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Author Topic: NTBGD - That'll be 'New Thirtieth Birthday Guitar Day' (sad I know)  (Read 10147 times)

Brow

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Hey guys.

Sorry for the upcoming long post!

You may remember a few weeks ago I posted some pics of a guitar that I was contemplating getting myself for my 30th birthday last week, but it turns out the guitar was (obviously to most of you) a fake so I left it well alone.

I've since been trying to narrow down what sort of guitar I actually want. I'm lucky enough to have a decent collection of instruments; nothing overly expensive compared to some but between them they do have most of the bases covered tonally for the types of music I like and play. The only things I could think of that I was missing so to speak were either something with P90s, Mini Humbuckers or something like a 335 etc. As much as I like the tone when other people play 335s etc I just can't seem to make them work for me as they just seem too big for me and my shortness  :lol:

I decided to focus on things with P90s or Mini Humbuckers so I started looking at the Gibson Studio Tribute models, Gibson SG Classic with P90s, Gibson LP Specials etc when I came across a 1991 Gibson SG Junior with a single P90 which I liked the look of. By the time I got to the shop, an hours drive away, it'd already been sold. So I carried on looking through his very well stocked shop, some things things about the cost of my car  :lol:, I saw this standing at the back:



I plugged it in and after about 30seconds knew it was what I wanted :D The bridge P90 has a real nice snarl to it, which I think will fit very well with my 70s Punk band, and the neck pickup was smoother sounding than I was expecting, but still nice. I'm yet to try it with my own gear as I've been out all weekend and haven't yet had chance to use it in anger.

From what I can find out it's either a JJ Guitars Jewel or Retro. The bridge P90 has also been swapped out for a Bulldog Pickups item, but otherwise it's bone stock I think. The guy in the shop was also nice enough to throw in a Hiscox Lite Flite case as the grubby old case that came in with this guitar had been sold with something else by mistake.

Here's some more pics if anyones interested (stock pics from the shops site):








I think I know of a few other JJ Guitar users on here so probably know more about this guitar than I do!
Selling lots of gear, enquire within!......

GuitarIv

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Re: NTBGD - That'll be 'New Thirtieth Birthday Guitar Day' (sad I know)
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2013, 03:55:23 PM »
Can it be that you snagged this fella here:

http://www.guitars4you.co.uk/used-jj-special---vintage-cherry-+++784

 :P

Congrats on the NGD! Ever since I played a friends Ibanez Lawsuit with P90s I'm seriously considering getting a guitar with some or retrofit an axe...

Anyhow, tell us how it sounds/plays once you had the chance to spend more time with it :)

Cheers

JJretroTONEGOD

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Re: NTBGD - That'll be 'New Thirtieth Birthday Guitar Day' (sad I know)
« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2013, 04:09:55 PM »
you have made the right choice  :D

I own a JJ Retro (hence the name), yours is the jewel made from brazilian mahogany, they are GREAT guitars, very very underrated. I'm quite jealous as I've wanted a jewel as well as the Retro model for ages now.
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Brow

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Re: NTBGD - That'll be 'New Thirtieth Birthday Guitar Day' (sad I know)
« Reply #3 on: July 29, 2013, 04:50:49 PM »
Can it be that you snagged this fella here:

http://www.guitars4you.co.uk/used-jj-special---vintage-cherry-+++784

 :P

Congrats on the NGD! Ever since I played a friends Ibanez Lawsuit with P90s I'm seriously considering getting a guitar with some or retrofit an axe...

Anyhow, tell us how it sounds/plays once you had the chance to spend more time with it :)

Cheers

Yep, that's the 1!

It was marked up at a different price in the shop though so I got it for that. Not worlds apart, but every little helps!  :lol:

I've got band practices for the next 2 nights, and I'll be using it at atleast 1 of them, so I'll be sure to post back in more detail then.

