Gordon Smith Guitars merge with Blackstar Amps

markv

Eh ... you say "rustic" ... I say "no-nonsense" :-)

Philly_Q said:

Both had two-piece mahogany bodies, although I think they switched to red cedar or something in the latter years (and still use it in the new company).

My GS is cedar; I had a choice of that, or for natural woodstain finishes they offered poplar or spruce. According to John Smith at the time I was ordering they differed little in sound or weight.

Philly_Q

I don't necessarily mean "rustic" as a criticism, I like no-frills guitars like LP Juniors and Specials.  But I think it is worth mentioning, for anyone who hasn't tried them, that the cheapest GS guitars were very basic - body contouring looked like they'd had about 5 minutes with a file or a spokeshave.

usedtobe

Best sounding guitar I've ever owned, was a G-S, according to she who must be obeyed!

WezV

Are you sure it's Cedar.  Fairly sure they used Brazilian Cedar, which is also called Spanish Cedar or more accurately - Cedrela.  

It's a bloody good guitar wood, but it's not actually a Cedar.  

markv

WezV said:

Are you sure it's Cedar.  Fairly sure they used Brazilian Cedar, which is also called Spanish Cedar or more accurately - Cedrela.  

You're absolutely right, checked my emails from back then and it's Brazilian Cedar. In my ignorance I didn't realise there was a difference.

WezV

I know it's not that important, but cedrela is becoming a premium wood choice these days... and there are actual cedars that can be used in guitars.

Philly_Q

Yes, I know it's not proper cedar, but that's what they call it on the website and it was really just a shorthand to say they use something other than mahogany nowadays.

WezV

Philly_Q said:

Yes, I know it's not proper cedar, but that's what they call it on the website and it was really just a shorthand to say they use something other than mahogany nowadays.

I know.  I only mention it because the "cedar" they use is closer to mahogany than anything else.  As close as Khaya or sapelli

http://www.wood-database.com/wp-content/uploads/mahogany-families.pdf

Whitecat

Spanish Cedar = not actually cedar
Port Orford Cedar = not actually cedar

Both terrific guitar woods though! Any other faux cedars out there?

WezV

Whitecat said:

Any other faux cedars out there?

some from the Cypress family end up with a Cedar tag - like Atlantic White cedar

boogieman

I had a Graduate 60. It definitely had the home built look to it and the finishing wasn't great, but it sounded nice and played well. It had a few quirks I didn't like about it: I always thought the headstock logo was really naff and the wiring loom was a bit odd. If you dropped one of the volume controls to zero it killed the output from both pickups. 

underdog

boogieman said:

I had a Graduate 60. It definitely had the home built look to it and the finishing wasn't great, but it sounded nice and played well. It had a few quirks I didn't like about it: I always thought the headstock logo was really naff and the wiring loom was a bit odd. If you dropped one of the volume controls to zero it killed the output from both pickups. 

Did the volume only do that with both pickups selected (middle position on toggle) ?

earwighoney

Whitecat said:

Spanish Cedar = not actually cedar
Port Orford Cedar = not actually cedar

Both terrific guitar woods though! Any other faux cedars out there?

Western Red Cedar.  The most famous cedar used for guitars but it's not a cedar. 

The only 'true' cedar I can think of used for guitars is Lebanon Cedar. 

WezV

earwighoney said:

Whitecat said:

Spanish Cedar = not actually cedar
Port Orford Cedar = not actually cedar

Both terrific guitar woods though! Any other faux cedars out there?

Western Red Cedar.  The most famous cedar used for guitars but it's not a cedar. 

The only 'true' cedar I can think of used for guitars is Lebanon Cedar. 

you can add a lot of Cypress trees to that list

Hoof

Great news. I have a early 80's GS1 and it's a brilliant sounding, great feeling guitar BUT it does have a fairly major isue in that the bridge was set slightly off to one side meaning that the previous owner had to get creative with a dremel or file to alter the wrap-over tailpiece so it sits fairly straight. Still, it only cost me £90! So even the older ones are not without their issues.

HAL9000

Will they be called Blacksmiths?

WezV

Gordon's Black Star Smith

WezV

That's my new band name

Basher

boogieman

underdog said:

boogieman said:

I had a Graduate 60. It definitely had the home built look to it and the finishing wasn't great, but it sounded nice and played well. It had a few quirks I didn't like about it: I always thought the headstock logo was really naff and the wiring loom was a bit odd. If you dropped one of the volume controls to zero it killed the output from both pickups. 

Did the volume only do that with both pickups selected (middle position on toggle) ?

Hmmm, trying to remember how it worked. I know you couldn't do the Pete Townshend stutter thing by flicking the switch.