Guth

Here is what went through my mind as I listened to your performance: I imagine myself sitting on a couch in a dimly lit room. It's early in the morning after a very long night. One of those moments when I know that I should just go get some sleep, but I don't as I just want to finish listening to the song. While absorbing your rendition of this tune a slight grin appears on my face — subconsciously summoned by the last bit of energy that I can still muster. Nicely done. That guitar suits you well.

Things like the bracing, back & side wood, top wood, etc. all can have an impact on tone of a guitar and certain generalizations can (and will) be made. Yet I feel it best to consider acoustic guitars holistically. There are a large number of measurable variables when it comes to a guitar's construction. In the end, a guitar might sound quite a bit different than one would expect given the elements that went into it's creation. A while back Murph made a statement to the effect of a good guitar knows no age and I couldn't agree more. I have played many vintage Gibson's with tone that to my ear was disappointing despite their well-aged wood. Why some of those old Gibson's sing like angels and others don't is anyone's guess. What I find of value is the knowledge that when it comes to tone, some guitars for whatever the reason are simply greater than the sum of their parts. They might be older or newer, built lightly or perhaps heavier, use only certain types of glue or not, so on and so forth. In the end, the only way to know if a guitar really floats your boat is by playing it, listening to it and feeling how you yourself react to it. jrodriguez311, there is no way of telling just how much difference the back bracing might have on the tone of your two J-45's. It can definitely be somewhat fascinating to ponder. Obviously what's more important to my way of thinking is which one of the two you enjoy the tone of more in spite of those differences.

When the strings are brand new they will exert far more of their own influence on the overall tone. Some people like this while others prefer the tone once the strings have been on the guitar for longer. The more resonant a guitar is, the less impact aging strings can have on perceived volume and responsiveness. It sounds like you’ve been ready for a new set of strings for a while now. The low E string sounds like it might be the victim of lowered humidity as others have indicated. When the weather outside turns cooler requiring the use of forced air heat inside our homes (for most of us) it decreases the overall level of humidity inside the house by quite a bit. In the case of a solid wood guitar this can cause top of the guitar to sink a bit resulting in the buzzing like you are now experiencing. In this case humidifying your guitar through the course of winter should do the trick. There are plenty of options for humidifying a guitar such as the sponge in a bag method detailed by Sal above. I would add that if you do choose to go that route you’ll want to leave the sponge damp as opposed to wet. Squeeze the wet sponge until no more water is dripping from it before placing it in the plastic bag with holes. Mixing guitars and water is not a good thing – you only need a small bit of moisture in the case to do the trick. Check on the sponge occasionally to make sure that it stays damp through the winter. I personally prefer to use Oasis humidifiers with my guitars for this task.

So I used to think given that my middle finger tends to be my dominant picking finger when I’m fingerpicking. Of course that was until I tried my hand (pun intended) at this style of playing for myself a number of years ago. The challenge was even greater given that it was also the first time I had tried to use a flat pick in ages. Such a disappointing experiment. In my case I realize that I would likely need to start all over from scratch just as I did when I first started to fingerpick. At this stage of the game I’m just not sure that I would have the patience to do so. But I do still think about it every once in a while

Did you happen to be wearing shorts while playing? If so it might just be a haze from rubbing against your skin in which case an appropriate guitar cleaner or polish would likely remove it.

I would guess that there is a fair amount of variation even within the same species as well. When it comes to tone, people tend to generalize (myself included at times) with respect to various woods or specific guitar models. But it's always nice if you can "try before you buy" when it comes to acoustic guitars because you just never know. Often the most eye opening (ear opening?) guitars are those we would never have encountered were we to rely solely upon what we read on the Internet.

