J15 impressions

[stephencoh]

I bought my J15 a couple of days after Christmas 2015 so have now had it with me for almost nine months. Just a few random observations:

 

I like the J15 a lot. Really suits my playing style, looks beautiful, smells lovely and is comfortable to play. I'm glad I chose it over the other Gibson slopes I tried out and I really like the walnut.

I'm still getting used to the short scale. My main guitar until the J15 was a Stonebridge dread with a regular/long scale that I've owned since 2007 so the short scale is still new to me. I prefer Elixir 80/20 Nanoweb or D'Addario Nickel Bronze (both 12-53) on the J15.

 

I had some intonation problems and ended up removing the under saddle transducer, which improved the situation.

I replaced the Tusq saddle with a bone one from a Japanese company, Hosco. The main effect this had was increased bass. Different from the Tusq, not sure if it's better.

For the past few months I struggled with some tuning problems, until a few weeks ago when I discovered the ACU sweetened tuning on the Peterson Stroboclip tuner. What a difference that made! I checked this with the little Planet Waves NS Micro tuner and made note of where the strings are. Now I can get into tune really fast, and just tweak a couple of strings depending on what key I'm in.

 

All in all, a few minor issues with the J15 but I really do like this guitar a lot and look forward to picking it up each day.

[Josee]

I bought my J15 a couple of days after Christmas 2015 so have now had it with me for almost nine months. Just a few random observations:

 

I like the J15 a lot. Really suits my playing style, looks beautiful, smells lovely and is comfortable to play. I'm glad I chose it over the other Gibson slopes I tried out and I really like the walnut.

I'm still getting used to the short scale. My main guitar until the J15 was a Stonebridge dread with a regular/long scale that I've owned since 2007 so the short scale is still new to me. I prefer Elixir 80/20 Nanoweb or D'Addario Nickel Bronze (both 12-53) on the J15.

 

I had some intonation problems and ended up removing the under saddle transducer, which improved the situation.

I replaced the Tusq saddle with a bone one from a Japanese company, Hosco. The main effect this had was increased bass. Different from the Tusq, not sure if it's better.

For the past few months I struggled with some tuning problems, until a few weeks ago when I discovered the ACU sweetened tuning on the Peterson Stroboclip tuner. What a difference that made! I checked this with the little Planet Waves NS Micro tuner and made note of where the strings are. Now I can get into tune really fast, and just tweak a couple of strings depending on what key I'm in.

 

All in all, a few minor issues with the J15 but I really do like this guitar a lot and look forward to picking it up each day.

 

Thank you for a great and objective review. I too made the switch to the J-15 since August, but it's too soon for me to write a "positive" review, as there are little things I haven't been able to figure out...yet. One of them is the "totally uncrowned" frets on the treble side (underneath the G-B-e strings). I do my own fret leveling, so when I've done the last change of strings, the magnifying glass confirmed what I felt with my fingertips: flat top frets that have been sanded down way too much (the music store's luthier determined that the neck angle is off and somewhat warped, which explains why a neck reset would be needed, so I'm trying to negotiate for an exchange).

 

I'm still reluctant to use Elixir strings as I'm a 65% strummer and 35% picker. I've tried the Gibson Masterbilt PB in 11-52 and loved the sound I got from the J-15, compared to the all-time favorite of 12-53.

 

You mentioned the transducer under the saddle...is it that cord thing that looks like a piece of shoe laces? If so, did it affect the sound when plugging the guitar to an amp after removing it?

 

Good to hear about the switch to bone saddle and the brand you chose, especially for some of us who are not fond of the Tusq saddle and nut.

 

Once again, thank you :)

[Boyd]

did it affect the sound when plugging the guitar to an amp after removing it?

 

It will make the amplified sound go away. :) The transducer is the pickup.

[Murph]

(the music store's luthier determined that the neck angle is off and somewhat warped, which explains why a neck reset would be needed, so I'm trying to negotiate for an exchange).

