sbpark Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 Was killing time today so I popped into a local "big box" shop while waiting for a couple of feral kittens to get fixed that were abandoned by their mother in my yard. I'm not even close to being a cat person, but do have a soft spot for kids and animals, so I decided to at least get them vaccinated and fixed, then released back out in the wild. Gained their trust over the last couple months, and was able to get them in carriers and take them to the vet today. Anyway, while I was waiting I wandered into said music store to kill some time. As mentioned in my other thread, I recently sold a J45 that I had for a couple years, but never bonded with. If after a few years it's not working it's safe to say the guitar has to go. i tried loving that guitar but couldn't. Other J45's I played always sounded better to my ears. So after selling that one I started looking around. Saw a nice SJ for a killer price in Reverb, but was reluctant to pull the trigger because these guitars vary so much from one to another. I am lucky enough to have two 5-star dealers within an hour of me. Checked one of them out and played everything they had J45/SJ. The Standard they had was a real dud. Lifeless and dull. The SJ sounded real nice but had a really thin neck, so I was on the fence about that one, but man did it sound good. Also played what was either a 2014 or 2015 TV that was brand new that they had left over and it was nice, but nothing to write home about. They also had a bunch of special edition J45s in different colors and a black and white SJ, but I didn't play those because I'm just really into the sunburst. They also had a ton of other limited edition, custom shop and special run slope shoulders, but they were all well beyond my budget.I called the other 5-star dealer but they only had some really high end Gibsons, but no J45 Standards left in stock. So today I wandered into this particular store and they had a 2017 J45 Standard. My old J45 was a very tight and constricted sounding guitar, and always sounded choked to me. I tried everything with that guitar. Light gauge strings helped a little, but I always felt like it was holding back. The 2017 I played today was the opposite. Very responsive, dynamic and damn, it has a sweet, fat, thumpy, almost thunderous low E, but still super balanced across all strings if that makes any sense. Not super bright and trebly like my old J45. The one 5-star dealer was pretty strict about sticking to MAP, and would only budge a little, but the other 5-star dealer was willing to go between 10-15% below MAP since they knew I'd be driving at least an hour away, but unfortunately they didn't have anything I was interested in. I brought this up to the guys at the shop today and they asked the manager if he could do the same. The manager said he couldn't, but the sales person gave me a friends and family coupon worth 20% off, which made my day. I asked the guy what his favorite beer was, but he said he'd probably get in trouble if I brought him a case of beer as a thank you. I really wish I could have repaid the kind gesture. So needless to say I ended up with a 2017 J45 Standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 Congratulations! Looks like a J45! Well you can explain to us J45 afficianados how much better the new one is, but there could be some fast talking with family and friends to tell them you got the same guitar. :mellow: By the way, is there any difference in the specs between the old one? BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 Well happy NGD! So is this one right off the wall? Nothing required to further dial it in? Or does it need a tweak here and there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbpark Posted October 6, 2016 Author Share Posted October 6, 2016 Well happy NGD! So is this one right off the wall? Nothing required to further dial it in? Or does it need a tweak here and there? Relief is fine, neck angle is perfect (took a straight edge to it and it just clears the bridge when laid on top of the frets), action is a tad high but pretty much the way Gibson sends them out with 7/64" on the low E and 5/64" on the high E (I like 6/64" on the low E and 4/64' on the high E). Nut slots could be a touch deeper, but it intonates perfectly and doesn't pull sharp with first position chords (something I've found to be common with new Gibsons). It just needs a basic set up to dial it in where I like it, nothing major. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbpark Posted October 6, 2016 Author Share Posted October 6, 2016 Congratulations! Looks like a J45! Well you can explain to us J45 afficianados how much better the new one is, but there could be some fast talking with family and friends to tell them you got the same guitar. :mellow: By the way, is there any difference in the specs between the old one? BluesKing777. Yeah, I'm not saying anything to anyone! I will have to explain it to my tech though. He's going to think I'm a nut. Spec wise I don't think so. The only things I notice outright are the thick, gummy pickguard and the bridge pins appear to be made from Tusq, not plastic anymore. I know last year or the year before they started claiming that they are now using finer grit sandpaper and the finish is shinier or something like that, and the fretboard edges are rolled? Who knows. Doesn't feel much different than the 2014 I had prior, but it sure sounds different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 No better guitar than a j45 Congratulations We gotta hear it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 Beautiful burst on that one. You really did some ear work to find it. Enjoy. . . . We gotta hear it Sí, and see (what happens when you announce an NGD) ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 HNGD! Good response to "Now what?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 Sounds like you've already bonded. I guess I've always believed in "Love at first bite." Congrats !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 Well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 HNGD! Good response to "Now what?" Exactly. Was just a matter of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly campbell Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 Congratulations .. I still love mine and have had it a couple years now. I am sure you will continue to enjoy that one. By the way Lovin the dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bayoubengal1954 Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 Welcome back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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