the Gibson G-200.
Guitar Review: Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Hummingbird
The street price on Epiphone’s "Inspired By Gibson" Hummingbird acoustic guitar? Just $799—and you get much of the vibe of its costlier Gibson counterparts.
How CEO James ‘JC’ Curleigh Is Using Lessons from Levi’s to Spur Gibson Guitars’ Revival
James “JC” Curleigh is using his experience revitalizing the Levi's brand to do the same with Gibson guitars after taking the reins as CEO in 2018.
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“The Gibson Guy”: How Folkway Music’s Mark Stutman Became a Leading Vintage Guitar Expert
Photos by Claire Bégin The sound of a customer fingerpicking a 1950 Gibson CF-100 in the front showroom of Folkway Music, in Waterloo, Ontario, an hour west of Toronto, drifts into owner Mark Stutman’s office. On the floor lie guitar cases with instruments ready for repair. On one wall is…
Guitar Review: Gibson’s 50s LG-2 Pairs Vintage Vibe with Modern Playability
The new 50s LG-2 is no exception. As soon as I picked it up, this guitar felt instantly familiar, and it was easy to imagine that I was holding a new old stock guitar, straight from the 1950s. After years of trying out heavily played vintage models, I feel like I know well just how this guitar will age after years of playing.
Great Acoustics: John Prine’s 1939 Gibson Super 400N
From the November/December 2020 issue of Acoustic Guitar | By Greg Olwell A few archtops were larger and some were glitzier, but all were trying to top the standard set by the stunning Gibson Super 400. Having an 18-inch lower bout and decorated with Gibson’s most premium appointments and hardware, the Super 400 surpassed the L-5…
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Hear Pete Madsen Play John Fahey’s ‘In Christ There Is No East or West’ on Our Custom Gibson SJ-200
This custom 2000 Gibson SJ-200 is from Acoustic Guitar magazine’s 10th Anniversary Collection. In celebration of our 30th anniversary in 2020, we’re putting our collection up for auction from April 20 through May 10, giving you the opportunity to bid on a piece of guitar history and support guitar education…
Gibson Touts Acoustic Custom Shop Historic Collection at NAMM 2020
Watch as Gibson Guitars product specialist Don Ruffatto gives us whirlwind tour of a few examples from the venerable company’s Acoustic Custom Shop Historic Collection of acoustic guitars “built in the spirit of the ’50s and ’60s models that are iconic… variations on our modern guitars to give the look,…
Guitar Review: Gibson G-45 Studio
Gibson's G-45 Studio acoustic guitar is a more affordable cousin of its beloved namesake, the J-45 acoustic guitar. See how it stacks up on our review.
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Introducing the Gibson Coated Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings
Sponsored by Gibson: Developed and approved by our team of Master Luthiers, Gibson Coated Phosphor Bronze Strings are factory specification at the Gibson Acoustic facility in Bozeman, MT. These strings feature a high-carbon steel, hex-shaped core wrapped in phosphor bronze that is very thinly coated with a proprietary polymer. The…
WIN ONE OF THESE GIBSON G-45 GUITARS!
THIS GIVEAWAY ENDS OCTOBER 31, 2019 Two lucky winners will chosen! Prizes assigned at random. Introducing the Gibson Generation G-45. Hand-built in our Bozeman, Montana factory using time-tested Gibson build techniques like hide-glued dovetail neck joints and domed top braces along with modern specs like slimmer body depths and Advanced…
Introducing the Gibson G-45 Series Collection
Sponsored by Gibson: G-45 Studio: A New Point of Entry into a Gibson Acoustic The G-45 Studio is designed to provide the perfect mix of tone, performance, and traditional Gibson style for all players and every stage. It is hand-built in our Bozeman, Montana factory using time-tested Gibson build techniques like…
Beyond Rosewood: 12 Mid-Priced Alt-Wood Guitars
Our pitch to makers was simple: Send us a guitar that uses no rosewood and has a real-world cost of $500–$1,500. Since some makers have many models that qualify, we limited each brand to one guitar of any shape or size, with or without electronics or a cutaway. Laminated and solid woods were okay, but no composites such as carbon fiber (that’s a roundup for another time). What you’ll see over the following pages are a dozen acoustic guitars, presented alphabetically, that show off some of the delightful choices available in this popular price range.
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The Importance of a Strong Bridge Glue Joint
I play a Gibson LG-0 that my mother handed down to me—she got it as a teenager in the ’60s. It’s a great guitar and in pretty killer shape considering all it’s seen. A few months ago, I noticed that the bridge was pulling up. (I can get a piece…
Gibson Files for Bankruptcy
The bankruptcy filing does not mean the end of the celebrated guitar maker. A Chapter 11 bankruptcy, like the one filed by Gibson Brands, Inc., is a way for the company to not die.
Great Acoustics: 1932 Gibson L-10
The Gibson L-10 has been something of a secret weapon for archtop enthusiasts who need the steak, but not all of the sizzle, of the glitzy L-5.
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Great Acoustics: 1956 Gibson J-185
A choice, collectible jumbo with a stellar voice.
Great Acoustics: A Pair of 1934 Gibson L-5s Surfaces in Brooklyn
It’s not uncommon to find a prewar Gibson L-5 for sale, but it is uncommon for two from the same year to make a simultaneous appearance at the same shop.
Gear Review: The 2016 Gibson Hummingbird Vintage Model Is a High-Flying Acoustic Guitar [VIDEO]
It’s not just one of the best Hummingbirds I’ve played, but an excellent flattop by any yardstick—one as graceful and nimble as its name suggests.
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Review: Gibson’s J-45 Vintage Is a Winning Workhorse [VIDEO]
Some skeptical guitarists might see phrases like “thermally cured” and “hide glue” as mere marketing tools, but there’s no denying that the J-45 Vintage has a full, rich voice with excellent definition and note separation. When I play it in the Carter style, I’m struck both by the depth of the bass notes and the crispness of the chordal accents. When I pick some G runs, I’m taken with the string-to-string balance and the thickness of the single notes.
Gibson Guitars Unveils ‘One-of-a-Kind’ Monarch Crown Jewel at NAMM 2016
At Winter NAMM 2016, Gibson Guitars’ Don Ruffatto took AG’s Whitney Phaneuf behind the velvet rope for a demo of two very rare instruments — the Monarch Crown Jewel Edition, which Ruffatoo calls “a true, one-of-a-kind masterpiece,” featuring a hand-carved headstock design inlaid with a 14k gold crown medallion, and a Gallery Edition…
Gibson Takes AG Behind the Velvet Rope at NAMM 2016
Don Ruffatto, product manager at Gibson Guitars, got some AG editors behind the velvet rope Friday at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California. And what they saw blew their minds. In this gallery, Ruffatto, shrouded in a purple glow much like Prince in Paradise, shows off Gibson’s one-of-a-kind Monarch Crown…
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Review: Gibson’s Bob Dylan SJ-200 Player’s Edition is an Absolute Treat for Dylan Fans
The vintage-inspired guitar boasts an outstanding voice.