NGD/OGD/WTF

[MartyGrass]

A friend of mine bought a natural 575 from a Guitar Center years ago.  When he got it, he found some neck issue that could not be corrected by adjustment.  He took it to the legendary Aaron Cowles, who was doing some upscale work for Heritage at the time.  Aaron told him the neck needs replacement.  I don't recall the details.  Aaron did the replacement.

Here's an interview with Aaron.  https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/gibson-guitar-oral-histories/1/

Aaron died quite a few years ago.  I ended up hanging on to the guitar for my friend but didn't play it.

Yesterday he sold it to me without ever taking it to his home.  If you are feeling sorry for him, consider he has more guitars than anyone else I know.

So this is has Schallers.  I scoped the innards.  It's parallel braced (not all are).

Aaron made the neck and but a plain ebony board on it.  It's a 3 piece maple.  The only piece he got from Heritage is the headstock overlay.  My friend requested a five piece neck but Aaron recommended a 3 piece.  Aaron fretted it.  There are no nibs.  That's true with other Aaron builds.

Aaron was one of the best of the Kalamazoo luthiers yet a simple man to understand.  He always had his pistol handy in shop.  He charged very little for his hard work.  His humble presentation contradicted his master skills at making guitars and mandolins.

The guitar plays well.  The neck is to me a medium C carve, maybe a medium plus.  It sounds good.

 

 

[Spectrum13]

LOVELY 

 

Some lumber on that 575!

[skydog52]

Flame everywhere! Nice

Dibbs

[Gitfiddler]

Outstanding 575!

Play it in good health.

[brentrocks]

Holy cow!!! 

[TalismanRich]

That's some lovely lumber.   I love the neck, but I would absolutely need inlays on the fretboard!    

 

[rockabilly69]

what a beauty!!!

[rwinking]

That gets into the territory of almost too nice to play!

[tsp17]

Gorgeous.  That neck is really special.  I like the plain ebony board too.  

 

Edited 19 minutes ago by tsp17