#1
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Buying Advice: 814ce vs J-45
I need some advice buying my first full size acoustic guitar. I have mainly played electric guitar all these years and just recently started to prefer acoustic instead. I have always had fender strats and teles. my first acoustic was a 3/4 carbon fiber travel guitar.
I mainly play 90s alternative rock as well as acoustic versions of contemporary pop. Some artists are green day, pearl jam, goo goo dolls, etc. From pop, its artists like ed sheeran, howie day, shawn mendes, etc. I mainly strum and flat pick. I dont finger pick too often. i play at home by myself, or for friends and family. For size, I want something smaller than a dreadnaught. The problem is i dont like the way most smaller guitars sound when strummed, and i have a 3/4 guitar for when i dont mind that. So guitars that are grand concert from taylor or smaller are off of the list. For tonewoods, my favorite pairing is adirondack top, EI rosewood back and sides. I am trying to decide between Taylor 814ce alamo custom (basically an 814 with adirondack), 50s Gibson J-45, and maybe a martin 000-17e or 000-16 sm. Whats making this hard is the tone of the gibson is burned into my brain as sounding “right”. The sound of the 814 sounds amazing but different. I feel that the gibson might nail the 90s songs but sound dated on the pop ones. And i really like the playability of taylor. Can the 814 handle rock well? Is the j45 as playable as taylors? Another option is a 717 builders edition. But that doesnt sound like the best of both. it sounds like a compromise that falls short instead. Do you all have any advice? i read so many posts here. What i gathered is: you cant beat j45 tone; you will regret selling it if you do; taylor playability is top notch; 814 is worth the price over 414ce-r; j45 is probably better at strumming; 814 can do it all. Maybe these are so different, many will say get both. I said that to people when asking about tele or strat. If that’s really the case, maybe advice about which is better for the genres of music? I have a wide price range ($2k-$5k) but it has to be worth it. I really appreciate any comments you may have about any of this (playability, genre strengths, etc). Thanks in advance. And thanks to all those who posted and commented in this forum for me to lurk and learn. |
#2
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Welcome to the forum. You will undoubtedly get opinions on all of your choices. It's a fun/nice "problem" to have. You might find the Taylor that checks all the boxes, but will still question your decision if a Gibson or Martin leaves doubts.
The first decision* will be that guitar which speaks to you. Playability, sound and ascetics are so subjective. If you're fortunate enough to play all of your choices, go with your gut. It sounds like you are in a position to purchase/sell/buy again if you change your mind. And that, my friend, is the journey that is many of us enjoy and employ. *first decision = the beginning of the journey. The journey is the fun part. Good luck, and again, welcome!
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LarryK. AGF Moderator |
#3
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I'd recommend play each of them, they feel and sound different and you'll find out which ones to gravitate towards.
Also Taylor, Martin, and Gibson (especially) the quality can vary between same models, so at the price point you mentioned, playing as many examples are you can to pick the ones you like. Especially in 000 sizes . . . some makers or luthiers, make 000's that get close to loudness of dreads. If you like all three models . . . most people eventually get several, and some have all three you mentioned, then it's just a matter of which guitar you want to start out with. Taylors have the necks that are closer to electrics and playability J-45 is a dreadnaught / dreadnought size, so if you go with that, the playability can be improved / action lowered. Also the Slash J-45 has a smaller neck than the Original J-45, so there's that option. And Martin has same options for neck sizes. As for genre specific, a good acoustic will work. But if you are going for specific like song X was played on a J-45, then you'd have to go for the J-45.
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Started on guitar, got sucked into Bass because the starship didn't have quality interplanetary drive engines and got pulled into the black hole, but this alt dimension can't be all that bad. Republic Polished Nickel over Brass Tricone ES Dot Fender MIM P-BAss Gender M1M J-8455 Looking 4 an OM . . . so many choices!!! Analysis Paralysis |
#4
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it's a tuff call between the two
I don't have j45 but I do have a j200 as well as a 814ce v class deluxe Wildly different guitars in just about everyway, the J45 will be as much of a contrast I would think. If I could only do the one, as much as I do love taylors, (have 3) I'd probably have to lean over to the side of the J45. If that's the sound in your head, that's enough for me to go that way the other thing to consider is if y ou're plugging it in, the Es2 (IMHO) is not the end all for pickups. I assume the J45 has a LR Baggs of some sort those usually sound pretty good. I'd prefer that to the Es2
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Ray Gibson SJ200 Taylor Grand Symphony Taylor 514CE-NY Taylor 814CE Deluxe V-Class Guild F1512 Alvarez DY74 Snowflake ('78) |
#5
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Well a J45 will feel like a full-size dreadnought on your lap. So if the body size is an issue then that should be considered. As far as playability, the j45 has the 24 3/4 scale neck so it does play a tad easier on the fingers than your traditional 25.5 scale necks.
