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Topic: Weissenborn Guitar |
Joe Breeden
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2018 9:02 am |
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| I have the opportunity to purchase a 10 year old Weissenborn Gold Tone guitar. Solid mahogany. Pictures show it to be in good shape. I would appreciate any input from members. I would have a 3 hour drive if I decide to buy. Thanks Joe |
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David Matzenik
From:
Cairns, on the Coral Sea
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Posted 17 Feb 2018 8:20 pm
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With any of those factory made acoustic guitars, you have to establish for certain that it is not made of plywood, which is euphemistically called laminate by some. It stands to reason that a glued-wood sandwich cannot resonate like a solid build. The plywood does not mellow with age, it becomes more brittle. The only way I would accept it as solid, would be by confirming it with Gold Tone.
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Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother. |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 18 Feb 2018 9:27 am
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Plywood or not is just one question. The seller may say "solid mahogany" but check the model number - some sell the solid-top guitars with the wrong description.
None are made using the same woods as the original Weissenborns. Unfortunately "Weissenborn" has become a generic description for any hollow-neck acoustic steel. Some builders make excellent copies that are close matches to the originals.
Gold Tone's top-of-the-line SM (the only "solid mahogany" model) is a "budget" guitar as far as Weissenborn-types go. Some sound good for a mahogany guitar, but don't expect one to sound like a good original koa Weissenborn (and FWIW there are "bad" originals!).
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No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Joe Breeden
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 18 Feb 2018 7:32 pm
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| Thanks for taking time to reply. A picture shows the Gold Tone label inside the guitar, with a serial number and the letters SM. I'm still going to check it out when I go to purchase. |
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