Time to Upgrade. Gibson J-45 Confusion

[Br1ck]

It is exceedingly hard to navigate models. Just figure there is no free lunch. There is no just as good $2k model as good as a $4k or $6k guitar. It just buys you a J 45 something on the label. This truth will never change.

[Knightrich]

Originally Posted by SalFromChatham

Checkout the j45 Studios too…l

By the way as you can see, I love the same pickguards as you…

Man those are great! I’m leaning towards the J-50 if I can find a good one now. I’m a sucker for the country western motif.

[SalFromChatham]

Brick, I think I disagree.

I would avoid the G series based on what I have played an heard, but the $2,000 J-45 Studios are every bit pure Gibson awesome. There are no cut corners. The depth is 000 depth; that’s it.

Bozeman. Nitro. Same great necks. Awesome bridge and fretboards. Excellent woods. I can’t put mine down. It makes you question why the Standards are so much more.

One buys a Studio, he/she ain’t compromising.

[Gasee]

Beautiful Guitars Sal! Luv those Gibson's

[SRL]

Originally Posted by SalFromChatham

Brick, I think I disagree.

I would avoid the G series based on what I have played an heard, but the $2,000 J-45 Studios are every bit pure Gibson awesome. There are no cut corners. The depth is 000 depth; that’s it.

Bozeman. Nitro. Same great necks. Awesome bridge and fretboards. Excellent woods. I can’t put mine down. It makes you question why the Standards are so much more.

One buys a Studio, he/she ain’t compromising.

Indeed, there have been plenty of posts from people who've toured the Bozeman factory or even worked there who say that all the guitars go down the same production line, same tap-tone voicing process.

What you pay for on the more expensive models are cosmetic upgrades, torrefied tops, Adirondack spruce, rosewood, hide glue, etc. If you want those things, it's definitely worth paying for them, but not everyone needs them.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by Knightrich

First time posting. I have had an Epiphone Masterbilt DR-500MNS since around 2008 and it has served me well. It is loud and I’ve always just recorded with a mic and never added a pickup. I started to look into adding one and decided it was time to upgrade altogether.

I had several EF500 Masterbilts from the 2003-2009 production run and was very happy with them.... at the time. You're right, though -- there comes a time to "upgrade altogether."

Originally Posted by Knightrich

I’ve always had my eye on a J-45 or a Hummingbird but they are so expensive.

Same here! I was going to sell the Epi Masterbilts to help fund a J45. Then Gibson came out with the J-15, and its reviews were nothing short of stupendous. I had Music Villa in Bozeman keep an eye out for a burst J-15, and I was going to pay full price -- $1,350 at the time.

Well, as luck would have it, a New Hartford-built Guild F50R popped up on reverb, and the seller had lowered the price twice in one week, so I put in an offer and got it for, well, not all that much more than a new J-15. I have never looked back. No, it's certainly not a short scale, and yes, it's definitely a jumbo, but man, this is the big time right here!

So yeah, follow your dream, but also allow your dream to evolve.

[Boomstick]

Originally Posted by Goat Mick

I'd go for the 50's reissue J-45. I have the LG-2 from this line and it is an excellent guitar. The 50's J-45 is $2999.00 at Sweetwater. Or if you like the faded finish, it's $2499.00.

Why do you say the 50's over the Standard?

From my understanding, they are very similar but the Standard comes with a pickup and different tuners.

[Boomstick]

Originally Posted by DCCougar

Same here! I was going to sell the Epi Masterbilts to help fund a J45. Then Gibson came out with the J-15, and its reviews were nothing short of stupendous. I had Music Villa in Bozeman keep an eye out for a burst J-15, and I was going to pay full price -- $1,350 at the time.

Well, as luck would have it, a New Hartford-built Guild F50R popped up on reverb, and the seller had lowered the price twice in one week, so I put in an offer and got it for, well, not all that much more than a new J-15. I have never looked back. No, it's certainly not a short scale, and yes, it's definitely a jumbo, but man, this is the big time right here!

So yeah, follow your dream, but also allow your dream to evolve.

It sounds like you hit the lottery with the 50R. My favorite guitar to date is a maple F-50 and I've played a lot. I finally got to play a F-50R recently and while I do prefer the maple, the rosewood version is still an amazing guitar.

[Boomstick]

I would suggest probably keeping the Excellente. I never played one, but they sound very good from the demos and it might be a good guitar to carry around with you and it's less painful if it was to get stolen than a J-45. It's also a different sounding guitar as well.

Also I would consider maybe a Guild D-40 which is a little cheaper than a J-45 but honestly not inferior in any way just different and if you don't care about electronics you can get them without and save a little more too, although it's not a 24.75" scale.

[SRL]

Originally Posted by Boomstick

although it's not a 24.75" scale.

It's sad how few big-body guitars are made in the shorter scale, compared to the standard ~25.5"

I even called Breedlove to see if they'd make me a Concerto in 24.75" but they said no. (As a business owner, I would have said, "sure thing! a custom scale is a $500 upcharge" so that I got the business but got paid for the extra work.)

What I want is a J-185 (short scale small jumbo) but with the bass-heavy profile of a dreadnought. Doesn't seem to exist (unless I get a custom neck made for my Concerto) so I'm sticking with the WM-45 / J-45 style for now.

[b1j]

Originally Posted by Boomstick

Why do you say the 50's over the Standard?

From my understanding, they are very similar but the Standard comes with a pickup and different tuners.

Not quite. Standard and 50s have the same electronics. The other key difference is the neck shape: slim taper on the standard, round on the 50s.

[pickitPaul]

Regarding the wm45, anyone who has one know the depth of the neck? Are they the same as the modern day standards?

I have a 2003 wm45, and love the tone has lots of low end. The neck on mine seems slim depth wise, but still has some round girth left on the sides or shoulders so it doesn't seem too pencil thin because i can wrap thumb around and i can feel the round shoulder, it is very comfortable. I dislike necks that have very thin depth and no shoulders.

I am thinking of going to Harbor Freight to buy a depth tool whatchmacallit, so i'll know.

Would the studio J45 with 000 side depth sound very different than a J45 with deeper sides, studio having less bass? Haven't played one, so I don't know.

[SRL]

Originally Posted by pickitPaul

Regarding the wm45, anyone who has one know the depth of the neck? Are they the same as the modern day standards?

My 1999 WM-45 neck thickness measures 0.841" (21.4mm) wood to wood at the first fret , and 0.879" (22.3mm) at the 9th fret.

Neck width is 1.74" (44.2mm) at the nut, 2.084" (53.0mm) at the 12th fret. String spacing is 2.21" (56.1mm) at the saddle.

[mimmo]

I second the Original 50s advice.

I recently sold mine because I am an idiot, immediately understood that I made an error and yesterday got a new one: this is going nowhere. The neck is wonderful and like you I love the big pickguard.

The sound is pure J-45, it has yet to open obviously but you can hear that it is a very good guitar.

Go for it, you won't regret it.

[dilver]

The neck carve is a personal thing - have to try them. Some people like a 50s; some people prefer the slimmer Standard. The Grover tuners that come on a Standard work fine and don’t have to be replaced, but they are heavy and look a little clunky to me.