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Falling in then OUT of J45 love?...


kebob

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Have had my 60s reissue J-45 for several years now. For a long time, I loved the sound of it and feel of it. But the past year or so, it has sounded too mid-rangy when capoed up the neck. It still sounds great without a capo, but once the capo goes on (especially third fret and higher) it gets very midrangy sounding -- to the point where it's a turn-off to playing it.

 

I can't tell if it's just this particular guitar or if all J-45's have this trait. :unsure:

 

I have been playing my J-200 and J-100 quite a bit, so maybe they are coloring my tastes?

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Well, , , if this continues to annoy you, it must be time to move on. Things like that happen in life.

 

Then again it could also just be a crisis. . .

 

The other way around with my 1968 SJ - it shines with capo on 3rd/4th fret, but I can't really dig it without raising the key.

 

 

 

 

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Well your j200 and j100 have the longer scale lengths am I right?

 

I think the shorter j45 scale doesn't do so well with capos because the scale is already short and your making it shorter. My two gibsons with short scale don't sound that great with capos either

 

This seems the most likely cause. My J45 seems much more "open" sounding without a capo -- it seems to really be noticeable plugged in, no matter how it's EQ'd.

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Surely the big bass of the jumbos would make the j45 sound 'lesser' ?

You need a small bodied one to play before you lift the j45!

Different strings ? Plectrums ?

They are famous for being midrangy , so its doing what its meant to.

Maybe em's right. You could give it to me :)

 

I kinda like mine with a capo.

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Looking at your arsenal kebob I'd say that for songs that you want to capo you need to pick another weapon...and you've got'em in spades! Or, try different strings to see if you can strike a balance between capoed and uncapoed. Over time I've found that some of my guitars are better for certain songs than others...or is that just another rationalization for owning multiple instruments?

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What sort of capo do you use ??

 

I use both a Keyser and Shubb. BBG -- it was your video posted from last week that really got me thinking about my J45. I loved the way yours sounded -- it was very well balanced, didn't have the mid-rangy honk mine seems to have. Again, mine sounds great without a capo -- maybe it's just not meant to be played capoed.

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Have had my 60s reissue J-45 for several years now. For a long time, I loved the sound of it and feel of it. But the past year or so, it has sounded too mid-rangy when capoed up the neck. It still sounds great without a capo, but once the capo goes on (especially third fret and higher) it gets very midrangy sounding -- to the point where it's a turn-off to playing it.

 

I can't tell if it's just this particular guitar or if all J-45's have this trait. :unsure:

 

I have been playing my J-200 and J-100 quite a bit, so maybe they are coloring my tastes?

 

I have a 2012 J-45 that sounds great open and totally choked by a capo above the third or fourth fret...no sustain at all on the fifth or above. New strings, old strings, D'Addarios, Pearse, Shubb, Kyser. Relief is good, action is good. I know it and work around it.

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I don't have an issue with a capo on my J-45. Probably play more with one than without actually.

But, I understand what you are saying.Sometimes I'll grab my Martin OM-21 for a change and

fall in love with it's sound for a while . Then go back to the short scale and think "ah...this is great.

Glad I have a choice.

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I have a 2012 J-45 that sounds great open and totally choked by a capo above the third or fourth fret...no sustain at all on the fifth or above. New strings, old strings, D'Addarios, Pearse, Shubb, Kyser. Relief is good, action is good. I know it and work around it.

 

Yep -- this sounds like my case.

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I'm not a fan of kysers , apart from their 'handyness' but it would be more of a tuning issue with them than sound difference.

But a shubb shouldbt give you any jip.

 

Hmmmm

 

I use ksyers when I'm gigging as they clamp onto the mic stand and are fast-changing. Tend to use the shubb for home use.

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Tastes and styles do change and sometimes an old favorite just does not fit in as well as it once did. It happened to me with a J-200. There was a time I would have scaled the highest peak to scream out how good this guitar sounded. But now it has been several years since I have taken this guitar out of its case for anything other than a quick wham, bam thank you ma'am play. Showing what goes around comes around my wife played a J-100. She professed an undying love for that guitar until she got hold of the J-200. The J-100 ended up going bye bye while she cradled the J-200 in her arms.

 

But you need be mindful about the falling in and out of love thing. Can't speak fo ya'll but I definitely go on binges with this guitar or that. Ain't got nothing to do with love but maybe a fleeting obsession or momentary infatuation.

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I play traditional Irish/Celtic in DADGAD and one of my main requirements when considering a guitar is how it responds when capoing up to the 10th fret. I play a lot on frets 2, 3, 5, 7, and 9. Unfortunately, the 3 or 4 J-45 Standards I've tried that sounded good when played open, sounded not-so-good when capoed...especially the higher up I got. As craig mentioned, they literally sounded choked with no sustain when using a capo. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, my J-35 which sounds fantastic when played open, retains that same great tone, balance and sustain when capoed anywhere up to the 10th fret. I use Shubb and Planet Waves NS Pro capos with the capo placed directly on the fret...not ahead of the fret.

 

DC

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Physics says shorting string length will take some of of the energy out of it's vibration which would transmit less energy to the top, accounting for perhaps some decrease in volume. It's for sure that different cuts of wood (same species) react to string vibration differently, hence great sounding guitars and mediocre ones of the same model. It would therefore not be surprising that these differences in wood would account for some guitars that sound great when caped, others not.

 

(.....how's that, BBG?)

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I tend to find that capos dampen the low and mid range on any guitar. Can't imagine how much volume you would lose placing a capo on the fret though. Anyway, you might try going with a different capo like an Elliot, Paige, or Pearce Ol' Reliable.

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Try using a Dunlop Victor capo. Best sounding capo, IMO. Another thing you could do is try John Pearse New Medium strings. Medium on 1,2 and 6, rest light. This will boost the highs and lows to compensate for your mid heavy sound.

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Looking at your arsenal kebob I'd say that for songs that you want to capo you need to pick another weapon...and you've got'em in spades!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yep, lucky you have a couple of spares!

 

 

 

(What's the capo like on the d28 or d18?)

 

 

BluesKing777.

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