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  #46  
Old 04-27-2020, 05:19 PM
Dryfly Dryfly is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Br1ck View Post
Tone tone tone tone tone tone tone
Pretend you were a blind person. What would you pick.
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  #47  
Old 04-27-2020, 05:42 PM
tippy5 tippy5 is offline
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Originally Posted by UncleJesse View Post
It's been my experience that guitars with high action are louder and punchier and after a proper setup with lowered strings it may be closer in sound to the other two. I personally put up with some higher action to get the most out of my dreads.
This is true.

Do you want to coax some huge right hand? Or is medium and soft right hand all you prefer? Setup the strings slightly higher than low. Not too high though.

If you sometimes play with intensity you should not have low to the floor, string height. This is where a Gibson slope dread can give you a gear many guitars can not.

Setup wise get a pro luthier to do it. He or she can check neck angle, individual string nut slot depths, under low relief. Then the final string height set by the saddle. Speaking of the round Gibson radius (12") I like to bring a new Colosi, compensated bone, Gibson J 45 saddle over for the tech. The roundness is one of the endearing things about the playability of Gibsons.

I agree with your bland rosewood fretboard being less than ideal. That's why it is good to check out as many as you can. I have 3 Gibson slopes. A braz board 59, an ebony board 99, and a red streaked juicy (non-fence wood) fretboard which I think helps the tone. It certainly helps looking down, while fingering, your fingers traversing over a top quality fretboard tonewood.
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  #48  
Old 04-27-2020, 08:29 PM
evening_crow evening_crow is offline
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Funny you criticize the rosewood on the third one because to me that's the best looking one. The light wood complements and blends in nicely with the overall burst better than the others (IMO... I'm not usually a fan of bursts in acoustics so it's always very hit or miss for me).

The stray glue can be shaved off with a razor and the stain possibly slightly sanded if it's not deep. You can also stain the rosewood if you're absolutely dissatisfied with the current color.
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  #49  
Old 04-28-2020, 05:39 AM
dave42 dave42 is offline
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#2 is out due to the sunburst. #3 is it because I’d use fretboard oil on the bridge and fretboard to tone down the brightness of the wood. *But* I’d only buy it if there is enough saddle to take the action down and leave saddle showing. Could be the truss rod needs adjusting, also. If those things don’t add up when looking at it,.....

#1. Because it’s setup nicely and the tone will get better from playing.
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  #50  
Old 04-28-2020, 06:30 AM
Timotao Timotao is offline
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Default Check out the True Vintage J45 with the torrefied top...

I'm not sure why you are not putting the J45 True Vintage torrefied red spruce top in your comparison. If you haven't heard one you need to before you make a decision. I've got one and its the best sounding guitar I have, to my ear at least.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nUBNanmOcc
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  #51  
Old 04-28-2020, 06:30 AM
Cuki79 Cuki79 is offline
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Originally Posted by dave42 View Post
#1. Because it’s setup nicely and the tone will get better from playing.
Every time I thought of that while buying... I ended up selling. I am never patient enough. I aknowledge the fact that my 21 years old Yamaha sounds way better than new... But I did not notice it back then... It just happened.

I was never patient enough with the later guitars.

I once bought a Gibson Southern Jumbo TV. I love the look of this guitar. I chose it over an Advanced Jumbo that sounded better. I thought it would improve with age... It never did. I ended up selling.

My Eastman E6OM has ungly dark stripes but I got used to it. Love this guitar, it is a keeper.

So I'd say keep the best sounding one and put lem oil on the rosewood fingerboard and bridge. Once you find a better one, trade them and lose a bit of money.

