J100 Question

[J185cat]

Wanted some opinions from the group.  I know there have been several versions of the J100.  I believe maple, mahogany, walnut and bubinga if I am not mistaken.  If you were interested in buying one which way would you go and why.  Thanks in advance.

[frenchie1281734003]

I think they are all great, there were even a few with Rosewood back and sides in 1995. I personally own a 94 with Mahogany, had it 10 years now, and love it. It has seen off two J-200s😁 

Edited June 24, 2020 by frenchie1281734003

[MissouriPicker]

I've got a J100 Walnut.  It's an excellent guitar.  Lots of sound and projection, which works very well for me as a fingericker.   The J100, in any wood, is a big guitar and will make lots of noise if that's your style, or can be played gently for a softer tone.  There's not a huge number of them around, so if I were in-the-market i'd buy what was avaiable, providing it's in good shape and is a good fit for you.  Keep in mind that players with shorter arms might find it a bit uncomefortable to play for an extendend time.  My usual gigging partner loves the guitar, but can't play it comfortably for long because his arms are shorter.   It truly is a big bodied guitar..  I'm 6-1 and  the super jumbos sized guitars are fine for my arm length.  Someone 5-7 or so, might not find it comfortable.  Depends on you......................I hope you find the J100 that you need.

Edited June 24, 2020 by MissouriPicker

[J185cat]

Thanks for the feedback.  I appreciate the comments MissouiPicker about the size angle.  I am not a big guy but I do have an AJ and am okay with that.  If it was much more than the AJ then that could become an issue.  Wish I could find one local to try.  Maybe a J200 to get a feel.

[62burst]

From your forum name, do you already have a J-185? If having to choose of those three you mentioned in the OP, the maple or bubinga would be my choice, but maybe not maple if you've already got the maple in the '185. [EDIT: however, the maple would be more likely able to throw  the sound out faster than the other two (?) ] . When getting the mahogany bodied J-100 I had, there was the hope that it might be like a J-45 on steroids. That didn't turn out to be the case at all- the scale length, body shape and body size brought about a weird situation, it sounded like a big guitar (big wooden box), but that didn't mean that it was loud. And there will be exceptions. 

 

If you were not needing that "big (cavernous) mahogany box" sound that I encountered in the mahogany J-100, a J-45 standard would be a fine companion to a J-185. Especially if you've got the Advanced Jumbo.

[bobouz]

At one time, I had both a mahogany ‘96 J-100xt, and a maple ‘00 J-100xt (edit:  See avatar pic).

The mahogany is gone, but I still have the maple.  It’s got a rumbling bass like no other, and sometimes I just have to have that sound.

But with that said, I also own a maple 2012 J-185 that gets played more frequently due to it’s overall balance from string to sting, and more comfortable body size (including the short-scale).  It’s really hard to beat a good J-185!

Edited June 24, 2020 by bobouz

[J185cat]

Thanks 62burst, I think you make some good points there.  I did own a j185 but it was Koa  not maple.  I sold it because I felt it was too “refined” for my chord bashing play.  It was a beautiful sounding guitar when finger picked.  Guess I  have been tempted to add a maple guitar lately without spending a fortune.

[J185cat]

Yeah Bobouz I often regret selling that J185.  There is something special about those guitars but I felt like I didn’t do it justice.  I enjoyed hearing others play it more than myself,

[Jinder]

I've owned a couple of '41 Reissue SJ100s in Mahogany and they are superb instruments. The Walnut 100s are lovely too, a little more subdued volume wise compared to the Mahogany examples, but very warm and complex in tone. 

I've owned Maple SJs but only 200s. I've used an SJ200 of some description as my main touring guitar for many years, and love them. 

If you can handle the size, it's hard to go wrong with a Super Jumbo. Iconic and beautiful instruments that sound superb when you find a great one.

[docr]

I bought a "new old stock" SJ100  1941 reissue guitar which was just hanging around in a music store in Berlin - it was the favourite lunch-break guitar of the salesman working there and he was sad that the SJ100 was gone. Originally I wanted to try the maple J45 which was in the same store but the SJ100 was better for me. It is a mahogany back and sides model with the simple bridge (not as the big one on a SJ200). The whole instrument looks unspectacular - but it sounds great and plays very comfortably. I love it. Musicians who do not know the background and compare them to the much better known SJ200s sometimes blame the look which is no problem for me.

It sound of course different to maple SJ200s. I have used the SJ100 in the last weeks for outdoor unplugged sessions / rehearsals because of the Covid-19 situation and it is loud enough with a full sound but not as loud and sparkling as for example a HD28.

As there was some talking about J185s - I could buy a J185 with an Adirondack top in vintage sunburst in the same store in December 2018 - again a little older. Seems as if someone working in this store buyes some not so well known models, too and they are waiting longer for a customer - which was good for me   🙂

[Jinder]

7 hours ago, docr said:

I bought a "new old stock" SJ100  1941 reissue guitar which was just hanging around in a music store in Berlin - it was the favourite lunch-break guitar of the salesman working there and he was sad that the SJ100 was gone. Originally I wanted to try the maple J45 which was in the same store but the SJ100 was better for me. It is a mahogany back and sides model with the simple bridge (not as the big one on a SJ200). The whole instrument looks unspectacular - but it sounds great and plays very comfortably. I love it. Musicians who do not know the background and compare them to the much better known SJ200s sometimes blame the look which is no problem for me.

It sound of course different to maple SJ200s. I have used the SJ100 in the last weeks for outdoor unplugged sessions / rehearsals because of the Covid-19 situation and it is loud enough with a full sound but not as loud and sparkling as for example a HD28.

As there was some talking about J185s - I could buy a J185 with an Adirondack top in vintage sunburst in the same store in December 2018 - again a little older. Seems as if someone working in this store buyes some not so well known models, too and they are waiting longer for a customer - which was good for me   🙂

I've owned two of those...stellar instruments. Wish I still owned one of 'em.

[slimt]

J100s are good guitars. Owned a few over the years. 

[J185cat]

As I expected great input and helps me focus some.  I currently have five Gibson acoustics; mahogany, Indian rosewood, Brazilian rosewood and even zebra wood.  Used to have a Koa J185.  So the only wood I don’t have experience with is maple.  And that’s sort of what was bouncing around in my head when I started this topic.  So one side says maple but I just feel like this guitar in mahogany would be great also.  Good thing is there is no hurry to decide.