CAMELEYE
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Posts posted by CAMELEYE
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All Gibson classicals have the same body shape, coincidentally the same shape as their LG/B series steelstringers.
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What a pair!
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As arthritis continues to weaken my hands and make for painful playing on steel strings I find myself turning more and more to nylon stringed guitars. Fortunately I have
two very good ones, a Martin 00-18G and it's rosewood brother a 00-28G. The wider fingerboards and lower tension of the nylon strings allow me more playing time
with less effort, less pain. So long flatpicking. It's been fun.
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Looks legit to me. Maybe Gibson's getting wise to the fact Grovers don't really belong on a J-45 and have gone back to Klusons ( generic ones though in this case).
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I've had a few over the years and like you sold them off for other things but a few months ago bought a used '16 locally. Sounded like most good J-45s sound. Action was low and the guitar had no "issues".
I feel it plays and sounds just fine. I was never a fan of adi nor baked tops so a Standard was what I was looking for.
Swapped out the Grovers for Klusons and replaced the flubber guard with one from Taylor Mullins and I'm good to go. Haven't done anything with the internal pickup, doesn't bother me. Same for the nut and saddle.
In general I think most modern J-45s are consistent. As folks say, better to play before purchase but if that opportunity doesn't present itself I'd feel confident with just about any J-45 these days.
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Another vote for light nickels. On my J-45 I've been using Martin Retros and subbing a 13 for the e and a 17 for the b strings.
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I wonder if the surge in popularity of folk music in the late '50s to early '60s had something to do with Gibson's promotion of the J-50 and its slight up charge. Most folkies of the day seem to have preferred natural topped guitars perhaps due to the influence of the
Kingston Trio whose every album cover showed the natural tops of Bob Shane's D-28 and Nick Reynolds Martin tenor.
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It's a clean machine.
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I had one of these J-50s with the plastic bridge way back in the late 60s. It had an incredible tone. I loved that thing ... only guitar I ever had that was stolen. Hope someone's playing it now. My thought: don't change the bridge unless you absolutely have to. Ce
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I'll probably go with D'Addario PB lights when it's time for a change. Use 'em on my RJ and others. I am curious to try a set of nickle lights though. Might increase the "funk" factor.
Larry, the newer BKs are bubinga. Produces a good tone, but I prefer the slightly earlier ones in mahogany. Ce
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mr. n, I first tried one out a year or so ago when the Gibson Acoustic Trailer came by one of our local dealers. At the time I was more focused on a J-185 so when I tried the Arlo I was flat out unimpressed because I was seeking a different tone . Liked the look though. Then I got serious about picking up a Robert Johnson and managed to find a used one about a month ago. I thought, this is it. Now I have all the small bodied guitar I need. Har, har. (The wife would say.)
So, last week I walk into another local Gibson dealer and lo and behold, there flanked by L-00 Blues Kings, was this tiny Arlo. Thought I'd give it a try. Big mistake. When I finally looked up an unknown length of time had passed and my pickin' buddy was pacing the floor. I played every style of pickin' I knew on that little guitar, then grabbed a capo and tried out the higher stuff. I was hooked! Went home, thought it over, and two days later I thought I'd just go back and give it another shot. Big mistake (not really!). Got a great deal and now, here we are. Ce
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mr. new, So, you're really taken with this little guy. So am I. At home here, I've been A/Bing it with my RJ, which now sounds and feels like a huge guitar in comparison. The Arlo however just cuts through. The top b and e strings ring out and, well, all the notes on this guitar are easy to hear. I got used to the neck pretty quickly too. Don't have a problem going from one neck width to another. The scale though is another matter. After playing the Arlo for any length of time I have to keep an eye on my left hand for a bit if I switch to a 24.9 or 25.4 scale instrument.
Maybe others who have had this guitar a little longer than we have will share a comment. Anyway, enjoy! This guitar would make anyone happy! Ce.
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Nice! Very nice! I just picked one of these up last Friday from a local dealer and am amazed at how much fun this little guy can be. Luckily I don't have big hands, so the slightly narrower fingerboard doesn't bother me. The short scale makes playing a breeze and the tone is, well, funky. I've found fingerpicking closer to the end of the fingerboard produces a nice round, full tone while flatpicking with a heavy(ish) pick produces a clear somewhat jangly response. Besides its great looks, the Arlo is extremely comfortable to hold. Now, if I can just get this thing away from my son for a while ... Ce
Need help spotting if J45 Standard is Real or Fake
in Gibson Acoustic
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Mos def the real thing!