CL-40 ArtistFeatures:Action, Fit, & Finish:Sound Quality:Reliability/Durability:Ease of Use:Customer Support:Overall Rating:Brand:
Gibson
Model:
CL-40 Artist
Tags: brand#gibson tax#aa tax#a
Reviews
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Review By: TC Smythe on 3/5/08 1:00 AM Reviewer Background:
Purchased From:
I won this in a songwriting contest but at the time retailed for 2700.00
Price:
Features:Mine is a 1997 CL-40 from the Custom Shop. I liked the fact that the 1997 model used a much richer-looking beveled pickguard than the one they use now. The case is just great, but could use more padding on the tail. Active pickup - and if you happen to be a girl, it's easy to leave the strings on while you're changing the battery. These guys are such whiners! Mine has a mustache bridge, indian rosewood, Engleman Spruce satin finish. I think mine came with Grovers, but I've changed them since then. Angel-wing inlays. After 11 years it has developed somem checking in the finish - my fault, no doubt since I don't use a humidifier and I travel so much.
Action, Fit, & Finish:I've never felt it necessary to have the action adjusted - I use medium guage strings.
Sound Quality:I am a fingerstyle folk pickers, but my flatpicker friends call her a hotrod! Her name *is* Carmelita! I use no effects at all. It's dark AND bright - kinda like a beefy-crispy taco... You can hear a sample at
Reliability/Durability:I play live 5 nights a week for the last ten years on this guitar. Since I don't use a pick, there's not a scratch on her!
Ease of Use:Customer Support:I called the company once to get a recommendation about installing straplocks. They were appalled, but polite about it.
Overall Rating:I've had this guitar since 1997. I don't think I'll ever outgrow it. I own an outdoor festival sound company. If it were stolen I'd pay alot to get it back or replace it with an identical model. I didn't choose this guitar - I won it in a songwriting contest, so I guess you could say it chose me...
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CL-40 Artist
Review By: Robert Tambuscio on 3/30/05 1:00 AM Reviewer Background:
Purchased From:
Jammers Music
Features:I bought this Gibson cl-40 in April of 2002. I paid about@ $1100.00 dollars for it. I must say after three years this guitar sounds as sweet as it looks. It has great balance and the harmonics that come from this guitar are gorgeous. Maybe I'm partial to the Rosewood that contrbutes to the warmth of the sound. I like to strum it with a thin pick moving my hand between the upper end of the sound hole and the bridge to produce different sound qualities. I did buy a Taylor 314ce before I got my Gibson. Although the Taylor was actually slightly easier to play for me because of the neck the sound of the Taylor could not compare to the Gibson. It was one dimmensional. IT was very bright and had no bottom end what so ever. I sold it and bought the Gibson after that...
Action, Fit, & Finish:Finish on this guitar was really nice and even if the guitar was ugly I would have still bought because of the way it sounded. However it looked as good as it sounds and is very well made.....
Sound Quality:Reliability/Durability:I do take care of it well and don't play it in bars or clubs but I have to say it could probably take a lot of abuse if it had to....
Ease of Use:Customer Support:I called before I purchased the guitar and they were very helpfull.
Overall Rating:
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CL-40 Artist
Review By: mark-TGR1l on 7/5/04 1:00 AM Reviewer Background:
Purchased From:
Long & McQuade
Features:1997 CL-40, made in Bozeman, Montana. Bought used in Toronto area, $1250. 20(?) frets. Factory installed transducer p/u with active pre-amp. Spruce top, rosewood back/sides, mahogony neck, ebony fingerboard and bridge. Natural finish, gold tuners, abalone "angel wing" inlays for markers and headstock logo instead of classic Gibson. Came with a great Gibson custom shop case. I was hoping to find a Sheryl Crow that I could afford, and a friend spotted this one for me. It had all of the things I wanted the Crow for, some in a slightly different way. I wanted something other than "dots" on the fingerboard, and I think the angel wings are even better than the trapezoids or double parallelograms. Also, the pickguard is a little smaller, but still has a distinctive shape.
