pg60

Thanks! This may be the most useful advice I've ever gotten on a guitar forum. Lighter touch + PB lights + some play time combo is getting me some fantastic tone. I'd been pysched out a bit by the Adi top, playing it hard, but whether it's the baking or the bracing, this Adi top doesn't need to be driven hard. Maybe not the mid-rangy slightly-compressed tone I expected perhaps, but *nice* . I'm going to order some of the JP PB lights that you and others recommended. Using some D'Addario EJ-16 for now. Thanks to everyone for the helpful tips. (And sorry for hijacking your thread Matthewmtn.)

Interesting! I had been going opposite way. trying to go with heavier touch with adi top & even switching to 13s. What strings did you wind up liking best? I'm going to try PB 12s next to darken it up a bit (and create lighter touch than the 13s).

Happy NGD! Thanks to you & Buc for the info. I do think mine just needs time (November 2019 build) to break in & I'm sticking with it. The trebles are magical & the clarity/note separation is great for fingerstyle.

Happy to hear you love yours! Did you buy it used? I'm wondering if mine just needs some play time to open up?

I've tried the Gibson 80/20 (12s?) that came with it, D'Addario Nickel Bronze 12s, and Santa Cruz Parabolic Mid-tension 13s. Of these I like the Santa Cruz best. I fingerpick mostly. It sounds *great* with a flatpick but seems to be missing something for me with thumbpick, bare fingers. Maybe its an Adirondack vs Sitka thing...

The 2020 "1942 Banner J-45" also has torrefied top. I've wondered about the difference too, additional things I've seen from descriptions are that 2020 1942 Banner has V-Neck and the 2016 Vintage has C neck. Also The 2020 1942 Banner has "legend wire" (bigger?) frets. But like the OP I've wondered if there are voicing differences? Recently bought a new 2019 Vintage and I'm not blown away by it. It sounds open and crisp and loud, but not like the J-45 sound I have in my head. It's a bit too crisp, too much treble and not enough bass. Notes are distinct though, great note separation. A friend who knows guitars really well once told me that bass is cheap and trebles are what define a well-built guitar. But if I have to talk myself into loving it maybe it's not for me... The Standard I played every time I was in GC (pre-virus) knocked my socks off.

Hi All, Long-time lurker here. Being a huge Jorma Kaukonen fan, have lusted after a J-45 for many years. With the current state of the world I've decided to go for it. Life is short. Have the all important spousal permission but am truly overwhelmed by all the choices. So I thought I'd post some likes/dislikes in hopes of getting some suggestions to help me narrow the field. * I play alternating bass blues with a thumbpick. I'll strum it with a flat pick occasionally but that's not the priority, I don't sing much either. * I have a 2019 L-00 studio that I truly love. The neck is perfect for me. Would love to find a J-45 with deep thumpy bass that complements it with bigger sound. * Played a G-45 that was nice enough but I'm looking for the 4.5" depth, more bass. It sounded a little thin to me for big body. * Not going to say money is no object but I would love to get a thermally aged top. And I Iike Southern Jumbos... CME has some nice ones, the 1959 one has thermal aged Sitka top (perfect!) but 1 11/16 nut worries me. I love the 1.72 nut it is perfect. The new 1942 one with aged Adi top looks awesome, but it's really pricey. * Played a J-15 and that neck is too thin for me. Not really looking for another walnut guitar anyway, prefer mahogany. * Those 2013 J-35 reissues look really nice... And pretty affordable for a used one. Listening to clips they sound a little 'brash' though. Thanks in advance for any & all suggestions! -Paul