The J35 just had to go...

[AndrewG]

...and I really wanted to like the Gibson; but I guess I was spoiled by a stunning AJ I once owned, and was expecting too much (yes, I know, different animal, etc), but there were some things I just didn't feel comfortable with; the scale length and the spruce/mahogany mix on a short scale guitar (or just that specific example), just wasn't happening for me. Anyway, long/short it went back to the shop and I returned with the Yamaha below, and the GS Mini in a straight exchange. Equilibrium restored in the familiar 'thrum' and harmonic bloom of rosewood. Curiously though, despite my comments, the spruce/sapele mix of the Taylor works very well indeed and it's getting a lot of play-time.
The experiment was still fun.

[superfluidity]

The same thing happened to me, of sorts, I had a nice Wingert model 'F', but for some strange reason I just had to have a 1980 Martin D45, so I convinced myself to find a way. So, yes I found a way. The Martin was a great sounding guitar but the nut width was too small. Eventually I gave in, the guitar wasn't for me. I never found the 'F' but I did find an 'E', now I am very happy again. I just need to make sure I can keep it. But yea, the 45 had to go.

[TBman]

I don't know if I'd let a J-35 go for those two, but I had a Yamaha LJ6 (lam back and sides) that I'm still angry with myself for selling. I should have kept it. One thing is for sure though, if you aren't happy with a guitar, don't keep it. You want guitars that make you want to pick them up and play them.

[Toby Walker]

I had the same experience, but for different reasons.

The J-35 has a great, unique sound and I loved the scale. It just was no match for my Huss and Daltons, which is what I use all the time in performances now.

That's why mine went to a happier home.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by TBman

I don't know if I'd let a J-35 go for those two, but I had a Yamaha LJ6 (lam back and sides) that I'm still angry with myself for selling. I should have kept it. One thing is for sure though, if you aren't happy with a guitar, don't keep it. You want guitars that make you want to pick them up and play them.

Yes, and the 'L' series have always been fine-sounding and well made instruments. I owned an LL26, nitro-finished, dread which was both expensive and flawless. Also had a very brief dalliance with another Hamamatsu custom shop Yamaha, the LL36. Simply breathtaking.
On the electric side the Yamaha SA2200 is everything a Gibson ES345/355 should have been, but never quite made it. It's almost as if it's Yamaha's 'this is what we can do', model. Stunning in every respect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmv80dOGBFA

[Ed-in-Ohio]

I hear you Andrew! Despite REALLY wanting to, I have just never been able to warm up to a slope shouldered, short scale, Gibson dreadnought. It sure hasn't been for lack of effort...two J-45s, a SCSJ, and a J-35 have come in and gone out over the past few years.

This is why the ice cream shop has so many flavors.

Glad things are back to equilibrium for you. Play on!

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by Ed-in-Ohio

I hear you Andrew! Despite REALLY wanting to, I have just never been able to warm up to a slope shouldered, short scale, Gibson dreadnought. It sure hasn't been for lack of effort...two J-45s, a SCSJ, and a J-35 have come in and gone out over the past few years.

This is why the ice cream shop has so many flavors.

Glad things are back to equilibrium for you. Play on!

Yes, maybe I just don't 'get' the short-scale mahogany thing. The J45 especially I could never figure out what the attraction is, but people who love them, really love them. Maybe Gibson just sends all the lousy-sounding ones to England!

[TBman]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

Yes, maybe I just don't 'get' the short-scale mahogany thing. The J45 especially I could never figure out what the attraction is, but people who love them, really love them. Maybe Gibson just sends all the lousy-sounding ones to England!

Could be because every one I tried before buying mine sounded good.

[dre]

Originally Posted by Ed-in-Ohio

I hear you Andrew! Despite REALLY wanting to, I have just never been able to warm up to a slope shouldered, short scale, Gibson dreadnought. It sure hasn't been for lack of effort...two J-45s, a SCSJ, and a J-35 have come in and gone out over the past few years.

This is why the ice cream shop has so many flavors.

Glad things are back to equilibrium for you. Play on!

You just have to find tbe "right" one...for a very long time I could never find one that did it for me, not until now. I just bought a '59 Country Western...has all the woody, balanced, jangly slope-shoulder goodness that I love and that we've all heard countless times on all those classic recordings. It was a long journey but after reaching my final destination I can say it was certainly worth the effort.

[dre]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

Yes, maybe I just don't 'get' the short-scale mahogany thing. The J45 especially I could never figure out what the attraction is, but people who love them, really love them. Maybe Gibson just sends all the lousy-sounding ones to England!

Unfortunately not all Gibsons are created equal...and it will try your patience waiting to find the "right" one. And I am speaking very much from experience on that!

[DukeX]

Not a lot of experience with the Gibsons but I did play a J15, J35, J45 at a local store recently when I was looking for a new guit, and while I liked the playability and the short scale, the sound was a little too mid-focused for me.

[DesolationAngel]

The Collings CJ35 is one of only a couple of guitars that I've played over the past couple of years that I really wished I'd bought... spectacular.

[aknow]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

Yeah, snarky comments always work, don't they? Have a great day.

I dragged around a new Montana Gibson Gospel for 12 years, that sounded so bad I didn't have the heart to sell it to any decent person. I finally did. I have a Yamaha LS-16 that sounded 1000X better than that Gibson, right out of the box, and sounds much better after playing a year. Great manufacturers sometimes make really bad guitars.

[Mr Fingers]

With Gibsons, a lot (= everything) depends in when it was made, and in some periods especially, the individual guitar. Even the vintage Gibsons are famously inconsistent, a direct result of production methods that were slapdash and ever-changing. But while this means that some are indeed rather dead guitars (which can sound great under the human voice) the good ones are utterly amazing. I prefer this tone to the overwrought Martin dreadnought tone, and prefer it over the soft-bottom of the 00 and 000 Martins, though I love that tone as well. Non-vintage Gibsons are, of course, all over the map, and while in my experience way, way too many of them are indeed indifferent acoustically and some of them are simply dead, there are some wonderful ones out there. It's just not accurate to generalize about a particular model of Gibson. For a long time, Norman Blake's go-to was a Gibson Century of Progress -- for good reason. But others of that very same model can be found surprisingly unplayed because they just don't have it.

[Silly Moustache]

Hi Andy, a while ago I tried to buy a Gibson Jackson Browne but despite visiting two/three shops, I couldn't find one that "spoke" to me.

Ultimately, I had to (had to?) import a Santa Cruz version.

More recently I developed a "need" for a L-oo style guitar, and tried various Gibos. Again, none worked for me - neither in tone nore in presentation. Every one , regardless of price was poorly finished, at least, compared to my other guitars. I bought a Waterloo.

I know that you have long been a fan and a fine player on Yamahas, and there is no arguing that they make fine instruments.

I'm thinking that occasionally there is a temptation to "stray" by a new , or new/old design, or brand when we have already found the ultimate instrument for us.

I hope you enjoy your current stable. I think, perhaps you will.

Best regards

Ol' Andy