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Tiger


Buc McMaster

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Peeled the tortoise guard off today, cleaned the glue up and installed the tiger guard on the 45. The tortoise guard came off clean and is good to go to be re-installed if time turns my head against the tiger but for now I'm liking the look. Also took the opportunity to string it up with a set of Martin Retros, wound with monel and marketed as delivering a very fundamental sound, something I like. I'll give them a fair play and see if I like the tone...........not sure I like the look of a silver/gray string where I'm used to seeing bronze..............

 

0nEUdgr.jpg -- PHThmRX.jpg

 

Comments?

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Looks good!

 

I'm biased, though. My all-time favorite J-45. a 1943 example, FON 2221-23, now owned by a very good friend in Romania, has a tiger-striped pickguard:

 

1943%20J-45%20FON%202221-23_zpswxjk6bem.jpg

 

The guitar also appears on the cover of Kalamazoo Gals:

 

KalamazooGalsCover-2_zps9a79f84e.jpg

 

 

JT, That pickguard looks completely different in the two photos, if it's the same guitar. The striping pattern doesn't even look the same. Even the rosette, and the distance from the end of the fretboard to the rosette, looks different. Is it really the same guitar in the two photos?

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JT, That pickguard looks completely different in the two photos, if it's the same guitar. The striping pattern doesn't even look the same. Even the rosette, and the distance from the end of the fretboard to the rosette, looks different. Is it really the same guitar in the two photos?

 

Ops! Good eye, Nick. I had 2 Banner J-45s for the recording sessions for the companion CD. Here's the correct one:

America1942J-45FON923-45_zpsb55d7f32.jpg

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Nice strap!

Yeah, I really like this old Sully.......plain Jane, comfortable and very well made. I've taken to wearing the guitar a bit higher than I used to and it's working out better for me. I like the Texas Ranger badge too........from a Mexican five peso coin!

 

 

.......made my guitar look like a porn star's pants 😂

Ha! :lol: :lol:

 

 

Now that it's on the guitar I like it

Looks okay, huh. I'll leave it awhile and see how much it grows on me. After I stuck it down in place I heated it lightly with the hair dryer and rubbed it in good......maybe makes for better adhesion, maybe not........seemed like it might help though.

 

As for the Martin Retros........pretty cool. They settled very quickly, sound very dry and don't have the ring of bronze strings, not a tone some care for I know, but so far I'm enjoying the thump. The tension feels just a little less than the DR Sunbeams that were on the guitar. The nickel wrap feels much different in a good way to me. Those of you that play electric guitar with nickel strings will understand when I say they feel a little "edgy" to the finger tips.......a little bit of "grab" in them when new. I reckon this will subside after a few hours as it did when I played electric guitar..........one of those things about nickel.

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the tiger is definitely more subdued on the guitar

i have tried several different sets of strings on my j45v, i recommend santa cruz mid-tension pb- For my ears they sound best on all my gibsons except for my j185. A bit pricey some say, but i find they last 3-4 months which is ok by me.

 

https://reverb.com/item/1291484-santa-cruz-parabolic-tension-acoustic-guitar-strings-mid-tension

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The pickguard is very cool on that guitar, Buc. As for the Monels, that's the only string I use now. They make my J45 sound like a million bucks. You will get used to the look quickly, and I appreciate the lower tension. Another advantage is that they last a VERY long time. Great strings.

 

Rb

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It's a pretty cool little trinket I picked up about 15 years ago from a shop that sold all kinds of western badges. I can't seem to find the place now.........reckon they went under. Happy to have found this one and been able to hang on to it over the years..........you know how little stuff like this tends to slip away in time.............

 

2lEHMCK.jpg -- gjsfWwv.jpg

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