I kept thinking the same thing, and not just on the heel. If it was some kinda handmade luthier special costing thousands, I might say it looked deliberate. There are a lotta happy accidents on that guitar.
WOW! Awesome! I own a 1963 version that was originally a lefty. I have researched and found that about 800 Cabellero were made that year. My guess is 5 to 10% might have been lefty. The bridge was split in half and had been reglued on with hot glue. Looked like a piece of rosewood. Back split down the centerline and a huge vinyl Mickey Mouse sticker, which I think has held it together. A few loose braces inside. Because it is a lefty it has another unigue feature: It has the pre-63 small headstock and a 1 3/4 inch nut. Good truss rod, looked untouched with almost no thread showing on the acorn. Good relief with minimal adjustment. Neck is less deep than my "71 Gibson J50, a flatter c shape.. Easy to play. Made a new blonde rock maple bridge (wanted the contrast color) and new saddle and nut of dark gray micarta (both in my scrap bin). On the wall and played regularly now, occasionally taken out to open mics to sing.
I've been watching tons of your videos form 3 -4 years ago, I'm so happy to see you are still making new ones! You've got me repairing my own guitars - I've learned so much from you and appreciate your time and knowledge very much. The way you are able to explain very complex things in a easy to grasp way, and your kind demeanor and tone is incredible. As a lefty I never sell my old ones as they are harder to find. As I got nicer and nicer guitars its nice to finally have the knowledge and courage to do cosmetic and structural work. Thank you thank you!!!
I heard that Gibson sold almost identical models under the Epiphone name so they could get around exclusivity clauses in their dealer contracts. The ideal was that they couldn’t sell to two music stores within a certain distance of one another, because one of them had the exclusive rights to sell Gibsons in that area, but they could sell Epiphones to the other one, effectively doubling their retail offerings in a given area.
I deleted my comment, knowing others had said the same thing. The Gibson lawyers earned their pay - no? Epiphone/Gibson guitars used-up the wonderful Epiphone necks that had been made before the company was sold, apparently there were possibly thousands of them, certainly many hundreds. My 1962 Zephyr has one of those medium-V necks, which were made with highest quality quality mahogany available in the 1950's, and Brazilian rosewood fretboards. I also had an early Epiphone Zephyr from early-1950s before the company was sold, and it had a similar medium-V neck, they are wonderful feeling beautiful wood.
The music store that used to be in my area that guy always tries to sell Austins and samicks saying that gibson amd fender were trash. I know it has nothing to do with Epiphone but just made me think about that.
I have one of these with the adjustable wood saddle and brazilian bridge/fretboard and it's a killer all-purpose guitar. My dad bought it in 1967 when he got out of the navy and I basically took it when I turned 12(ish). The tuners do go to sh** and mine required a new nut. The bridge plate on mine looks like plywood😂😂. Anyway thanks for the awesome video!
Nice to see... wonderful to hear. Same as me in the little blues at the end. It was family musical DNA circa 1972 on my 64 J45. Sounded identical. Thanks Ted... I never miss an episode! Oh,... mine is still with me and quality work over the years sounds better than ever.
It’s called parallel marketing. Gibson’s agreement with dealers likely guaranteed exclusivity within a certain geographical radius, the Epi line allowed Gibson to stock dealers who’d been asking for their guitars and couldn’t get them. Slingerland did the same thing with their Leedy Drums, which were identical save for badges and lug shapes. The best dealer in Peoria would get Slingerland, the number two guy, Leedy.
And the savvy drummer would buy at the number 2 store. ;-) The drummer in a band of mine from way back - his most prized possession was his 1965 Slingerland snare... in the middle of a huge Ludwig kit. A few years later he got a Tama Superstar kit but still kept that Slingerland snare. Sounded great!
I bought a 1974 Epiphone acoustic, thinking it might be a nice addition to my collection. It is the worst made, lowest quality, piece of crap I have ever seen.
Having used my guitar for 24 years, I have come to the conclusion that the strap button and endpin jack should be separate. So have been marking out the positions 1/3 apart. A strap lock can be sued for security and the end pin jack is safe from any strap slippage. Nice guitar.
Nor yet his Italian counterpart Gaylord Cavallaro, hugely popular actor in 1950s UK TV & film, nor yet 'The Gay Caballero' a 1940s western film starring Cesar Romero (but not Gaylord Cavallaro); not even Gay Caballero, a spoof character in the Benny Hill show, not a million miles sartorially from Buster Scruggs or the many 'singing cowboys'.
Having just spent an afternoon screaming at the Amazon KDP upload page for my 10th book and getting a useless 'Please correct the indicated error' . . . without ANY clues as to what or where the errors is, I REALLY needed another rof Ted's Zan-like uploads. AAAaaaahhhhhhhhh .... calm again.
