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J45 vs J15


MorrisrownSal

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Posted

I didn't mean honeymoon with the woman. I meant usually there's a 'honeymoon' with a new guitar. Never mind the fact that the hummingbird had such a trek behind it.

I thought you'd be delighted with it , foot at leaast a week ?

As soon as it arrived you were shopping for something else?

Strange in my book , not in yours, fair enough dude !

Posted

I didn't mean honeymoon with the woman. I meant usually there's a 'honeymoon' with a new guitar. Never mind the fact that the hummingbird had such a trek behind it.

I thought you'd be delighted with it , foot at leaast a week ?

As soon as it arrived you were shopping for something else?

Strange in my book , not in yours, fair enough dude !

 

I know, I meant the guitar, not the woman! My girlfriend wouldn't do that. :P I was just continuing with the metaphor.

 

I am definitely delighted with it! This is one (and maybe "the" one) that I'll keep for life, and hopefully after I'm gone, someone else will keep it for their whole life, too. If the house were burning and I could only carry something in each arm, it would be my cat and the Hummingbird (I only said two items because there's no way I'd leave my cat!!) Beyond the fact that it's the most expensive thing I own (worth more than my car!), it's the guitar for me and the one I wish I'd started out with. If it were the only guitar I owned, I'd still be tickled. (And probably still want a J-15.)

Posted

Between posting here, resurrecting old threads, watching youtube guitar videos and shopping…. do you actually have any time left to play the Hummingbird? ;)

Posted

I know, I meant the guitar, not the woman! My girlfriend wouldn't do that. :P I was just continuing with the metaphor.

 

I am definitely delighted with it! This is one (and maybe "the" one) that I'll keep for life, and hopefully after I'm gone, someone else will keep it for their whole life, too. If the house were burning and I could only carry something in each arm, it would be my cat and the Hummingbird (I only said two items because there's no way I'd leave my cat!!) Beyond the fact that it's the most expensive thing I own (worth more than my car!), it's the guitar for me and the one I wish I'd started out with. If it were the only guitar I owned, I'd still be tickled. (And probably still want a J-15.)

 

I said that about every guitar I own. Most have moved on lmao. Eventually I'll get down to 2 I hope. Really looking at a Kevin michales carbon fiber now though

Posted
1439840111[/url]' post='1685929']

I said that about every guitar I own. Most have moved on lmao. Eventually I'll get down to 2 I hope. Really looking at a Kevin michales carbon fiber now though

 

If they only made a carbon fibre j15 and j45 just to throw a curveball at Jesse's decision because "what if" it's raining outside and you just gotta be outside playing guitar?!? Or "what if" you are canoeing while playing your guitar and you accidentally upset the canoe? Out of all the "what ifs" running around your head I bet you never thought of those. You're welcome!

P.S. Get both the J15 and J45 so we can get on with helping you pick out your Rainsong already!rolleyes.gif

Edit: Just wanted to clarify I am only having fun because I have been there!

Posted

Jesse,

 

obviously we are all teasing you. There are perhaps one hand's worth of folks on this forum that are not afflicted by the hunt. There is nothing wrong with seeking more than one great guitar. Our "wisdom" to you is born from our own mistakes. It seems like the Gibson sound has grabbed you as it has grabbed all of us. If you want a slope, by all means get one.

 

Enjoy your Bird. I find that mine does everything for me that my slope did for me. You may find differently.

Posted

Between posting here, resurrecting old threads, watching youtube guitar videos and shopping…. do you actually have any time left to play the Hummingbird? ;)

 

I'm between jobs at the moment, so also add in some perseverating and panicking over that, too. :) "Should I apply for this? But what if this one turns out to be better? What if I get this one and hate it and should have gotten the other??"

 

I said that about every guitar I own. Most have moved on lmao. Eventually I'll get down to 2 I hope. Really looking at a Kevin michales carbon fiber now though

 

I had really hoped to get it down to 4. However, I don't know if I can part with my D-18 or M-36, and I'm sure I can't part with my 7-28... and I want a J-15... eek. (I don't even count the carbon fibers! You don't have to count those!)

 

If they only made a carbon fibre j15 and j45 just to throw a curveball at Jesse's decision because "what if" it's raining outside and you just gotta be outside playing guitar?!? Or "what if" you are canoeing while playing your guitar and you accidentally upset the canoe? Out of all the "what ifs" running around your head I bet you never thought of those. You're welcome!

P.S. Get both the J15 and J45 so we can get on with helping you pick out your Rainsong already!rolleyes.gif

Edit: Just wanted to clarify I am only having fun because I have been there!

 

Luckily I have a Composite Acoustics GX in green from years back and a green CA Cargo as well! :) They are great to have, especially in the winter when it gets so dry.

 

Jesse,

 

obviously we are all teasing you. There are perhaps one hand's worth of folks on this forum that are not afflicted by the hunt. There is nothing wrong with seeking more than one great guitar. Our "wisdom" to you is born from our own mistakes. It seems like the Gibson sound has grabbed you as it has grabbed all of us. If you want a slope, by all means get one.

 

Enjoy your Bird. I find that mine does everything for me that my slope did for me. You may find differently.

 

It is probably a good thing they don't make an inexpensive square. :) This will force me to get a slope. If they had a Hummingbird without bling and the same woods as the J-15 for the same price...

 

(I think they should make one, but I'm sure they don't want to take sales away from the Hummingbird)

Posted

Apparently Gibson made a flamed walnut J-45!

