A Look at Gibson’s First Jumbo Flat Top, with Mark Stutman

[@LegsON]

Gosh, that side burst is GORGEOUS!

[@stlrfan09]

Doesn’t get any better than these videos! Nobody investigates the nuances of these historically important guitars like you! What a remarkable looking and sounding Jumbo. Huge, robust voice. Many thanks for the history lesson on the model, as well. That J-35 is no slouch! Awesome, open, throaty tone on that one.

[@geecheer7098]

Whatever I’m doing at the time is halted - I stop and watch when Mark puts up a video. Another special educational moment. Many thanks!

[@rockereb]

Incredible instrument. Thanks for sharing, Mark.

[@ryanj6862]

It's hard to believe the top would be so clean and the fingerboard with such deep grooves

[@Clayphish]

I don’t really. Some players, including myself, play very controlled. Personally I don’t know how people can play so wildly in order to cause so much wear on a top.

[@quincemothman]

The ware on the fingerboard is probably due to the owner not keeping their finger nails short enough. Some guitars I've seen with grooves in the fretboard often turned out to have been played by women. They hate cutting their left hand nails short. LOL.

[@brunolalanne9106]

Maybe only played fingerstyle ?

[@peacockbass1966]

Thank you for the review. Great to see and hear those sweet vintage Gibsons.

[@martinburke-x4i]

i have to say i think you are the best gibson repair man out there! thanks for the history i love it.

[@TheFolkwayMusic]

Wow, thanks!

[@BeauHannamGuitars]

Amazing clean guitar! Thanks for the video Mark. Always a pleasure to hear you go deep into these guitar's histories.

[@wardcheryldarcie]

I always look forward to your posts. You are one of the rare historians that bring the history of guitar to life. Thank you.

[@kingrobert1st]

My goodness! It’s 90 years old! WOW!

[@paulheartsongs]

I was lucky to own a Centennial version is this guitar. As a gigging musician I was wary not to damage it and my friend ultimately bought it from me. Looked amazing!!

[@telebender]

Really great, rare guitar with a very informative explanation of it and its history.Thank you for posting, really enjoyed it.

[@TheFolkwayMusic]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks!

[@robinsutliff8415]

Again, you are a treasure. Thank you Mark for in hand discussions on guitars I love but will never own.

[@kinnjohn]

Super informative, as per usual. Sitting here in Norway, watching this is the nearest I'll ever be to vintage bliss, though I own a '65 J45..😉Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@246810user]

another great video! Thank you Mark

[@maxpage1791]

Thanks for another fascinating and informative vid for us geeks.

[@johnthomas8168]

Wonderful stuff, as always, Mark. Thank you.

[@TheFolkwayMusic]

Thanks, John!

[@frankdiscussion2069]

beautiful guitar

[@natemink572]

Super informative, thank you!

[@robwakelin3584]

I have to laugh when you say that a particular guitar repair terrifies you. Which begs the question, have you ever totally messed up a repair? I don't expect you to answer that. Love these videos!

[@TheFolkwayMusic]

Anyone who claims that they’ve not messed up a repair is lying through their teeth! Sure, mistakes have been made, but thankfully I’ve never ruined a guitar, and most of the learning happens early on in this job. 25+ years on there aren’t any real ‘mistakes’ happening, but if one doesn’t approach a guitar with reverence and respect the chances of a less than perfect end result are certainly higher.

[@PaisleyPatchouli]

Outstanding

[@markarcherisinflorid]

My god that first strum!!! ❤

[@rajawatts1141]

Hi Mark! Notice that some important details as to the quality of the SOUND of these guitars is NOT mentioned: Adirondack spruce tops, ebony fretboard vs. rosewood, thickness or mass of the neck as a contributing factor, FB radius for playability, scale length nut to saddle...these things spring to mind as I have a 1935 Gibson Roy Smeck Stage DeLuxe. Very similar to the Jumbo as presented here. I purchased in 1983 for 595USD plus tax. I know it sounds like a steal, but as you know Smecks were made with flat FB, painted white lines instead of frets, as per Hawaiian lap slide playing. A previous owner had glued a flat Koa veneer on the FB, and fretted it as a 12 fret to the body, creating a great fingerpicking/flatpicking/slide guitar. But because three of the frets were installed incorrectly, the whole experience is ruined in regards to playing near the 12th fret. So now I currently need a fretted FB, 25 3/4 inch scale.The Smeck is 2 inches at the nut, and baseball bat dimensions. Your video was informative, even though I still have questions regarding these guitars. Thanks, Roger W.

[@TheFolkwayMusic]

Roger - The Red spruce top, rosewood board and bridge, and neck dimensions of a Jumbo are the same as those found on most any 14 fret Gibson model built before 1940. If the Jumbo had a different neck carve or reinforcement, an ebony board or bridge, or a different species of top wood than, say, a J-35, the guitars would be less comparable. But they don't, so the comparison is simplified. A Smeck, with its 12 fret neck that's much wider and heavier than a Jumbo's 14 fret neck, will sound significantly different than a jumbo, but comparably appealing, I'd suggest.

[@HarryNicNicholas]

that's crazy hot. and so clean. talking of gibson being erratic, i had a 66 LG1 that i sold and missed, so i bought an 66 LG0 in hopes of replacing it, but the neck was completely different, so i bought another 66 LG0 and it too had a neck completely different to either - who knows what their process was back in the 60's

[@Jam-m7m]

I LOVE this channel ❤ 😎

[@1950s_Guitar]

Thanks for this excellent video. I see 2 pearl dots on the bridge of the Jumbo. I assume that these conceal the bolts that are characteristic of vintage Gibsons?

[@TheFolkwayMusic]

That is correct

[@martinsundland7614]

Mark, apropos almost nothing - could you give an opinion about D'Addario XS strings. I have been using them for a year or two and am quite impressed but I don't have your wealth of knowledge on the subject. Thanks.

[@TheFolkwayMusic]

We use them on all our store-stock guitars. Great strings. I personally prefer the sound of half-dead strings so I use uncoated strings, but the XS have replaced Elixir as the go-to coated string for most people.

[@RedLittleBee]

Mark, Bronze 80/20 or Phosphor Bronze? Thnx in advance

[@TheFolkwayMusic]

My preference is phos. bronze, but it’s a 100% subjective variable.

[@RedLittleBee]

@@TheFolkwayMusic thank you kindly 😃

[@petersheely7246]

👌😎

[@fenderlead1]

A Folkway video… It’s like Christmas in July! Or June… What month are we again?

[@markfogleman8438]

Either one could 'kill a banjo.