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J 35


JuanCarlosVejar

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Just played one here in the metro Detroit area. It was ok... Not great, just ok. I suspect within 6 months of being played it will improve a lot. Needs a bone saddle. The tusc sounds quite brittle.

 

BTW, this one has the banner headstock and very light mahogany B/S like the J50's.

RBI

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...why a rectangle bridge, but a drop-in saddle?

 

 

To accommodate the compensated saddle, which is pretty much a stock size, and for the Baggs Element pickup transducer.

 

Remember, this J-34 is a modern interpretation, not a strict re-issue. The rectangular bridge recalls the bridge shape on a vintage J-35 guitar, but beside being slotted for a modern saddle and fitted with a pick up, its been redesigned in another respect, too: it's even in height on the bass and treble sides. The original was higher on the bass side.

 

Red 333

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To accommodate the compensated saddle, which is pretty much a stock size, and for the Baggs Element pickup transducer.

 

Remember, this J-34 is a modern interpretation, not a strict re-issue. The rectangular bridge recalls the bridge shape on a vintage J-35 guitar, but beside being slotted for a modern saddle and fitted with a pick up, its been redesigned in another respect, too: it's even in height on the bass and treble sides. The original was higher on the bass side.

 

Red 333

Ah, I see. Wait a sec, no I don't. The bridge height all the way across is the same in height - but the two rectangle bridges I have on other guitars, slope a bit towards the treble side. Does that give enough compensation for the B string? I wonder if the Gibson folks were thinking that perhaps the new LR Baggs "Lyric" would be in high enough production by this time, and they could have been release together, ala the J-45 "PureVoice" - even though that is a different company. I know the thru bridge saddle cannot accomodate an under-saddle, it would have been interesting with the new Lyric.

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Ah, I see. Wait a sec, no I don't. The bridge height all the way across is the same in height - but the two rectangle bridges I have on other guitars, slope a bit towards the treble side. Does that give enough compensation for the B string? I wonder if the Gibson folks were thinking that perhaps the new LR Baggs "Lyric" would be in high enough production by this time, and they could have been release together, ala the J-45 "PureVoice" - even though that is a different company. I know the thru bridge saddle cannot accomodate an under-saddle, it would have been interesting with the new Lyric.

 

The sloping of the wood thickness from maximum height on the bass side to thinner on the treble on the vintage style rectangular bridges is not for compensation. The theory of the time was that the greater mass on the bass side would produce deeper bass response. You can see this variance in thickness by looking at the bridge from the endpin.

 

Higher on the bass side is a design characteristic of Gibson rectangular bridges from the 30's and early 40's, not Martins. It's not really known whether the design actually has an audible effect, but Gibson reproduces that style of bridge for vintage reissues because that's how the original guitars were equipped. The vintage style bridge would not not work with a standard, modern compensated saddle, because the extra height of the bridge's wood on the bass side could potentially cover up some of the saddle on that side, change the break angle of the strings, etc. Slotted saddles on the vintage style rectangular bridges are especially shaped to prevent this, as they are shaped to be much higher on the bass side, the way the bridge is.

 

Compensation is achieved in the vintage style rectangular bridges (and every style of bridge) by the angle that the saddle is set into the bridge. The saddle is further from edge of the bridge on the bass side and closer to the edge on the treble side to slightly change the speaking length of each of the strings, which is necessary to keep the guitar in tune up and down the neck. A modern compensated saddle has a little notch at the B sting position (or on other stings) to further fine tune the string's length by individually adjusting its point of contact with the saddle, which is also called the crown.

 

You can find the mathematical formula for determining string compensation, and a first-class explanation of why its necessary, on the Stewart MacDonald lutherie website if my attempt is unclear.

 

Red 333

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Just wondering why the end of the fingerboard is so much further from the edge of the soundhole than on a J-45?

 

I just looked at my J-50 and noticed the fingerboard is much closer to the soundhole than the J-35 pictured too. Strange.

 

I will try to play it later today.I'll bring my Zoom to Sam Ash (if they still have it).

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I just looked at my J-50 and noticed the fingerboard is much closer to the soundhole than the J-35 pictured too. Strange.

 

I will try to play it later today.I'll bring my Zoom to Sam Ash (if they still have it).

 

If you look at an old J-35 (or some early J-45's or LG's, etc.), you will see that's how Gibson made guitars in the thirties and forties. At that time, Gibson fretboards had 19 frets (which means it was shorter than the one used on most guitars today), so the fingerboard ended well before the soundhole.

 

In the early fifties, they got 20, which extended the overall length of the fretboard, bringing the bottom closer to the top edge of the soundhole, where they are today.

 

Red 333

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The sloping of the wood thickness from maximum height on the bass side to thinner on the treble on the vintage style rectangular bridges is not for compensation. The theory of the time was that the greater mass on the bass side would produce deeper bass response. You can see this variance in thickness by looking at the bridge from the endpin.

 

 

Back when I first got my hands on an old Gibson I noticed the height diffrence in the bridge and assumed it had been shaved and done poorly which was why it was thicker on the bass side. In the early 1970s I spent some time learning how to build guitars and brought my Gibson in so the guy I was working under could look at the bridge. He told me exactly what you said - that it was just the way Gibson made 'em.

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Just came back from Sam Ash. They had one J-35 - so they must have sold the other one. The strings were horrible. If this had Lifespans on it it would sell to the next guy who walked into the acoustic room. The bottom line is if I didn't already have a J-50 it would have come home with me. Picture and ZOOM soundclip follow. Excuse the warts in my playing as I was trying to record quickly in between breaks of Stairway to Heaven and Green Day songs permeating the store...

 

photo-11_zpscd25d44b.jpg

 

 

 

https://soundcloud.com/sal-from-chatham/new-2013-gibson-j-35-at-sam

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Dave - I liked it slightly better than my J-50. It had a little more Gibson Growl. It also felt noticeably lighter. I would love to see the specs side by side.

 

Or - if one of you want to byt my new Martin 000-17SM, I will buy the J35 and do a detailed side by side with my J50 :)

 

LOL

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Dave - I liked it slightly better than my J-50. It had a little more Gibson Growl. It also felt noticeably lighter. I would love to see the specs side by side.

 

Or - if one of you want to byt my new Martin 000-17SM, I will buy the J35 and do a detailed side by side with my J50 :)

 

LOL

 

Sal ,

 

can't you still return the Martin ?

 

 

 

 

JC

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Well, then the obvious thing to do is to buy the J35, string it up proper, do some extensive A/B-ing with your J50, and then return it to Sam Ash. OK, just kidding! Thanks a lot for the sound clip -- it sounded really good. I'd love to hear one of these A/B'd with a J45 or J50, but I'm sure someone will do that on youtube in the near future. Just curious Sal, what year if your J50?

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Well, then the obvious thing to do is to buy the J35, string it up proper, do some extensive A/B-ing with your J50, and then return it to Sam Ash. OK, just kidding! Thanks a lot for the sound clip -- it sounded really good. I'd love to hear one of these A/B'd with a J45 or J50, but I'm sure someone will do that on youtube in the near future. Just curious Sal, what year if your J50?

 

I just bought it late 2012? SO I guess it is circa 2012. I'll have to check the serial number.

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