I have played cedar topped steel stringed acoustics in the past including a couple of Lowdens. I recall that they were very responsive for fingerpicking and the tone was agreeable but it has been a couple of decades since doing (so that is about all that I can remember). Agreed. This thread makes me think of my experience with the Taylor guitar that I purchased. It features an englemann spruce top over a mahogany back and sides. Englemann is characterized as being responsive to a light touch without much headroom. The guitar I ran across is both responsive to a light touch and has a surprising amount of headroom, more than ample enough for my needs. Historically Taylor guitars have held little appeal to me and englemann spruce was not on my list of desirable features in a guitar. It is surprising that I even checked the guitar out in the first place but I am glad that I did. It is easy to make generalizations about guitars, but in my experience it always comes down to the individual guitar. You are describing what I refer to simply as a resonant guitar. To me, this is one of the requirements when it comes to the gems of the acoustic guitar world. In my experience one of the strengths of maple is it's ability to project so it tends to come across louder to the audience than it does to the player.

I truly think that this is your best option. A few thoughts... I see that your 000 Martin actually features a long scale neck. If the fret spacing on that guitar feels tight to you then I'm guessing that you might have a hard time with any short scale guitar. But again, actually playing the guitars is the best way to find out. This will also give you a good idea of how the neck profile, nut width and string spacing (at the nut and saddle) of a guitar suits you. I can relate to being nervous playing in front of others as I have that problem myself. I just consider the uncomfortable feeling to be part of the price I pay when it comes to finding those guitars I've considered spending my money on. Keep in mind that no one in the store has any idea how long you've been playing for. Just do your thing and focus on the guitars themselves. I would suggest that you take your Martin along with you as a point of reference given that you are very familiar with how it sounds (not to mention knowing what you do and don't like about it.) You will likely find that some shops might tend to make guitars sound better in general than others. By taking along your Martin you will get a better feel for how this is impacting your impressions of the guitars you try out. Hey, you're getting to go out and geek out on guitars, try to enjoy it and good luck!

This is the guitar that was originally to be released as the Gnome Signature Model. However it seems that there were numerous creative differences with the garden gnome along with some very unreasonable demands around model dimensions that prevented the project from reaching fruition. Gibson moved forward with the project on their own. The LG-1 1 3/4 is representative of the compromise that Gibson came up with. The rest as they say is history (unlike the rest of my post).

To put it a different way, my guess is that most people in attendance in a setting like you are describing would not be able to identify the difference in sound quality between an amplified J-45 Legend and any other J-45 (or any number of other acoustic guitars for that matter). On the other hand if playing what sounds best to you is the objective then I can better understand your motivation for such use. Which of course is what really matters.

Tried viewing the video again this evening and was able to connect successfully this time around. I love good Gibson acoustic content just as much as the next guy, but I'm glad that you didn't wait Sal. Sounded really nice.

If I was going to be playing out and using a pickup I couldn't see myself picking a guitar (no pun intended) like the J-45 Legend for such an application. But as far as sitting around playing on the couch goes (or on the front porch, or for recording in the fashion that I do for that matter) it would likely be a great choice.

It appears that I've missed out, receiving a "Video unavailable" error.

Greetings jt. What a great surprise to check in and see your presence here. I am really glad to learn of your positive news and the potential for even more. All the best, Guth

In some ways guitars are like books. When they pass from one owner to the next it is like starting a new chapter. Your chapter just happens to be starting out with a bit of suspense and a touch of mystery. When all is said and done I hope yours proves to be one of the best chapters in the book.

First off, please understand that I am sympathetic to the situation facing you. But you should know that in reality you likely aren't all that different than most people who hang out online on guitar-related forums. You only need to pay attention to how often others are buying and selling guitars to realize that you are not the only one who has yet to figure out what exactly makes you happy and remain fixated on your playing. For many it can be a real crap shoot finding a guitar that makes them want to keep playing once the honeymoon period with a new guitar has worn off. Also try to keep in mind that when it comes to the path of acoustic playing not everyone is hiking on the same trail. Based on your comments above regarding the fretboard and fret spacing I would be curious to know that specific Martin model it is that you own. It sounds as if you would prefer models featuring a long scale length. As far as fretboard width is concerned, that can be tricky. Not only does the nut width come into play, but so does the string spacing at both the nut and the saddle. In addition the neck/fretboard profile can also have a considerable impact on how a guitar plays and feels. These are amongst the reasons that I recommend seeking out guitar shops in your area. to play a variety of different Gibsons for yourself. Even if it feels stressful to play in front of others, chances are you'll be glad you did if you end up finding the right guitar for you. Good luck!