 

Theoretically, it should be identical to the J-15, other than the difference in neck/bridge/fretboard. However, it also has an Adirondack top and hide glue construction just to confuse things. :)

 

It was interesting listening to videos of various other guitars Gibson has done in walnut and kind of picking out the walnut vibe and tone. I think it's given me a better picture of how the J-15 might sound in reality instead of in YouTube videos.

 

The walnut J-45 didn't sound quite as bright, which is odd. One would expect that with the Adirondack top, it might actually be even brighter.

 

Fellowship of Acoustics J-15

 

Fellowship of Acoustics J-45 Walnut (Adirondack)

 

Sound fairly similar, actually. In the two videos, the first place he plays in each is identical, so it makes for a handy comparison. I'm pretty satisfied that if the J-15 were made with mahogany back/sides and neck, it would sound like the J-45 (perhaps a big "duh!" there!), so, again, interesting, because the J-15 vs. J-45 comparison does come mostly down to mahogany vs. walnut.

Posted

Jesse, you can listen to video clips all day long, but in the end they're no substitute for the real thing.

 

Just about every Guitar Center on the planet stocks the J-15. Get out there & at a minimum play three of them, as my golden rule is to never judge a Gibson model based on only one in-hand example.

 

FWIW, I'll tell you that to my ears, mine has more of a maple tone than anything else. It was one of the first J-15s produced (1/2/14), and it's the only one I've ever seen with a Custom Shop logo on the back of the neck (including another one bearing the same date). I purchased it from AMS because it was not yet in stores. It was probably the first one they received, because they always use it for their stock photos when they run out of inventory - and as of today, they've got it posted again with the logo in full view. Don't know why it's been so embellished, but I sure like this particular guitar, as it has the quick decay & punchy tone I prefer for fingerpicking.

 

But regardless of what mine sounds like, you've clearly discovered a variety of opinions, and I believe this reflects the variations to be found from instrument to instrument in the world of walnut. Therefore theoretically, there's probably a wide pallet of baseline tones produced from this model - all the more reason why you need to get off the internet, hop in the car, & go play a bunch of them in person!

 

Keep havin' fun with it, and hope you find one that truly satisfies your ears.

Posted

About twice now, I have decided on the J-15, and that's partly the reason. Then I think, yeah, but... what if? If I could just play the dang things...

Just noticed this. Where are you located?

Posted

Just noticed this. Where are you located?

 

Thanks, amigo--sounds like you have a pretty special one!

 

As far as I know, the only folks that stock Gibson acoustics in the state (ND) are Jacobsen Music, and the only ones left are here in town, a J-29 (which I've played) and an LG-2 AE (which I have avoided playing because I think I'd love it). I called the ones 100 miles away and 200 miles away, and they have nothing. They did not order any during the last cycle, so the ones remaining are all from 2015 (The year, not the model year, so I guess 2014 model year).

 

I'm not sure how much farther I'd have to go to try one out. It might be worth it, depending... :) Or maybe I'd spend so much on gas that I won't be able to get the guitar anymore!

 

It's a shame, because apparently right here in town he sold loads of J-15s last year, back when I didn't even know they had Gibsons. (This was their first year getting them, and in general they did not sell as well as they'd hoped, and then they got an e-mail from Henry dictating what they needed to order, and they said they were out. It is possible they might go back in again, but I'd imagine that would make it a ways off before they got anymore J-15s, like maybe even next year since the actual 2016s are just trickling in elsewhere. I'm not sure how it works.)

 

The last guitar trip I made was over to Music Villa in Bozeman, MT, and that was a LONG drive... 8 hours or something? I'm sure they always have one or more J-15s in stock.

Posted

Thanks, amigo--sounds like you have a pretty special one!

 

As far as I know, the only folks that stock Gibson acoustics in the state (ND) are Jacobsen Music, and the only ones left are here in town, a J-29 (which I've played) and an LG-2 AE (which I have avoided playing because I think I'd love it).

My goodness, North Dakota? That certainly does clarify the dilemma.

 

So with that cute little LG2-AE just gathering dust in the local store, I'd say it's just begging to be played in order to assist you as a future reference point. What if someday you start seriously wondering about smaller acoustics, and you totally passed on the opportunity to play this one while you had the chance?

 

Rule #1 > A guitar in hand is worth a hundred on the internet !

Posted

My goodness, North Dakota? That certainly does clarify the dilemma.

 

So with that cute little LG2-AE just gathering dust in the local store, I'd say it's just begging to be played in order to assist you as a future reference point. What if someday you start seriously wondering about smaller acoustics, and you totally passed on the opportunity to play this one while you had the chance?

 

Rule #1 > A guitar in hand is worth a hundred on the internet !

 

Well, that's a fair point! I wouldn't mind trying the J-29 again, too, and they have a ton of Martins, including some very high-tier ones. I just feel bad going in there all the time and playing stuff. I need to buy a capo from them or something.

 

To be fair, if they had bought another round of guitars, we'd have Gibson and Martin aplenty here, but they really did not like the changes and forced orders Gibson made. Hope Gibson has changed that.

 

I'm actually surprised we don't have a Guitar Center here. Maybe I'd actually buy less guitars if I could play a wide variety every weekend. :)

Posted

Duluthdan, I think you should have brought that j45 home with you!!

 

I tried... believe me... I tried. Was absolutely not for sale. Too early in the release. Only got to play it because the Gibson factory folks brought a handful of new up and comers to Music Villa in Bozeman for the Gibson Homecoming group to see and touch. They recognize a great audience for their stuff, and they are the best... but secretly I think they delight in tempting us with candy we cannot have... :rolleyes:

Posted

I really think I might buy a J-45 Vintage someday to match my Bird, like when I'm good and settled and have a decent income!

 

But for now, J-15 and Bird should make a nice pair. :)

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