 

 

[djw171]

Thank you for a great and objective review. I too made the switch to the J-15 since August, but it's too soon for me to write a "positive" review, as there are little things I haven't been able to figure out...yet. One of them is the "totally uncrowned" frets on the treble side (underneath the G-B-e strings). I do my own fret leveling, so when I've done the last change of strings, the magnifying glass confirmed what I felt with my fingertips: flat top frets that have been sanded down way too much (the music store's luthier determined that the neck angle is off and somewhat warped, which explains why a neck reset would be needed, so I'm trying to negotiate for an exchange).

 

I'm still reluctant to use Elixir strings as I'm a 65% strummer and 35% picker. I've tried the Gibson Masterbilt PB in 11-52 and loved the sound I got from the J-15, compared to the all-time favorite of 12-53.

 

You mentioned the transducer under the saddle...is it that cord thing that looks like a piece of shoe laces? If so, did it affect the sound when plugging the guitar to an amp after removing it?

 

Good to hear about the switch to bone saddle and the brand you chose, especially for some of us who are not fond of the Tusq saddle and nut.

 

Once again, thank you :)

 

Did you purchase the guitar from new? If so, no way should you be paying for a neck reset (its surprising that it would need it), take it back to the store and get a replacement if that's the case or demand a setup from the store. Not sure where you are located but if non of that works, get in touch with Gibson (I suggest phone not email).

 

The J15 is a superb guitar, I've played mine a lot live and its really opened up.

 

oh and yes don't go messing with the 'piece of shoe lace', its the LR Baggs element.

[Jesse_Dylan]

If it needs a neck reset, that's covered under Gibson's limited lifetime warranty. Of course a brand new guitar doesn't need a neck reset unless something is seriously amiss... That is a bummer though.

 

I absolutely love my J-15. I had planned to start a compare/contrast thread for J-45/J-15. I feel like the 15 carries all the oomph and characteristic of the 45 but has a little more punch and kind of an odd brittleness (not in a bad way). It's still extremely warm but I think gets a little pop at the cost of some of that warmth. It's still fairly compressed, maybe moreso than a 45. It's been a long time since I had a 45, and letting go of mine is one regret of my life. The 15 was meant to replace my old 45 and does a good job. Now I wouldn't want to let go of either of them. It is its equal in every way, just slightly different in a few.

 

I guess I'm happy that I had bone nut/saddle put on mine. I do think it adds a bit of bass whump (not that it lacked whump), but it may also be part of why the treble sounds tight/brittle. I'm not sure what the deal is with that yet (slightly too low action perhaps), but I will someday figure it out. I need to get a stupidly high saddle and try that to see if it changes.

 

I'm also glad I replaced the Baggs Element on it with the Baggs Lyric.

[play4him]

Ever once in awhile, I'll go play some J-45's just for fun, but I haven't been swayed to replace my J-15. It's a great all-around guitar.

 

 

[Jesse_Dylan]

Ever once in awhile, I'll go play some J-45's just for fun, but I haven't been swayed to replace my J-15. It's a great all-around guitar.

 

 

Yours is a special one, too, particularly because of the sunburst. Crazy. It really sets off the rosette in a nice way.

[mz-s]

Yours is a special one, too, particularly because of the sunburst. Crazy. It really sets off the rosette in a nice way.

 

The rosette is stunning on the sunburst J-15s. The only downside to the sunburst J-15 is it hides the beautiful figured walnut back and sides, but that's not a huge downside all things considered.

[play4him]

The rosette is stunning on the sunburst J-15s. The only downside to the sunburst J-15 is it hides the beautiful figured walnut back and sides, but that's not a huge downside all things considered.

 

You're right about it hiding the figure of the walnut on the back. It did bother me a little at first, but I quickly got over it. And really, how often does anyone see the back anyway. But I do appreciate a nice grained walnut back. I've seen some really sweet ones.

[Jesse_Dylan]

The back/sides on mine are really quite boring. A lot of the J-15s have amazing figuring, but not mine! Not that it's ugly by any means...

