Johnson guitars???
Brent Barkow
I haven't posted for a long time, but I haven't seen this question come up.
Does anyone have experience with Johnson guitars? I have seen them on E-bay
at ridiculous prices (red flag). I was thinking about trying one of their
acoustic/electrics since it looks like you could pick one up for under $200.
I emailed a Johnson dealer for specs, but I wondered whether anyone here had
any first-hand knowledge. Thanks
Gerardo & Kelly Hernandez
>at ridiculous prices (red flag). I was thinking about trying one of their
>acoustic/electrics since it looks like you could pick one up for under
$200.
Just remember that ridiculous prices usually means ridiculous guitar. You
always
pay for what you get.
Gerardo
JoeMc
- Hey baby, wanna strum my Johnson?
- My Johnson keeps better rhythm than yours
- etc...
Joe
Brent Barkow <bba...@ictc.com> wrote in message
news:1YPD3.175$9b2....@news.corpcomm.net...
> Hello everyone -
>
> I haven't posted for a long time, but I haven't seen this question come
up.
>
> Does anyone have experience with Johnson guitars? I have seen them on
E-bay
> at ridiculous prices (red flag). I was thinking about trying one of their
> acoustic/electrics since it looks like you could pick one up for under
$200.
Hojo2x
Their wooden guitars are fairly standard, fairly decent entry-level
dreadnoughts (at least the ones that I have played.) I wouldn't buy one on
eBay, as I've seen quite a bit a variation in terms of neck sets and fretwork
on these - go to a music store to check them out before purchasing.
The Johnson metal body resonator guitars are generally considered to be at
least a couple of cuts above their wooden instruments. If you replace the
stock resonator cone with a Quarterman replacement cone (available for about
$50 from folks like Stewart-McDonald and Beard Guitars) you can end up with a
really fine-sounding resonator instrument for a very reasonable price. If I'm
not mistaken, Neil Harpe (who frequents this newsgroup) has done just that.
Wade Hampton Miller
Larry Wright
Hojo2x wrote:
> The Johnson metal body resonator guitars are generally considered to be at
> least a couple of cuts above their wooden instruments. If you replace the
> stock resonator cone with a Quarterman replacement cone (available for about
> $50 from folks like Stewart-McDonald and Beard Guitars) you can end up with a
> really fine-sounding resonator instrument for a very reasonable price. If I'm
> not mistaken, Neil Harpe (who frequents this newsgroup) has done just that.
How difficult of a procedure would this replacement be? I just picked up a metal
Johnson yesterday, and am curious about this upgrade. Is it a do-it-yourself job
or
you-better-get-a-pro job? Are there any online resources that describe the
procedure?
This is a guitar that I just bumped into last weekend that made me go back. It
was used,
absolutely mint condition, but for half the new price! Is this usually the price
for used
guitars? I've always wanted one of these, and had been playing slide on a
Takamine dreadnaught
which I had set up with a high / flat saddle. When I saw this, it persistantly
called me until I
went to get it. It wanted so badly to come home with me.
My wife didn't even kill me! Now that my son is learning guitar as well, I have
bought a total
of four guitars in less than a year! I need help - send money please...
Sorry for the diversion. The Johnson itself seems to be a very well put together
instrument,
nice neck, nice tuners - Gotoh's, which all turn very smoothly. The one I bought
was the chrome
bell brass version, made in Shanghai China. They also had a wooden Johnson at the
store which
had a more subtle, quieter tone. The steel sounded best to my ears.
They also forced me to try a Taylor 25th anniversary - I can't remember the model,
but it
the back and sides were figured wood, paduk or something like that. It was, I
think jumbo in
size, and I loved the new neck. However, I was not too impressed by the strings -
Elixers.
Sorry to throw so much in one post, but I couldn't stop.
Bye,
Larry
eagleeye
wrote:
>Does anyone have experience with Johnson guitars? I have seen them on E-bay
>at ridiculous prices (red flag). I was thinking about trying one of their
>acoustic/electrics since it looks like you could pick one up for under $200.
Check the local music store before you buy. I also saw these on e-bay
for cheap, but when you factor in the shipping and insurance, the
local music store had them for the same price. FWIW, I was in the
market for a beginner guitar, but I could really tell the difference
between these and the next step up models.
>
neil harpe
Hojo2x wrote (in reference to "Johnson" resonator guitars):
>Neil Harpe (who frequents this newsgroup) has done just that.
Yes, the Johnson resonator guitar sounds pretty good as sold. With the
Quarterman cone, mine is quite a good instrument. But I do not know anything
about their other instruments. The brass-bodied, single cone resophonics
seem to be consistently good, though I've only seen a few so far.
Neil Harpe
Brent Barkow
JoeMc <jom...@nospamhome.com> wrote in message
news:LLQD3.2821$ng6....@news.rdc1.nj.home.com...
