I have an Advanced Jumbo- looking at J-35/45

[bgio]

Hey all,

I have an early 2000Â’s Gibson Advanced Jumbo. It was my dadÂ’s that was left under the bed for a while and had to have a few cracks repaired in the top. It sounds FANTASTIC. I love it. I also have a Larrivee LV-03 (mahogany back and sides) that IÂ’ve played a ton of solo acoustic gigs with.

I did have a Martin OM-28 for a short period of time but didnÂ’t really bond with it. I also had a J-185 for a long time but always felt like I was fighting it when I played.

IÂ’ve recently been playing a bunch of Gibsons and Martins at Music Villa and have found myself gravitating towards another sloped shoulder Gibson. I obviously already have the AJ, but I find myself most comfortable with that body shape. Music Villa has a couple of Custom Shop J-45s that sound awfully nice and a few exclusive J-35s that IÂ’m also really liking. IÂ’ve been noticing J-35s are much louder than the J-45, and that kind of draws my attention. IÂ’m wondering if thatÂ’s something I should be taking into account or not. While the J-45s kind of have that warm enveloping sound thatÂ’s pleasing.


I think what IÂ’m trying to ask is for some advice/insight on how these two would complement my AJ. I know spec differences, but IÂ’m having a hard time figuring out which guitar would be best at which application. IÂ’m hoping to get back into solo acoustic gigs where I sing, playing a mix of 90s acoustic rock, classic acoustic rock, blues, and songwriter stuff like John Hiatt and Mark Knopfler. IÂ’m mostly strumming but do some finger picking. No plans on Bluegrass style playing; however, I wouldnÂ’t mind the guitar to be good at lead style playing if I were to end up in an acoustic duo.

Thanks for your help!

[Texas Bill]

Try one of these before you buy, the new re-issues are great, big sound

[LAPlayer]

I don't think one guitar compliments another guitar - they're not being played together. I just buy what I like and play them. You're only playing one at a time so enjoy it while you play it then pick another.

[JMW01]

Originally Posted by bgio

Hey all,

I have an early 2000Â’s Gibson Advanced Jumbo. It was my dadÂ’s that was left under the bed for a while and had to have a few cracks repaired in the top. It sounds FANTASTIC. I love it. I also have a Larrivee LV-03 (mahogany back and sides) that IÂ’ve played a ton of solo acoustic gigs with.

I did have a Martin OM-28 for a short period of time but didnÂ’t really bond with it. I also had a J-185 for a long time but always felt like I was fighting it when I played.

IÂ’ve recently been playing a bunch of Gibsons and Martins at Music Villa and have found myself gravitating towards another sloped shoulder Gibson. I obviously already have the AJ, but I find myself most comfortable with that body shape. Music Villa has a couple of Custom Shop J-45s that sound awfully nice and a few exclusive J-35s that IÂ’m also really liking. IÂ’ve been noticing J-35s are much louder than the J-45, and that kind of draws my attention. IÂ’m wondering if thatÂ’s something I should be taking into account or not. While the J-45s kind of have that warm enveloping sound thatÂ’s pleasing.


I think what IÂ’m trying to ask is for some advice/insight on how these two would complement my AJ. I know spec differences, but IÂ’m having a hard time figuring out which guitar would be best at which application. IÂ’m hoping to get back into solo acoustic gigs where I sing, playing a mix of 90s acoustic rock, classic acoustic rock, blues, and songwriter stuff like John Hiatt and Mark Knopfler. IÂ’m mostly strumming but do some finger picking. No plans on Bluegrass style playing; however, I wouldnÂ’t mind the guitar to be good at lead style playing if I were to end up in an acoustic duo.

Thanks for your help!

The J-35 most likely has advanced bracing. The Faded J-35 does not have advanced bracing. If it has advanced bracing, then the J-35 is sort of like a short scale Advanced Jumbo with a mahogany back/sides and Sitka spruce top. I think it would be a nice compliment to your AJ.

