Roger's new guitar

Joey Ace · Post by **Joey Ace** » 25 Oct 2006 11:05 am

Here's a link to one story about BB King's 335 /355 history. http://www.worldblues.com/bbking/prairie/lucille.html

I agree that the 335 is more recognized as a "Rock Icon".

The 335's and 355's were given their numbers to reflect their price, $335 and $355.

Those were the days, my friend.
Beautiful guitar, Roger. It's nice to hear Gibson is doing something right.

I also play Dobro, and that camp is not too happy with the Gibson company.

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 25 Oct 2006 11:29 am

Lots of folks aren't too happy with them, but we won't go there.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 25 Oct 2006 1:48 pm

The 'Lucille' does indeed represent excellent value - and there'll be a red one on 'Buy & Sell' here pretty soon. I just need to get home and take some digital photos of her!

Joey: That article's interesting, but I'd take issue with the odd detail. The 335, 345, 347 and 355 all have a centrally-fitted solid block down the middle of the body - the 'Lucille' is no different, except it does not have the 'F' holes. Internally, there's no difference. If it were solid, I doubt you could pick it up! I'd say the principal difference is the ebony fingerboard (347, 355 & Lucille - the others are rosewood).

Bill: I know that you're well aware of the difference, but I'm surprised at how many people DO refer to the 'Lucille' as the ES-355 Lucille. Those e-bay sellers certainly do!

I couldn't agree more about the Custom Shop quality ethic. I was speaking with Stan Jay at Mandolin Bros about this very point today. By the way, he informs me that the brown case with the pink lining was dropped about 12 months ago

....

Darvin: I had a 1981 version of the 347, but mine was black. I never enjoyed mine much - the workmanship was pretty poor, and I also disliked the exaggerated volute behind the nut. That, unfortunately, was a 'flaw' in late-'70 to early-'80s 'high end' Gibsons. The tuning was generally unstable, and I only hope yours works better than mine did! I don't think that was a good period for Gibson.

A lot of interesting replies here - thanks, everyone, for your input.

Now I need to calm down and stop looking at guitars for at least a year!

Roger R.[This message was edited by Roger Rettig on 25 October 2006 at 03:01 PM.]

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 25 Oct 2006 10:24 pm

I need to calm down and stop looking at guitars for at least a year

Yeah Right.

Face it Roger, you're a guitaraholic, just like me. You're gonna be GASing for another one in a week.

Q: How many guitars do we actually need?

A: Just one more.

For all my talk about the Asian imports, you've got me GASing for one like yours now.

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Warning: I have a Telecaster and I'm not afraid to use it.
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My web site

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 26 Oct 2006 2:31 am

If it were solid, I doubt you could pick it up!

The (in)famous Travis Bean 1000 - 16 lbs. of pure koa bliss!

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 26 Oct 2006 2:42 am

The volute on the back of the neck does serve its purpose. You might not care for it, but it helps to reinforce the neck. The area that is hogged out for the truss rod adjustment weakens the neck and the volute adds that back.

I have a 7 string bass I made in 1988. I put a very large volute on the back of the headstock. It fell over one day and I noticed that there was a crack in the center section of purple heart but not in the two layers of maple that "sandwich" the purple heart. The volute saved the neck on that guitar. I just squirted some 1/2 sec. cyanocrylate glue in it and it has been fine for the last 15 years or so.

Joey Ace · Post by **Joey Ace** » 26 Oct 2006 5:33 am

"If it were solid, I doubt you could pick it up!"

I thought that reference to it being a solid body was incorrect.

I've never owned one so I awaited a more qualified comment.

I do own a Les Paul Custom, and always thought the 335 / 355 difference as being similar to the diff between LP Custom vs Standard.

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 26 Oct 2006 6:22 am

Roger, mine is an '80 model, maybe I got a good one, I haven't noticed any quality problems. I've only had it for 5 or 6 years, maybe the problems showed up before I got it. I had a Les Paul Custom from about the same era, and I currently have an '85 ES175 and a '90 Howard Roberts Fusion, and the 347 is built as well as any of the others in my opinion.

I only take it out of the case and play it every couple of months and very seldom have to do anything with the tuning. If I carried it around in temperature extremes it might act differently.

I also have a '99 Country Gentleman and I can tell the difference in the fit and finish on it. Obviously they took a little more time with it.

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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 26 Oct 2006 7:46 am

That's good, Darvin - mine was always troublesome, so I guess it's coloured my opinion of the 347 in general. They're certainly a pretty guitar though.

Nice photo! Boy, do I wish I had that brown/pink case to go with my 355!!!

Joey: I think you're correct with your Les Paul comparison - that's how I always saw the 335s and 355s. I just love the 'split diamond' headstock inlay - a real Gibson icon.

Mike P: You are, of course, correct. I had a J-200-related conversation with Stan at Mandolin Bros. only yesterday. I won't be truly content until an L-5 is in the stable, either. My wife has been pestering me to agree to having a dog - with exquisite timing I said 'Yes' at exactly the right moment (just before I brought the new guitar home); if I have to add another dog with evry new guitar, you may see some restraint on my part!

Our dog is terrific, by the way - a terrier 'mix' of some sort now named 'William'.....

RR

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 28 Oct 2006 7:19 pm

Roger, did the dog cost $3500?

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 28 Oct 2006 8:42 pm

Actually, he was just $58 from the Naples Animal Shelter - but I have a feeling that's just the start!

RR