tom - are you nutz?!

The topic heading is dream slope shoulder guitar. So, what's your dream? As I recall, you already own a fantastic CJ. You've played some killer Gibsons. You still own - and have ordered - a CJ, seems like you've got your answer.

Several of us have opined that the CJ is different from the Gibson, very different I'd say. The CJ works for you, produces the tone you like, fits your style, makes "the sound you hear in your head." The varnish will probably continue to do this for you, hopefully even more so. A Walker, Kopp, vintage Gibson, etc. will make a different sound. Better? Nope, just different. Seems like the CJ ain't broke, why try to fix it?

Okay, now that I've (hopefully) convinced you to forget about the Gibson and stay with your original plan, let me talk you out of it!

Some of us own multiple guitars because we believe that one (or two or three...) guitar(s) can't capture all the different tones we want to get. I love being able to move from, say, a D-18 style to a rosewood 12 fret to an old J-35. I can play the same tune on all three and get a very different flavor, or play different styles on the different guitars. Works for me. Let's face it, country blues sound much "better" (to me) on the J-35 than my Circa 12 fret, fingerstyle hymns are better on the Circa than the NGC D-18, and so on.

You've got the perfect OM and all the sounds/styles it covers, you've got the CJ for it's tonal niche, you really don't have the Gibson vibe in your arsenal. A varnish CJ's just gonna give you the ultimate CJ tone, but not really anything more - or different - than you've already got. Maybe this is enough. But, if you "need" that Gibson fix or vibe or tone, well, keeping your current CJ and getting another guitar might be a pretty good idea.

Finally, if your "dream guitar" is a vintage Gibson, get one! Prices are just increasing the longer you wait. If you want a good repro, Walker, Kopp, David Flammang and the boys in Germany will probably get you where you want to go.

That aid, vicariously I think you should stay with the CJ and order that Kopp. I love reading comparative posts and hearing about different guitars. It's unlikely I'll ever play either a varnish CJ or a Kopp, so you'd be doing us a service by having both and commenting on them!

Mr. Blues: 1. Yes, I'm nutz. That's not new information. 2. You're obviously far too rational to participate in my cyber-therapy session. But your central point is one with which I've been wrestling, like Jacob in the tent: another CJ, even mahogany/varnish vs the EIR/adi/lacquer I now have, will be more alike than the CJA and a "true" Gibson. I included here Kopp and Walker, who both made custom shop Gibsons before they went out on their own. So, I guess I should either sober up or get another bottle of Sonoma Valley wine and let this stew for a while. I do know this: you can't strum a hypothetical guitar. Would that it were so easy. But then what would we gnaw on here like a pack o' jackals? Woof. tom

Tom, GET A GRIP. You've waited this long, so why pull the plug so close to delivery?! The other options will still be available to you if the Varnish CJ doesn't live up to your ultra expectations (assuming your correct that you DO have the option of sending it back). I mean, it's not like your currently guitarless....

Grip gotten. I have right of first refusal on the CJ; it has to pass muster for me to keep it. That's been true from the outset. Of course, if the Cj varnish pegs the meter, none of this will matter. I probably doesn't matter to begin with, all things considered. I hadn't even heard of Kopp guitars until about 26 hours ago. Of course, 16 years ago I'd never heard of Collings (and neither had anyone else, basically) and three years ago I'd never heard of Blazer and Henkes. I'm not afraid to plow new ground. So, you're absolutely right: I'm not guitarless. Witless, possibly. It's just a discussion. We're not talking about war and peace. Tolsoy's dead anyhow. best tom

I hadn't even heard of Kopp guitars until about 26 hours ago. Of course, 16 years ago I'd never heard of Collings (and neither had anyone else, basically) and three years ago I'd never heard of Blazer and Henkes.

sonoman,
isn't that the quote from "Men in Black"

tom, oh tom, you need me...

tom, forget that post above, what you really want is one of these!

quote:

Originally posted by sonoman:
I hadn't even heard of Kopp guitars until about 26 hours ago.

My bad.

Sonoman, I put my money on the Collings CJ beating the guiTAR out of any Koop or Gibson.

quote:

Originally posted by marymary:
(Emphasis added)

...I played this against a very well played CJ...IT JUST KILLED THE CJ...

I'd be hard pressed to spend an additional $3k for a varnished CJ and we all know that I just love collings...

And just when you thought the decision was merely binary, this pops up:

2008, less than $3300:

2008 Bourgeois Red Spruce/Mahogany Slope D Short Scale

Hint: Do not watch (and listen) to the movie while holding credit card.

By the way, I hate to drive you further into insanity but here is a another to consider.
Borges Barndance.

Tom, you can't be thinking of giving up on the CJ. You just can't I think this is getting out of hand. We gotta head down to Texas all together and GET THAT GUITAR FOR YOU! enough is enough here, or better yet, mods, banish tom from seeing this forum until his cj get to him. I can't stand this anymore.

Mike