Vintage Sunburst Rosewood j-45. Vs AJ

[YankeeDespot]

Hey All,

 

I've wanted a Gibson slope shoulder dread for decades it seems, and now really love the vintage sunburst. By the end of summer or before I'll be buying. I've played hog j-45s next to various other guitars such as D-28, D-18s, and other Gibsons. I like the open, "dry", balanced sound of the Gibson over the bassy Martins ( no bashing- will hopefully own a D-28 as well some day) but haven't played an AJ. I live near Richmond, so am lucky to have a Sam Ash and a GC ( same parking lot) and a few good indies, but never seen an AJ.

I just can't get over how attractive both these guitars are in Vintage Sunburst. It's shallow, I know, but there ya are....

Also, the electric Gibsons I own are gorgeous, but also play KILLER.

 

SO.... Major, minor, significant differences in tone between the two?

 

Thanks.

 

The Yankee Despot

[j45nick]

You can start with the fact that the AJ is a long scale guitar (like the D-28), and the J-45 is a short scale. The J-45 and the AJ share the same body, but I don't know if the bracing is the same.

[tpbiii]

Historically, the bracing was different -- but I have no idea about the modern ones. In the vintage world, there was no such thing as a RW J-45, but there were a couple hundred RW SJs in 1943 with the then new J-45 bracing. We have both a 36 AJ and a 43 SJ -- they are both very strong guitars, and nether is like a mahogany J-45 at all. I guess that is no surprise.

 

This information is probably not relevant to your search. I would say you need to find one and try it.

 

Good luck,

 

-Tom

[zombywoof]

Like others, I have far more time under my belt with old Gibsons than new ones. I would think though, that if I wanted to start up a love affair with a J-45 I would go with a "traditional" version - one with a mahogany body. After you have lived with it a while then venture into some of the more sexy variations.

 

Also, I could not help notice something that always brings a smile to my face. Just the other day, there was a post lauding the J-45 TV because of its big boomy bass. Now this post notes one of the things that is liked about the J-45 is it does not have the big bassy sound. C'mon, you gotta love it.

[tpbiii]

Also, I could not help notice something that always brings a smile to my face. Just the other day, there was a post lauding the J-45 TV because of its big boomy bass. Now this post notes one of the things that is liked about the J-45 is it does not have the big bassy sound. C'mon, you gotta love it.

 

I guess that would depend if you were preferring the J-45 to an L-00 or a D-28. \:D/

 

Best,

 

-Tom

[Red 333]

I have both a current era AJ and rosewood J-45. They sound very different. Additionally, the rosewood J-45 does not sound like my Montana-built hog J-45s (at least to me, in playing position). My rosewood J-45 has a very refined, lush tone, atypical of the traditional immediate and raw Gibson voice.

 

Red 333

[YankeeDespot]

Thanks for the replies. I tried to add pics of my lovely Gibson electrics, but even sending "small" pics from my phone are too large. The point is that I buy good guitars and hold onto them. I got two of my Gibson's via internet, and both of them were great. But acoustics…. They seem to have such different personalities, even among the same model. I'm 50 and have had some, short, passionate affairs with some lesser quality guitars. Ahem. Not just guitars. But I want my next acoustic purchase to fill a lot of roles. I'm an intermediate player, but want to work on some finger style, and buddies of mine are threatening to start a bluegrass band, so theres that too.

 

At the time when I have the cash, I'm willing to travel a day to pick one out. I'm in central VA, so NY or even N. Fl are not out of the question. I think I'll need to find a place where I can play a lot of these, then buy the one that really grabs me. And at least one will. There will likely be a very difficult decision that day. Does anyone know of a brick and mortar store on the east coast that would likely stock large selection of Gibby acoustics?

 

I'm so jealous of you folks having the problem of not knowing how the new ones sound. Nice situation to be in.

 

Great forum! I got helpful replies and no snotty comments!! Thanks again.

[Smurfbird]

If you read this forum for awhile, you'll see that Russo's in Asbury Park, NJ gets a lot of props for having a full line of Gibsons on hand and a guy there -- Scott Engel -- who comes highly recommended from our board member, Themisal.

 

I'm sure there are many others. But I can vouch for Russo's as well. Great selection.And if you're in AP for any length of time, the Silverball Arcade and Museum is a hoot. Hours of vintage pinball action and various video games and curiosities from bygone eras.

 

Go when the weather's warm and you can hit the beach as well!

