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SJ or AJ...differences?


SWD

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Whats the differences in a Southern Jumbo and an Advanced Jumbo?

Local guy(within driving distance) has a 2006 Advanced Jumbo up for sale.

It looks awesome from the pics...a few dings, but those are character marks to me.

Whats the going rate for a nice AJ these days anyhow???

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From my understanding the SJ is essentially a gussied up J-45 (fancier fret inlays, etc.). The AJ is a different animal altogether: it has Rosewood back/sides (whereas the SJ is hog) and as such produces a boomier bottom end. I would think I used AJ would go for around $1,700-1,800.

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Both have sitka tops - the SJ is hog and a short scale, while the AJ is rosewood and a long scale - of course there are variants of both models. I own both - the slightly blingy SJ is like it's plain Jane sister, the J45 - versatile, with the hog warming up the tone, and the short scale making chording and fingering it a bit easier around the fretboard. The rosewood AJ has a brighter sound/tone on the high end and a bit stronger in the low end, with plenty of overtones and a bit of a metallic-like quality to the overall sound. You might find one a bit lower than $1700.

 

 

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SJRWAJftonts.jpgI can speak to how these guitars compared when invented -- 1936 for the AJ and about 1942/43 for the SJ.

 

The AJs were RW and the very first SJs were too -- but these are very rare.

 

Here is our 1936 AJ and 1942/43 SJ RW

 

SJRWAJftonts.jpg

SJRWAJbacks.jpg

 

Here is a tone comparison.

 

 

We also have a 1943 J-45 and a 1943 SJ (mahogany) that are very early. Both are very light, both have the same specs except for the bridge, and both sound about the same -- but very different from the RW SJ. The RW SJ is the only banner I have (or have played) that has the right tonal properties and power to excel as a bluegrass rhythm guitar -- as does the AJ.

 

J45SJfronts.jpg

J45SJbacks.jpg

 

Here is a comparison of the two SJs -- very different.

 

 

Best,

 

-Tom

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