My J45 is my most finicky guitar, but I still love it!

[sbpark]

I'll never get rid of my J45 Standard, but sometimes this guitar drives me nuts! There are days when it sounds fantastic and amazing, and other days it sounds like poop. It seems to be the most sensitive to humidity changes of all the guitars I own, the most picky with strings and set up. Over the last year I've found it sounds best with a little more neck relief than my other guitars (call me crazy but it really does sound better with a tad more relief and is more resonant, but still plays like butter). It sounds choked with medium gauge strings, and they feel like cables on the J45 compared to mediums on my D28 that won't have anything but mediums on it and still plays like butter! 80/20 sound too thin and brittle on the J45, and seems to prefer DR Rare lights. The stock pickup (LR Baggs Element) was a total pos (I can't stand UST pickups) and tried a modeling preamp/DI (Aura Spectrum) to try and give it a more natural sound but couldn't get into it, and went through a couple pickups before settling on an LR Baggs Lyric, which also took some time to dial in as far as placement, EQ, etc. I don't think I've ever spent so much time dialing in a guitar as far as learning what strings it likes, what set up specs it likes, dialing in it's amplified sound, etc. Usually I'm quick to ditch something if it's not super easy to get what I want out of it in a few minutes! My other two guitars (already mentioned D28) and a 000-15M seem way more consistent and less susceptible to weather changes, less picky to string type and set up specs.

 

So why do I keep the J45 around I've asked myself? Well, when it sounds great it sounds great, and there's no other guitar out there that sounds like a J45. There are times when the D28 is just "too much" guitar, and it's very 'even' tonal response across all 6 strings just doesn't work as well as the J45 for some stuff when I want little runs, embellishments and phrases to pop out more. Sometimes these little things can get buried in the D28. Do I even need to comment on the classic Gibson low E growl?! I also prefer simple, almost understated guitars aesthetically, and the J45 is just a super simple, albeit classy looking instrument. It's my go to guitar for playing out, taking to jams, car camping trips, BBQ's, informal get togethers, etc. Was the most expensive guitar I've ever purchased to date but that doesn't keep me from taking it everywhere. Everyone loves it and the added bonus is most of the time everyone else is playing a Martin dred or copy of a Martin dred, and even though the J45 isn't the loudest guitar out there, because of the way it's voiced it always stand out amidst the sea of Martins!

 

Anyone else have a guitar that they wrestle with from time to time, but when it sounds good t's great and won't ever get rid of?

[OldCowboy]

Pretty much all of 'em at one time or another. Some days, seasons, and such bring changes - some of which do not seem to conform to objective reality. They're similar to mares (if you know horses) or women in that regard. I don't plan on getting along without any of the three.

[Lars68]

I don't have just one guitar in specific that behaves the way you describe. Instead, I feel they are all on or off from time to time. Personally, I think it is more me and my brain, than the guitar changing. Our bodies and our senses are very sensitive. Some days I feel tired and my body aches for no apparent reason. The same, I believe, holds true for my hearing.

 

I do believe guitars actually change with humidity etc, but I don't think it is the complete picture.

 

Lars

[sbpark]

I don't have just one guitar in specific that behaves the way you describe. Instead, I feel they are all on or off from time to time. Personally, I think it is more me and my brain, than the guitar changing. Our bodies and our senses are very sensitive. Some days I feel tired and my body aches for no apparent reason. The same, I believe, holds true for my hearing.

 

I do believe guitars actually change with humidity etc, but I don't think it is the complete picture.

 

Lars

 

Agree with you 100%. It's definitely a combination of a lot of different factors, and to be honest I bet a lot of it is in our head! For whatever reason though I just find that the J45 messes with my head more than my other guitars!

[58 Relic]

1462118410[/url]' post='1765710']

I'll never get rid of my J45 Standard, but sometimes this guitar drives me nuts! There are days when it sounds fantastic and amazing, and other days it sounds like poop. It seems to be the most sensitive to humidity changes of all the guitars I own, the most picky with strings and set up. Over the last year I've found it sounds best with a little more neck relief than my other guitars (call me crazy but it really does sound better with a tad more relief and is more resonant, but still plays like butter). It sounds choked with medium gauge strings, and they feel like cables on the J45 compared to mediums on my D28 that won't have anything but mediums on it and still plays like butter! 80/20 sound too thin and brittle on the J45, and seems to prefer DR Rare lights. The stock pickup (LR Baggs Element) was a total pos (I can't stand UST pickups) and tried a modeling preamp/DI (Aura Spectrum) to try and give it a more natural sound but couldn't get into it, and went through a couple pickups before settling on an LR Baggs Lyric, which also took some time to dial in as far as placement, EQ, etc. I don't think I've ever spent so much time dialing in a guitar as far as learning what strings it likes, what set up specs it likes, dialing in it's amplified sound, etc. Usually I'm quick to ditch something if it's not super easy to get what I want out of it in a few minutes! My other two guitars (already mentioned D28) and a 000-15M seem way more consistent and less susceptible to weather changes, less picky to string type and set up specs.

 

So why do I keep the J45 around I've asked myself? Well, when it sounds great it sounds great, and there's no other guitar out there that sounds like a J45. There are times when the D28 is just "too much" guitar, and it's very 'even' tonal response across all 6 strings just doesn't work as well as the J45 for some stuff when I want little runs, embellishments and phrases to pop out more. Sometimes these little things can get buried in the D28. Do I even need to comment on the classic Gibson low E growl?! I also prefer simple, almost understated guitars aesthetically, and the J45 is just a super simple, albeit classy looking instrument. It's my go to guitar for playing out, taking to jams, car camping trips, BBQ's, informal get togethers, etc. Was the most expensive guitar I've ever purchased to date but that doesn't keep me from taking it everywhere. Everyone loves it and the added bonus is most of the time everyone else is playing a Martin dred or copy of a Martin dred, and even though the J45 isn't the loudest guitar out there, because of the way it's voiced it always stand out amidst the sea of Martins!

 

Anyone else have a guitar that they wrestle with from time to time, but when it sounds good t's great and won't ever get rid of?

 

Yes , my Yamaha NTX 1200R nylon string wonderful sound and flawless build quality , but after playing the J45 everyday I struggle with the scale lenth . But I would never sell

[pappy]

Have to agree with the body,mind connection. At times I can sit down and everything seems to be right on,other times same guitars and no matter what just can not seem to make anything sound right. This from someone that is coming back to playing after a 40+ year hiatus. Was beginning to think it was my ability,but you have just reaffirmed my thoughts about our physical and mental well being effecting our playing.Some days you are right on and others no matter you just cant get it right.

Pappy

[VincentG]

I do agree on the humidity thing. It can be because the nitto lacquer finish is really thin, or it could be somethin about the way Gibson "dry" the woods. I finally decided to get a room humidifyer, instead of a sound hole humidifyer and it solved the problems for me, the guitar sounds like it should everyday.

For the strings problem, I did think too that 80/20's light were too thin and 80/20's medium chocked the guitar. But I found a solution.

80/20's medium lights! Thomastik Infeld Spectrum SB-112 turned my J-45 into a fantastic guitar. 12-16-25-35-44-54. La Bella, Newton and others sell also medium lights! You are welcomed.