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Pairing a J-45


theflyingturtle

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I was reading another post of the fellow that wanted to buy an AJ to compliment his J-50 and it got me thinking. If you had a J-45 ONLY, what guitar would you buy next? Something completely different for contrast? A small guitar? A J-50??? I am thinking along the lines of pairing food with wine. I'll go first; I'd take a LG-2 or a Martin 00-17. I would go small but not leave mahogany. There is nothing better to sing with for my voice.

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I'd hate to suggest going to the dark side... but I'd look for a D18. Actually, some dealers have done custom D18s that have a short scale... I would love to see one of those.

A more cost conscious choice might be a used LG2 or an 00-15m

 

I'd say a D28 or HD28 instead of a D18. Nothing against the D18 at all, but with the D28 or HD28 you have rosewood, so more of a tonal difference instead of having two mahogany back and sides guitars.

 

y three acoustics at the moment are a J45TV, AJ and a Waterloo WL14. I can cover a ton of ground with those three. Sold my two Martins last month which were an HD28 and a 000-15M.

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Maple.

 

 

A good "if stuck on a desert island and could only bring two" question. Something maple, something short-scale, with a larger box than the J-45. Basically the quilt maple Hummingbird I've been looking for.

 

Ask me a year from now, & the answer will have changed. Once or twice.

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If you do end up seeking out a D18, try to find a post-2012 model-they are VASTLY superior to the previous iteration that ran from the early '90s until '12. The new ones have forward shifted bracing and a fantastic neck. I had a pre-facelift 2006 model which didn't do much for me at all, a very basic thing with very little character. Sounded like whatever strings you put on it. I bought a 2014 00-DB Tweedy signature at the same time in a bundle deal and the Tweedy was LIGHT YEARS better than the D18, a really lovely little guitar.

 

Having said that, I traded them both for my SJ200 and whilst I'd love to own another Tweedy (and a modern D18) , I don't regret the trade at all.

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Is that a hypothetical question, or are you actually considering? Only reason I ask is that the latter suggests a more down-to-earth answer. Also, I'm not sure what variety J-45 we're talking about, considering age and incarnation. They're not the same! First, I guess I'll cover my own situation. My J-45 is a good'n for singing - it strums, flatpicks, and fingerpicks equally well. What I'd like for complementary purposes is something that someone here on the forum - many apologies for not recalling who or which post; I ain't tryin' ta plagiarize none - called the "boom and chime". I'd like to access that sound. The best I've heard would come from an older Guild G-37. Spruce over maple, arched back, D size.

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Agree, Context. It would help to know if this is 'theoretical' or are you actually looking for advice. Also need help understanding why someone looking for a 'compliment' to a J45 would consider buying a J50? Isn't that just a blonde J45?

And, not to appear provincial - but since this is a Gibson Acoustic Forum - is the question posed expecting us to suggest (standard?) Gibson guitar models, or any model under the sun?

If the former - I'd go with a maple Dove.

If the latter - an Esteban El Dorado.

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Agree, Context. It would help to know if this is 'theoretical' or are you actually looking for advice. Also need help understanding why someone looking for a 'compliment' to a J45 would consider buying a J50? Isn't that just a blonde J45?

And, not to appear provincial - but since this is a Gibson Acoustic Forum - is the question posed expecting us to suggest (standard?) Gibson guitar models, or any model under the sun?

If the former - I'd go with a maple Dove.

If the latter - an Esteban El Dorado.

 

I'm with 40 but I would shake it up. You have a Jumbo Spruce over Mahogany so I would go with a Super Jumbo or small body with different tonewoods.

 

If the former - I'd go with a Gibson Nick Lucas RW or Standard J200 Maple

 

If the latter - an Alvarez Artist Series AJ80CE Jumbo or a vintage Harmony arch top Cremona (solid carved spruce top with maple back and sides)

 

Why limit yourself to two?