> Oh no...I can see the tee shirts now...How many can we come up with?
>
> - Hey baby, wanna strum my Johnson?
Can I just strum my Johnson until I need glasses?
> - My Johnson keeps better rhythm than yours
> - etc...
>
> Joe
>
>
>
>
> Brent Barkow <bba...@ictc.com> wrote in message
> news:1YPD3.175$9b2....@news.corpcomm.net...
> > Hello everyone -
> >
> > I haven't posted for a long time, but I haven't seen this question come
> up.
> >
> > Does anyone have experience with Johnson guitars? I have seen them on
> E-bay
> > at ridiculous prices (red flag). I was thinking about trying one of
their
> > acoustic/electrics since it looks like you could pick one up for under
> $200.
pgku...@my-deja.com
Resonator and it may or may not be something you can do yourself.
First, I did notice an improvement in sound, but not as quite as much
as I was expecting; the Johnson did sound pretty darn good as it was.
It had a little better volume at the high end. I ended up taking it
back out for the time being though. Here's why:
The problem is that the height and dimensions of the replacement cones
are not EXACTLY the same as the original Johnson cone; which fits very
tightly in the frame. So the cone moves around slightly in the frame
and you need to get it placed correctly to keep the intonation right.
Plus the height of the cone was a little lower and it would have
required the saddle to be replaced to bring the action back up where it
needed to be for playing slide; Ironically it made it perfect for
playing it fingerstyle...but that isn't what I have it for.
What I don't know if the cone you buy and the Johnson you have will
have the same dimensional differences. So you could buy it, try it and
see. I hope to get it in to the shop soon so I can have set it up
right. I think the improvement in sound I heard would make the expense
worthwhile.
Paul Kucharski
pgku...@execpc.com
Acoustic Fingersytle Guitar
http://www.execpc.com/~pgkuchar/index.html
In article <37E000C8...@mmm.com>,
Larry Wright <lrwr...@mmm.com> wrote:
>
>
> Hojo2x wrote:
>
> > The Johnson metal body resonator guitars are generally considered
to be at
> > least a couple of cuts above their wooden instruments. If you
replace the
> > stock resonator cone with a Quarterman replacement cone (available
for about
> > $50 from folks like Stewart-McDonald and Beard Guitars) you can end
up with a
> > really fine-sounding resonator instrument for a very reasonable
price. If I'm
> > not mistaken, Neil Harpe (who frequents this newsgroup) has done
just that.
>
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Share what you know. Learn what you don't.
scottm...@wwdb.org
"I don't care for them, especially the Johnsons, which are made in China
under typical 3rd world labor conditions-possibly by children, and
certainly at unconscionable wages. The idea of relatively wealthy
Americans "playing their blues" on a guitar made in this way troubles
me morally. Aside from that, those instruments have very poor quality
necks, workmanship, and sound; I think anybody would be disappointed
after buying one." (from Fingerstyle Guitar, Sept/Oct 1999)
Hojo2x wrote:
>
> Message from the Deja.com forum:
> rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic
> Your subscription is set to individual email delivery
> >
> The Johnson guitars are made in several locations overseas, mostly China.
> Their wooden guitars are fairly standard, fairly decent entry-level
> dreadnoughts (at least the ones that I have played.) I wouldn't buy one on
> eBay, as I've seen quite a bit a variation in terms of neck sets and fretwork
> on these - go to a music store to check them out before purchasing.
>
> The Johnson metal body resonator guitars are generally considered to be at
> least a couple of cuts above their wooden instruments. If you replace the
> stock resonator cone with a Quarterman replacement cone (available for about
> $50 from folks like Stewart-McDonald and Beard Guitars) you can end up with a
> really fine-sounding resonator instrument for a very reasonable price. If I'm
> not mistaken, Neil Harpe (who frequents this newsgroup) has done just that.
>
> Wade Hampton Miller
>
> _____________________________________________________________
> Deja.com: Share what you know. Learn what you don't.
> http://www.deja.com/
> * To modify or remove your subscription, go to
> http://www.deja.com/edit_sub.xp?group=rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic
> * Read this thread at
> http://www.deja.com/thread/%3C19990915143755.01498.00000657%40ng-cl1.aol.com%3E
robin
what motivates people.
robin
GuitarJonz
pgku...@my-deja.com
What Bob didn't say is that he's a representative of National.
He also failed to mention that National slaughters wild horses to make
their own glue and they run a stripmine in Yosemite to get the Brass
and Nickel for their mental body resonators (possibly using homeless
children)....