Action, Fit, & Finish:Can't comment on factory settings because it was well used before I got it. There don't seem to be any apparent flaws in the construction or finish, other than slight oxidizing of the tuners,and wear from being played. I don't think it was babied where it was before, but it was certainly played.
Sound Quality:I've only been playing for about two years, and don't really have a distinctive style. I'm not playing much hard rock or metal, but I'll try anything with an acoustic flavour. I don't often play it through an amp, becuase I play for fun and not big crowds, but I have tried it and was surprised at how clean and natural it sounds through an inexpensive squier amp. It's pretty full sounding, and loud enough without the amp. For fingerpicking, I have a Seagull Anniversaire with a cedar top that I think is fairly comparable, but for pickin' and strummin' the Gibson definitely has the volume edge.
Reliability/Durability:"Will this guitar withstand live playing?" - uh - as opposed to what? I guess that means big performances? I guess it would. It seems to have been banged around, and because it already had some dings and scratches in it, I feel much more comfortable taking it anywhere. There aren't any spots where the finish has worn through, but I'm not sure how often the previous owner played. I've had it for three months, and play almost every day. The strap buttons are definitely solid. If I had the confidence to gig, I would do it without a backup.
Ease of Use:Customer Support:I sent an email once to ask about some slight discoloration in the center strip on the back. I got a detailed answer within 24hours, as promised. I don't think the warranty is transferrable, so I don't know anything else that way.
Overall Rating:I've been playing just over two years, and this is my third guitar. The first was a laminate top Yamaha, second the solid cedar top Seagull Anniversaire, and then the CL-40. I was looking more at Gibsons for the appearance, and I was looking in the $1500 to $2000 (Canadian) price range for new guitars - but I wasn't prepared to spend that. To me, a lot of the sounds were similar when comparing similar shape and woods across different manufacturers. That made it easier to focus on my preferences with respect to feel and appearance. While I appreciate the value and quality of Martin, they are just plain looking to me. If they have lots of inlay, then it's like an American luxury car - plain design with a bunch of extra doodahs added on to increase the cost.
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CL-40 Artist
Review By: Anonymous Reviewer on 12/12/03 1:00 AM Reviewer Background:
Purchased From:
dealership closed/ bankruptcy sale
Features:Dove Artist - 2002 - beautiful, eye catching features, from the solid spruce top to the Rosewood back and sides. Ivory neck and and bridge with Mother of pearly dove inlays on the bridge and wings on the neck, fancy without being gaudy. It has a wonderful sounding Fishman active transducer pickup, Abalone rosette surrounding the sound hole and gold Grover tuners that give it class. Mine comes with a tortoise pickguard, but is totally black other than a streak of orange. It came with a Gibson case, plush blue interior, a humidifier and a medium pick with the Gibson logo located in the storage area.
Action, Fit, & Finish:The guitar is set up perfectly for me and the wide variety of music I play on it. There is no buzz unless I really pluck a string or do something that would cause it. The action is great but one of my gripes is that there is no binding on the neck. The quality and price of this guitar should have included that feature because the frets can rough up the sides of your fingers in some of those fast chages up and down the neck. The other gripe is that it had plastic bridge pins, I changed them to rosewood. Trifle complaints that would, in now way, make me want to give this guitar up. I just wanted to list these to explain why I didn't give it a 10 in this category.
Sound Quality:I have been playing guitar for over 30 years and my true love is the 12 string. The guitars I own are on the mid price range, nothing too expensive, but have played many different acoustics over the years. All it took for me to jump into the upper level of guitars was to strum an E chord and listen to this guitar hummm, the feel of the vibrations from front and back, and the sustain of tone - I melted immediately. Strumming or finger picking, both sound wonderful. The Strumming sounds great with or without the Pickup. But the sound is really enhanced if you are finger picking using the Fishman pickup. I play a wide range of music from Old Country to 70's rock. This guitar sings - and now my 12 string is getting lonely because I can't put this Dove Artist down ... and I never thought I would ever say that. The sound is very even over the entire spectrum. The bass is loud, but it doesn't drown out the highs unless you want it to. This guitar gives breath and feeling to the music you are playing. The tone stays true all the way up the neck: either playing lead, using power chords or barr chording.
