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  #1  
Old 08-04-2020, 08:41 AM
GreenBayPacker GreenBayPacker is offline
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Default Martin J40

Hi
I hope everyone is safe and sound and playing some guitar! I was playing guitar with some friends a few nights ago and I was using my HummingBird and I could hardly here my self and my friends were using a D-40 Larrivee dred and a Takamine OM. My solos were completely drowned out I could have been playing the spoons and a recorder not have been heard. LoL

I realize the Bird is not the loudest(Unplugged) guitar in the world.However I am wondering if anyone has experience with a Martin J40? would it cut for solo's would it get drowned out like the Bird? I have never actually seen one in any of the stores as they do not bring them in?

Would a 000-28 cut for solo's?
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Old 08-04-2020, 08:46 AM
stevecuss stevecuss is offline
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Originally Posted by GreenBayPacker View Post
Hi
I hope everyone is safe and sound and playing some guitar! I was playing guitar with some friends a few nights ago and I was using my HummingBird and I could hardly here my self and my friends were using a D-40 Larrivee dred and a Takamine OM. My solos were completely drowned out I could have been playing the spoons and a recorder not have been heard. LoL

I realize the Bird is not the loudest(Unplugged) guitar in the world.However I am wondering if anyone has experience with a Martin J40? would it cut for solo's would it get drowned out like the Bird? I have never actually seen one in any of the stores as they do not bring them in?

Would a 000-28 cut for solo's?
I happen to think the Martin J40 is possible THE most under rated, fantastic sounding Martins you can buy. All the power of the Dred size, with the comfort of the 0000 body. Note, I've never played a Martin 0000, so I can't compare the two.

But really, I don't think size and projection or volume are automatically correlated. My Eastman OM is very loud and I've played a number of big sounding OM/000 sized guitars.

So yes, I think a 000-28 would also cut well. "if its good enough for Clapton" and so on.
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Old 08-04-2020, 08:53 AM
jefflaher jefflaher is offline
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I love my J-40 and it has excellent tone and plenty of volume
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Old 08-04-2020, 08:59 AM
GreenBayPacker GreenBayPacker is offline
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Thanks Stevecuss and Jefflaher!

I have been trying to do some home work on the J40. It is a little less expensive than a D41 (Great Guitar). I was also looking at the Gibson Sheryl Crow Country Western model but again it may put me in the same situation as the Bird as they are somewhat although the bracing is different. I never played the Sheryl Crow.
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Old 08-04-2020, 08:59 AM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
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Originally Posted by stevecuss View Post
I happen to think the Martin J40 is possible THE most under rated, fantastic sounding Martins you can buy. All the power of the Dred size, with the comfort of the 0000 body......
^^ This. It is unfortunate that J-40's are not stocked more often, because they would sell way more of them. I found this model back in the late 80's when they were introduced and was able to try a half dozen or more in various stores before ordering a custom shop version in 1990.

I owned that J-40 for 27 years. The only reason it sold was that the neck no longer agreed with my left hand. I have even contemplated the new version with 1-3/4" nut width. It held its own flat picked at bluegrass jams surrounded by D-28's and even [shudder] banjos! The tighter waist of the 0000 shape gave it a more focused clarity versus a more tubby-sounding dreadnought, which worked well for fingerstyle for me. As for cutting through when doing solos, that is not my forte. I cannot say that it would be better than your Hummingbird, but I suspect it would.
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Old 08-04-2020, 09:06 AM
llew llew is offline
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I had a "reimagined" J-40 for a while and yes it did have the power and volume of a Martin dread but for me it lacked the snap of the dread. Wonderful guitar but different than a dread as it should be. A bit more "mellow" across the board. But as someone else has said probably one of the more overlooked Martin's and a fine option in many ways.
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Old 08-04-2020, 10:17 AM
bil40272 bil40272 is offline
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Default J 40 M

I have my dad's J40M, which I have been told is a little deeper than the J40.
This guitar is one of the loudest guitars I have ever played.
Very balanced with very pronounced, but clear bass.
It has a lot of miles on it so it has opened up very well.
Incredible guitar, and I never had a problem heading him during a solo.
Certainly can't go wrong with one of these.
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Old 08-04-2020, 12:30 PM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
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I recall that the original model number was J-40M, later truncated to just J-40. I was not aware that the "M" designated a deeper body. They were always 4-5/8" just like Martin dreadnoughts, to my knowledge. My understanding is the an M body (as in M-36 or M-38) is the 0000 body shape with the thinner body depth of a 000, and the J body is the same 0000 shape with dreadnought depth.
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Old 08-04-2020, 12:36 PM
lowrider lowrider is offline
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I've only had my J-40 since April, so I haven't been able to take it out to any of the jam groups that I play with. It does have that big full rich Martin sound that I love, so I think I will be heard above any other guitars.