Consider yourself fortunate to have those resources available as many brick & mortar guitar shops have bitten the dust over the past few decades. My suggestion would be to not worry about what anyone else thinks and take advantage of what your city has to offer. Guitar shops are full of people who don't let a lack of talent get in their way of trying out guitars while enjoying the process. Getting your hands on the very models that you are considering is far more informative than any words that can be shared here. In addition to experiencing the tone, you'll get a feel for "the feel" of each guitar. I'd also suggest trying a few other models in your price range just to see if anything else might tickle your fancy. Sometimes you just never know what will truly appeal to you. Years ago I stopped by my neighborhood acoustic guitar shop (now gone) just to browse as I so often did back then. I had a habit of running my thumb across all six strings of some of the guitars hanging on the walls just to experience a bit of their tone and get a feel for how resonant they were. I've never been very enamored with Taylor guitars and this shop did not carry them, but they did have a used one hanging up for sale that day. Even though it was well over a decade old it looked practically brand new and was priced surprisingly low. So I went ahead and checked it out. I was caught off guard at how good it sounded. Then I pulled it down off the wall and played it — it played really nicely. Finally I compared it with a few other guitars in the store and realized that it sounded better to me than anything else in the store at twice the price and then some. I ended up buying the Taylor and still have it today. It is the one guitar that I leave hanging up on the wall, ready for me to play on a whim most of the year. (In the wintertime when it is not being played it stays in it's case along with an Oasis humidifier just like the rest of my acoustics.) I'm not advising you to go out and buy a Taylor guitar. But I would advise you to go to some of your local guitar shops to experience as many Gibson guitars for yourself as you can.

Hard to go wrong with a J-45 TV. I look forward to learning just how much inspiration you find in this one. Congratulations Sal!

Interestingly, this is how I would describe the tone of any Gibson that I consider to be a great example. But I get what you are saying. When picking hard the sound from a model like the J-45 would generally be more inclined to compress. AJ's typically seem to have more headroom. The harder you pick the louder it gets and the more it starts to bark (the tone gets a bit more one-dimensional). How all this would accompany a solo performer would likely depend on the performer's style, voice, and preferences. My interest in the AJ partially developed from watching Roy Book Binder perform with one. In that context the AJ sounded great.

Very creative drathbun, nicely done!