Reliability/Durability:This Dove Artist feels sturdy enough to withstand pretty much any kind of playing with in reason. It is heavier than the Taylors that are so light that I fear bumping into anything. I believe if you get a guitar to play, you cheat yourself if you don't play it where and when you want (again, within reason and common sense). I have played this in the shade of a hot Texas summer days at family gatherings, at a friends recording studio, and at home for fun. If they could invent Guitar strings that stay new for 6 months at a time I would be grateful. I take great care with this guitar, but am not paranoid about getting it out an playing, other than sitting in direct sun light. Stays in tune and handles alternate tuning like a champ.
Ease of Use:Customer Support:No dealings with Support center
Overall Rating:I rate this guitar a 9.8 out of 10. After playing for 30 plus years, I am kicking myself knowing something that sounded this good was our there waiting for me all this time. If this were to get stolen or lost, I don't know if the next one could actually replace it. I would try, but the heartbreak would probably be too much. We have truly Bonded!Ha The sound that emits from this guitar matches the mood in which you are feeling at the time of playing. It forces you to want to hear that clear tone and sound that makes a particular song special. I haven't had my hands on too many high dollar guitars but it sure sounds better than the 4000 dollar Taylor that is setting down at the local music store. Of course, everyone has their own preferences and has their favorite sound. I found mine.
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CL-40 Artist
Review By: Anonymous Reviewer on 4/3/03 1:00 AM Reviewer Background:
Purchased From:
Guitar Center
Features:I paid only $719.45 for my gibson cl-40 artist at guitar center. This was right before they brought back the Gibson line into their stores, and this sweet thing had been sitting around for a good three years. I picked it up on a whim as the price tag stated 1600 something and just began to play for poops and giggles. Wow, I was stunned by the richness and the beauty of the tone of this thing. It sounded awesome. It played so effortlessly as well, although it did buzz a little bit when tuned into a C tuning.No biggie though. Anyway, I heard some guy ask about it while I was playing it and the guy at guitar center told him to pass on the guitar because the brigde was cracked and the neck was bowed. Well, I looked and sure enough there was a crack in the ebony bridge and the neck was a little concave, but thats what a truss is for isn't it? So I asked the guy about the guitar and he confirmed what I had heard. I offered him 700 for it and they took the offer. It came with a lifetime warranty so after I bought it I simply thought I'd send it back to the factory and get it fixed, but when I brought it home I fell too much in love with it and couldn't bear to part with it. However, I did adjust the truss rod and the buzzing all but ceased. It played and sounded exceptional, however after a year the bridge crack began to widen and I knew I'd have to get it fixed. I sent it to the Gibson Bozeman, Montana factory where they fixed it with precision if not with speed; it came back about three months later better than the day I bought it! They even fixed the minor dings in the guitar while they were at it and threw in a humidifier when they sent it back! A job well done! The rosewood back and sides and sold spuce top make this thing ring out with a seriously balanced beautifully rich tone. It seriosuly sounds amazing. I don't know that I've heard a guitar that I think sounds BETTER, actualy, the only one that I've played that I like better was a 1947 gibson southern jumbo, now that was outstanding. I've played a lot of guitars and there are plenty of them that I've loved, but I've yet to find one that I truley think is superior ro this one, not just for its price either. I mean period. Great guitar, although I've played the dove artists and none of them measure up to my cl-40 artist. Wow, you know I just realized I was supposed to do a little paragraph for all the catagories , oh well I think I pretty much covered all the bases on this one.
Action, Fit, & Finish:Sound Quality:Reliability/Durability:Ease of Use:Customer Support:Overall Rating:10
0 Comments Tags: brand#gibson tax#a