I've had my Custom Shop J-17 since last August and I've had chances to play it out. It's sitka over mahogany and it has a laser focused tone that just cuts through anything.

But, if you are looking for a guitar that will send all those other guitars running for cover, go look at the Martin DSS-17. It's loud and proud and nasty. It will send all the other guitars home crying. Spend a little time with it. Try some different strings and bridge pins and you'll be able to tame some of the nastiness. My J-17 is modeled on the DSS-17 but the DSS-17 is always the first guitar I play if I go into a store that has one!

And, you can get the DSS-17 from our forum sponsors for around $1200.
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Old 08-04-2020, 07:09 PM
GreenBayPacker GreenBayPacker is offline
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Thanks Lowrider!

I appreciate your insight!! I have gone through a fair number of good electric guitars and amps over the years and some times parting with gear is not an easy choice. A J40 in Canada is $5500.00 plus tax so you have to find the dough or trade up. Your suggestion is budget friendly and very much appreciated..
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Old 08-04-2020, 07:51 PM
zoopeda zoopeda is offline
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Originally Posted by stevecuss View Post
I happen to think the Martin J40 is possible THE most under rated, fantastic sounding Martins you can buy. All the power of the Dred size, with the comfort of the 0000 body.
This is real hyperbole.

The J-40 is a nice guitar, for sure, but it definitely does not have the same power, depth, and punch of an HD-28 (which is the dreadnought structural equivalent). Against, they’re great, but a guitar with a smaller soundboard and smaller body volume just can’t compete.

And they’re not as comfortable as an 0000. They’re close, but the depth is there. If you really slouch in a chair, then I’d say they're a bit comfier than a dread. If you sit straight or stand with a strap, they feel the same to me.

But if you’re not trying for a dreadnought sound, then the J-40 might do it! It’s like an 0000 with a bit more bass, depth, and reverb. Somewhere between a 0000 and dreadnought in sound and feel. Nice guitar.
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Old 08-04-2020, 07:53 PM
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Stevien Stevien is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Earl49 View Post
I recall that the original model number was J-40M, later truncated to just J-40. I was not aware that the "M" designated a deeper body. They were always 4-5/8" just like Martin dreadnoughts, to my knowledge. My understanding is the an M body (as in M-36 or M-38) is the 0000 body shape with the thinner body depth of a 000, and the J body is the same 0000 shape with dreadnought depth.
Yes, this is all correct. I believe the original "M" in the model # designated mahogany. I believe the first Js were mahogany; they switched to rosewood & dropped the "M". They were always dred depth.
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Old 08-04-2020, 08:07 PM
Brucebubs Brucebubs is offline
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Yes, this is all correct. I believe the original "M" in the model # designated mahogany. I believe the first Js were mahogany; they switched to rosewood & dropped the "M". They were always dred depth.
Steve
That is incorrect - they have always been rosewood back & sides.

The letter 'M' was used when the guitar was conceived by Chris Martin himself and introduced in 1985 to indicate the guitar body used the same footprint as the existing 'M' model - it was later dropped.

Martin did make a limited number of the J-65M maple back & sides version and a mahogany J-18 and a rosewood HJ-28 - all are quite rare and hard to find.
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Old 08-04-2020, 10:17 PM
jkilgour2000 jkilgour2000 is offline
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Default Martin J40

I have J40 and a D41, both reimagined. The both share the same volume. They are almost identical in EVERY aspect. Punch, volume, power. The J40 is more comfortable to play.

The D41 has slightly more focus, whereas the sound from J40 seems to surround me more. But it’s very, very slight.

I don’t know it that makes sense. If I had to get rid of one, I’d lose the D41.
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Old 08-04-2020, 10:51 PM
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Well, I don't know how it compares to a dred, but I have a reimagined J-40. I recently got it in a trade. For decades I've stayed with OMs or smaller. I am awestruck by the tone! I play fingerstyle with the flesh of my fingers, light gauge strings. It's got a depth & dimension that you just can't get in an OM! If I can get used to the size, she's a keeper!
Steve
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