Gibson Advanced Jumbo Plans?

What're You Doing?
bearskindrum
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2010 8:33 pm
Location: Paterangi, New Zealand

Gibson Advanced Jumbo Plans?

Post by bearskindrum »

Hi All I realise that this is probably a long shot and I have been searching on line for ages but does anyone know of any plans that I could buy or access for a Gibson Advanced jumbo?..I have only ever played a couple but they sound amazing and are, at least to my ears, a guitar that delivers tonally anything that you ask of them... from a flat pick thunderous roar to gentle finger picked whisper ..I would love to buy one but they are prohibitively expensive, at least to me, but I would be happy to have a crack at making one if I could get hold of some plans

Cheers Mark
Diane Kauffmds
Posts: 3256
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Gibson Advanced Jumbo Plans?

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

I found reference to this guitar plan on the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum. Here is a link to the topic. I'm not sure how the link will work if you're not a member, so I'll paraphrase.

It seems the consensus is that essentially Gibson copied the bracing pattern from the Martin D-28.

Here's a direct quote: " I gather the AJ was a unique Gibson model. They essentially tried, & succeeded, in replicating a Martin D-28. Ie. they copied Martins bracing dimensions & layout which differs from the other Gibson jumbo models."

There is more information in the thread about the x-bracing angle and width and height of the braces. This might be one of those models where you may have to draft plans yourself based on information gathered from good sources.

https://umgf.com/gibson-bracing-dimensi ... 29129.html
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
tippie53
Posts: 7017
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Hegins, Pa
Contact:

Re: Gibson Advanced Jumbo Plans?

Post by tippie53 »

I have had a number of these . I still own a 53 J50.
The braces do pretty much follow the Martin with one caveat . The braces are shaped more crude than a martin.
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
Morecowbell
Posts: 284
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2019 10:51 am
Location: Fishers, IN

Re: Gibson Advanced Jumbo Plans?

Post by Morecowbell »

Mark, wow you live in an amazing place!! I was going to suggest trying to find one that you could measure for yourself, either from a sympathetic owner or one for sale, but they may be scarce where you are - do you happen to know anyone local who has one?
"Facts seldom sway an opinion." - John Hall
"The difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference." - Van de Snepscheut
tippie53
Posts: 7017
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Hegins, Pa
Contact:

Re: Gibson Advanced Jumbo Plans?

Post by tippie53 »

I have tracings off mine circa 1953
what I can tell you.
the brace location is off scale length and the jumbo was 24.75 and 25.5 scale so the martin scales will work. LMI doe sell the gibson length
The cross section of the brace differ from Martin and there was variations off that. My braces are fairly triangular over the martin shape.
the ends are more rounded and not scalloped as nice as a Martin.
All corner were sharp. You can find a good bit of pictures on line.
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
tippie53
Posts: 7017
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Hegins, Pa
Contact:

Re: Gibson Advanced Jumbo Plans?

Post by tippie53 »

https://cadguitarplans.com/?s=gibson
these are more accurate and also more customer oriented.
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
Diane Kauffmds
Posts: 3256
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Gibson Advanced Jumbo Plans?

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

I'm sorry guys. I didn't see the heading for the plans. I went to the site on my phone plus I was on my way out of the door, and the Georgia Luthier logo was cut off.

They have problems with their plans. I've deleted the post. My apologies.
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
bearskindrum
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2010 8:33 pm
Location: Paterangi, New Zealand

Re: Gibson Advanced Jumbo Plans?

Post by bearskindrum »

Hi All thanks very much for your help and suggestions...Advanced Jumbos are very thin on the ground down here in New Zealand but I do have a musical acquaintance who has a 2004 AJ so I might see if he would be open to me taking some measurements carefully along with photographs to base a design on..thanks so much

Cheers Mark
bftobin
Posts: 64
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2014 12:27 pm

Re: Gibson Advanced Jumbo Plans?

Post by bftobin »

IIRC the Gibson braces were triangular because it was faster to cut them on a tablesaw.
Don't sand them and slop HHG all over the place and don't clean the squeeze-out, if you want to be 'authentic' LOL
Diane Kauffmds
Posts: 3256
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Gibson Advanced Jumbo Plans?

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

bftobin wrote:IIRC the Gibson braces were triangular because it was faster to cut them on a tablesaw.
Don't sand them and slop HHG all over the place and don't clean the squeeze-out, if you want to be 'authentic' LOL
Bwahahaha!
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
Post Reply