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The Adventures of Bungalow Buc


Buc McMaster

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Okay. I just couldn't take being demoted by Woof.......cut me to the core, don't ya know. So I had to rectify the situation, make the world right once more.......

 

kVUSJI3.jpg

 

2017 J-45 12-fret......ooooo! ahhhh! Now yer talkin'! Does this get me my stripes back, Woof?!

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Okay. I just couldn't take being demoted by Woof.......cut me to the core, don't ya know. So I had to rectify the situation, make the world right once more.......

 

kVUSJI3.jpg

 

2017 J-45 12-fret......ooooo! ahhhh! Now yer talkin'! Does this get me my stripes back, Woof?!

 

😮😮😮😮

 

Did the previous 45 and Taylor stay or was one sacrificed?

 

How does the 12 fretter compare to the 14?

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The Taylor, it seems, was just visiting.......stayed for the weekend and, after behaving badly, was sent packing. Nah......behaved well enough, just a bit overweight. Figured I'd best correct things while the iron was still hot, so now the J-45 Vintage has a younger brother to kick around (as brothers are sometimes wont to do!). It'll take a little while to fiddle with it, get it dialed in......string choice, rod adjustment, saddle tweaking, etc.......but it's a sweetie! Sound check when it's ready to rock........

 

Open geared nickel Gotohs, pearl headstock logo, factory electronics (which will stay in this one), bone saddle/tusq nut (spec says tusq saddle but this one is indeed bone). Burst is kind of golden looking......I think it needs some sun.

 

6qnQsXx.jpg

 

There was a J-35 Collectors Edition there too. Cooked red spruce top and no electronics......like a J-35 Vintage would be, I reckon. It sounded absolutely incredible.....Gibson to the nines! But.........it had a rather sorry neck set so I had to pass on that one. Very, very good Gibson tone though!

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That dramatically different placed sound hole catches my eye. Something else - gotta play a significant sonic role.

Look forward to hear it/them.

Enjoy the turbulence, , , and may it be limited to the guitars around you.

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A few hours in, the short-necked 45 is.......magnificent! Took the saddle down a bit (and it still has a bit more to go at the next string change) and strung it with 80/20 Masterbuilts. Tweaked the rod a little and dug in for an hour or so. Nice, nice......but monels on the long-neck 45 have apparently ruined my ears.......gotta have that thump! There was a little fret rattle on the 4th string at the second and third frets with the bronze but I decided to wait until it was strung with monels to make another rod adjustment. (I like right next to zero relief.) Whipped off the 80/20s and wound up the .012 Retros........what a string for a spruce/mahogany guitar! Still a bit of rattle on the 4th but a 1/4 turn of the rod made it disappear. Setup is getting close......

 

As for tone, the 12-fret is just a little brighter in the top end and a little stronger on the low side. Not sure where to place the reason for this: the top is sitka, not adirondack, and of course the bridge is deeper on the body. Never played a 12-fretter before so I reckon there's some learning to do. It's not as aggressive sounding as the 14-fret, smoother perhaps. The neck profile is just a shade smaller with a very slight V in it. There is a distinct difference in how the 12 feels slung over the shoulder and grabbed......the nut is noticeably closer, not near the reach of the 14. When capo-ed high (5th) I do notice my hand seems much closer to the heel.......no interference, but certainly noticeable. The bridge being deep on the body moves my natural pick hand position closer to the sound hole by a little but doesn't present a troublesome adjustment to get on the pins for palm muting (which I do a lot of). The Gotoh machines are very smooth and pull the strings up accurately to pitch.....well......ok......a half step down.

 

So far, all in all I think I did the right thing here. The Taylor was nice but it's really not my style......and the damn thing was freakin' heavy!

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The Taylor was a nice workhorse but this is next level stuff...you've gone from troposphere straight to mesosphere!

 

I've never owned a Gibson 12 fretter but I've owned a couple of others and really like the vibe of them. I'm quite used to playing long scale 14 fretters so it takes a while to adjust but they're an amazing playing experience and I love that you've got two similar-but-very-different workhorses in the stable!

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.........straight back up to Master.

 

Yaaaaa! \:D/ Just funnin' ya, Woof!

 

And no, Grunt, did not record the Taylor. I thought I might could deal with it's weight but figured why? The 12 is a bit heavier than the 14 with the active electronics onboard but not to the point it's a problem. I hope to keep this system in the guitar and will make that decision after a few stage runs.........it could end up with a K&K or maybe some other passive system if I don't like what I hear........ I'm going to call this one my 65th birthday present to myself.........life is good!

 

The 12 fret is wonderful and, as Jinder notes, this pair is similar but quite different, in tone and feel. Sitting side by side the shorter neck makes the whole guitar look smaller than the 14 fret but it's the same body size & shape. I'm real happy with this one!

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Short video of the 12-fret v. the 14-fret J-45s..........

 

The 14 is louder, seems to have more clarity, while the 12 is quieter and a little sweeter in tone. Adirondack v. sitka, 14 frets v. 12. I can really hear the aggressive sound of the red spruce here.......biting and strong. The sitka is much more reserved.

 

.012 Martin Retros, half step down, capo 1, BC TP50 pick.........same on both instruments.

 

What you think?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aR3D8fAISM

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Those Martin retros REALLY suit the 14 fretter don't they? What a sound!

 

The 14 sounds like it has more miles on it than the 12 but both sound great. I get the impression that when the 12's bottom end loosens up a touch over the next year or so it will be a monster.

 

The red spruce is really quick and direct isn't it? I can hear how the top is set in motion immediately with no hesitation or delay, whereas the Sitka seems to hear the string and take a fraction longer to "join in" as it were. Really interesting stuff, Buc!

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