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Author
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Topic: Information on Gibson Console Grande
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Tele
Member From: Andy W. - Wolfenbuettel, Germany
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posted 13 February 2000 01:11 PM
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Hi I like to get as much information on this model as possible...what kind of wood was it made of? Pickups? I heard that there are 7/8 string versions...maybe someone could describe its tone compared to Fenders or Rickenbackers.
Thank you
Andy ------------------
spo-dee-o-dee.notrix.de Fender Custom Triple 8
Emmons S-10 |
Dennis Atkins
Member From: St. Paul, Minnesota
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posted 16 February 2000 07:27 AM
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I will be talking to Don Helms this weekend, and I will ask him your questions. I read in an article that he used to play one when he was with Hank Williams. I will post the reply to this over the weekend, unless you get some information prior to that.Dennis ------------------
MSA S-10 Sidekick
Gorilla Amp with MR-1 Effects Processor
pedalman@uswest.net |
C Dixon
Member From: Duluth, GA USA
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posted 16 February 2000 12:34 PM
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Teli and Dennis,On the rear cover of the August 1999 issue, there is a picture of Don Helms sitting down to his Gibson Console Grande. If I am not mistaken, that is the actual guitar he used on the Hank Williams' recordings. The only other player that comes to mind that played one behind a star was Little Roy Wiggins. Most of Eddy Arnold's hits, Roy played his Gibson Console Grande. God bless you, carl |
Brad Bechtel
Moderator From: San Francisco, CA
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posted 16 February 2000 02:24 PM
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Here's the description according to Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars:
Console Grand: doubleneck, hollow rectangular body of flamed maple, staggered tiers, Charlie Christian pickups with triple-bound edge, bound blade with individual poles, lever mutes, chrome-plated bridge covers, triple-bound top and back, bound rosewood fingerboards with V-ends, dot inlay (some with block inlay), 7- and 8-string combination standard, any combination of 6, 7 or 8 strings optional, a few natural finish, optional maple stand with wheels
Introduced: April 1938
Screw-on legs: Oct. 1938
Metal plate extends under both fingerboards (EH-185 style), no mutes: Aug. 1939
Production suspended for WWII: 1942
Reintroduced, contoured top (some with prewar body), 3 knobs, oblong P-90 pickups, Lucite fingerboard back-painted silver, double 8-string standard, sunburst or natural (CGN) finish: 1948
4 legs: by 1953
Large humbucking pickups with 4-8-4 pole configuration: 1956
Discontinued: 1967
[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 16 February 2000 at 02:26 PM.] |
Rich Sullivan
Member From: Newport, NH 03773
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posted 16 February 2000 02:41 PM
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They were solid maple. I think a lot of Roy Wiggens' early playing was on a '39 CG. The pre-war models had Charlie Christian pickups and rosewood fingerboards, similar to EH-150's. The late 40's through mid 50's models had pickups similar to what they were putting on standard guitars, although they don't appear to be p-90's or PAF's. I think Helms played a '49 (somebody correct me if I'm wrong.) The sound difference, to my ear, between a CG and a stringmaster, is similar to the difference between a Les Paul and a tele. They are definitely more mid-rangey than Fenders. But listen to Helms' on Hank's recordings. He's playing mostly high on the neck and it's a great tone (IMHO). (A note about Hank's recordings, the songs recorded from '46 to about '48 had Jerry Byrd playing. These included quite a few of his well known songs. After listening awhile, it should be pretty easy to recognize the two different styles and tones.) I have only seen one CG that had one seven string and one eight string neck. All the others I've seen have been double eights. These guitars are good bargains, because they have not become as collectable and pricey as Stringmasters, although some people might say there is a reason for that. |
Terry Huval
Member From: Scott, Louisiana
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posted 16 February 2000 07:34 PM
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Don Helms used a Double - 8 Fender on his first recording session with Hank, before he traded it in on the Gibson he used for the rest of Hank's recordings. One song he recorded on the Fender was "Why Don't You Love Me". When compared to the other recordings he did with Hank, I really cannot tell the difference between the sound of the two guitars. I suppose one reason is related to the recording technology of that era. I suppose another reason is the "sound" comes more from the hand and the heart than it does from the instrument, amplifier, etc.Even thought the Fender is more popular, I prefer the sound of my Console Grande. | |
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