Gibson Johnny Smith
svr...@rust.net
about the history of this model. It looks like a picture I've seen of the
L-5 introduced in 1939, and I wonder if it was based on this model. I also
wonder what changes were made to it for Johnny Smith (aside from the floating
pickup). It's a really great guitar and I love it. I've also heard that
Stevie Ray Vaughn used one on some of his recordings. I would appreciate any
info. Sam Rappa - svr...@rust.net
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
JNugent231
>Date: 11/11/98 22:09 GMT
>I have a Gibson Johnny Smith which I purchased in the 70's. I am curious
>about the history of this model. It looks like a picture I've seen of the
>L-5 introduced in 1939, and I wonder if it was based on this model. I also
>wonder what changes were made to it for Johnny Smith (aside from the floating
>pickup).
I understand that the JS is based upon the Super 400 (in trim details), but
with the narrower lower bout of the L5C. The pickup is unique among Gibsons,
as, currently, is the mounting method.
The instrument was also available as 2 p/u model.
Tony Meloche
>
> >I am curious
> >about the history of this model
>
> endorsement agreement with Guild, who developed the Johnny Smith Award model.
> But Smith disagreed with the way Guild carved the top around the upper bout, so
> he never played it, and let his endorsement deal run out. Very few were ever
> made. (Guild later renamed it the Artist Award, still available today, though
> it's gone through several changes.) Smith then signed an endorsement deal with
> Gibson in the early '60s; presumably they were more willing to build the guitar
> they way he wanted it. The Gibson Johnny Smith has the same 17" body shape as
> an L5, but slightly thinner depth, plus it has the neck and headstock of the
> Super 400. Plus it was Gibson's first neck-mounted pickup, available as a one
> or two pickup model. (There was a Ted McCarty designed pickguard-mounted
> pickup arrangement on a '50s archtop, I forget which model, may have been the
> L5.) Smith's endorsement deal with Gibson ran out around 1980, I believe. At
> which point Gibson changed the tailpiece on the guitar and renamed it the Super
> V. No longer in the catalog. Johnny Smith has since switched endorsements
> again, this time to Heritage. He's got to be the only guy to have his name on
> a guitar made by three different companies. (Chet Atkins and Attila Zoller
> have had two. Probably a few more.)
Best as I know, you are right, but as far as being paid money to
appear in public *playing* a certain brand of guitar, I think Roy Clark
must hold the record for endorsements (last week's posts). If Clark
ever had a "Roy Clark" model from any company, though, it's news to me.
I'd love to know what Roy Clark considers the best guitar(s) he owns -
most likely some custom job(s).
Irrelevant fact: Roy Clark was Leo Fender's favorite guitarist - and
Clark never endorsed Fenders!
The Old Guy
--
Remove the "z",(if present) from e-mail address to respond.
George4908
Jerry
> I have a Gibson Johnny Smith which I purchased in the 70's. I am curious
> about the history of this model. I would appreciate any
> info.
The Johnny Smith is quite different from either an L5 or Super 400. It
has the l5's 17" body, but it is thinner in depth by a bit. It has a
shorter 25" scale (reputedly to facilitate Johnny's "stretch" voicings)
and the top bracing is different. Naturally, the neck mounted pickup is
different. The guitar first appeared in the 1961 catalog and the neck
mounted humbucker is intended to be an upgrade to the common, but
problematic DeArmond add-on pickups of th3e period. Cosmetically it's a
combination of L5 & Super 400 features, but it has it's own wonderful
sound.
JNugent231
>Johnny Smith has since switched endorsements
>again, this time to Heritage. He's got to be the only guy to have his name
>on
>a guitar made by three different companies. (Chet Atkins and Attila Zoller
>have had two. Probably a few more.)
The UK's Hank Marvin (late of The Shadows) has had three endorsement deals.
The first was with Burns London, who produced the "Marvin" model. This guitar
is now back in production, but now called "The Legend" for reasons which are
revealed below.
The second was with Jennings Musical Industries (the makers of Vox), who
produced a "Hank Marvin" tremolo system fitted to their top-line guitars (the
Phantom, etc).
The third (and current) deal is with Fender, who produce a USA
very-limited-edition Custom Shop "Signature Model" Stratocaster and a
Japanese-made "Hank Marvin" Strat.
Tony Meloche
>
> Hank Marvin? Good call. Duane Eddy has been with Guild and now Gretsch. Hmm,
> I suppose you could say Les Paul with Gibson and Epiphone, technically . . .