The Japanese word Ted refers to is actually "tsuyadashi." There's no "si/see" sound in Japanese, it's "shi." The "tsu" sound is tricky too, as there's no similar sound in English. It's like "to" with an "s" in the middle. Tsu-ya-da-shi. But the definition is closer to glazing than polishing; a more appropriate Japanese verb for polishing might be "migaku," as in "hamigaki" (teeth brushing).
I wanted to give you a compliment..... I've really enjoyed your videos....I look at my guitars differently now... more closely.... looking at all the things you talk about....I ordered some but files and am going to carefully lower the nut grooves as I have that problem where the 2nd and third fret notes are sharp.. telecaster......I also caught myself making dings in the bridge while removing the pegs on my Walden acoustic.... Bull in a china shop..... anyway .. thanks...
I once read/heard that Gibson had signed "exclusive" dealership deals. The Epiphone idea therefore meant they could sell to the other shop in the town without breaking that agreement. Don't know if true but I remember it clearly being suggested.
I have one of these … almost identical. The plastic bridge has been lifting, so a previous owner squeezed some epoxy in there. 🙄 Until I get that sorted out, I have it strung in Nashville High String tuning (the upper octave of a 12 string set). Love my Caballero!
Man, what a lovely guitar. I love old ladder braced guitars and old mahogany topped, put them together and yeah, I'm in heaven. BUT, that narrow string spacing absolutely kills it for me 😪 I just can't play them very well. My fingers are too big.
Great to see love for a Caballero. My 1963 Caballero (almost mint) has an original rosewood bridge similar to what you worked on, but with the two pearl dot topped mounting screw holes (maybe they were saving the plastic bridges for the LG-0s when my Caballero was made). The saddle is the same, obviously as it was a student model it didn't have the adjustable saddle. I wonder what happened to the guard ... you can see the 3 screw holes where it was mounted. Is there any cure for the deteriorating celluloid binding? Best wishes from downunder.
I think Gibson had Epiphone as a parallel brand because of existing contracts with music retailers. Once those contracts all ended, Gibson began transitioning Epiphone to their ‘budget’ brand.
With what degree of sandpaper you level that frets? I have that issue with a very nice luthier classic guitar from the 70s but in two frets from the neck side, second and third frets...Facundo from Argentina here, thanks for sharing your great works!!
Awesome video and repair, BUT< lol. Did you put that strap pen in the wrong place on the neck? Where the neck meets the body you should have put that pen under the bottom of the neck I think.
Love it, nice work Ted. That action is getting down in electric territory. Sounds good, plays good, and I'd be proud to have one just like it. And if the owner sticks with light guage strings, I bet this guitar is through moving significantly given its age and will never need a reset. A successful operation, doc.
I have an old 60's Silvertone . No truss rod . The neck has an upbow and the sound board is sunken at the end of the fretboard extension . Can these problems be fixed and do you have any videos that address either problem ? Would like to try a neck reset on my own but with the other issues... IDK ? It is a real cool guitar with good tone and would love to play it . Forgot to mention it has a floating bridge and tale piece . Your vids are great !!!!!!!!
McCarty's own words-it allowed them to get around exclusive dealer agreements and open up another dealer for Kalamazoo made product in the same territory. Screwing their dealers has been a long term Gibson policy.
Probably already mentioned in the comments, but I think the main reason for essentially identical instruments from Gibson and Epiphone was this: Some stores had contracts that made them the exclusive Gibson dealer in their market. Epiphone allowed for additional dealers.
Convert to lefty or sell? I bought one of these in very good shape at a church yard sale six years ago but have not played it. I have pondering if I should convert it to lefty so I can play it or should I sell it. I have seen used ones online listed in the $595.00 range. Any opinions? Thanks.
Very informative as always, but do I detect some noise on your mic most of the way through this. It's not there when you do the internal bridge pad segment, but seems to be throughout? Not complaining, love the channel.
Such a great channel. Kicking off my late great career in guitar repair. Your vids offer great inspiration. I don't know if you can answer a question. I know you don't usually respond and you may not want to answer this question anyway but maybe other viewers can. Do you carry insurance for the business? I don't intend to destroy anyone's instrument but these are litigious times. I tend to think that most in the repair business can't afford it but don't know for sure. Thanks for any input.
This is off topic but does anyone remember the video where Ted discusses the guy who does neck resets without removing the neck using a straightedge bar and steam? Or am I imagining it?
Ted breaking out the fret guru! I've never seen him use it before. Its a great tool for those just getting into crowning. Takes out all the guess work.
If Ted starts learning how to say polishing polishing in other languages we know then he has lost the plot and his doterage is coming into sight, love from Down Under big fella.
What do you think of that tone bar thing some guy came up up with a bar you put the barrel of the string thru have you seen that yet I do not have one but seen a video on it
