Lars68 Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 I have quite a few guitars of various kinds. Way more than my talent level justfies. The other day, I thought about which of the acoustics I like the best for the simple tunes I like to play. It came to a split between two guitars, my 1942 J-45 and my 2012 Sheryl Crow SJ. The old 42 is just the best sounding guitar I have ever played, but the chunky neck takes a little effort to master. The SJ on the other hand playes like butter, and has the best tone I have ever heard in a new guitar. I bought this guitar four years ago, and in my mind it has the perfect set of features. It will without a doubt sound just as good as the oldie once more time has passed. If I was forced to keep only one new guitar, it would be the SJ. To me, it also has the perfect combination of cosmetic features, banner logo, narrow bridge, firestripe guard, parallellogram inlays, sunset burst, bound fingerboard, waverly tuners etc. I have made a few simple modifications. I added a replica guard, removed the label, slotted and ramped the bridge, glued the saddle and added bone pins. Not because it was needed, but just because I like to tinker. So, there is still love in the air four years on... Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly campbell Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Beautiful guitar Have you ever posted any songs on here with you playing? I would be curious to hear it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretplay Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Hope you have it insured Lars it's worth a fortune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 hey Lars, that is a beautiful guitar, never tell your self an instrument is more than you can justify. we only get one crack at this, and one thing for sure, you'll never out grow or get bored with something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 I have made a few simple modifications. I added a replica guard, removed the label, slotted and ramped the bridge, glued the saddle and added bone pins. Not because it was needed, but just because I like to tinker. So, there is still love in the air four years on... Lars Lars, When you slotted and ramped the bridge, did you buy saws and files similar to the ones StewMac sells, or did you adapt other tools? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Not surprised the love affair still continues. Theres nothing in the world like a 40's era slope. Your '42 SJ looks to be in amazing shape and I only heard great things on the Shazz SJ. Wonder how it compares to my Aaron Lewis SJ which i would say it the sounding Gibson slope Ive come across. btw: is that '42' mahogany topped ? For some reason i may recall you mentioning in the past that it was mahogany top ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siddhartha Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 I'd have to agree, Lars-and thank you for your helpful comments on mine. It's an amazing guitar, and I'm glad I have one! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Not surprised the love affair still continues. Theres nothing in the world like a 40's era slope. Your '42 SJ looks to be in amazing shape and I only heard great things on the Shazz SJ. Wonder how it compares to my Aaron Lewis SJ which i would say it the sounding Gibson slope Ive come across. btw: is that '42' mahogany topped ? For some reason i may recall you mentioning in the past that it was mahogany top ? I believe the SJ in the picture is his modern guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 I believe the SJ in the picture is his modern guitar. Ah yes, correct, thats the Shazza SJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 I believe the SJ in the picture is his modern guitar. Yes, as I get it, the beauty above is a contemporary 2012'er. Easy to understand the romance goes on. Are there SoundCloud links, Lars ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Really a sweet guitar. Play it for many DECADES.....And there's no need to apologize for good taste in guitars. What kind of guitars one has and how many is one's choice. For myself, I think my Gibsons help to present me at my best (whatever level of talent I have). Perhaps more than anything, I like them and couldn't care less what someone else might think. The people I know who matter get it. The ones who don't get it don't matter. Have a blast with your guitar. It's your opinion that matters most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted March 29, 2016 Author Share Posted March 29, 2016 Thanks for all the kind words, friends. The guitar in the picture above is the modern SJ. When I slotted the bridge I used one saw from Stew Mac, and one homemade saw I built by glueing two small blades together. I used the first saw for the thinner strings and the second on for the thick strings. If I'm not mistaken you can now buy saws in various gauges. It is an easy and satisfying job. Just go slow... Here is a soundclip of the modern SJ (strings are actually three years old, believe it or not...I like a dry sound) https://soundcloud.com/lars1968/va-r-stad-1 Here is a soundclip of the 42 J-45 (this one is in English, and actually about the guitar. A little cheesy, I know, but I love guitars). Here is the 42, EA it has a spruce top. This might be hard to relate to, but I have often felt that my rudimentary skills on the guitar have made it hard to justify me having some of the best guitars out there. However, I now realize having guitars that inspire me to try to write my own songs is a fantastic gift that I hope to share with my two boys when they get older. Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwalker201 Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 That is a beauty Lars. Having just purchased a J-45 I now see what the attraction is to having one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avery Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Beauties, Lars. (Not to mention your D18 which I have to say seems to record really well.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usernameinvalid Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 That is one nice looking Guitar. I played a Sheryl Crow SJ a few years ago and have been wanting one ever since. That 42 J45 is in nice shape. Does it have a straight bridge I thought all J-45s had belly bridges Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 That 42 J45 is in nice shape. Does it have a straight bridge I thought all J-45s had belly bridges The belly-up bridge did not appear on the J-45 until about 1947-'48. Some SJ's had belly-down (Martin style)bridges going back to the early 1940's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Br1ck Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 I picked up a banner J 45 by mistake in a store one day. It had been taken out of the glass case for someone to play and not put back yet. It was very rough, but love at the first strum. That is when I decided I needed a Gibson. On my shopping forays, just a few guitars stood out. The Sheryl Crow was one. The new J 45 vintage was the other. I ended up where I started, in the vintage room of Sylvan in Santa Cruz where they had a 1941 J 35. Alas, unaffordable to me, but I found my Texan. You have some good ones there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Here is the 42, EA it has a spruce top. This might be hard to relate to, but I have often felt that my rudimentary skills on the guitar have made it hard to justify me having some of the best guitars out there. However, I now realize having guitars that inspire me to try to write my own songs is a fantastic gift that I hope to share with my two boys when they get older. Lars Lars, does that guitar have a second, very narrow dark rosette outside of the primary white soundhole rosette? It almost looks like it. I've never seen that before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usernameinvalid Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 The belly-up bridge did not appear on the J-45 until about 1947-'48. Some SJ's had belly-down (Martin style)bridges going back to the early 1940's. Thanks for the info. I didn't know that about the bridge on J 45. I guess you're never to old to learn something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted March 29, 2016 Author Share Posted March 29, 2016 Lars, does that guitar have a second, very narrow dark rosette outside of the primary white soundhole rosette? It almost looks like it. I've never seen that before. Yes, it does. It is one of the tell tale signs of a 1942 (first year) guitar. The body binding also has a similar extra inlay. Other signs are inlaid back strip, and a pickguard that almost touches the bridge. My guitar also has a late style J-35 bridge with a drop in saddle. On the banner registry site, the only listed "batch-mate" to my guitar also has one, so it is original. Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Yes, it does. It is one of the tell tale signs of a 1942 (first year) guitar. The body binding also has a similar extra inlay. Other signs are inlaid back strip, and a pickguard that almost touches the bridge. My guitar also has a late style J-35 bridge with a drop in saddle. On the banner registry site, the only listed "batch-mate" to my guitar also has one, so it is original. Lars Great-looking guitar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Both guitars sound and look fantastic. Such a great personal pair to be around every day. Be proud'n'glad 2000 ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEgjeq1mGSA , , , withheld snare-drum power ;-) A free and fast translation - There are paths behind you that never disappeared - though the snow laid his carpet and forests they did burn And you heard someone yell - it's the reason you walk here through your private bank of memories of twenty long gone years The forests are silent but they won't forget a thing Since the first times you were trying they created a ring, , , around happiness and fear around reality and dream See the house is standing still while the seconds slowly sway A lamp lights up the window from the alleyway you come and the little boy ain't sleeping though the hour is late Every summer is returning they all rush through your soul This is from where you came it's the naked truth 'bout you Now you see him so clearly and you're calling out his name, , , and he is jumping toward you lift come lift him up so high he sees the world beyond the village Tell life has just begun wash the darkness from his eyes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 Thanks, Em7. That is a great song by a great artist, who will remain unknown to most because the languge he sings in is kind of obscure in the big scheme of things. How did you come across this song and the translation? Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 A Swedish painter I know was kind enough to give me the record around the millennium. Like it a lot. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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