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NGD for me!


mz-s

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I posted a while back about where you folks buy your Gibsons - and I got a ton of responses. I narrowed it down to a few dealers and contacted them.

 

I had a Martin DRSGT earlier this month for a short while (actually a weekend) because I wasn't 100% sure I REALLY wanted the Gibson - I guess I just needed to prove to myself (and my ear, and my wallet) that the Gibson is what I wanted. I boxed up the Martin and ordered the J-15 from Music Villa before the refund even cleared. I knew I wanted a J-15. Music Villa got her in last week from Gibson and mailed her out right after. My wife sent me a photo this afternoon with the box (I never got a tracking number from Music Villa so I wasn't expecting her today, which is a good thing because it was a total surprise). After I took this beautiful guitar out of it's case, I really knew.

 

OwmMDhA.jpg

 

I almost bought from EM Shorts, but I was able to find a Sunburst J-15 from Music Villa and got it. I've read before that there's just something about the way that Gibson does sunbursts - the finish on the "sun" part of the burst almost seems metallic. It just shimmers. Absolutely beautiful. The sunburst does hide the walnut stringer on the neck, but that's a small price to pay for this beautiful finish.

 

When I tuned her up and strummed a few chords and the intro to Wildwood Flower, I fell in love. What a beautiful guitar, and what an awesome sound. Better than the J-15 I sampled at Sam Ash a few months ago. I am home, with my Gibson.

 

Here she is alongside my learning guitar, an Epiphone AJ-220s, also in sunburst:

 

wMqYcYr.jpg

 

Yes, there is something about the way Gibson does their sunbursts. She's a 2017, but I can't find any differences between the 2016 and 2017 besides the truss rod cover being blank and 2017 stamped on the back of the headstock.

 

Anyway, I'm just here playing my J-15. I hope to play her for many more years.

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What a beautiful guitar. The choice Sitka does glow, and the rectangle bridge is always an elegant touch. Nice fretboard wood selection, too. But next to the Epiphone; what a contrast in sunbursts.

 

Congrats + good of you to give the Martin a shot, as well.

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What a beautiful guitar. The choice Sitka does glow, and the rectangle bridge is always an elegant touch. Nice fretboard wood selection, too. But next to the Epiphone; what a contrast in sunbursts.

 

Congrats + good of you to give the Martin a shot, as well.

 

I am seriously in awe of the sunburst - totally worth tracking one down after I have it in my hands.

 

Yes, really does show the care Gibson takes in their sunbursts. Not that it's a really fair comparison - the Epiphone its just over 10% the cost of the Gibson.

 

I felt that I had to give the Martin a shot - if only because they make some of the most popular acoustics on the market these days. Not sure if the DRSGT was just a dud and maybe a better Martin would be more like it, but the Gibson is THERE. The sound is there beyond my imagination, the playability from the factory is there, the looks, she has it all. That was also proven when I tested a bunch of acoustics during my Sam Ash visit a few months ago - Gibsons have what I look for in an acoustic. "Only a Gibson is good enough"

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Nice choice! The J-15 is one of the best, if not the best, values in American-made guitars, and it is absolutely no-compromise. I love mine. I am a little jealous of your sunburst, though. I guess they are doing sunburst for 2017???

 

As I understand it, Gibson does not regularly produce the J-15 or J-35 in sunburst. Music Villa has a good enough relationship with the company being a few miles away that they are able to get them though. I asked a few other dealers and they said it couldn't be done, so it sounds like something the folks at Gibson worked out with Music Villa directly, being a 5-star dealer just a few miles away.

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Ha! Wildwood Flower. That's one of the 'instrumentals' I use when I'm comparing guitars. That and Freight Train and a couple of others.

Yep - that's a beautiful looking guitar. And, we al know she sounds just as good!

Interesting - I didn't realize Bozeman was putting a fancy little abalone rosette on these babies.

The abalone really pops with the sunburst.

Congrats on your keeper!

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As I understand it, Gibson does not regularly produce the J-15 or J-35 in sunburst. Music Villa has a good enough relationship with the company being a few miles away that they are able to get them though. I asked a few other dealers and they said it couldn't be done, so it sounds like something the folks at Gibson worked out with Music Villa directly, being a 5-star dealer just a few miles away.

Well done! My SJ-200 is in heritage cherry sunburst (the modern Hummingbird finish), but that is a Gibson thing, a limited edition. Yours is more like a custom! I am really fond of mine, to say the least, but I think it does look better in sunburst... Looks really good. We need to see the back too though!

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Well done! My SJ-200 is in heritage cherry sunburst (the modern Hummingbird finish), but that is a Gibson thing, a limited edition. Yours is more like a custom! I am really fond of mine, to say the least, but I think it does look better in sunburst... Looks really good. We need to see the back too though!

 

The back is quite dark all along the neck and sides/back. No mid-neck sunburst, as you see with some other guitars. You can only see the wood under direct and bright light (like a camera flash). Otherwise, it looks nearly black. The downside of a J-15 sunburst I suppose is the beautiful figured walnut on the back is hidden, but it's a small price to pay for the beautiful front.

 

The shop I bought it from sent this photo when they got it in, and it shows the back as best as it can be shown I suppose.

 

YnC2cex.jpg

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I wonder sometimes if the J-15 is destined to become the J-45 of this era. Seems like the '45 is getting to be so blinged-out and crops up in so many variations these days and at prices that move it away from its original niche in the Gibson line. The ones I've had the honor to play have been great instruments, but the notion with which they were initially conceived is falling away from the model. When someone mentions 'workhorse' in its literal musical application, I don't envision the trusty J-45 from current production. And if I were in the market for a freshly minted guitar to do the job well and with minimal upgrade, the J-15 would be my likely choice. I'd say you did good!

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I wonder sometimes if the J-15 is destined to become the J-45 of this era. Seems like the '45 is getting to be so blinged-out and crops up in so many variations these days and at prices that move it away from its original niche in the Gibson line. The ones I've had the honor to play have been great instruments, but the notion with which they were initially conceived is falling away from the model. When someone mentions 'workhorse' in its literal musical application, I don't envision the trusty J-45 from current production. And if I were in the market for a freshly minted guitar to do the job well and with minimal upgrade, the J-15 would be my likely choice. I'd say you did good!

 

Makes a lot of sense - the J-45 is one of the flagships of Gibson Acoustic nowadays. The price and ornamentation have risen over the years to where it is no longer the working musician's guitar in many ways, but instead has become the guitar many aspire to own one day when they can afford it, and the J-15 is the new working musician's Gibson. I can jive with that.

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