Anticipating NGD - JF-55
- Thread starter Grassdog
- Start date
Grassdog
Member
Well I've unpacked the JF-55 and I've had a couple hours playing her and I'm pretty pleased. Right off the bat, let me say CME by far and away did the best job of protecting and packing this instrument that I've ever seen. Obviously a lot of care was taken to insure the headstock and neck were thoroughly secured and protected within the case. First impressions are this guitar, though 22 years old (made in Westerly), has not been played much. Fret wear is minimal, no wear to speak of on the back of the neck, binding is still very white (not a hint of patina yet), pickguard has minimal wear. There's some finish checking on the top (which I welcome with open arms), the aforementioned fretboard repair. Can't tell for sure if the bridge has been reglued. Playability is outstanding and the tone is pleasing, but I can tell she hasn't opened up yet. No worries. This thing needs to be played and she's come to the right place. The electronics work fine (tone and volume controls fully functional) but I'm going to need to go through a Baggs Para DI or an EQ to refine the tone. I'll probably go with RR's advice and install a K&K system. Going to see how she records tonight. Maybe bring out some stuff from After The Gold Rush and Harvest. Good times. I'm very fortunate. It usually doesn't go this well.
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Just looked at the pictures of this beautiful guitar. You are to be congratulated on hitting a homerun. And go ahead and post your recording-we'd love to hear you play it.
That's a beauty, dog. Enjoy it!
Rayk
Enlightened Member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2015
- Messages
- 5,793
- Reaction score
- 1,201
Well I've unpacked the JF-55 and I've had a couple hours playing her and I'm pretty pleased. Right off the bat, let me say CME by far and away did the best job of protecting and packing this instrument that I've ever seen. Obviously a lot of care was taken to insure the headstock and neck were thoroughly secured and protected within the case. First impressions are this guitar, though 22 years old (made in Westerly), has not been played much. Fret wear is minimal, no wear to speak of on the back of the neck, binding is still very white (not a hint of patina yet), pickguard has minimal wear. There's some finish checking on the top (which I welcome with open arms), the aforementioned fretboard repair. Can't tell for sure if the bridge has been reglued. Playability is outstanding and the tone is pleasing, but I can tell she hasn't opened up yet. No worries. This thing needs to be played and she's come to the right place. The electronics work fine (tone and volume controls fully functional) but I'm going to need to go through a Baggs Para DI or an EQ to refine the tone. I'll probably go with RR's advice and install a K&K system. Going to see how she records tonight. Maybe bring out some stuff from After The Gold Rush and Harvest. Good times. I'm very fortunate. It usually doesn't go this well.
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Sweet!
Cougar
Enlightened Member
Oh yeah! Major score! Congrats!
Love that abalone rosette! :tiger:
Love that abalone rosette! :tiger:
D30Man
Senior Member
Agreed Cougar. I bought the F55 from them and had a great experience. They were responsive, attentive and ultimately gave me a good price for mine.
D30Man
Senior Member
Wow she is pretty! Yes CME packs well for sure.. Glad it got to you safely and you are enjoying it. I like opening them up.. Yeah its nice to get one the has already blossomed tonally but there is something satisfying about putting the time to open one up yourself. When I got my D-30 ( departed ) it had not even come close to opening up. When I sold it off it was an open book.. The guy who bought got a tone monster.
D30Man
Senior Member
Veer sorry.. Grassdog I see you have an '88 GF30.. You didn't by any chance recently buy the '88 that was listed on Elderly.com did you? Just curious.. That one was a looker with a touch of patina on the headstock and a darkened nut.. It was nice..
Grassdog
Member
No I've had my GF-30 for about 10 years now - that thing was a boomer from the first time I played it. I bought it off some guy down in Austin who was a touring musician. Lord knows how many places that guitar had been, but it had been cared for. Still has most of it's saddle height. Finish checking galore, gorgeous patina, and a vast array of nicks and scratches but my oh my how that thing sounds.
D30Man
Senior Member
I bet. Sounds amazing GD. I am kind of on the look out for one.. There is a good looking burst one on the verb for $1650.. Just a little high in my book..
The Retro Rocker
Member
Gorgeous guitar! Looks like it was well cared for! Congrats!!!
Grassdog
Member
Thank you to everyone that chimed in here. I played it for a couple hours last night, trying out a wide variety of stuff, and yeah it's gonna take some time for it to open up and get its "voice" so to speak. It's kind of hard to articulate, but I don't feel that rumble or body resonance yet. It's a little different experience for me because I usually buy "players guitars" that have been around the block a few times. I could be wrong of course but I don't think this one has been out of the case very often and certainly never gigged with. The original HS case has barely a mark on it. I definitely had to mic it differently than my maple GF-30 and hog Gibson SJ (basically a J-45) when recording it though. While I may not be able to "feel" with the body resonance yet when I'm playing it, there's a lot fuller sound in front being picked up by the mic. I had to back off the mic several inches and experiment with different positions.