Kwlsky

Ah the J-45. Someday......... Congratulations.

Very kind of you to do this. I have a J-185 and love it.

I'm 50 years old and I like things that are nostalgic and bring up good memories. A lot of what I expect a guitar to look and sound like comes from my younger experiences. My normal is what has been common in my life. No one knows what Gibson is ever thinking, but it's obvious that they have made a big play towards walnut B/S's. Many people who find walnut odd, or an inferior wood choice are those of us who are not used to it, or compare it as too different to what we prefer. I'm not saying those new generation guitars are good or bad, never played one. But at that price point, maybe Gibson is trying to bend the younger generations towards a newer preference of "Tone woods", and build some brand loyalty with a newer, different sense of Gibson normal? Come to think of it, I own and love a J15. So I obviously have no idea what I'm talking about.

The J-185 Historic seems to have had a production run in 2005. They may have also been produced later, but I don't know. If it is from 2005, you may be in for a treat as I have read that maple takes a while to break in. If yours has been well played for all this time, it may be closer to its full potential. I purchased a 2015 J-185. It was in good condition, but the case was really travel worn. So I assume it's been played a lot. It's tone has a warm, bassy growl, and overall very, very clear. It has the perfect amount of that maple "Brightness", which I very much like. Not at all like I have read that many maple guitars are sonically. Hopefully you will have bypassed the break in period on your new purchase and get to enjoy the fruits of someone else's labor.

Any bone, nut and saddle will be worth a try as long as it is the correct radius. My two Gibson acoustics are 12" radius, so I used to just confirm that before buying. Cow bone nut/saddles/pins are relatively inexpensive so I would always buy 2 packs due to bone's density being variable among different pieces. That way I could test drive both and see if one sounded better over the other. One saddle might even have slightly different intonation than the other. I've now created a fun little hobby of making my own.

Hello all. I am new to this forum. I've been playing guitar only for myself and family for about 10-12 years and started with less expensive, imported acoustics. They were fine guitars, but I always wanted an American made guitar to see if they were actually something special. After playing many Martins, Taylors, Gibsons, and Guilds, I decided Gibson was the sound I wanted. Guilds were second place. I started my Gibson acoustic journey with a used 2016 J15. I have since also acquired a used 2015 J185. I love them both, and yes, they are something special. I've been lurking on this forum for years, soaking up tons of knowledge and info (it was information in this forum that steered me towards a J15.) So I finally thought I should join and give my 0.5 cents worth every once in a while.