I've tried and will continue to try a lots of Gibsons, you just need to be ready when you find "the one" to pull the trigger. I have had many Les Pauls, but one bend on my Historic Reissue 1958 and I knew I was cooked. Sometimes it's like that. I have the same feeling with the Martin D-18... But I love all Martin D-18s.... I don't feel the same with Gibbies. I once played a really great Vintage reissue in Freiburg (Germany) and a really nice vintage one from 46 or something. Most of the others were good but not appealing to me.
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  #52  
Old 04-28-2020, 06:43 AM
TwoMartinMan TwoMartinMan is offline
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To me, action is equally important as tone. I like as low an action as possible without fret buzzing. If the geometry of the guitar is not such that I can lower the action to my liking and still have a decent amount of saddle showing, then I pass on the instrument. I start with tone, then evaluate the action. Both must be equally satisfactory. No matter how good it might sound, if it's uncomfortable to play I don't pick it up.
I have a J-45 and I love it.
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  #53  
Old 04-28-2020, 06:51 AM
Timotao Timotao is offline
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Here is a sound comparison of the J45 true vintage torrefied top to a 1955 Martin D18...both guitars are mahogany and the Martin is a real vintage guitar. They sound pretty close to each other, the torrefied top is supposed to mimic a real vintage top, like on the 55 Martin.

J45 True Vintage https://soundcloud.com/mandoman-2/mysterya

1955 Martin D18 https://soundcloud.com/mandoman-2/mysteryd
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  #54  
Old 04-28-2020, 07:00 AM
Guilty Spark Guilty Spark is offline
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First, welcome to the forum. Your grammar and spelling is better than most of the "native speakers" I know, so........you're all good on that score.

Second: #3. I agree that the top looks great, and I agree with those that say the lighter rosewood is actually attractive. It sets the guitar apart from other production specimens. Too, I think it will look really great with a light coat of an appropriate oil.

Plus.........it sounds the best.
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  #55  
Old 04-28-2020, 07:28 AM
PatDie PatDie is offline
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First of all thank you for the warm welcome and great responses! I'm happy about receiving that much food for thought on the topic and maybe it will help somebody else in the future picking the right J-45. I reckon choosing a Gibson is all about looking past imperfections and if you put some effort in it, you might be rewarded with a sound no other guitar in the world could give you (That's at least how I'm staying positive about picking a Gibson guitar, haha).

What I'm really taking away is that tone should always be above anything else - and that (while some guitars do open up eventually) you should never wait for a desired tone to maybe appear over time. And yes, I'm on the same page with people saying that a glue blob here and there are no dealbreaker, as long as the overall finish and quality are good. Also, I took the potential tonal differences due to the age of the strings into account. At least that's what I thought: All three models were built between end of February and end of March 2020 and from the looks and feel, the strings on all three guitars were just as new and fresh as the guitars themselves. Yesterday, I started switching strings around and even experimented changing the saddles between the models. It didn't do anything on #1, it stayed too dry and lifeless - even for someone like me who doesn't like bright, ringing and bell-like overtones at all.

Where it does get really interesting is changing things up between #2 and #3. It is quite hard to describe tone and I am really new to trying to put something I hear into words, but after changing strings and saddle (having a little height difference) between #2 and #3 I was quite surprised about the result: #3 kept its big volume; the body just vibrates by the slightest picking. But it did lack the woodiness and "thump" that I originally picked a J-45 for, instead the bell-like top end became very present. It reminds me a lot of a D-28 I played in a shop last year. Sure a great instrument for many and certainly a good instrument to be played where it's a lot about volume, but not what I'm looking for tone-wise.

Well, I could've simply changed everything back to how it was and I'd still have #3 as the "winner". But it turns out that #2 just needed that change of a slightly higher saddle (which also fitted slightly better into the notch than the original saddle) and an (apparently) newer set of strings. It's not as loud as #3, but compared to the first testing it seems much more balanced, a little more punchier in the mids and the overtones just blend beautifully to a dry thump. It's a sound you'd like to hear when playing some folk-fingerstyle songs on a rainy November day in an off-grid cabin (Not sure if that makes sense :-)). And here's the most important take-away: I like #2 with the new setup more than I originally liked #3. Now I'm making things complicated I guess. Turns out you only think you've heard the best sound until you hear something better? Or maybe comparing them back and forth is starting to mess with my ears (and mind).

