NGD Corona Bluesbird

[Smitch]

Scored this beauty recently and not disappointed! Super cool finish and really pretty book match, but Finish/schimish! I bought this thang for the tone! As the other BB fanboys will attest, these guitars are tone monsters, clean or dirty, great live axe. LP killers some say…..
Anyway, this checked all the boxes for me: Corona (love My Westerly BB as well), knowledgeable seller with a starting price that wasn’t absurd, original pickups. The neck is beefy, and feels just right. Dialed in the pickups and they’re ready to roll. This one’s likely to bump my main axe, Black Jacque Shellack, another Corona BB that’s seen lots of road time. So stoked to have another one of these rare ‘Birds!

 

[GGJaguar]

Looks fantastic, congrats!!

 

[GAD]

Cool and interesting top!

I don’t think they’re all that rare. I just think people who have them tend to hold onto them.

The hardcore Les Paul guys (who are as nutty as a Christmas fruitcake) will tell you that they don’t compare. They don’t really nail that vintage Les Paul tone but the difference is one that only a nutty Les Paul guy cares about.

Source: Was borderline nutty Les Paul guy for a while.

 

[walrus]

Congratulations! Love Guild Bluesbirds!

walrus

 

[Smitch]

Cool and interesting top!

I don’t think they’re all that rare. I just think people who have them tend to hold onto them.

The hardcore Les Paul guys (who are as nutty as a Christmas fruitcake) will tell you that they don’t compare. They don’t really nail that vintage Les Paul tone but the difference is one that only a nutty Les Paul guy cares about.

Source: Was borderline nutty Les Paul guy for a while.

It is a bit of a freaky top, that stripe!

I can’t really speak to a true LP comparison, I’m just taking smack. At this point In my musical life, I think I’m ‘gladly stuck’ to my tone that I’ve had for years….whatever suits your ear!

 

[GGJaguar]

I don’t think they’re all that rare. I just think people who have them tend to hold onto them.

Exactly! I'm holding on to these tightly.

 

[Skylark]

Very nice…

 

[Smitch]

Exactly! I'm holding on to these tightly.

That tobacco Bluesbird 90 is stellar…and rare!

 

[Rickenmaxer]

I love my Corona Bluesbird. Mine's the more typically quilted cherryburst finish, but that grain on yours is very striking. Is it a "Les Paul killer?" Perhaps not to some, but, in my case, I sold the Gibson within months of getting the Bluesbird.

 

[lungimsam]

What did the B-bird have that the LP didn’t?

 

[mavuser]

What did the B-bird have that the LP didn’t?

for sure the BB is bigger than all LPs' and has better tuners than many/most/possibly all LPs'. i'll let the boderline nutty LP guys (prior and current) speak to the other differences

 

[GAD]

The Bluesbird’s main difference sound-wise is that it’s chambered. That gives it a different timbre than a Les Paul that can be a pro or a con depending on what you’re after.

Some of my Bluesbirds are heavier than some of my Les Pauls, but those Les Pauls are custom shop models made to look, feel, and sound like vintage guitars. That means they were stupidly expensive and used hard to find (these days) lightweight wood.

If you’re after that real Les Paul plugged into a Plexi vibe nothing beats the real thing. I should add that among the truly insane my Custom Shop R9s are not the real thing.

If you’re looking for a guitar that rocks that has the general vibe of a Les Paul without being a Gibson for whatever reason, The Bluesbird is a killer choice. Especially in Holoflake.

 

[shihan]

As a genuine nutty Les Paul guy, I think that’s a beautiful guitar. I would love to have one. It’s not a LP killer any more than a LP is a BB killer. More cool guitars? Yes please!

 

[HeyMikey]

Great score smitch! I love the flamed maple and the great was done very nicely. It looks to be in terrific shape as well. Have fun with it.

 

[Smitch]

Thanks dude. It’s an interesting pattern for sure, but I dig it.
It’s all in the hands and ears of the beholder isn’t it? The BB for me is about tone and playability. It totally works for me.

 

[Smitch]

I love my Corona Bluesbird. Mine's the more typically quilted cherryburst finish, but that grain on yours is very striking. Is it a "Les Paul killer?" Perhaps not to some, but, in my case, I sold the Gibson within months of getting the Bluesbird.

Beautiful quilt!!

 

[mavuser]

very beautiful Coronabird. That figuring on the top is particularly beautiful and eye-catching- a desirable feature, imo (likely would
have been painted a differnt color if the painter did not agree with me). enjoy this Guild!

 

[chazmo]

Smitch, that's a beauty!

Oh, but that BluesBird is sure a Martin killer, though!

(that's a joke, in case it wasn't completely obvious from the context.)

 

[Rickenmaxer]

What did the B-bird have that the LP didn’t?

It was a combination of things: Visually, I really like the Guild quilting. Sonically, those Guild SD humbuckers are more expressive with better range than the '57 classic neck/Burstbucker 3 combo on the LP. The Guild is slightly lighter, so there's that, and the neck feel on the Guild just suits me better. I had a late '70s Norlin LP Standard I never should have let go that, even with the big volute they were using then, had a perfect neck...you know, your hand and fingers just know where to be and you're making the music in your head without even having to think about it. I've been chasing that one's neck feel for nearly 30 years, and the Bluesbird comes pretty close.

 

[Ron C]

Wow, beautiful B-birds in this thread.