1966 Gibson J-50 Slope Dreadnought Guitar

This old box is a one-family guitar. The owner's Dad didn't play it after a time but didn't want to give it to his daughter or son to play. It then sat in a closet for decades until it was finally received by the daughter who's now got it back from repair and, hopefully, will be playing it happily from now on.

It looks like the pickguard was taken-off when it was new because there's almost no shadow or muck-up to the finish from where it was located. Otherwise, the guitar is stock save for a new ebony saddle I made for it.

It was only in for a bridge reglue and said new saddle but I figured I'd give it a video and shoot some pics because these guys aren't everywhere. Being a '66, it has the slimmer 1 5/8" nut width compared to the 1 11/16" of the J-50s built just previously through '64. The neck depth is still "medium," though, so I find it a comfortable profile. When they get narrow and thin is where I start to choke-up.

As you'd expect, the lighter bracing of the '60s Gibsons yields a fat-sounding, warm, chunky instrument with highs that aren't as punchy, accurate, or saucy as their '50s relatives. It's that classic, '60s singer-songwriter Gibson sound, though, and loves strumming with a mid-weight flatpick.