DJClem Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Hi all What would you choose: 1) 1966 j45; bridge now fixed ( modified); pretty banged up but no structural stuff at all - straight and sounds and plays great. 2) a new j45 TRue Vintage. It's new from a dealer. Also sounds and plays great. Both pretty much the same price. One consideration..I have a son who's a much better player than me. When I'm dead and gone in 30 years and he's my age now...which will have stood the test of time better. I like the idea of him or a grandchild playing the old mans guitar every day. Views appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 I'd buy the new J45. Old guitars are still old guitars. How they sound and all that stuff totally depends on who is doing the listening. Unless someone famous played an old guitar, it's still an old guitar. I've got a couple of old guitars and I like them. They sound good. I'm sure they've been through a lot of human trials and errors, but they're still just old guitars. Only worth what I was willing to pay for them...... I know that others feel differently, but I just don't see the premium price they ask for a lot of vintage instruments......... Go for the new J45 and don't look back......And welcome to the forum. Which ever guitar you get, get us a video/sound file of you playing something on it. Many of us would like to hear it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 I dunno, but I sure like my J45 tV. Less to worry about. Now if the old one was a "56 rather than a 66, i might opt for the mojo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bram99 Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 I think the J45TV is the best guitar in the Gibson line-up. Mine is 5 years old is getting better everyday. Pick the new one....when your son gets the guitar all the wear and tear will be his old man's wear and tear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 The True Vintage model for sure, i reckon its much more bang for the buck. It it was a 50's it would be more of a toss up, and if it was a 40's then it would be a no brainer and Id go for the old boy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 For me we see two cases of the classic 'vintage guitar market' attitude here...... (both from aussies post) 1) It it was a 50's it would be more of a toss up 2) and if it was a 40's then it would be a no brainer and Id go for the old boy. This is a great example of what drives the price of old guitars northbound, based on total assumptions and nothing concrete. Truth be told even if it was a 40's or a 50's job it could still be just an 'old guitar', they're not all 'special', even on the internet/youtube you can easily find many that are called 'special' and sound incredibly average if not totally un-special. Go for the guitar you like the sound of (and look of) regardless of it's maturity. Not everything old is gold. No denying some old guitar do sound magical, we've a few people here own old pieces that sound fabulous, but an awful lot of them don't, or don't sound any better than your average 2nd hand J-45 (recent model 10-15 years) and will be trading at 35-45% of the price if not even lower. In your case I'd go for the new TV model if I liked the sound & feel of the one you tried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 This is based on pure personal experience PM which is the best, first hand method of evaluating. From my experience 60's J-45's are only OK, 50's have a specific tone that is highly appealing in many ways, and 40's have a very distinct tone that at least to my ears seems to be prevalant only to that era guitars. And in the end you can only describe your own experience, whether the OP takes it as something of a guide for him is his personal choice. For me we see two cases of the classic 'vintage guitar market' attitude here...... (both from aussies post) 1) It it was a 50's it would be more of a toss up 2) and if it was a 40's then it would be a no brainer and Id go for the old boy. This is a great example of what drives the price of old guitars northbound, based on total assumptions and nothing concrete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 This is based on pure personal experience PM which is the best, first hand method of evaluating. From my experience 60's J-45's are only OK, 50's have a specific tone that is highly appealing in many ways, and 40's have a very distinct tone that at least to my ears seems to be prevalant only to that era guitars. And in the end you can only describe your own experience, whether the OP takes it as something of a guide for him is his personal choice. I hear ye man, I hear ye..... the point I'm making is that generalisation of "it's its 50's good, if its 40's better" has a great baring on the market unjustifiably. Plenty of guitars from those years sound really average and some sound worse than average. Very much buyer beware territory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr faustus Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Hmmmm - I don't buy into the "just old guitar" theory. Guitars have a history and a certain feel to them Sometimes old guitars have a sound - whether it's from how the wood aged or who has played it or whatever, that new guitars lack. That being said, I don't think anyone can answer this question but you. If you were thinking about the guitar as an investment - which guitar will be more valuable in the future, then advice could be given. You want to play your guitar - so try both, and whichever one sounds better to you and feels better, is the one you should get. Your son will, I'm sure, be happy to have a guitar that you played and loved, so I wouldn't worry which would be better for him. Find the one that you love, buy it, play it, love it. And your son will be honored to have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Or much like an old lady, it's just well broken in and will soon have health issues that need a bit of attention..... Several things people don't factor in, old guitars are often quite delicate and not always suitable as roadworthy unless you have the time & money to transport them in optimal fashion, they will also cost more to repair and the repairs expense can be very significant, and rather often the vintage instrument value (antique) is considerably higher than its general value/worth as a musical instrument. They make nice enough investment pieces I suppose... each to their own, but one very very poignant point to make is that if your skills are average that high dollar vintage guitar wont make you sound better, if your skills are top notch you can make the cheapest POS sound great. Celebrate the workman, not the tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fullmental Alpinist Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Pick the new one....when your son gets the guitar all the wear and tear will be his old man's wear and tear. Nicely put. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Working Mans Blue Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Well, whichever one sounds the best would be my normal answer. But 60s j45s have no playability to speak of for me, so I'd take the tv without even thinking about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMELEYE Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 '66 will have the narrow 1 9/16 neck. A major deal killer for me anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 ... Pick the new one....when your son gets the guitar all the wear and tear will be his old man's wear and tear. +1 Besides Bram's spot on comment, I'd rather have the new TV. And welcome to the forum. . B) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Neither one... one is over valued.. the other is modified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 '66 will have the narrow 1 9/16 neck. A major deal killer for me anyway. Thats a defo deal breaker. I played a Hummingbird with the 1 9/16th nut width and skinny neck profile and it was laughable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 The J45 TV would win but by deafult. I do not cotton to the neck profile and nut width of the 1966 guitar. In the ened though, I would probably just put my money away and wait until a guitar I really wanted showed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJClem Posted April 10, 2014 Author Share Posted April 10, 2014 Thanks for all the advice. I've read negative comments about the 60's models but the one I played sounded great - boomy and rich - and for a strummer like me nice and playable. Never played a 50s or 40s model though so nothing to compare. The TV was also great. Couldn't A/B them as different sellers. Anyway leaning to the TV overall. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR GIBS Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 I'd buy the new J45. Old guitars are still old guitars. I am totally with this opinion. Take the new one and don't look back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 I would go with the new one. The old one has no sentimental value that you would be passing down. Create some new memories with the new one IMHO old guitars are just old guitars unless they have an absolute killer sound or some kind of history Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Another option is to keep looking a bit - there are more than 2 guitars for sale ......... I also tried a Humster with skinny, very skinny neck and it felt like a pencil after some of my v necks. BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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