I think either guitar being made to set up and play well depends on how the neck is set from the factory/builder, which gets into evaluating individual guitars, not just specific models. Someone correct me if I’m wrong I think Taylor guitars use some kind of bolt and shim system so resetting the neck is not such a labor intense process. All that said, I love my j45. The 50s neck has some chunk to it. The standard neck is slimmer. |
#6
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That Taylor is small, and rosewood backed. Probably a quite amazing fingerstyle guitar. Strummer? The J45 is better.
Dreads tend to be where the strumming is at, especially in that genre.The Hummingbird, Martin D18, 28, and 35 - all great choices. Smaller acoustic that is a great strummer.. the Martin 000-15m. I also think the 000-18 and 28 are pretty versatile. Finally, I just consigned a guitar that I’m obviously not keeping, but you might like the model. the Iris OG. It sounds richer and fuller than a small Gibson, and very much like a 000-15 or 000-18.
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i got tired of updating my guitars. |
#7
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Quote:
Forget whatever the results of this poll might be. Keep looking and trying guitars. Don't let anyone here tell you what guitar to buy. The fact that you're mixing together guitars of such wide shapes and prices and specs tells me you need to educate yourself better and this poll isn't the way to do it, IMO.
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Martin D-18, 00-18, 00-15M, 0X1E Larrivee 00-40MH Fender '91 Strat Plus, Mustang P90, MIJ Mustang Bass Schecter SV Shredder “Trust gets you killed, love gets you hurt, and being real gets you hated.” ~ Johnny Cash (1932-2003) Last edited by Corndog; 12-28-2022 at 05:20 AM. |
#8
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The J45 when properly set up should play as well as it better than a Taylor 814 owing mostly to the shorter scale length.
For the genre’s you list, I don’t think you could go too wrong with the Taylor or the Gibson, but my preference would be the Gibson. Since it sounds like you have the budget for it you may want to try a J45 True Vintage with an Adirondack top.
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1949 Martin D-18 | 1968 Martin D-28 | 1949 Gibson J-45 | 1953 Gibson J-45 | 1955 Gibson LG-2 | Santa Cruz 000 Cocobolo / Italian Spruce | Martin D-18 1939 Authentic Aged | Martin Gruhn Guitars Custom D-21 Adi/Madi | Gibson J-45 | Fender American Elite Telecaster | Fender American Standard Stratocaster | Gibson Les Paul Standard | Gibson Les Paul Studio |
#9
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J45 all day, every day.
I will say though that 717 BE you listed is the only Taylor I've ever liked the sound of and considered buying; great sounding guitar and of Taylor's do play well. I'd suggest looking at Larrivee's for playability and sound; their OMs and L-bodies are simply fantastic. |
#10
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Tonewise, I can’t imagine those other guitars being in the same universe, let alone ballpark, as the vintage J45.
It’s also worth noting that a good tech can get a Gibson to play just as easily as a Taylor. It may take little or a lot of work (and be anywhere from inexpensive to expensive, depending upon what’s needed), but there’s no reason you couldn’t get playability close or identical vs the Taylor. |
#11
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It's what you like really. The Gibson has a shorter scale length and a slightly wider lower bout. but I think only you can decide what's best for you. either one are great guitars.
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#12
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J45s are lovely guitars but overhyped around here. Conversely, 814s are also lovely guitars but like ol' Rodney, Taylors don't get much respect around here.
Have you played a 50s J45? They have a very fat neck profile. |
#13
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I did not vote because the question is one that I can't intelligently answer, but what you are experiencing is what a fair number of people here experience. That's why I have more than one guitar. I also do not have an Adirondack topped guitar, I have owned them before, and they are great. All of my guitars are Sitka except for 1 and they are equally great. The 1 I do like the best has a German Spruce top, but it could be just that guitar sounds great.
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Collings Whetstone |
#14
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I've owned both, loved both. Each was great for strumming and anything you could throw at it. Each had wonderful playability.
It really comes down to tone and aesthetics, and whichever you prefer.
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Current: Lowden F35, Sitka / Cocobolo. Maestro Victoria, Sitka / EIR. Maestro Singa, Adirondak / EIR. Maestro Singa, Sinker Redwood / Wenge (incoming) Gone but not forgotten: Martins, Gibsons, Taylors, sundry others. |
#15
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J45’s overhyped?
Sounds like a comment from a hater? …Just kidding. Actually, I like the Taylor 814 quite a bit, but it would have to be before V-Braced one’s. In my humble and subjective opinion, there is no right answer here. As others have said, you really have to let your ears and hands be your guide.
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Nothing bothers me unless I let it. Martin D18 Gibson J45 Gibson J15 Fender Copperburst Telecaster Squier CV 50 Stratocaster Squier CV 50 Telecaster |
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Tags |
814ce, gibson, j-45, martin, taylor |
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