[62burst]

It's hard not to pigeonhole certain models of guitars, and to have them fated, to playing only certain styles of music. But it certainly cuts down on the trial and error/fit or no-fit time. You mention an interest in getting into some fingerstyle playing, and also the threat of a possible bluegrass situation. Well, the rosewood slope shoulder could have some merit there. The bass clarity of the rosewood in a J-45 shaped box is a definite plus. Also allows the contrast of the mahogany J-45 to show why it's dry, woody sound and short decay is so favored by singer-songwriter types.

It sounds like Tom's (above post #3) '43 SJ is rosewood. He could comment best on it's bluegrass ability, as well as it's ability to cut through the mix. If those that you're going to be doing bluegrass with behave, hopefully they'll know when to lower their volume level when taking turns on an instrumental break or two.

 

One thing that many who come from the electric side of things love is ease of playability, and you mentioned that your electrics play "killer". Along those lines, many of those players still want and expect low action and ease of play in their acoustics; set low and fast, or they have a tough time with a guitar set up at a bluegrass string action height. For this reason, maybe the short-scale of the J-45 Rosewood might be a better match for where you're coming from, and would also make for a more friendly fingerstyle guitar. Hopefully, you can try both the AJ and the J-45 at the same time. Enjoy the hunt.

[Road-Dog]

Picker's Supply in Fredericksburg always has a nice assortment of vintage Gibsons if you want to try that route instead of new.

[62burst]

Picker's Supply in Fredericksburg always has a nice assortment of vintage Gibsons if you want to try that route instead of new.

 

True, Road-Dog. That would be a good place near the OP's neck of the woods to check out some old and newish guitars.

 

And welcome to the forum to you AND the Despot!

[Stubee]

It might be hard to find a place that has both a RW J-45 and AJRI in stock?

 

I've had quite a few hog J-45s, mostly old ones, and still have a '52. Also have an AJRI I bought new 12 years ago. Have played quite a few Bozeman RW J-45s.

 

To me the AJRI has raw power that's hard to match, but it can be throttled back and is very sweet played softly or with fingers. The RW J-45 is maybe a bit less 'bold', but is still a powerful guitar when called upon and very nice sounding. I think the longer scale AJ is perhaps a bit more 'articulate' with individual notes seperarting more than a RW J-45. The AJRI is a J-45 on steroids, while the J-45 RW is a J-45 with added 'lush' RW tonality. Or something like that.

 

I say the above based on good examples of each model. I also don't find the longer scale of the AJ to be a hindrance if the guitar is set up well, and it does add some power. I also should add that the J-45 is one of my favorite guitar models ever.

 

You really can't go wrong with a good AJ or J-45 of any persuasion.

[Road-Dog]

Thanks for the welcome 62burst. I have been a reader here for a while, just don't have much to say.

I agree with stubee, you really can't go wrong with any J-45.

I am just glad I do not have to make the decision about which model or variation to choose, it rattles my brain all the choices now days.

I have been playing the same 1948 J-45 since I started playing in 1967. Back then it was just a guitar, now it's an icon. Who'd a thunk it!

[j45nick]

I have been playing the same 1948 J-45 since I started playing in 1967. Back then it was just a guitar, now it's an icon. Who'd a thunk it!

 

 

Interesting parallel to my own story. I bought a 1948-'50 J-45 back in 1966, and I still have it. Paid $50 for it. FON is 3644 8. What's the FON on yours? Hard to pin down the year exactly between 1948 and 1950.

[YankeeDespot]

I can't believe that I haven't haunted Pickers Supply: That'll be my next stop when I head north. I'll also contact the Russo's folks, and might make that a summer road trip. You from Jersey!? Which exit?!?

 

Continued thanks for all the input. When I started playing electric about 10 years ago I didn't even get the difference between a Tele and a LP. I just wanted loud and fast. As I've played more guitars,pickups amps, and styles, I've become pretty discerning in my appreciation for small differences. Now I get to learn this all over again with acoustics. This is going to be a very expensive learning curve.

 

To help with that, I'm going to build my own guitars. I've just retired, and made a Gibson Firebird knockoff, (Just body and rough neck completed so far), and I'm going to learn to make acoustics too, I hope. After a few years I might accidentally make a good one. I know this will be a lifelong learning process, but I have good woodworking tools and some skills. Certainly will need to study study study old guitar designs, but in the mean time will get myself a J 45 or AJ and fall in love. Any performances in the foreseeable future will be for crowds for like- 0 to 7 people, so if the 45 or AJ isn't the perfect guitar for the song, there will be no significant harm done. I'm lucky to have a sympathetic and wonderful lumber yard near me, an old family owned place in Richmond called Siewers (Big Ups!) and they have nice stock of everything I need for a while.

 

What's a better hobby/ obsession than fine guitars? My girlfriend moved out and I have my guitars hanging all over the living room now. They're beautiful.

 

Thanks again for the continued advice.