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In praise of a great J45


Jinder

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I had a band rehearsal yesterday and spent a good couple of hours playing my bandmate's outstanding J45 MC. It is coming up for a year old and is starting to open up nicely, and the thing plays like butter, still sporting it's out-of-the-box setup.

 

He uses Rotosound Tru Bronze 12-54s on it, which really suit the complexity of the guitar and give it a lovely woody tonality.

 

I swear to God that the guitar could handle anything I threw at it-i played everything from blues to Leonard Cohen's 'Stranger Song' and ended up playing off-the-wall Indian raga stuff in drop-D, all of which it handled with aplomb.

 

I really miss the two J45s I've owned over the years. Both were amazing, but I took them for granted an sold them when I needed the cash. Silly me.

 

I would really like another Dove, too.

 

Damn the credit crunch!!

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Jinder mate, long time no hear! Hope all is well....

 

 

J45's are amazing. Simon's is apparently a different beast to mine, but I love 'em.

 

 

I know that's not a constructive comment, a complete generalisation and maybe a bit weird, but despite all the GASing, if I never owned another guitar, I'd die happy.

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but despite all the GASing' date=' if I never owned another guitar, I'd die happy. [/quote']

 

Famous last words! I now have 3 J-45s + a few other gibbys and last night i decided i couldn't live without a 60's era Harmony Sovereign that i spied on ebay. But, I know what you mean, J-45s are the best.

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Austin! Great to see you here mate. Are you coming to the Rydal show? I am glad you are happy with your J45, it is a great example of one. It is a bit different from Si's in as much as yours is a bit more lively and his is a bit more moody, finally speaking...both amazing guitars, though. I sold mine to our producer, Steve, when I was having a hard time financially, on the proviso that I could buy it back when I was back on my feet, and I am badly GASing to get enough money together in order to make it mine once more. There ain't nothing like an SJ200 and there ain't nothing like a Hummingbird, but by the same token, there sure as hell ain't nothing like a great J45.

 

Jannusguy, how does your OJ compare with your J45s in terms of build, tone, response and feel? I don't believe I have ever played one

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Austin! Great to see you here mate. Are you coming to the Rydal show? I am glad you are happy with your J45, it is a great example of one. It is a bit different from Si's in as much as yours is a bit more lively and his is a bit more moody, finally speaking...both amazing guitars, though. I sold mine to our producer, Steve, when I was having a hard time financially, on the proviso that I could buy it back when I was back on my feet, and I am badly GASing to get enough money together in order to make it mine once more. There ain't nothing like an SJ200 and there ain't nothing like a Hummingbird, but by the same token, there sure as hell ain't nothing like a great J45.

 

Hey mate,

 

Yup - I'll be at the Rydal, its my birthday that weekend, so a few shandies will be in order methinks! Hope you get sorted with a new guitar soon... which begs the question -what will you get? Your old 'bird? Your old J45? A Dove? decisions, decisions!

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Well, I'll be turning in the rental J45 that I've had for the last two weeks.

 

At first I just didn't get it...even disliked it somewhat.

 

Today, it has grown on me more. I do "get it", but I'm not sure its for me.

 

I have a Larrivee which tone wise would be closer to the Hummingbird, so the J45 does offer contrast in tone.

 

I'll keep looking around and maybe I'll fall across something that I won't want to let go of.

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The J45 is certainly either for you or not.

 

At first, having been an SJ200 player for years, when I bought my first J45 a few years ago I found the tone a little too lacking in top end, and a bit 'Agricultural', for want of a better word.

 

After two weeks with it, I realised I was way wrong, and my SJ200 seemed positively bright to the point of approaching harshness, in comparison to the J45.

 

I find it fascinating that the J45 and Hummingbird, ostensibly two very similar guitars, sound so different and distinct from one another.

 

I spent a while yesterday playing my other bandmate's J45RW. Great guitar as well, but SO different to the Hog 45s. It is fatter, quieter and less lively sounding, with big chocolatey, blocky mids in place of the breathy mids of the Hog. It is hard to pick between either guitar as both are fabulous, but very much suiteed to differing playing styles.

 

Austin, great stuff! See you at The Rydal!

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