West R Lee
Venerated Member
gilded said:With respect, Gentlemen, I don't think it's a dread vs. jumbo issue, at least this time. I think it's a 'how much '70's Gibson flat-tops suck' issue.
Not to take anything away from the DV52, but '70's Gibson bracing performs poorly compared to older models. Around 1969, Gibson bracing changed to the infamous 'Double X'. That means a second 'small x brace' sits where flat-top guitars traditionally have two small diagonal tone braces, between the bridge and the end block. Ugh, not good!
Also, the main X brace isn't really a 'true X' (two long pieces that notch in the middle), it's one long 'I' brace with two half-sized braces on either side of it, with a cotton patch over the intersection of the bracing so you can't look inside with a mirror and tell that the bracing is not the way it was in the '50s. Additionally, the bridge plates on those guitars are usually huge. That kills the top sound as much as anything.
Finally, DV52 have scalloped bracing on the tone bars and the rear of the X brace, right? Gibson flat-tops stopped having scalloped bracing around '55 or '56.
There are some good sounding Humming Birds, etc., from the '70's, but that ain't the best era for Gibsons. When they sound good, it's a testament to a guitar that is built with some mighty good wood, as opposed to an enlightened design.
Harry,
What year model was your old Gibson I played at the studio? Nice sounding old guitar.
West