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Which one to buy?


Andrew

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Greetings!

 

Need help. sorry for long post...million questions...

 

So after years of playing electric and bashing around a crappy old B.C. Rich dreadnought by the campfire, I'm finally going to buy a proper acoustic guitar. I pretty much have my mind (and heart) set on a Gibson...not sure why. They're just the brand for me I think. Always been a Les Paul fan and I maybe its dumb to buy a guitar based on asthetics as well as sound but I just think a sunburst gibson will look coolest strapped onto me.

 

I'm looking to buy my last acoustic that I will play for the rest of my life. I'm looking for a great "all-rounder" that will age well and that i can hand down to my kid(s?). Aside from my own music I mostly I jam around to Simon and Garfunkel tunes, Dylan, Marley, Neil Young, Cat Stevens, the Smiths, nine inch nails...heh...rock, folk, reggae..whatever.

 

I've been doing some research and doing a few test drives (including 40's and 50's j-45s and SJs!...all too expensive..plus i want my axe to have my history). I think I'm down to deciding between a j-45, a j-45 Rosewood, maybe a Southern Jumbo and maybe (i said maybe!) a martin d-28 (though it would have to be waaaay better for me to forgo that "gibson" on the headstock..but it was suggested to me as an alternative to the j45 rosewood).

 

so...whats the difference? I trust my own ears to a certain degree but im curious about your opinions.

 

my main question:

 

i like the plain ol' j-45 a lot, but i think i like the j-45 RW even more (it felt "fuller" to me, deeper maybe...the regular j-45 seems a bit thinner and brighter to me.) what do you think of the difference?

 

but if i like the j-45 RW then what about the Martin d-28?...it also rosewood and apparently cheaper....whats the difference?

 

then theres the southern jumbo...a pimped out j-45 right? i like the inlays way more then the dots...but is that worth the price jump? also its not rosewood. so does that make the j45 RW "better" than the SJ?

 

speaking of rosewood...is it a much better tonewood than mahogany? many cheapo guitars ive noticed have mahonagy (hog!).

 

also, honestly, I get that there would be tiny differences but if i play 5 different j-45s will they all really sound 'very' different or is that just pretentious guitarist talk? if so..what exactly am i listening/looking for? should i really try out a dozen?

 

I live in toronto and have a great guitar store nearby...but ill be in cleveland this weekend (my wife asked my to kiss her where it stinks..lol! sorry) and i thought about checking out the big guitar center chain store which i suspect will have way more stock to play with...any thoughts on their prices for a j-45?

 

hows the QC so far on '08s? any issues?

 

Thanks 4 reading.

 

edit..ooh what about the Epiphone Masterbilt EF-500RA????

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Good question.

 

First off, you can't go wrong no matter what you choose, so perish the thought of making a mistake.

 

I own a Martin HD-28-V and a regular J-45. Both have their plusses and minuses. I find that Gibsons are well built and stay in tune extremely well. They have a unique, sweet tone that isn't too bassy or muddy. My Martin is a little tough to tune due to the "vintage" butterbean tuners that I am less fond of.

 

The rw j-45 is a superb guitar. It has more bass due to the rosewood, and will indeed sound "fuller" (though necessarily "better").

 

The D-28 is also rosewood, hence the full sound. I think Martins are set up very well for play right off the rack (though every guitar benefits from a good setup).

 

In my experiece, Gibsons, even the j-45 rw, are more balanced and a tad quieter. The Martin will be louder, boomier, and will offer you deep bass sound, rather than the more crisp Gibson "thump". The high end on a Martin may be burried under some heavy bass.

 

It sounds like you're a rosewood man, but you might want to try a Martin D-18 as a comparison. The sound like a louder version of the j-45.

 

One last word: this may go without saying, but the j-45 is really a beautiful instrument. The flashier Gibsons may or may not be your style, but there is a certain elegance to a perfect sunburst. The Martin design is also classic, but much simpler, without the "wow" factor.

 

If you like Dylan, the j-45 is a great call. It also works well with rock. If you're a bluegrass diehard, the Martin is the way to go.

 

Either way, you'll end up with a great guitar. Though you will still live in Bore-onto. :-k

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thanks Doc! (boreonto?? hey guys are getting shot around here and im eating a great jamaican roti!..but yeah ok fine...nyc is also cool)

 

"perish the thought of making a mistake/can't go wrong!."

 

just what i want to hear!

 

ok..so lets say im really down to a j-45 or a j-45 rosewood....different: yes. but is deeper/fuller actually better? advantages? disadvantages? how might they differ over time? the j-45 is a standard...is the rosewood a limited time production thing?

 

this is tough to answer but 10 years from now will i be more likely to say...glad i got the rosewood...or wish i got the regular j45?

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Andrew. It depends. What kind of music do you play? What 's your playing style (pick? fingers?).

 

Of the 2 you mentioned. The RW D28, 25.5 scale (ie tight string) is a loud bass heavy instrument best suited to using a pick. Phat but cold top end. THE bluegrass guitar. Neil Young sound. The hog J45 24.5 has a looser feel the the 28. It doesnt shout out near as loud, but sports a complex midrange and brilliant top end. One of the more verstile boxes out there, it responds well to pick or fingers and to a lot of music styles.

 

I'd advise going out and playing a bunch of these models. so you get a better sense of what works for you.