I'm game as I have some time on my hands this evening (as will be proven by the length of my post which I will apologize in advance for). In my case a review of my posting history here on the forum reveals that I have had a long-term love/hate relationship with these guitars going back many years now. Yet I would say that I'm hooked on Gibson acoustics in the sense that I kept coming back to them time and again, always in search of the dry, woody tone that I have tucked away somewhere deep in my mind. While I'll admit to being hooked on Gibson acoustics, I would also note that I just happen to really like acoustic guitars in general. I have owned some really nice ones over the years from a number of prestigious builders. For whatever reason those guitars have all been moved on to new owners. I do still have a couple of guitars from the other major builders — a Martin and a Taylor to go along with my Gibsons. They all get played and I do enjoy them all. However, at some point down the road I will eventually begin to sell off some of my guitars. But as long as I have at least one acoustic guitar around it would seem that I am sure to have a Gibson. Here is my Gibson timeline... I purchased my first Gibson acoustic from Ray Hennig (of Ray Hennig's Heart of Texas Music) in Austin back in 1991. I had just been to a guitar show there in town and stopped by Ray's store afterwards as it was only a few blocks away. While talking with Ray he asked if any guitars had grabbed my attention at the show. When I told him of the one that did he asked how much the guitar was. Upon learning the price of the guitar at the show he informed me that he could hook me up with a brand new one for that amount. The guitar was a J-30 and Ray made me a hell of a deal. I would go on to buy my second Gibson from Ray as well. It was a mid-90's J-50. Both of those Gibson's are now gone (as is the HoT Music store itself that was located on South Lamar). My favorite thing about those particular Gibson guitars was that I bought them from Ray. Amazing guy — truly one of a kind. Ray sold an unbelievable number of guitars to countless musicians over the years yet he always recognized me every time I stepped foot in his store remembering exactly what guitars I had bought from him in the past. Sometime around 2000 or so came a J-35 that I purchased from Fuller's Guitar in Houston. I took a day off of work in Austin and headed down to Houston specifically to visit Fuller's. They had a lot of Gibson's there but it was one of their J-35's in particular that caught my ear that day. It would wind up joining me for the drive back to Austin. It was an otherwise uneventful trip as I didn't stop anywhere else other than Fuller's that day. That J-35 is also long gone as I ended up trading it back back to Fuller's for a National Vintage Steel Delphi guitar. It appears that Fuller's Guitar itself is still doing well to this day. In 2008 I purchased my J-45 TV made that same year from Cotten Music in Nashville. It was listed in amongst the used guitars that they had for sale. When I called Kim Sherman (a truly awesome woman) to inquire about it she had someone play the guitar for me over the phone. I could tell just by what I heard over the phone that the guitar had some qualities that I liked. It remains my all-time favorite guitar out of all of those that I've owned. I see that Cotten Music is no longer around as it was acquired by The North American Guitar and is now TNAG Nashville. It does appear that Kim is still around and a partner in the business. Around 2009 or 2010 I purchased my 2006 Advanced Jumbo from Pioneer Music here in Portland. My friend Dan was working at the store the day that I happened upon the AJ. When he asked me how I liked the guitar I replied something to the effect that I was likely going to buy it. He just kind of nodded his head while commenting "that thing is a beast", lol. Pioneer music has been closed for a number of years now yet I still have that AJ. My last Gibson encounter came by way of a trade. A shop here in Portland named Guitar Crazy had a 2007 maple Advanced Jumbo that caught my eye every time I stopped by. I never asked to play it as I didn't really need another guitar nor did I really have the money to spend on one. Then one day while stopping I got to talking to the owner about the maple AJ. That's when I learned that the guitar belonged to a friend of the shop's owner and that he might be open to trades if I had something that appealed to him. The rest is history as they say. That was back in 2012. It was my last guitar acquisition and practically my last time to step foot in a guitar store. Guitar Crazy no longer has a brick & mortar presence. It will soon be coming up on eight years since I brought the maple AJ home with me. At this point in time it seems very likely that I am done acquiring guitars. I suppose it is only fitting that my last acquisition involved a Gibson acoustic guitar. One other thing to note: I played numerous others Gibson's over the years including quite a few vintage models. It is likely pure coincidence that I ended up hanging on to the three Gibson's that were built over three consecutive years from 2006 to 2008. On the other hand who knows, this just might have been a particular time during Gibson's Bozeman factory history that resulted in guitars that appealed to me more than all the others I've encountered over the years. So there you have it. Whatever the reason behind the attraction, I feel extremely fortunate to own those Gibson's that I have ended up hanging on to.

Thanks for the additional videos EA! There is a whole lot of guitar goodness going on in the last video that you shared. It's fun to listen to all of those guitars back to back.

Wow MissouriPicker, what a cool way to honor a piece of history — one that belongs to both yourself along with the town that you grew up in. There must be others who are also very appreciative of this effort. Thanks for sharing!

Very nice sounding guitars EA. It has been around a half dozen years since I was a regular visitor here on the forum. Perhaps I'm mistaken but I don't recall you doing a lot of fingerpicking back then. If that is the case then you've obviously been putting some time and effort into your technique since then. Well played!

Just the same two short test recordings that I made with my maple AJ back when I first got it. For a multitude of reasons I haven't really been playing guitar for quite a while, let alone getting around to making any recordings. But here recently I have started to do a little picking once again. In turn I've started hanging around the forum. As I've started playing a bit more I've noticed that I've had more of a temptation to pick up the maple AJ. I have no idea why at this point, but my "maple curiosity" seems to be a bit elevated as of late. At any rate, here are my maple clips... Maple AJ Test 01 Maple AJ Test 02