As the songwriter, vocalist and guitarist of hard-rocking indie pioneers Dinosaur Jr, and with two Fender signature models to his name, J Mascis is perhaps better known for wielding a heavily fuzz-laden Jazzmaster in front of a wall of Marshalls cranked to ear-splitting volume than strumming a rare 1950s Gibson flat-top. Yet despite J’s punk-rock roots, he has long been renowned for his dynamic live solo acoustic performances, as captured by his 1993 debut acoustic recording Live At CBGB’s (released in 2006) and 1996’s live solo album, Martin + Me. Following the release of last year’s mesmerizing acoustic LP Elastic Days, we caught up with J in the midst of a UK tour to find him playing an equally fascinating choice of guitars.
It’s unusual to see a Gibson CF-100/E being gigged. How did you discover them?
“Gibson made them in the 50s. It’s the same neck as a Goldtop – that’s why I got into them. When Gibson did their [centennial] anniversary series, they had a different acoustic every month for a year and I got a [1994 Gibson 1950 CF-100E]. That was the first one I got. Now I have five altogether, with that newer one. Two are CF-100s and the others are CF-100Es. But one of the [CF-100Es] doesn’t have the pickup or knobs. It was trashed. The previous owner took the electrics out. He decided it sounded better without them because it didn’t buzz as much. Most of the [Gibson CF-100/E] guitars are in Japan and they’re expensive over there. [Tamio Okuda] plays one. He’s got a signature model with Gibson.”
How do these old 50s flat-tops manage to survive on tour?
“They’re a little fragile. I went to Australia from winter to summer and the neck went a bit weird on one of them. The frets were popping out. I had to get it set up again.”
Denne historien er fra December 2019-utgaven av Guitarist.
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Denne historien er fra December 2019-utgaven av Guitarist.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Sonic Shaper
Electro-Harmonix revisits the effect that launched the company with the LPB-3 Linear Power Booster and EQ
Platinum Blonde
PRS has updated its Texas-voiced David Grissom signature amp with more features, lower wattage and a more approachable price tag
TAN LINES
Many of us regard straps as a bit of an afterthought, but to find one that matches the quality of a custom or vintage guitar, Rod Boyes of Pinegrove Leather can help
ELECTRIC STRINGS
Your tone starts with your strings - strike a balance between sound, tuning and durability with six of our favourites
DIFFERENT WINDS
While there's no end to repros of all the classic pickup styles, more and more pickup makers are mixing things up to move forward - Cream T is a good example
Long termers
A few months' gigging, recording and everything that goes with it - welcome to Guitarist's longterm test report
Top Guns
Chapman's new factory move coincides with a bit of a rethink. We track down the key players all around the world
the Wishlist
Dream gear to beg, borrow and steal for...
Reach For The Star
Earlier this year Guild reorganised its 70s-era Polara range. We spent some time with this mid-range 2024 model: a modern pawn-shop prize or a copy too far?
HIGH FLYER
Adrian Thorpe of ThorpyFX remembers the flight path - and turbulence behind Chris Buck's Electric Lightning overdrive/boost, named after a fighter jet and packing a bona fide valve