Irish_Rover Posted December 4, 2015 Share Posted December 4, 2015 [thumbup] Love the truss rod cover and that walnut back is gorgeous! Now, how does it play? How does it sound? I agree with Cliff, that pick guard on the RK fits the guitar perfectly. Edit: I've just been back through the thread and realised that you never mentioned changing the pick guard, it was his idea in the first place Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted December 4, 2015 Author Share Posted December 4, 2015 Both of those look KILLER! And there's no need to change our that RK pickguard at all. You even got one with a beautifully dark fretboard...holy cow you did well!!!!!!!! And fantastic job on that Gibson truss rod cover. It looks so so so sooooo great! Thanks Cliff - I'm really really pleased with both. By the way I made the pickguard - it came without one and when I asked where it was the seller emailed me to say it was ugly and had never had one put on it (which was true!) I made this one out of some pick guard material I had knocking about. The sellers Fellowship of Acoustic do have a nice one to suit - costs though!! I may buy one later - link here:- http://www.ebay.co.u...K%3AMEBIDX%3AIT Nice isn't it? Bet you say "get it" I have to say that there is not a great deal of difference in tone between the J15 - AJ45 and the RAJ27, not a lot at all. It would be hard to make a choice. The J15 does smell nice though - it does have a proper nitro finish. As we say in Yorkshire - I'm proper chuffed!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodger11 Posted December 4, 2015 Share Posted December 4, 2015 As we say in Yorkshire - I'm proper chuffed!! So you should be Mick - that's a fine stable of guitars and when you play the J15 and look at the trussrod cover the memories will always be there. Beautiful guitars and great job with the pickguard - looks a lot like the one on my EJ160e. Can we hear them now??? They deserve a youtube at least or a couple of mp3s uploaded somewhere. As they say in Essex - I'm well jeal (although I'm in Belfast!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted December 4, 2015 Author Share Posted December 4, 2015 [thumbup] Love the truss rod cover and that walnut back is gorgeous! Now, how does it play? How does it sound? I agree with Cliff, that pick guard on the RK fits the guitar perfectly. Edit: I've just been back through the thread and realised that you never mentioned changing the pick guard, it was his idea in the first place Thanks, They both play very well indeed - I have lowered the action on the RK and put 11s on - I sought of like that looser feel - or am I getting weak in the left hand. Anyway it seems to play better now. So I intend lowering the action on the J15 and putting 11s on that - I'm using Martin (spit) Custom Light 11 - 52 - 80/20 bronze. As I have said to Cliff there is not a deal of difference in the tone of all three. I always said the AJ45 was a good guitar. The AJ45 is the least bright but it is mellow and chocolaty - the RK is brighter (just) and slightly louder (I think) the J15 is mellow but really needs a while to settle anyway - it should improve with age (I hope) I also hope to age with it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted December 7, 2015 Author Share Posted December 7, 2015 Can we hear them now??? To give a fairly clear example of how each sounds I have recorded 3 chords on each (2 or 3 times C,D,G- maybe not in that order) I used a Tascam DR-05 at about 2 feet away from the guitars. There is nothing but the sound of each guitar. Can you tell which is which? https://soundcloud.c...3/three-guitars They are a: Gibson J15 b: Recording King RAJ-27 and c: Masterbilt AJ-45ME - not (or could be ) in that order. Same strings on them all - Martin Custom Lights 11-52 80/20 bronze Same order again - trying to keep it simple so that you can hear the difference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodger11 Posted December 7, 2015 Share Posted December 7, 2015 Thanks for that Mick. I think the middle one might be the Gibson but they do sound very similar. Amazing sustain on all 3 guitars and a nice sweetness too. Are they all keepers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted December 7, 2015 Author Share Posted December 7, 2015 Thanks for that Mick. I think the middle one might be the Gibson but they do sound very similar. Amazing sustain on all 3 guitars and a nice sweetness too. Are they all keepers? Thanks Dodger, they are certainly all keepers. I'll let you know which is which later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Same order again - trying to keep it simple so that you can hear the difference Jeez, I must not be very discriminating. They're all pretty darn close. I'm going to guess RK, Epi, Gibbie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffenstein Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Just goes to show that all the hoopla people make over mahogany vs rosewood isn't really worth all the hoopla. A good guitar is a good guitar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted December 9, 2015 Author Share Posted December 9, 2015 Jeez, I must not be very discriminating. They're all pretty darn close. I'm going to guess RK, Epi, Gibbie. Well it was ...................... (long pause for effect) Masterbilt AJ-45 , Gibson J15 , Recording King RAJ-27 I have listened over and over again myself - I've moved the mouse to the same area of recording to get a closer sound - dodged from one to the other and........ I can (because I know what they are) tell the difference - The Masterbilt AJ-45 is a little quieter (you can see that on the recording visuals) The RK RAJ-27 is a little louder and ringing with more sustain and the Gibson J-15 is somewhere in the middle (maybe sweeter?) They do all have that Gibson growl they talk about so much. Then they do all have different B&S - AJ-45 Mahogany , J15 Walnut and RK Rosewood I was really surprised how similar they all are though - I was pleased at how well the AJ-45 sounded in comparison, as I have pushed that damn thing from day one - it is a nice guitar both in sound and feel and if you want it to sound louder just plug it in. Dodger - You win the prize for the best guess - or were you guessing?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodger11 Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 I played a j15 and aj45me in Dawson. Thought the j15 had a lovely dry woody sound and it sounded most like the middle recording. Is my prize the pick of the guitars?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted December 9, 2015 Author Share Posted December 9, 2015 I played a j15 and aj45me in Dawson. Thought the j15 had a lovely dry woody sound and it sounded most like the middle recording. Is my prize the pick of the guitars?? OK I'll send you a pic of all three Dodger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodger11 Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Hoho That is a great prize - guitar p0rn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted December 10, 2015 Author Share Posted December 10, 2015 Hoho That is a great prize - guitar p0rn There you go Dodger, just for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish_Rover Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Well done Dodger! I stayed well away from this, as the potential for embarrassing myself was too great, especially as I now own one of the guitars. Now the prizes have been given out I feel safer. I honestly didn't have a clue, any guess, and it would have been a guess, I might of made would have been based more on the graphics than what I can hear on my iPad. I might boot up the desktop today so I can listen through my stereo and, armed with the answers, nod sagely at the very subtle differences. I am pleased how well the AJ-45ME stood up to the comparison and Cliff is right - a good guitar is a good guitar regardless of who made it, what materials were used and how much it cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodger11 Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 There you go Dodger, just for you Wow - 3 beauties - have to say you did a great job on polishing the AJ45 - it looks amazing. Now I could just sit and look at those all day - of course would love a strum too! The 3 guitars look really similar in shape too and I suspect most of the tone comes from the top which is probably why the tonal difference isn't pronounced. Off topic I know Mick but did you get rid of your Texan, AJ500 and the Harley Benton Solid Wood? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted December 10, 2015 Author Share Posted December 10, 2015 Dodger, Thanks. The AJ-45 looks like a vintage guitar - it has a really nice patina I did sell the Texan and the AJ-500ME - The Texan was not getting much use so I sold it to an old guy (get me - old guy - I'm 69 and I think he was a year or two younger than me) who was just learning - he said he had an old Eko Ranger and could not believe how easy the Texan was to play. I had set it up with a very low action and it was in showroom condition. The AJ-500me, I just could not get on with - it's about the same size as the Texan and same weight but it felt heavy and unwieldy and just difficult to play. So I sold that too. Hope the buyer doesn't read this thread The Harley Benton is still with me, in a case at the moment as I'm considering lowering the action and putting lighter strings on it. That has a different sound from these three slope shoulders. It's more a Martin copy. It has a lot of sustain and sounds really good played in a drop D - it rings out well. And that's all I have now just the four acoustics - oh! and I have a Squier Jagmaster - that is a fantastic electric guitar. I've had it a few years and would never part with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodger11 Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Nice Mick - do you do open mics or gig or are you a house player? Sorry to be nosey but all 3 of those guitars seem suitable for gigs or open mics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted December 10, 2015 Author Share Posted December 10, 2015 I play to amuse myself and keep sane. It's just a hobby. I like to try different music styles - been promising myself I'd get into jazz but I learn a bit then stop for months then go back to it. It's all a bit like that. Keeps me busy in retirement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish_Rover Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Sorry, couldn't resist a peek at Dodgers' prize. The polished AJ-45 looks amazing, actually they all look great but you know what I mean. You obviously weren't so keen on the satin finish either, must have taken some nerve to do that, looks fantastic now though. you're a braver man than me Gunga Din. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted December 10, 2015 Author Share Posted December 10, 2015 Sorry, couldn't resist a peek at Dodgers' prize. The polished AJ-45 looks amazing, actually they all look great but you know what I mean. You obviously weren't so keen on the satin finish either, must have taken some nerve to do that, looks fantastic now though. you're a braver man than me Gunga Din. Yes Irish it was very scary for a time as I did it - I must admit I thought I had ruined it at one point but I pressed on and it just seems to get better. I give it a rub with a cloth every now and then and often with the palm of my hand - I think it builds up a bit more sheen every time I still love it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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