Interesting look at Gordon smith construction today

Philly_Q

I had an '80s GS1 with a P-90 (I added a Strat neck pickup) and a '90s GS2-60 which I fitted with a really unsuitable pair of DiMarzios (which sounded worse than the stock pickups).

Both were  OK, the former more than the latter, but they were nothing special.

I've said it before, but I never understood why the UK guitar magazines would rave about them and say what bargains they were.  I always thought they were quite expensive given the fact there were no import costs involved - the prices were comparable with the cheapest, entry-level Gibsons but the QC was even worse.

DefaultM

I always used to see these in a local guitar shop, but I just assumed that they were a beginners guitar. Mainly due to the headstock logo looking cheap.

Nunogilberto

I've had two - a Graf that I had made in 2014 (which I stupidly let go of), which was probably wasn't long before Auden took over. I also had a 1981 GS1, found in Heron's in Bristol back last year. I ended up swapping that for a valve amp.

On the whole, I was happy with both guitars. I follow the new outfit on Facebook and some of their stock looks tasty, albeit more expensive. I did read a bit of a horror story about deposits and waiting times here quite recently though...

the_doobz

I've got an old GS1 I bought for £150 and play all the time - looks as rough as a badgers bollocks but plays nicely and has a bright tone that cuts through like a tele. Utterly functional workhorse. fingerboard is 4-5 mm apparently.

the_doobz

impmann said:

I loved my old one - well made, sounded great etc.

A friend has a Les Paul alike (carved top etc) and that thing sounds epic, and looks fantastic.

Both 'old' ones.

Auden/GS are about four miles from my front door - I keep meaning to visit them (they have a showroom at their factory). The guitars I've seen have looked nice in the pics, if a little blingy - flamed maple (or similar) really doesn't do it for me.

nor me - they're guitars not pieces of jewellry - active musicians rarely play blingy guitars.

martinw

I bought a new GS2 from Sounds great when they were dealers.
After a while I noticed the frets looked wrong: They were perpendicular to the edge of fretboard, instead of the centreline of the guitar.
(Perhaps @wezv or someone can tell me if that's a serious issue......sort of fanned frets I suppose!)
I wasn't too impressed with that so I took it back to Sounds Great, with my engineers square, and we ended up checking all the GS's in the shop......some were the same way, some were the 'right' way.
Kind of put me off.

WezV

martinw said:

After a while I noticed the frets looked wrong: They were perpendicular to the edge of fretboard, instead of the centreline of the guitar.
(Perhaps @wezv or someone can tell me if that's a serious issue......sort of fanned frets I suppose!)

in theory, as long as the bridge and nut can be similarly angled, its not an issue.   
But it does highlight  a clear fault in their manufacturing processes and i wouldn't accept it on anything other than a slanted fret rickenbacker, where it was done as an intentional feature

equalsql

I used to sale the GS1 back in the late 80s and at that time they were monster. Beautifully set up at the factory, an incredibly fast neck/fingerboard with low action. The pickup was a beast. We sold the whole range of Gibson and Fender et al but the GS1 was always the one I'd pick up and play when I a moment of spare time.

ICBM

I've always wanted one of those 481s... very cool.

I once intentionally made an electric mandolin with the frets perpendicular to the treble side of the fingerboard - not as drastic as the Rick angled frets, but still makes those awkward mandolin chords easier.

Philly_Q

martinw said:

I bought a new GS2 from Sounds great when they were dealers.
After a while I noticed the frets looked wrong: They were perpendicular to the edge of fretboard, instead of the centreline of the guitar.
(Perhaps @wezv or someone can tell me if that's a serious issue......sort of fanned frets I suppose!)
I wasn't too impressed with that so I took it back to Sounds Great, with my engineers square, and we ended up checking all the GS's in the shop......some were the same way, some were the 'right' way.
Kind of put me off.

Was that one of the old John Smith ones, or a new Auden one?

fastonebaz

I bought a new GS2 deluxe in 2017.  Build quality was excellent i couldn't find any blemishes or problems.  The neck is sublime.  Super fast and smooth.  I changed the pickups for JB and a 59 but actually changed them back to the originals as they sounded better on it.  I replaced the stock pots with fancy cts ones and it sounds awesome.  Reliable and medium weight for gigging.  Looks fantastic too.  

martinw

WezV said:

martinw said:

After a while I noticed the frets looked wrong: They were perpendicular to the edge of fretboard, instead of the centreline of the guitar.
(Perhaps @wezv or someone can tell me if that's a serious issue......sort of fanned frets I suppose!)

in theory, as long as the bridge and nut can be similarly angled, its not an issue.   

No, the bridge and nut were conventional, as far as I could see. In fact a remember you could clearly see an angle between the nut and first fret! The square showed it up clearly too.

Philly_Q said:

Was that one of the old John Smith ones, or a new Auden one?

It was the old John Smith ones.

Philly_Q

martinw said:

It was the old John Smith ones.

That's a relief.  Not that I was planning on buying one.

mike257

I was in a band with a guy who had a very early Gipsy and it was an utterly tremendous guitar. Always fancied a P90 GS1 myself, to be honest only ever heard good things from mates who've owned them, this thread has surprised me a little!

jeztone2

A boy at school had a GS1, then later a friend at uni had one. They were utilitarian but ok. The pickups were gash as I recall. The new ones look a lot better. 

fastonebaz

@riffpowers ;Here's my 2017 Gordon Smith GS2 Deluxe.  It looks gorgeous, plays like butter and I think it sounds pretty decent too.  What do you reckon?

usedtobe

I used to have a 20th anniversary graduate. Great guitar, but a bit fancy for me. I’d love a gs1, someday!

WildWayz

I just ordered a custom Graduate... 

Right Handed

Body: Mahogany

Neck: Maple - thin

Fingerboard: Flamed Maple

Top: Flamed Maple

Colour: Red/Black Burst

Finish: Gloss front, satin back and sides

Body Binding: Scrape

Bridge: Gotoh 510UB

Pickups: 2 GSG Humbuckers

Tuners: Deluxe Locking 18:1 (Gotoh)

Fretwire: Nickel Silver
 Strap Buttons: Gold Straplocks (Gotoh)

Hardware: Gold

Pickup covers: Black, with pole pieces to match hardware

Abalone fret markers - offset

Abalone moose - 11th/12th/13th fret

Hard case

Troglodyte

I used to have an old mid-90s GS2. It had a wraparound stopbar that was a few mm away from where it should've been and the tuner holes must've been drilled by someone after a liquid lunch. Pickups were crap too.

The actual woodworking was OK.

riffpowers

fastonebaz said:

@riffpowers ;Here's my 2017 Gordon Smith GS2 Deluxe.  It looks gorgeous, plays like butter and I think it sounds pretty decent too.  What do you reckon?

I think it looks  better than the one i had!!