> nahh. I've heard that Gibson is coming out with a Jeff Beck Les Paul to match
> his "Blow by Blow" guitar, which would bookend nicely with his Fender. And
> then there's Bill Lawrence, who performing as "Billy Lorento" in Germany had a
> deal with Framus, and now puts his own name on his own line of guitars. I
> think someof the Hellecasters have done both Fender and G&L. What great
> useless trivia. Anyone got a few more?
The Ventures endorsed Mosrite from '64-'69, and had an endorsement
deal for a "Ventures Model" set of Fenders a few years ago (A
Jazzmaster, a Strat and a Jazz Bass). Barney Kessel originally endorsed
Kay (!), and later Gibson. Roy Smeck, (God am I showing my age *here*!)
originally endorsed Gibson, and later Harmony - not sure he didn't have
several other endorsement deals, too.
The OId Guy
George4908
JNugent231
[quoted post re guitar/artist endorsements]
> The Ventures endorsed Mosrite from '64-'69, and had an endorsement
>deal for a "Ventures Model" set of Fenders a few years ago (A
>Jazzmaster, a Strat and a Jazz Bass).
In between, they endorsed some Aria "Ventures Model" guitars (late 80s I
think).
There were three:
- a bass,
- a "rhythm" guitar with a Jazzmaster/Mosrite-like p/u configuration, and
- a "lead" guitar with the then-fashionable HSS p/u configuration.
That makes them one of the few to have had three separate endorsement deals.
Stephen212
the most recent of which (1987) was a George Gruhn designed mini-jumbo, model
GF-60.
Tony Meloche
Didn't know about that one! Thanx.
T. M.
ji...@my-dejanews.com
The Super V is not really a continuation of the Johnny Smith. The Super V
CES and Super V BJB were introduced in 1978. The Super V CES had the
standard body- mounted humbuckings and controls, while the BJB was an
acoustic model with one floating Bruce J Bolin pickup - thus the "BJB",
unlike the Johnny Smith which used the then-new (1961) Made-by-Gibson
Epiphone mini-humbucking. The Super V also did not have the Johnny Smith's
shorter scale or thinner body. The Super V BJB was made from 1978 to 1984,
while the Johnny Smith was not offically killed until 1989. In 1979, the
Johnny Smith was actually given the Super V's 6-finger tailpiece, replacing
it's original L-5 inspired unit. The Super V BJB has actually been
resurrected by Gibson in the guise of the "LeGrand", which, as far as I can
tell, is identical to the Super V BJB except for a L-5 sized headstock,
rather than the Super 400 sized headstock, although the inlays are Johnny
Smith/Super 400. Interestingly, Gibson has told me that the LeGrand is a
basically the same guitar as the Citation, and they start out on the same
production batch, with the bodies with the best woods becoming Citations. Of
course the ornamentation is unique to the Citation, as well (and the Citation
and LeGrand both use the pickup from the Super V BJB), but a natural Citation
lists for $32,000, while the LeGrand is "only" $12,530.
Gibson's Custom Shop recently made me the first and ONLY Florentine-Cutaway
Super V CES, and I am awaiting delivery of a Chablis-colored LeGrand.
Jim
In article <19981111234009...@ng-ft1.aol.com>,
georg...@aol.com (George4908) wrote:
> >I am curious
> >about the history of this model
>
> Johnny Smith, then at the height of his popularity in the '50s, signed an
> endorsement agreement with Guild, who developed the Johnny Smith Award model.
> But Smith disagreed with the way Guild carved the top around the upper bout,
so
> he never played it, and let his endorsement deal run out. Very few were ever
> made. (Guild later renamed it the Artist Award, still available today, though
> it's gone through several changes.) Smith then signed an endorsement deal
with
> Gibson in the early '60s; presumably they were more willing to build the
guitar
> they way he wanted it. The Gibson Johnny Smith has the same 17" body shape as
> an L5, but slightly thinner depth, plus it has the neck and headstock of the
> Super 400. Plus it was Gibson's first neck-mounted pickup, available as a one
> or two pickup model. (There was a Ted McCarty designed pickguard-mounted
> pickup arrangement on a '50s archtop, I forget which model, may have been the
> L5.) Smith's endorsement deal with Gibson ran out around 1980, I believe. At
> which point Gibson changed the tailpiece on the guitar and renamed it the
Super
> V. No longer in the catalog. Johnny Smith has since switched endorsements
> again, this time to Heritage. He's got to be the only guy to have his name on
> a guitar made by three different companies. (Chet Atkins and Attila Zoller
> have had two. Probably a few more.)
>