[Jalex]

I think some of the early models were quarter sawn walnut whereas the newer models are flat sawn, hence the figuring.

[djw171]

Always liked the back of mine

 

[Jalex]

Yes I believe your 2014 is quarter sawn. My 2016 is flat sawn.

 

[blindboygrunt]

Lol

 

Kinda sexy that 😄

[Oubaas]

I shouldn't have looked in here. I have a thing for round-shouldered, AJ-type guitars, my favorite being a Gibson Custom Shop 1958 Country Western reissue that my wife surprised me with for my 50th birthday. It's been almost a decade with that guitar and I still love it. But I've got a bunch of the round-shouldered type from various manufacturers, Epi 1964 Texan reissue, Epiphone AJ500M Masterbilt, Eastman E20SS (Another surprise from my wife. When she bought her latest mandolin, she just decided to grab the Eastman for me), and so forth. I've been wanting an old style J-35 for a while, too. And I've been thinking about the Bourgeois slope model as well.

 

And now, I see the J-15. In walnut. Friggin' walnut. I really like walnut for some reason that I can't quite articulate. I like the way it looks and the way the guitars sound that I've played that were made of walnut. Man, that is a serious, wallet-threatening temptation, and the price ain't bad.

 

Maybe Christmas or something. It's possible. Anyway, nice guitars, folks!

 

[play4him]

Yes I believe your 2014 is quarter sawn. My 2016 is flat sawn.

 

 

 

 

NICE !!!!

[stephencoh]

Thank you for a great and objective review. I too made the switch to the J-15 since August, but it's too soon for me to write a "positive" review, as there are little things I haven't been able to figure out...yet. One of them is the "totally uncrowned" frets on the treble side (underneath the G-B-e strings). I do my own fret leveling, so when I've done the last change of strings, the magnifying glass confirmed what I felt with my fingertips: flat top frets that have been sanded down way too much (the music store's luthier determined that the neck angle is off and somewhat warped, which explains why a neck reset would be needed, so I'm trying to negotiate for an exchange).

 

I'm still reluctant to use Elixir strings as I'm a 65% strummer and 35% picker. I've tried the Gibson Masterbilt PB in 11-52 and loved the sound I got from the J-15, compared to the all-time favorite of 12-53.

 

You mentioned the transducer under the saddle...is it that cord thing that looks like a piece of shoe laces? If so, did it affect the sound when plugging the guitar to an amp after removing it?

 

Good to hear about the switch to bone saddle and the brand you chose, especially for some of us who are not fond of the Tusq saddle and nut.

 

Once again, thank you :)

 

Sorry to hear of the problems with your J15. Yes, it sounds like an exchange is the most appropriate thing for the dealer to offer.

I don't play amplified (I actually can't stand the sound of a plugged in acoustic) so removing the under saddle ribbon was no problem for me, and it did seem to remedy the intonation problem.

Something I didn't mention in the original post: I'm not fond of the thick pickguard. I have no idea if it effects tone but it just looks too thick to me. I don't like the idea of peeling it off but I think a thin tiger stripe one would be a good replacement.

I hope you get the issues sorted soon!

[Jesse_Dylan]

I think some of the early models were quarter sawn walnut whereas the newer models are flat sawn, hence the figuring.

Ah ha! That would make sense! Although I bought mine last year, it was already a year old (new old stock). That would explain why it was plain compared to the other choices (which were a year newer).

 

Something I didn't mention in the original post: I'm not fond of the thick pickguard. I have no idea if it effects tone but it just looks too thick to me. I don't like the idea of peeling it off but I think a thin tiger stripe one would be a good replacement.

I replaced the pickguard on mine, to many whimpers and guffaws. I think mine was not even the thick one (I think that started a year after mine left the factory). Anyway, they're not hard to remove. You can use lighter fluid (naptha?) and dental floss and just slide it under. Won't hurt the finish, but it will dissolve the glue. I got a 1950's J-50 style pickguard instead (but had it made a little bigger to cover the tanlines).