 

[biggrin]

 

 

 

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Agree, Context. It would help to know if this is 'theoretical' or are you actually looking for advice. Also need help understanding why someone looking for a 'compliment' to a J45 would consider buying a J50? Isn't that just a blonde J45?

And, not to appear provincial - but since this is a Gibson Acoustic Forum - is the question posed expecting us to suggest (standard?) Gibson guitar models, or any model under the sun?

If the former - I'd go with a maple Dove.

If the latter - an Esteban El Dorado.

Maple Dove is an excellent choice!

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1493483556[/url]' post='1852244']

If you do end up seeking out a D18, try to find a post-2012 model-they are VASTLY superior to the previous iteration that ran from the early '90s until '12. The new ones have forward shifted bracing and a fantastic neck. I had a pre-facelift 2006 model which didn't do much for me at all, a very basic thing with very little character. Sounded like whatever strings you put on it. I bought a 2014 00-DB Tweedy signature at the same time in a bundle deal and the Tweedy was LIGHT YEARS better than the D18, a really lovely little guitar.

 

Having said that, I traded them both for my SJ200 and whilst I'd love to own another Tweedy (and a modern D18) , I don't regret the trade at all.

 

I paired my J45 with the Martin Tweedy and couldn't be happier the J45 is just great for gigging in an acoustic duo but the Martin is really at home being at home , it's a fantastic couch guitar being fingerpicked . Yes I love the J200 but just a bit too big for me and I don't strum just fingerpick .

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Is that a hypothetical question, or are you actually considering? Only reason I ask is that the latter suggests a more down-to-earth answer. Also, I'm not sure what variety J-45 we're talking about, considering age and incarnation. They're not the same! First, I guess I'll cover my own situation. My J-45 is a good'n for singing - it strums, flatpicks, and fingerpicks equally well. What I'd like for complementary purposes is something that someone here on the forum - many apologies for not recalling who or which post; I ain't tryin' ta plagiarize none - called the "boom and chime". I'd like to access that sound. The best I've heard would come from an older Guild G-37. Spruce over maple, arched back, D size.

 

 

It's just for fun. There is a lot of wisdom on this board and sometimes all it takes to tap into that is the right question. I have considered a sitka/maple dread because one of my favorite musicians is Colin Hay, the ex-lead singer from Men at Work. He plays a custom Maton in sitka/maple and it sounds really good. I have two Guilds, a DV-52 and a JF30-12, and like their sound but I am not so happy with the long scale and that they are so loud they overcome my vocals.

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It's just for fun. There is a lot of wisdom on this board and sometimes all it takes to tap into that is the right question. I have considered a sitka/maple dread because one of my favorite musicians is Colin Hay, the ex-lead singer from Men at Work. He plays a custom Maton in sitka/maple and it sounds really good. I have two Guilds, a DV-52 and a JF30-12, and like their sound but I am not so happy with the long scale and that they are so loud they overcome my vocals.

 

Colin also plays J200's.

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I was reading another post of the fellow that wanted to buy an AJ to compliment his J-50 and it got me thinking. If you had a J-45 ONLY, what guitar would you buy next? Something completely different for contrast? A small guitar? A J-50??? I am thinking along the lines of pairing food with wine. I'll go first; I'd take a LG-2 or a Martin 00-17. I would go small but not leave mahogany. There is nothing better to sing with for my voice.

 

Anything but a Martin....Well, MAYBE and IF you could find a 1930's 0018..... otherwise I'd keep it in the family.

1. 12 fret L00

2. 16" Archtop.

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My J45TV is my main guitar I use when singing solo. Advanced Jumbo when I play in a duo or go to a jam. Waterloo WL-14 is there when I want a different flavor. Recently sold a Martin HD28 and a Martin 000-15M.

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X or ladder bracing?

 

X bracing. Much sweeter, and pleasing sound to my ear. Seems that most go for the ladder braced, but I just was not into the few ladder braced WLs I played. X-braced all day and get the same if I had to do it again.

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