Gibson Johnny Smith, Cherry Sunburst (1969)

1969 Gibson Johnny Smith model just into the shop on consignment!

Combining elements of Johnny's personal D'Angelico with inspiration from Gibson's L-5, the Johnny Smith model became an instant classic when it was first introduced in 1961. These have become go-to guitars for Jazz players over the years, blending in excellent acoustic tone with the open, clear voice of the floating mini humbucker for a very dynamic and expressive instrument.

The consignor - a longtime professional Jazz musician - purchased the guitar from its original owner in the early 1970s, and has had it in his possession ever since. He acquired it with some rim damage up near the neck joint on the bass side, and despite said damage, it did not get worse over time. He attempted to have there area touched up, but ultimately the puncture remains. There's a small section of separation on the lower bout rim as well, but that also proven to be quite stable. It's a fantastic player, and as anyone who's familiar with vintage JS models knows, their quality remained quite consistent throughout the 60s. The neck is very comfortable with a lovely taper, and the Cherry Sunburst finish is nice and vibrant, looking especially great against the Spruce top and Figured Maple back and sides. A well done refret has the guitar playing great as well.

If your focus is 100% on getting a fantastic top-tier Gibson jazz box from the 60s and you don't mind one a little rough around the edges, this is the guitar for you.

Note: The guitar is being sold in as-is condition. Please ask any/all questions prior to purchase.