Alternatives to the J45 Legend?

richie0801 · #1 05-06-2017, 12:24 PM

I heard this on a youtube clip by acoustic letter and was blown away. It was balanced, saturated, warm, woody, and round, but had great separation and clarity. I think it would be so ideal for the studio.

A couple questions:
1) Is there anything in a cheaper price bracket that can compare tonally? 4500 used is a bit too steep to me at this time.
2) Is there anything that doesn't have a large c neck that has the same tone?

Thanks!

bedu · #2 05-06-2017, 12:27 PM

Not an answer, but don't write off a big C neck. The chunky C neck on my J-35 is the least tiring neck I have played

Alister Atkin has a repro of the J-45 owned by Buddy Holly which he built inconjunction with the Buddy Holly estate. He had access to the he guitar and took all the measurements directly himself. His uses a torrefied top although I believe the standard build is with Sitka and not Red spruce. Alister will make customisations based on user requests. So you could probably get a torrified Red spruce top as an uplift. He will custom carve the neck if you can detail what you want. I think his J-45 guitars are excellent and would be comparable to the J-45 legend. If SWMBO would sign off on the funds I would have one with a 12 fret join.

With the British pound being in the dumper, you could probably land one of these in the US for about $3000 USD.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bill Ashton · #3 05-06-2017, 03:50 PM

Look for a used Huss and Dalton DS or Crossroads DS.

Rmz76 · #4 05-06-2017, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richie0801

I heard this on a youtube clip by acoustic letter and was blown away. It was balanced, saturated, warm, woody, and round, but had great separation and clarity. I think it would be so ideal for the studio.

A couple questions:
1) Is there anything in a cheaper price bracket that can compare tonally? 4500 used is a bit too steep to me at this time.
2) Is there anything that doesn't have a large c neck that has the same tone?

Thanks!

Gibson replaced the J-45 Legend with the J-45 Vintage. So part of the price spike on the J-45 Legend is that it was a limited production model and it's no longer in production... The J-45 Vintage is almost the same guitar, it has the Adirondack top on solid Mahagony back and sides and has the J-45's scalloped X bracing. With the aged top it should sound even a bit better.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RS45VNNH
http://www.gibson.com/Products/Acous...5-Vintage.aspx

The J-45 Vintage is going to have the same large neck profile, but will save you a bit. MAP is $3999. I'm sure you can find a retailer willing to knock at least 10% off that, you can probably get one to go $3500 and all parties would be happy.

If you want a scalloped X-braced slope shoulder with a solid Adirondack top on solid Mahagony back and sides, on a budget the Eastman E10SS is the guitar you're looking for. They go for around $1200 new. The Eastman has a small neck profile and while it's not a Gibson, it's in the same tonal ballpark. For me the only negative with the Eastman is the 1 11/16"/1.68" nut width. If you prefer a smaller neck profile you may also like the smaller nut width

scriv58 · #5 05-06-2017, 04:26 PM

the vintage is NOT the same as the legend, and it does NOT have the large neck profile of the legend

TBman · #6 05-06-2017, 04:34 PM

Have you tried a Custom 45? The rosewood sounds good.

zombywoof · #7 05-06-2017, 04:56 PM

In 2013 Gibson reissued a 1942 J-45 as part of John Thomas' "Kalamazoo Gals" Project. These were copies of original Banners he arranged for Gibson to borrow. They came with a price tag that was quite a bit less than what a Legend commands. These Banner copies were a limited run so not that easy to find but well worth the patience and the hunt. I saw one up here on the AGF about 3 months back for around $2400.

zombywoof · #8 05-06-2017, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scriv58

the vintage is NOT the same as the legend, and it does NOT have the large neck profile of the legend

I agree. The J-45 TV is a very different beast in sound and feel from the J-45 Legend. The Legend comes a lot closer to the sound of my 1942 J-50 than the TV.

pickitPaul · #9 05-06-2017, 05:47 PM

The 1st recreations of the 40's J45 or Southern Jumbos from the early 90's.
Well below what a Legend or J45 Vintage would cost. If you can find one - early 90's up to but not including '94 are out there, but not in great numbers.

Charmed Life Picks · #10 05-06-2017, 07:31 PM

My dream is the genuine article -- a '42-'45 Banner J-45, but I've heard the Legend comes pretty close.

sm

pcf · #11 05-06-2017, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zombywoof

I agree. The J-45 TV is a very different beast in sound and feel from the J-45 Legend. The Legend comes a lot closer to the sound of my 1942 J-50 than the TV.

Pretty please? Not many have seen a banner J-50.

Also this is a superb alternative: http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=462542

Zissou Intern · #12 05-06-2017, 09:33 PM

Did you see the Gibson J45 Montana Vintage in the classifieds? I suspect it would have many of the attributes you seek.
Disclaimer: I have no connection to the guitar or seller.

Rmz76 · #13 05-06-2017, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scriv58

the vintage is NOT the same as the legend, and it does NOT have the large neck profile of the legend

Maybe you are confusing the older "J-45 True Vintage" from the "J-45 Vintage"? Gibson could do a better job with the naming to save some confusion.

Reading through the responses there are actually three different models being discussed in this thread. They are

Discontinued: J-45 Legend had a fat (what Gibson simply calls "round") neck profile
Discontinued: The J-45 True Vintage "TV" (now also out of production) had a "slim neck profile" identical to the J-45 Standard.
In Production: J-45 Vintage (2016-) and it has a thick/round neck profile

All these guitars have Red Spruce/Adirondack tops on Mahogany back and sides and all have scalloped X bracing. All the banner logo and open back, vintage style tuners (although the tuners are bit different on each).

The Legend is suppose to be as close to a banner as Gibson has ever reissued with all hide glue construction, the firestripe pick guard, rectangle (not belly up bridge) and other a few other cosmetic details missing from the other two making it a real banner reissue.

scriv58 · #14 05-07-2017, 06:05 AM

i own the 2016 vintage (not tv) it has a belly up bridge (not rectangular) and the neck is NOT beefy like an original banner, or even as substantial as my 1946 southern jumbo.
They can use any marketing ploy they wish, but the 2016 vintage does not sound old, because it is not old. You want old sound, buy an old guitar.
But that lwgwnd sounds closer than most.

pickitPaul · #15 05-07-2017, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scriv58

i own the 2016 vintage (not tv) it has a belly up bridge (not rectangular) and the neck is NOT beefy like an original banner, or even as substantial as my 1946 southern jumbo.
They can use any marketing ploy they wish, but the 2016 vintage does not sound old, because it is not old. You want old sound, buy an old guitar.
But that lwgwnd sounds closer than most.

Try to find one 25 yrs old (early 90's) just starting to get that old sound