I think it'll be a nice fit with my SLO clone for my punk band though  8)

you have made the right choice  :D

I own a JJ Retro (hence the name), yours is the jewel made from brazilian mahogany, they are GREAT guitars, very very underrated. I'm quite jealous as I've wanted a jewel as well as the Retro model for ages now.

Thanks for the info.

I'd narrowed it down to the Jewel or the Retro, but I've seen both of those guitars with twin P90s so I wasn't sure which it was  :lol:
« Last Edit: July 29, 2013, 05:56:43 PM by Brow »
Selling lots of gear, enquire within!......

gwEm

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Re: NTBGD - That'll be 'New Thirtieth Birthday Guitar Day' (sad I know)
« Reply #4 on: July 29, 2013, 05:03:02 PM »
it looks like a fun guitar Brow! congrats :)
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Telerocker

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Re: NTBGD - That'll be 'New Thirtieth Birthday Guitar Day' (sad I know)
« Reply #5 on: July 29, 2013, 07:58:21 PM »
Congrats! Oozes PRS-style. I wonder how this guitar compares to a p90-loaded SE.
Mules, VHII, Crawler, MM's, IT's, BG50's.

Lew

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Re: NTBGD - That'll be 'New Thirtieth Birthday Guitar Day' (sad I know)
« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2013, 08:53:10 PM »
stunner  8)

gordiji

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Re: NTBGD - That'll be 'New Thirtieth Birthday Guitar Day' (sad I know)
« Reply #7 on: July 29, 2013, 09:05:03 PM »
Very nice, i'd think i'd have to make the pups the same colour though, black or cream both work.

BigB

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Re: NTBGD - That'll be 'New Thirtieth Birthday Guitar Day' (sad I know)
« Reply #8 on: July 29, 2013, 09:15:21 PM »
Not a great fan of the headstock but it looks like a quite nice guitar - and P90s are really high on my whish list.
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38thBeatle

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Re: NTBGD - That'll be 'New Thirtieth Birthday Guitar Day' (sad I know)
« Reply #9 on: July 29, 2013, 09:21:37 PM »
Good buy , like another has said, I think the pups ought to be matching in colour but apart from that, looks a no nonsense guitar.
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Philly Q

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Re: NTBGD - That'll be 'New Thirtieth Birthday Guitar Day' (sad I know)
« Reply #10 on: July 29, 2013, 11:03:08 PM »
I like it, P-90s FTW!  :D
BKPs I've Got:  RR, BKP-91, ITs, VHII, CS set, Emeralds
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Brow

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Re: NTBGD - That'll be 'New Thirtieth Birthday Guitar Day' (sad I know)
« Reply #11 on: July 29, 2013, 11:12:20 PM »
Cheers guys!

As for changing the colour of 1 of the pickups: If it can be done just by changing a cover then it's something I'd consider, if I needed a whole new pickup though then I'd leave it as it is as I wouldn't go to that expense just for a mis-match of colour  :lol:
Selling lots of gear, enquire within!......

Philly Q

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Re: NTBGD - That'll be 'New Thirtieth Birthday Guitar Day' (sad I know)
« Reply #12 on: July 30, 2013, 12:43:10 AM »
Yeah, it should be just a simple change of cover.  Different brands may not have 100% identical dimensions, but it should be near as dammit.

If you go for cream covers, get a pair because otherwise the colours are unlikely to match!
BKPs I've Got:  RR, BKP-91, ITs, VHII, CS set, Emeralds
BKPs I Had:  RY+Abraxas, Crawlers, BD+SM

Kiichi

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Re: NTBGD - That'll be 'New Thirtieth Birthday Guitar Day' (sad I know)
« Reply #13 on: July 30, 2013, 05:47:47 AM »
Nice one, congrats! P90s, f*ck yeah!

Those should sit really nicely in a band mix.
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Twinfan

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Re: NTBGD - That'll be 'New Thirtieth Birthday Guitar Day' (sad I know)
« Reply #14 on: July 30, 2013, 09:02:49 AM »
Nice score Brow, and well done for buying from Mark  ;)