[zombywoof]

More than a few people will tell you the AJ is their favorite New School Gibson slope shoulder jumbo.

The J35 is essentially a short scale AJ having the same scalloped wider-angle X bracing (what they call AJ style), two tone bars and such. But if you want a J35 with the sound the three un-scalloped tone bars those built prior to 1940 sported forget about it. For that you need to go with anther builder such as Fairbanks. J45s can be had with either standard or the wider angled AJ style bracing so particularly in this case it is wise to try both styles out.

[zombywoof]

Originally Posted by JMW01

The J-35 most likely has advanced bracing. The Faded J-35 does not have advanced bracing. If it has advanced bracing, then the J-35 is sort of like a short scale Advanced Jumbo with a mahogany back/sides and Sitka spruce top. I think it would be a nice compliment to your AJ.

Gibson never used advanced/forward shifted bracing meaning the center of the X brace is pretty much always the same distance from the soundhole ranging from around 7/8" to 1 1/8".

[JMW01]

Originally Posted by zombywoof

Gibson never used advanced/forward shifted bracing meaning the center of the X brace is pretty much always the same distance from the soundhole ranging from around 7/8" to 1 1/8".

So is it wider rather than forward shifted?

[SalFromChatham]

Try the 50s AND 60s J45 Reissues. I actually find the adj saddle 60s louder. I bought two of them, so i obviously like them.

Also… many a guitar I was “fighting with” until they got the proper setup that started with a nearly straight neck, properly low nut slots, and proper saddle height.

[Murphy Slaw]

Originally Posted by LAPlayer

I don't think one guitar compliments another guitar - they're not being played together. I just buy what I like and play them. You're only playing one at a time so enjoy it while you play it then pick another.

I tend to agree. My J-45 rosewood/ebony is over 20 years old and was my only acoustic for well over a decade. It gigged, camped and entertained wherever it was. I was playing it too much and became concerned about fret wear.

I had several electrics left over from my R&R days and found a new J-15 and swapped into it in a complicated deal that worked out quite well.

The body size/scale of a J-15 is identical so I figured it would be a good spare/noodler. However, the neck is thinner, walnut is totally different than rosewood, and it's a different monster. But I love it. They both have their place, for sure. I'm glad they're so different.

[Zissou Intern]

I’d buy whichever guitar plays and sounds the best.

[zombywoof]

Originally Posted by JMW01

So is it wider rather than forward shifted?

Yup. Gibsons does not shift the bracing. That is a Martin thing. On certain models such as the AJ and J35 they increase the angle of the bracing coupled with a longer bridge plate.

[LawrenceMollard]

I own a J-45 and had a J-35, the kind with the advanced bracing- that's what Gibson calls it, so I'll call it that.

Both of those guitars are short scale and mahogany bodied so they will sound considerably different from your long scale, rosewood bodied Advanced Jumbo.

If you like the Gibson sound and the J form factor, you'll find the guitars different enough from each other to justify having both I would say.

I don't have an Advanced Jumbo, but I do have a J-45 and a J-60, which is a dreadnaught (not J shape) rosewood long scale guitar. They do not sound a lot alike, as far as guitars go.

[LAPlayer]

Add to that my J45 12-fret 25" scale - and you will have another completely different, and marvelous I might add, sound. My guitar is listed as having "Traditional Hand-scalloped Advanced X-bracing" (which means nothing to me).

[Moldstar]

I just wanted to pop in and say how lucky you are to live near music villa, and Bozeman. Lucky dog.

[bgio]

Originally Posted by Moldstar

I just wanted to pop in and say how lucky you are to live near music villa, and Bozeman. Lucky dog.

Funny enough, I actually live near the Billings store. Music Villa recently opened a store in Billings. While it’s not as big as the Bozeman store, it’s a nice shop.

I do always make time to stop in the original store in Bozeman when I go through.


Thanks for everyone’s input so far.