Clark Hansen from McKinney, TX, USA
Subject:
One of Gibson's Finest Achievements!
Quality:
It's a Gibson. They have a great reputation. And, it's one of the highest-quality offering that I have seen from them. The pickups: Tone forever. The pots, and switches: Smooth and solid. Top-rate. Even the Bigsby (first one that I have owned) is very smooth and dependable. (However, I did need to lube the nut slots with some GHS White Graphite. Tuning problem solved).
Sound:
A great variety of tone possibilities from this guitar. I play Prog Rock leaning toward Jazz. This covers the spectrum. Want Yes ala Steve Howe? It's perfect. Get out the toys and go Holdsworth? No sweat. Crank it up for some vintage Alex Lifeson riffs and it really sings! The first amp I tried it through was my Hughes & Kettner Switchblade. The Johnny A was GREAT across-the-board.
Reliability:
This is grade "A" Gibson all the way. I have many Gibson instruments (including others from the Custom Shop). This one may be the best one yet.
Overall:
I started my search for a semi-hollow electric when my Gibson ES-369 recently "disappeared". I remembered the Johnny A from a magazine photo a few years back and thinking, "What a great combination of design elements. I wonder how it plays?" I saw that American Musical Supply had one, so I decided to find out... WOW. What a beautiful instrument! A real joy to play.
Playability and Feel:
Right out of the box, I could tell this one was going to be hard to put down any time soon. It just invites you to play, play PLAY! Very solid, smooth feel to the neck. Great, well-dressed frets. Fits my hand like a glove.
Tone:
Not ultra-hot output. (Have modded Les Pauls for that). Not brittle or overtly twangy (ala Strat or Tele). It's like a 335 but with serious attitude! Can go from smooth and mellow to a cutting, full bite. It even has a certain growl to it when played acoustically. For Jazz, Rock, Fusion, you can't go wrong.
Finish:
A beautiful finish! The top has a gorgeous flame pattern. The well-applied sunburst and high-gloss clear coat really set it off.
Action:
It needed a little action adjustment (to suit my playing style). A little subsequent tweak on the intonation. No truss rod adjustment needed. Now it is perfect.
Do you own this product?:
Yes.
Date submitted:
12/20/2009