kebob Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 Don't want to sound stupid but isn't one of the characteristics of the J-45 saturated mids? It is one of the characteristics, but I've heard other J45s and they sound more balanced (less nasal honk). Mine is a 60's reissue, but I think the build is the same -- just cosmetic differences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kebob Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 Yep, lucky you have a couple of spares! (What's the capo like on the d28 or d18?) BluesKing777. Capo on the Martins are fine, especially on the D18V -- that guitar is a beast in every sense of the word -- only thing about that guitar is it has a vintage bridge that is glued in, so no undersaddle pickup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Capo on the Martins are fine, especially on the D18V -- that guitar is a beast in every sense of the word -- only thing about that guitar is it has a vintage bridge that is glued in, so no undersaddle pickup. Answer to your question then - play the D18v for a piece. I don't generally play dreads, but I was seconds away from taking a D18v home a few years back...what a ripper guitar. And last week, I played a truly magnificent 20 odd year old HD28v which was one of the most beautiful sounding guitars I have ever played. Now is a bad time of year for me where I seem to get all the bills at the same time, so....someone else can have the HD.... BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 It's true enough, your average J-45, short scaled dread will start to choke a bit with a capo. The larger SJ-200 handles a capo considerably better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bram99 Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Falling out of J45 love.... I have been feeling the exact opposite. I cooled on my J45TV for the last year and a half due to a recent heavy dose of LG-2 love, first with an LG-2 reissue I bought in 2012, and then the Mahogany Banner LG-2 I got late last year. I have been looking at downsizing all of my posessions including guitars, so I pulled out my J45TV to see if I could live without it. After about two weeks of playing just the J45, I am convinced it is the best guitar I own and maybe the best I have ever played. Now I think it will be the last to go.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brixa Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Fell out of love with mine. Just swapped mine (a 2010 standard) for a 2012 j160e. This is partly because i'm a beatle freak and wanted the 160 to go with my ric 325 and also because i got the 2012 spec martin d18 which is an unbelievable beast. I just got to the point where the d18 took over and i felt the j45 was heavy maintenance - always craved fresh strings and needed a tweak of the truss at the slightest wind change. I'm over the moon with the 160 as its been professionally set up and allows me to drive those big beatle chords. Sounds hellish plugged in but dont care as i use it for acoustic only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 This one's gaining momentum eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skchurch Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 I first played a friend's J-45 and didn't really think it was that great. At the time, I had a J-185 which I played all the time. I really like bound fingerboards and felt it was a little cheap that the J-45 was unbound. After owning some Martins, and really like the twangy and overtones of a Martin, but started to want something a bit more fundamental/direct and with that low-string "thump." So I came back to Gibson and too my chances on a J-45 Custom Koa. I love it! The bling of the Custom is really cool, the Koa figuring is stunning, but best of all--I get great playability and that Gibson tone added to my family of guitars. So after a while away from Gibson (although I have had a Jackson Browne for a while which I think is one of the best guitars ever made--selling my Model A because I also have a Model 1) I am back with a couple of great ones in my collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 I am back with a couple of great ones in my collection. Sounds like an entertaining carousel ride Good to hear from you and don't neglect the opportunity to write more. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hojo199 Posted March 23, 2014 Share Posted March 23, 2014 Early James Taylor -- J50 capoed. I have chased that sound for years. My J45 gets closer to it than any guitar I own or have owned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest J-Doug Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Not every guitar can do everything BUT as a J-100Xtra and a J-45 owner too I think it's kind of unfair to compare a J-45 to a super jumbo. They are very different beasts. Don't make any rash decisions now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 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. Don't have a special recommendation here but agree that experimenting with strings may help. My guts would say heavier gauge but it is hard to predict. However, I experienced that heavier strings sound better with capos. They also show less intonation problems - no need for retuning though I'm a really bad scrutinizer in this respect ;) The only "capmaster approved" ( ) capo up to now is the Shubb C1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry K Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 The very strong mids in the center of the fretboard are what I liked most about a Bozeman made J-50 I owned for a few years. That is the area I tend to hit most with my playing and in that area a good J-45 has a clarinet-like, thick tone which I enjoy. I don't strum a lot so possibly the type of technique I am accustomed to doesn't overlap that much with OP. My J-50 sounded great with a capo. I was using Gibson Masterbilt PB lights on it. I am looking for a J-45 myself and hope to find one in Bozeman this summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Early James Taylor -- J50 capoed. I have chased that sound for years. My J45 gets closer to it than any guitar I own or have owned. Have the feeling Taylor used wooden insert in the early days - but had it replaced with ordinary sized bone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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