J45 getting more mello

[rbpicker]

Seems like my three year old, incredible sounding J45 is not as loud as it used to be. It never was an extremely loud guitar, but lately it seems I have to play it hard to coax any volume out of it. I play with bare fingers, typically, but even with a pick, it's somewhat subdued. I've considered that it may be the summer weather/humidity, but we have central air that runs when it's hot, which dries out the air inside. Have also considered that it's my imagination.

 

I have a bone saddle and pins installed and I use Monel lights. I put on some phos brnz lights without much change in volume. Anyway, it's still my fav, but just rambling here a bit.

 

BTW, I use hearing aids which I've worn for a few years, so I don't think is a hearing loss issue (if so, I'm in deep doo doo).

 

Anyone else notice a guitar mellowing out as it ages (beyond the normal opening up process)?

 

Rb

[zombywoof]

Weather most certainly has an effect on instruments. Temperature and humidity can, say, stiffen the wood. A "warm" guitar will sound less stiff than a cold one and such. Trumpet and flute players will tell you just the opposite - that cold weather makes their instruments sound more mellow. Part of it is weather also impacts the interaction between the player and the instruments. Doming of the top caused by humidity can, as example, change the tension of the strings making the guitar feel just a little different.

[E-minor7]

My J-45 Std. from 2010 was incredible sounding when I got it brand new.

So convincing, in fact, that my pal bought a Historic Collection from 05 after sitting with mine the whole night (a totally different creature btw.)

However my 45 was also so compressed that one could only play finger-style and lyrical things on it.

Raising the attack-level to fx. flat-picking or strumming would expose a strange sonic lid, which simply inhibited the expression and feel.

Never experienced anything like it - neither in other 45's, except for maybe a hair.

Now 7 years in the guitar wrestled a good deal of this off - but it's still there compared to others.

But mellowed, yes indeed, , , and as said much looser. This is an outstanding J-45, kind of more bassy-roomy than the average ditto.

Don't hope it'll blop out at some point, , , if you know what I mean.

[Jinder]

I've had that happen with several guitars, my 2009 Blues King lost loads of volume which made me fall out of love with it eventually.

 

Strings play a big part too-the loudest strings I've tried are Martin 80/20 12s. Those things have massive boom and chime and really make the top work hard.

 

I have hearing loss too-not to the extent that I need aids, but I only have around 40% of my right ear due to damage from a burst eardrum and aural trauma around 18yrs ago. As a result I tend to lean towards loud and strident sounding guitars-my SJ200 is an absolute Cannon and my Texan, Dove and '60s J45 are all very projective guitars too.

 

My '41 Reissue SJ100 is the most muted of the bunch but is still pretty confident sounding, and is getting louder and looser all the time as it's my main gigger and is getting a lot of miles under its belt.

 

Could it be that the action has come down a little on your J45 with ambient changes? I find lower action can really suck out volume. I always favour a slightly higher action with plenty of chunk and volume over a low action with the volume tradeoff.

 

An option is to go up a string gauge and tune down a half step, a chap I tech and TM for does this with his J45 and it has plenty of volume and playability. It's a standard 2013 black nut J45 and is a superb example of one, but the heavier wires and D# tuning really help it along.

[62burst]

It might help to eliminate hearing degradation as an issue if you notice other guitars you have don’t also give the impression as being less loud lately. By the SE Michigan location, I guess we can rule out the possibility of your living in the arid desert, but as ‘Woof and Jinder had suggested, keep in mind how a dry guitar’s top can lower, and how lower action can scrub away volume.

Maybe check action height, and try a fresh set of some 80/20’s for the summer? Hopefully, it’s something as simple as that.

 

Edit: a bit of a long shot, but a loose brace would also be a culprit in volume loss.

[OldCowboy]

Sometimes what applies to vintage guitars doesn't fit with current production, so I may be comparing 2 unlike things. If so, pay me no mind. My experience with older J-45's is that some have either lost a considerable volume or began life being more subdued, one or the other. Also, many of the quiet ones have more bass projection. Just sayin'

[QuestionMark]

My 1972 SJD has significantly mellowed over the years although sonic spectrum has widened. It's higher action over the soundhole has resulted in no volume loss. My 1965 LG1 has also mellowed and its sonic spectrum has also widened. That one has always been a quiet guitar because of its size, but its mellowness has caused it to have a much fuller sound which kinda passes as a louder sound. My 2006 J-45 certainly now has a fuller mellowed sound, but seems louder than it used to, probably because of its now wider sonic spectrum. Or something.

 

With my Rare Earth Humbucker soundhole pickup attached to any of them their volume is tied to the amp I am using at the time rendering the original volume question non-relevant.

 

QM aka Jazzman Jeff

[rbpicker]

Thanks kindly for the observations, folks. Maybe I'll try a set of 80/20 strings, as my non-Monel default has always been Phos Brz. Also, maybe I'll put the original saddle back in (tusk, I think). I recall it having more zing than the bone saddle I made for it. I hope I can pull it out of its slump, as I'd really like to keep it in the playing rotation. It has such a wonderful sound, and of course that J 45 vibe that I've always loved since I bought my first new one in 1963.

 

Rb

[QuestionMark]

I suspect when you put the tusq saddleback in, it will be louder and a bit more trebly, which will also make it sound louder and a bit less mellow.. I have one guitar that is sensitive to needing a tusq saddle to sound its best where the others seem to respond best to bone. Every guitar is a bit different...

 

Let us know the outcome.

 

QM aka Jazzman Jeff

[olie]

After putting D'addario nickle-bronze lights on my J-45 std.2014 I've noticed a marked improvement.Just rings out better. I liked the D'add PB's but the nickle seems to add some zing to things. Every guitar is somewhat unique,so one can only try other alternatives.

[Mafy31]

Completely agree with the 80/20 here they will give more output.

Also maybe when you changed the saddle the height has been lowered slightly to give a lower action, in this case you definitely loose some volume and sustain...

Try to compare the height of your 2 saddles.

[MancJonny]

Hello from the UK.

 

I have recently stopped using phosphor bronze strings on my old J-50 precisely because the short scale-length and mahogany back-and-sides of a J-50 / J-45 is mellow enough without them - in fact, the sound of the old box has really benefitted from the "zip" and "crunch" (especially in the bass strings) that is delivered by 18/20s.

 

In my case, on my guitar, I have found Ernie Ball Earthwoods (11-52 gauge) to be perfect - as well as cheaper than a lot of the specially-coated-this-that-and-the-others at three times the price. I would give these strings, or something similar, a try before getting into making any "adjustment" to your J-45.

 

Sometimes, the best solution to a problem is the easiest and the least expensive.

 

My piece:

http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/138349-1949-gibson-j-50/page__p__1868241__hl__1949__fromsearch__1#entry1868241

[rbpicker]

Having returned from vacation, I got a chance to work on the J45. Following the suggestions on strings, I installed a set of Martin SP 80/20 lights and the original saddle and bridge pins (all tusq, I'm thinking.) The sound is a bit brighter, and the volume level has come up considerably. It really sounds good in this Michigan July humidity. Perhaps the Monel/bone combination will be the Fall/Winter setup, as the humidity drops.

 

Very glad to have my trusty 45 back in the rotation. Thanks again for the responses.

 

RB