fp Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 Just got home from work and it was waiting on my front porch. I haven't strung it up yet, I removed the very old strings and will get new strings on it shortly. A quick visual review. The guitar looks great and is very light weight. Negatives so far. It has one of those machine cut compensated saddles which I hate the look of and it fits too loose in the slot. The pick guard isn't even beveled and I've never been crazy about this modern fire stripe material. I'm going to string it up to see how it sounds then I will be making a new saddle and pick guard for it. If anyone is interested in seeing this particular guitar in a video, Tony from Music Villa made one when they got the guitar in the store. I'm having a little problem posting the link for it here. I did not buy it from them it came from a dealer that traded for it with them. Kinda funny how I wound up with it. I called this dealer about a guitar he had on E-Bay and we got to talking and he mentioned this J45 that he recently got but he hadn't advertised it yet. I told him that was just what I was looking for and we agreed on a price that worked for both of us. I will give a review of the sound after I've played it for a couple of day's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PickitPaul Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Must be a beauty - post pictures when you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Can't wait to hear how it sounds and plays. Congrats! Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fp Posted June 27, 2014 Author Share Posted June 27, 2014 It sounds really good ! I'm not articulate and probably don't have a good enough ear to describe sound like some folks do. I'll say that it has real good volume, good bass and just bright enough. Now the neck, it is BIG ! It's the same size as a J45 Legend I had some years ago. It will definitely take some getting used to. Like I said there is a Music Villa video of this exact guitar. I'll take pictures this weekend and then work on getting them posted. Oh another thing, the fit and finish is top notch, except for the pick guard and the saddle as mentioned in original post. I'm thinking maybe the saddle isn't original. Does Gibson use the machine cut compensated saddles ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 . Glad she arrived safely. . B) ... Does Gibson use the machine cut compensated saddles ? Yes, on some models. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Now the neck, it is BIG ! It's the same size as a J45 Legend I had some years ago. It will definitely take some getting used to. fp, what lead you to sell your Legend? How does your new 1942 Banner RI compare, from what you can remember? Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fp Posted June 27, 2014 Author Share Posted June 27, 2014 Red, the Legend just didn't knock my socks off. I have to really love a guitar to hang onto it for a long time. The legend was heavier then this one and as I remember just wasn't that great sounding of a guitar. I gotta think they are probably identical in build specs except, I believe the Legend employed hide glue throughout where this guitar, I think uses hide for the top bracing and the neck joint ? This guitar is also in the J45TV price range where the Legend is quite a bit more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I'm with you on those cheap non-beveled pick guards…..just looks…..well……cheap! Does this one have an ADI top? Congrats!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Congrats Hoss! Could not agree more on Gibson's take on the firestripe pickguard - they just miss the mark. The replacement firestripe pickguard on my 1942 J50 was made by my repair guy. He even used some NOS celluloid he had laying around and had been saving for a project such as my guitar. Funny thing is that guitar originally sported a tort scratchplate but he thought a well done firestrip would look better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 FP, Congrats on what is obviously a great guitar. it is even sweeter when you find one the way that you did - the stars align and 'behold' you know it's the one. I got a J45 Custom Koa a month ago under similar circumstances and I'm finding it is becoming the one I grab first. it has the thin firestripe pickguard. Having seen them in stores - I really didn't like them. Especially compared to the pg's on my other 2 Gibsons - both of which are the big, engraved, hand painted type. But - now that I have it - I love it. It does the job intended. Doesn't detract from the overall beauty of the rest of the guitar. And is 'correctly' postitioned. Most of all - I like the fact that it so much thiner, smaller and better applied - I think it allows the soundboard more freedom to respond. FYP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fp Posted June 27, 2014 Author Share Posted June 27, 2014 I'm with you on those cheap non-beveled pick guards…..just looks…..well……cheap! Does this one have an ADI top? Congrats!! Yes it's an adi or red spruce top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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