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Just my .02, which is in devalued American currency:

 

Gibson=hog

Martin=rosewood

 

The classic J-45 is just that: Classic. It is the standard for Hog (again, just IMO ). The D-18 is very nice, but it is not quite like a J-45. The rosewood Martins are the bluegrass standard, and excel at that running quick note separation that makes for a great lead guitar. The hogs are better at accompaniement and chordal/rhythm work. I know there are folks with the exact opposite opinion, so the best recommendation is the usual Try as many as you can and pick the one you like best.

 

One thing I have noticed is that a guitar that sounds great one day is not as good as the one next to it the next day. I don't know why, and I don't know why some sound better in the store than they do when you get home. Ideally you might have someone play the guitar you like back at you so you can hear what it sounds like in front. The great advantage of the big bad box stores is that you have 30 days to stay in love with your choice, and can return if you fall out.

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You don't want a Martin D-28. Believe me, I know.

 

Regardless of the quality issues Martin is dealing with as they push production to the point where every man, woman an child on Earth will own at least five - simply ask yourself how much you like Bluegrass, because the D-28 is the best guitar in the world for flat picking Bluegrass and it has issues in every other application.

 

I have an HD-28V, which in my opinion is THE D-28 to have if you are going to own one. I use it for single note work in recording with two condenser mics. Otherwise it hangs on the wall. Quite a price for a one-dimensional guitar.

 

My Gibson Advanced Jumbo, on the other hand, is played three times a day and only spends time alone when I am sleeping.

 

So, get a rosewood Gibson. Don't worry what the wife thinks today, because when you write her a great song on your anniversary to go with that lovely present you will buy her - she is going to associate that guitar with her understanding that life is good because she has a great man.

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it does sound like you're leaning towards RW. the hog j-45 at the long and mcquade by my house sounds a bit thin and weak when played next to the northern jumbo (canadian version of the SJ) beside it on the wall. try the AJ, J45rw and try the songwriter, too. good pickup in the songwriter as well. what store are you shopping at? steve's?

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Ideally you might have someone play the guitar you like back at you so you can hear what it sounds like in front.

 

I chose my SWD against a Hummingbird by having my teacher play both with me listening. Cunkhead is correct about theSWD pickup. It's a great all-rounder if you play amplified sometimes but a bit too "blinged up" for some people. I love mine though.

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Here's my experience...

 

Owning a D28, which I love, I bought a J45. I also found it a little too bright, so I sold it.

 

Nowadays, I'm the proud owner of a Hummingbird, which is not as bright as the J45 and has a little more bass response (but not as much as the D28).

 

Never tried a J45RW. It can be the perfect guitar.

 

Finally it comes to trying as many guitars as you can, as someone said before.

 

Hope it helps.

 

Best regards,

 

AL

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I bought an AJ back in January and have never been happier. The longer scale ceased to be an issue after a short time.

If you like rosewood then this is your guitar. So in review the AJ has 1. Rosewood 2. nice inlays 3. Beautiful sunburst finish ( or in my case more of a tobacco burst ) 4. Loud, Loud, Loud , Loud.......... Loud did I mention loud ? 5. Great value ( I got mine for 1600 hundred bucks at GC ) 6. Its a Gibson 7. Go buy one.

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Andrew--here's how the woods break down on a j45 chasis. Hog = more top end clarity, shimmer, cut and overall balance. bass is there but not overwhelming. clarity really helps for fingerpicking but also nice for comping chords. RW= darker, more bass. phat but metallic top. More overtones on chords, so richer but also potentially muddier. re other suggestions: Hummingboids are similer to hog 45s but bassier, less cut. Adv jumbo is brighter than the rw 45; frappe vs choc malt. You can listen to samples all of these on youtube.

 

Folks are going to tell you what they like. You need to find what works for you.

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it does sound like you're leaning towards RW. the hog j-45 at the long and mcquade by my house sounds a bit thin and weak when played next to the northern jumbo (canadian version of the SJ) beside it on the wall. try the AJ' date=' J45rw and try the songwriter, too. good pickup in the songwriter as well. what store are you shopping at? steve's?[/quote']

 

i've been to L&M, Steves and 12th fret.

 

what is the advanced jumbo? i cant find it on gibsons site. i see the southern jumbo but not "advanced".

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Hi Andrew,

 

Yeah, I used to live in Montreal so I can't resist(!) There is obviously an outstanding music scene out there. I'm thinking of Luke Doucet, who lives in Nashville now, and Ron Sexsmith, who is just a wonderful songwriter. My pals and I used to take jabs at Toronto b/c we felt people there were uptight (Montreal can be, as everyone knows, but in a very different way).

 

Come to think of it, since Toronto is known as "Hog Town", why not get a Mahogony J-45 (aka "the hog")?

 

Make sure you play both extensively. You may find that you like the warmth of rosewood. The hog j-45 is more subtle and plays very well when plugged into a PA. It's an acquired taste, if you ask me. Rosewood has an immediate wow factor.

 

If you're going to be playing at home in an intimate setting, or at jams the rosewood would be a great choice.

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jerry k's link will also provide you with user reviews which you can decipher and draw out thing key words and terms that are important to you. for instance, i rifled through all the reviews and keyed in on references to the bass end, balance and overall volume. armed with these comments, once in the shop i had a little more confidence as to what models were going to make my day. but, as everyone's been saying, nothing replaces hands-on - play them all. its a tough job........

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"what is the advanced jumbo? i cant find it on gibsons site. i see the southern jumbo but not "advanced".

 

Do a google search. There's lots of info on line about this model. It's a great guitar!! (& nice to look at)

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