In article <37E13233...@wwdb.org>,
scottm...@wwdb.org wrote:
> Here's a qoute from Bob Brozman when asked about cheap resonator
copies:
>
> "I don't care for them, especially the Johnsons, which are made in
China
> under typical 3rd world labor conditions-possibly by children, and
> certainly at unconscionable wages. The idea of relatively wealthy
> Americans "playing their blues" on a guitar made in this way troubles
> me morally. Aside from that, those instruments have very poor quality
> necks, workmanship, and sound; I think anybody would be disappointed
> after buying one." (from Fingerstyle Guitar, Sept/Oct 1999)
>
mike
afford a original tricone -he ain't hurting for bucks!
m
--
A witty saying proves nothing
-- Voltaire
Sherry Katz
countries might be "unconscionable" in the US, they are being paid in places
with an entirely different standard of living. Where the average national
income is a couple hundred dollars a year, a couple dollars a day isn't bad.
Do you (rhetorical) think its better for these people to have no job, or
survive being beggars, or scavenging garbage? Some countries have cheap
labor as what they have to offer the international economy, if they are ever
going to raise themselves to a higher standard of living, these low paying
jobs making foreign goods are their best shot at it. Of course, we could
always just go in and plan their economy and set wages at a fixed level,
we've certainly seen from the great success of these efforts in various
forms in the former Soviet Union, Easter Europe and the PRC how effective
this is.
Like most musicians and actors who spout off about politics and sound like
boobs - Bob Brozman should stick to playing guitar.
pgku...@my-deja.com
Gears_and_guitars
Sherry Katz wrote in message <7s09p4$p...@dfw-ixnews8.ix.netcom.com>...
Brent Barkow
Strap on a new Johnson.
GuitarJonz <guita...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:19990916222341...@ng-fz1.aol.com...
> Have to wear them low
bobm...@my-deja.com
robin <thom...@spammersdie.muohio.edu> wrote:
> Yeah, and he gets a salary from National for hawking their guitars,
too. Keep in mind
> what motivates people.
>
> robin
hey robin,
check your "facts" before you post! I DO NOT recieve any salary from
National, never have. Please quit making stuff up. The Johnson
guitars are porr quality, that is a fact anyone can see. There are
SEVERAL brands besides National that are really great guitars. I happen
to use Nationals, I have no reason to use them other than liking them
and what their makers stand for. So please quit using the web for
fiction and lies.
>
> scottm...@wwdb.org wrote:
>
> > Here's a qoute from Bob Brozman when asked about cheap resonator
copies:
> >
> > "I don't care for them, especially the Johnsons, which are made in
China
> > under typical 3rd world labor conditions-possibly by children, and
> > certainly at unconscionable wages. The idea of relatively wealthy
> > Americans "playing their blues" on a guitar made in this way
troubles
> > me morally. Aside from that, those instruments have very poor
quality
> > necks, workmanship, and sound; I think anybody would be disappointed
> > after buying one." (from Fingerstyle Guitar, Sept/Oct 1999)
> >
> >I stand by my words. You make your own moral call on this one.
bobm...@my-deja.com
SORRY to burst your bubble. I actually think for myself, and am under
no contract to National..... I just like their intruments, and happily
endorse them. Discussion group are not for fiction! Don't post what
you can't substantiate! Thank you!
> He also failed to mention that National slaughters wild horses to make
> their own glue and they run a stripmine in Yosemite to get the Brass
> and Nickel for their mental body resonators (possibly using homeless
> children)....
>
wow, didn't know their were right-wing types who played guitar!
Usually guitar OPENS your mind!
pgku...@my-deja.com
>"I don't care for them, especially the Johnsons, which are made in
>China under typical 3rd world labor conditions-possibly by children,
>and certainly at unconscionable wages. "
> wow, didn't know their were right-wing types who played guitar!
> Usually guitar OPENS your mind!
DITTO BOB! Your a great guitar player and a noted authority on
resonators, but your unsubstantiated statements is what started all
this. You don't like Johnsons...fine, leave it at that. I think
Nationals are highly overpriced...I'm certainly willing to leave it
there to. But if we all just state what we know, we'd all respect each
others opinions and just go back to playing our guitars. I can see we
got your dander up..so I guess we got our point across.
In article <7s8ke6$ppp$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
stan mcfall
i just bought a dean resonator C (made in korea) i like the way it sounds and
plays, although a upgrade in a better cone might make it sound even better
(iam only guessing)
cost $300.00..it's about all i can afford on a guitar..has anyone else
tried playing one of these???
In article <37E13233...@wwdb.org>, scottm...@wwdb.org wrote:
>Here's a qoute from Bob Brozman when asked about cheap resonator copies:
>
>"I don't care for them, especially the Johnsons, which are made in China
>under typical 3rd world labor conditions-possibly by children, and
>certainly at unconscionable wages. The idea of relatively wealthy
>Americans "playing their blues" on a guitar made in this way troubles
>me morally. Aside from that, those instruments have very poor quality
>necks, workmanship, and sound; I think anybody would be disappointed
>after buying one." (from Fingerstyle Guitar, Sept/Oct 1999)
>