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Advanced Jumbo w/ Adirondack anyone?


SkyRider

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Hi,

 

Anyone own or played Advanced Jumbo with Adirondack top?

 

I am primarily strummer sing along player play mostly at home on couch and occasionally at a Church playing worship music.

In the past I have owned few Collings because I really wanted to like it only to realize it would constantly compete with my voice so I sold them off time and time again. Great guitars but in my opinion it needed to be pushed to really shine...the way I play it anyways.

 

I really like guitars that shine with light soft touch at times and bark when it needs to. I really liked Gibson Songwriter for this and I still may go that direction but I want to try something new and need a nice burst in my life. Hence I'm looking at Gibson AJ now but read from many old posts that AJ are loud and great flat picker blue grass guitar. Which is how I would describe Collings Dread(again, just my opinion).

 

AJ seems to come in Adirondack and Sitka. Anyone who've tried Adirondack on this model care to comment on how well it may work with singer/strummer? Soft playing on couch at late night? Yes I'm aware any guitar can be played soft and sing along and the player needs to try in person before buying. Meanwhile, I'm asking if you had experience with AJ with Adi and if you think it will shine for the purpose mentioned.

 

Cheers!

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My Koa AJ has an Adi top. Sounds very good. To me, the Adi top seems to resonate more. However, I have to admit, the Stika spruce tops on my Dove, Rosewood AJ, and J100 also seem to resonate. I think that for me the Adi top sounds every bit as good (maybe a bit better?) as Sitka, but most of all I think I like the look of it. The grain is cool. Or, in all honesty, maybe it's the burst that makes it look so cool...... All things considered, I don't really think there's a hell-of-a-lot of difference between the two. A great guitar is a "great" guitar.... Don't know if the additional price is justified. Others may feel different and they may be correct.

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OP already owns a J50.

 

 

Thanks. Didn't know that. Seems like a good J-50 should do the trick then.

 

OP, are you just wanting a new guitar or does the J-50 not do what you want? I really love a good AJ. Mine was mahogany and sitka but was different enough from my southern jumbo that I really liked changing between the two. Neither get in the way of my vocals like a Martin style guitar.

 

Matt

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Thanks. Didn't know that. Seems like a good J-50 should do the trick then.

 

OP, are you just wanting a new guitar or does the J-50 not do what you want? I really love a good AJ. Mine was mahogany and sitka but was different enough from my southern jumbo that I really liked changing between the two. Neither get in the way of my vocals like a Martin style guitar.

 

Matt

 

I thought what made an AJ an AJ was the rosewood??

 

I wouldn't be looking for adirondack Vs Sitka when searching for a guitar. That's a level of detail that may make a difference from one player to the next in their playing style but one is definitely not 'better' than the other.

To answer the OP question of which one to buy would be impossible without hearing you play both types. But even then , it's up to your own ears which one floats your raft

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I thought what made an AJ an AJ was the rosewood??

 

That, plus the longer scale length and different bracing.

 

To the OP, seems like you're getting some similar advice as what I gave you before! AJ's are killer guitars, the sound great, are a great addition to a J45/J50, and wouldn't lose sleep over Adi vs. Sitka. If you find one, play it and like it, who cares what type of spruce the top is?! Id rather play a sweet sounding Sitka-topped AJ than a crappy sounding Adi-topped AJ, and vice versa. Don't get hung up one thinking one type of wood is better or mandatory over another. Let your ears decide, and don't get caught up in internet weirdos who tell you otherwise. Remember, before the internet most people probably wouldn't even be able to discern between the two, now everyone is an "expert". Listen and decide!

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I have an AJ Luthier's Choice with Adi top, Adi braces attached with hide glue and a 1 7/8" nut, 2 5/16" string spacing, cut-through bone saddle, etc. At the risk of sounding like an "internet weirdo," I was able to play 5 versions of the AJ at the Gibson 5-star dealer where I bought it. Some had Adi and some Sitka, but this was the one that came home with me because of it's excellence in finger picking, as well as the usual strumming/flat picking uses. The guitar is very dynamically responsive and the wide spacing allows plenty of space for fingers. It also has a Baggs Anthem pickup in it. I recently had a new saddle made and a complete setup and this guitar went straight to the top of the list.

 

It's easy to dismiss wood differences as marketing snake oil, but they are different. Not always better or worse, but different. Now if you want to talk about hide glue...[/size][/size]

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That, plus the longer scale length and different bracing.

 

To the OP, seems like you're getting some similar advice as what I gave you before! AJ's are killer guitars, the sound great, are a great addition to a J45/J50, and wouldn't lose sleep over Adi vs. Sitka. If you find one, play it and like it, who cares what type of spruce the top is?! Id rather play a sweet sounding Sitka-topped AJ than a crappy sounding Adi-topped AJ, and vice versa. Don't get hung up one thinking one type of wood is better or mandatory over another. Let your ears decide, and don't get caught up in internet weirdos who tell you otherwise. Remember, before the internet most people probably wouldn't even be able to discern between the two, now everyone is an "expert". Listen and decide!

 

 

+1

 

I could care less about which kind of spruce is on the guitar. I just pick the one that I prefer the sound of. AJ's are easily one of the most versatile guitars I have ever played. I used mine for solo work and I took it to loud bluegrass jams. It was great for it all.

 

Matt

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Red Spruce with Brazilian Rosewood. A custom shop I ordered in late 1996. It was built by Kevin Kopp at the time he was building for Gibson. The workmanship and quality were exceptional. I like many others were overwhelmed by "Fabulous Flat Tops". At the time of arrival, I was disappointed in the tone and volume of my AJ. 'Course I wouldn't admit at the time after spending that much on a guitar that it wasn't up to my expectations, let's face it, who would admit it. I tucked it away in its case and forgot about it for many years, how many?, I'm guessing seven to maybe twelve years. I'd been used to the Martin D 28 sound for 35 years. Anyhow, the day I decided to try new strings and take it out of the case, I couldn't believe what a bit of age could do for a guitar. Today, I'll match this AJ with any modern made Martin or Gibson, even my 1940 D 28 for volume. Brazilian is the secret that will someday be realized. My old opinion, be it Red or Sitka or German or any Spruce Top on Rosewood or Mahogany guitars will have a place in this game. I love Mahogany Banner Gibsons with any Spruce top. Have one of each, White or Red and Sitka, makes no difference to me.

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