This leaves me wondering: The burst on #2 is certainly off-center. Should I even bother when tone is everything? I scrolled through J-45 pictures on google and found quite a few where the burst is not perfectly centered. Or should I keep hunting for the right one, especially since it seems like I haven't heard the real potential of a J-45? J-45s are not super easy to get here, most shops have 1 or 2 available in good times and at the moment there's a real shortage of J-45s available. Seems like the 2019 models are mostly sold out (with a returned one here and there to find) and more 2020 models should arrive some time in September. So if I decided to continue my search it would most certainly be a project postponed to fall. Regarding an alternative: A J-45 True Vintage is barely available here and also comes at a much higher price point. Also, someone mentioned to ask the shops beforehand to take pictures so that I could tick off potential flaws on look and finish before ordering. And yes, I had the same thought before ordering. The only problem is that for most shops here warehouses and stores are in two different locations and it seems logistically impossible to have someone from the store checking on warehouse guitars (I've asked that a few different shops before ordering).

So maybe give it another shot and see if I can find THE one (looks, feel and sound all to my approval) out of the few left in the different shops? Don't mind the off-center burst? Or just stay with #3? Or wait until fall? I'm really thinking out loudly at the moment, I guess I'll have to play #2 and #3 a little more and see where my gusto is taking me.


Last edited by PatDie; 04-28-2020 at 07:36 AM.
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  #56  
Old 04-28-2020, 07:43 AM
Timotao Timotao is offline
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PatDie posted "Regarding an alternative: A J-45 True Vintage is barely available here and also comes at a much higher price point."

If you can try one out, don't pass it up...it is well worth the additional price. I found mine at GC. It was reduced due to the time it has been on the wall, so there are deals out there if you take a look at the Guitar Center sites, all over the US.
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  #57  
Old 04-28-2020, 08:36 AM
Goodallboy Goodallboy is offline
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With the burst being “off”, I would never settle for that one, that’s a defect.

Keep looking and be patient, one will appear. If you’re comfortable with ordering three guitars and shipping them back, order three or four more and give them a go.

Good luck!
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  #58  
Old 04-28-2020, 08:43 AM
flatfinger flatfinger is offline
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If you hadn’t mentioned the off center burst on guitar #2, I would not have noticed it. In fact when I first looked at your three choices, I liked the burst on guitar #2 the best. I also liked the top grain and book match the best.

When you’re playing it, you won’t notice the offset burst and neither will anyone watching. Even more so once you get a few scuff marks, dings and playing mojo built up on the guitar.

I understand aesthetics are very important to the overall draw of an instrument. But I value workmanship and construction details suck as neck angle at least as much as a slightly off center burst.

Given your location, the apparent scarcity of J-45’s and your newfound appreciation of the tone improvement, I’d take guitar #2. At least, then you have one to play and A/B against possible future acquisitions. Good luck on your decision!
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  #59  
Old 04-28-2020, 12:48 PM
Thom PC Thom PC is offline
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Personally, my priorities would be:

1: Sound. If you buy a J-45 it is because you want *that* sound.
2: Playability - I want a great setup and relatively low action. I am no expert player, so I need all the help I can get, and comfort is also a factor.
3. Aesthetics. Unless there is something really hideous going on, I view minor quirks and imperfections as "personality" (unless there is a structural issue, of course - that would be a dealbreaker).

But: I guess only you can make your mind up whether a slightly off centered burst will eventually get on your nerves in the long run. I understand how little things like that can sometimes keep you from "connecting" with stuff - and then it is just better to face it before parting with any money, even if someone on an internet forum said it was irrational and stated that they could easily live with that

Best of luck with your decision!
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  #60  
Old 04-28-2020, 01:22 PM
AgentKooper AgentKooper is offline
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I'm generally not uptight about my guitars' cosmetics. Wide grain tops, dark stripes, bear claw, etc., are all fine with me -- I like little characteristics that set a guitar apart. But I have to say that off-center sunburst would bother me to the point that I would not buy it.

My advice would be to try not to overthink the sound too much. You can drive yourself crazy second-guessing whether every little nuance is perfect for you. My guitars sound different on different days, depending on who-knows-what: My ears? The strings? The humidity? My mood?

I think it's impossible to really know how you're going to feel about a guitar until you've played it regularly for a few months. It's going to slowly adapt to your environment, perhaps open up a bit, maybe need some setup tweaks.

I don't believe in Holy Grail guitars -- at least not that you can immediately identify one as such without living with it for a while. My philosophy in evaluating a new guitar is if it sounds good (not necessarily "perfect"), is comfortable in your arms and can be set up the way you like it, just go for it.
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decision, gibson, gibson acoustic guitar, gibson j-45, sound

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