Sitka or Adirondack ?

[Treenewt]

I’d say Sitka too. I had a Larrivee OM-40 that had really wide grain, and it was Sitka.

[v32 finish]

Looks pretty much identical to the top on my AJ, which is Adi.. (or possibly even a hair wider)... but due to the reasons already pointed out, I still think it's probably Sitka; there are definitely j45's with adirondack tops, but I'm pretty sure it would be known fact & quite a price jump. even if buying from a private seller, anyone willing to make that jump to buy it, is going to say something about it.

There's only one way to know 100%, and that's to reference the S/N at Gibson, which I'm not familiar with. I'm assuming this could tell you 100% whether it's sitka or adi, but I'm leaning about 97% towards sitka as it were.

Beautiful regardless.

Scott

[davenumber2]

Originally Posted by v32 finish

Looks pretty much identical to the top on my AJ, which is Adi.. (or possibly even a hair wider)... but due to the reasons already pointed out, I still think it's probably Sitka; there are definitely j45's with adirondack tops, but I'm pretty sure it would be known fact & quite a price jump. even if buying from a private seller, anyone willing to make that jump to buy it, is going to say something about it.



There's only one way to know 100%, and that's to reference the S/N at Gibson, which I'm not familiar with. I'm assuming this could tell you 100% whether it's sitka or adi, but I'm leaning about 97% towards sitka as it were.



Beautiful regardless.



Scott

The specs on the J-45 Standard model have always been Sitka. Unless Gibson somehow mixed up a top piece then that’s what it is.

[Gomers]

Originally Posted by davenumber2

The specs on the J-45 Standard model have always been Sitka. Unless Gibson somehow mixed up a top piece then that’s what it is.

I didn't think that was beyond possibility to be honest.

Thanks for the replies gents, interesting reading from WHM too.

[vw1300]

Originally Posted by sstaylor58

That certainly is wide grain on that top. I have a guitar with similar spacing in the grain. This particular guitar sounds wonderful...does anyone know if there is an association between the richness of the sound and wider grain?

I asked this question during a factory tour to Richard Hoover, founder of Santa Cruz guitars. He said no.

[stephenT]

Funny how the types of spruce can be so visually similar but (in my experience and generally speaking) Red Spruce, Sitka and Engelmann respond differently.

[Rodger Knox]

Originally Posted by stephenT

Funny how the types of spruce can be so visually similar but (in my experience and generally speaking) Red Spruce, Sitka and Engelmann respond differently.

Actually, they don't. There is so much variation and overlap in the physical properties of the spruces that it is just as difficult to tell one species from another based on the physical properties. I learned that from Alan Carruth.

[stephenT]

That comment isn't consistent w/ my experience. Notice I said generally speaking, there's always exceptions, yet most folks who build guitars agree different species of spruce have individual characteristics.

Originally Posted by Rodger Knox

Actually, they don't. There is so much variation and overlap in the physical properties of the spruces that it is just as difficult to tell one species from another based on the physical properties. I learned that from Alan Carruth.

[Rodger Knox]

Originally Posted by stephenT

That comment isn't consistent w/ my experience. Notice I said generally speaking, there's always exceptions, yet most folks who build guitars agree different species of spruce have individual characteristics.

I agree that there are generalizations about both appearance and physical properties of the spruces. My point was that the physical properties vary as much as the appearance, and this thread has established that a species cannot be identified by appearance. I was referring specifically to the exceptions.

Everyone knows that all generalizations are false.

[Orfeas]

Like others said. I think its Sitka spruce