Buc McMaster Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 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.............. -- Comments? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 Nice! Makes the otherwise very plain J-45 top a little more interesting. Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 I like it. The burst came through nice. Nice strap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 That looks ace!! I love the tiger stripe guard on my '41 Reissue SJ100, despite my former band mates musing that it made my guitar look like a porn star's pants 😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwalker201 Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 That looks really good Buc. That tamed down quite a bit with the backing removed. Good job on the install. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bayoubengal1954 Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 They both look good, but I actually like the tortoise better by a smidge (let's say 53-47). You can't wrong either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 Sure looks better on than off - still prefer the tort😨 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philfish Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 Seeing the tiger in your first post about it, I thought it had too much contrast. Now that it's on the guitar I like it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 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: The guitar also appears on the cover of Kalamazoo Gals: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 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: The guitar also appears on the cover of Kalamazoo Gals: 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 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: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 Ops! Good eye, Nick. I had 2 Banner J-45s for the recording sessions for the companion CD. Here's the correct one: That's more like it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted May 21, 2017 Author Share Posted May 21, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 That's more like it! FON 923-45. You can hear a clip here, track 9, "America the Beautiful." As good as a guitar has ever sounded. I'll get to visit the guitar in a few months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scriv58 Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbpicker Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Paul Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 Nice! Makes the otherwise very plain J-45 top a little more interesting. Lars Wait .... what????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 Interesting "conch" Buck. Impressive it's made with silver Mexican cinco peso like in the previous century! Curious where you found it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted May 21, 2017 Author Share Posted May 21, 2017 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............. -- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 Buc, Great you can still see the remaining portions of the original coin on the back. "Proof" it is real. There was a shop in the Hill Country, Fredricksburg, that made them. Hold on to it ! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 My rifle my pony and me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 1495375498[/url]' post='1856832']My rifle my pony and me Don't squat with your Spurs on, Stu! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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