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J-45's RW vs. Hog vs. Koa tone comparisons. Any opinions?


Old Neil

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Impossible for me at least to hear even any two of these side by side let alone all together. Anyone had the opportunity to compare these. How would you describe the tone signature differences? Otherwise I assume they are identical in bracing and other spec.

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Hey, Neil. Search j45s on Ytube, listen to some samples. Generally, Rw is dark and rich, hog is bright and chimey. Koa is kind of.... even. What you like will depend on your music (folk? rock?), playing style (picks? fingers?), and m/o (solo? band?).

Imho, hog slopes respond well to picks and fingers, full eno for solo but cut thru in a band and work in most genres. Very much imho, Rose offers a lot of immediate gratification in terms of bass and chordal richness, but lacks the top clarity for fingerstyle and wont cut as well in a group. Good luck!

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Thanks for that. My youtube searches has got the guy who compares his standard (hog) J-45 with a Martin HD-28 (great clip) but nothing particular for RW or Koa J-45's. I'm probably leaning more to Hog as, although it might initially sound a little thinner, it should record and separate better in a mix. I'm more of a Martin guy experience wise (currently a lovely D-42) so I know that sound well. I'm still adjusting my ears to the Gibson acoustic tone but love the feel and 'vibe' of the 45's.

BTW, are J-45's braced differently to AJ's? Gibson doesn't seem to print specs like Martin, Collings etc. If not, its hard for me to tell the (theoretical) difference between a J-45 RW and an AJ, small cosmetic changes aside.

Happy to be enlightened by more experienced members here though...#-o

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Nice to see you over here Neil.

Both the J45RW and the Advanced Jumbo feature scalloped X braces. But the Advanced Jumbos X is "advanced" closer to the soundhole. This along with the longer scale of the AJ, creates the louder "Bone Chrusher" sound and nickname. Think HD-28V, then disregard the V neck feel, and string spaceing differences.

I guess the J45 could then be termed scalloped, rear shifted, and with its shorter scale , slightly more mellow tonewise,with a quicker decay, and to some. a little eaiser to play. I can really think of no Martin Dred comparison, as their HD-28 is a longer scale.

Its all subjective, I prefere the J45RW, but as usual I could be all washed up.#-o

Dale.

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Update: got to try maple, koa and hog s/s AJs side by side at guitar sale this week. Maple= bright and dry, w/decent but not huge bass and good top cut.Smooth chords sound. Koa also dry, kind of like mpl with the edges rounded off. Hog gets a little more top end commplexity going. Ringier, chimier.

As might be expected my Rw Aj gets more bass and overtones going, but without the sparkle of mhg. Good luck!

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