mjg Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 I really like these J's. Out of the two, where do you feel each excels? Also, I have a tenor voice and often play solo, singing and strumming mostly from aggressive to soft figure style. I think either will work fine, but in a plugged in environment, which do you feel is better for vocal accompaniment? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjg Posted March 22, 2009 Author Share Posted March 22, 2009 63 views and not one reply. Maybe I should post this on the Martin forum ;-). Seriously, if anyone has any vocal experience with these models I would appreciate your insight. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 wish i could help but i don't sing. at least, i'm not allowed to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj_newkirk Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 For my personal use, I am very happy with my RW. I didn't feel right trying to sing & play the J-45 for some reason, but the J-45 RW seems to fit me just fine. I am also a tenor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcorner Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 I find the mahogany guitars easier to sing with, but I almost always buy the rosewood because I like the richness in the bottom end. The only way to know which is best for you is to use a portable recorder and try two songs with each. When you play it back, the choice should be obvious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rar Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 I find the mahogany guitars easier to sing with ... [than] rosewood +1 -- Bob R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Player Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 I have been told that my Gibson AJ is the best guitar I have for playing with people singing. It is my only rosewood guitar. That said, I love the tone of the Hog J-45's best. My only mahogany guitar is my Cedar/Hog Taylor GS but it is used mostly for fingerstyle. Whenever I know someone is singing along, I usually bring my Gibson AJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcorner Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 wish i could help but i don't sing. at least' date=' i'm not allowed to.[/quote'] Life is short. Sing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macaibhistin Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Whilst shopping a few years back, I played both the hog and rosewood J-45 and really felt the rosewood was better. I, too, do a lot of solo singing, but also with a few others. Just like the rich fullness of the rosewood - especially when using the short capo and fingerpicking. In the end I bought the SWD and not the J-45RW. Can't explain why exactly, the Songwriter just spoke to me. Good luck in your decision making. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjg Posted March 22, 2009 Author Share Posted March 22, 2009 I find the mahogany guitars easier to sing with' date=' but I almost always buy the rosewood because I like the richness in the bottom end. The only way to know which is best for you is to use a portable recorder and try two songs with each. When you play it back, the choice should be obvious. [/quote'] Good idea on the recorder. Thanks all!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR GIBS Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Hey Taylor Player, which one of those beautys drinks the red vine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panzeron Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 i 2nd the motion on the songwriter deluxe.......for strumming and singing i cant think of anything better. have you tried or considered a swd. if not you should at least try one you might get hooked. ronnie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 The Rosewood wins. Sorry.... Not........ Murph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry K Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 If it's your one and only guitar, then J-45 mahogany, IMO. For an all round guitar, mahogany is better, IMO. If you already have a hog dread, what are you waiting for? Get the rosewood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 If it's your one and only guitar' date=' then J-45 mahogany, IMO. For an all round guitar, mahogany is better. [/quote'] Concur, totally. RW in that box size and scale may tend to muddiness. Nice clear pop with the hog. As for singing, here's a thought. If you fingerpick, then your melody line is in the top end, so you would want that to ring clear. Ditto for flatpickers who note a lot on the top 3 strings. Cue off the bass? Rw, as a rule, makes a bigger note, but in this size box, the hog gives up a very mellow thump that should get the job done. If you cant test drive the Gibsons side by side, a Martin 00018/28 or a D18/28 would give you an idea of the difference. Re our slow response, the hog/rw conondrum has been discussed here before. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6stringTom Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I can't compare the J-45 RW, but I really like my J-45 mahogany for vocal accompaniment. As always, individual guitars vary. I prefer the J-45 to my HD-28V (rosewood) for vocals, but then I also think my 1960 000-28 (rosewood) is outstanding for that purpose. The J-45, though, is sweet, powerful when needed, but not intrusive. I sometimes find that rosewood overtones get in the way of the vocal, which should be the focus when it is there. Hope that makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phinegan Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I'm primarily a a solo singer/strummer. I recently went hunting for a J-45, briefly considered (and played) a rosewood, but tradition (a J-45 IS HOG!!!) and tone led me to a regular old standard mahogany. I love it - nice balanced tone, lots of dynamics, and none of the muddiness that my D-28 suffered from. Another thing to consider - rosewood guitars seem to need to be woken up, and also tend to get muddled in high humidity. Enjoy the search! Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 You've got to have both, rw, & hog. The best combo is however,,,an AJ, with a J-45 hog.............Later when you're abe a J-200!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustystrings Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 The J-45 in mahogany, thank you. I spent about a dozen years trying to sing with a fancy Taylor rosewood jumbo, a very nice sounding guitar - but the J-45 just WORKS, in ways the more expensive Taylor never did. I personally find it easier to sing with a guitar that emphasizes the fundamental tone, rather than the overtones. Seriously, I think the traditional J-45 in mahogany is the ultimate singer-songwriter instrument. Period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickax Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I think either one will do a good job for you. I've yet to play a J-45 I'd want to buy. I'm sure others will feel different. My J-45RW is one of the nicest sounding Rosewood Dreads I've owned - rates right up there with the D-28 Marquis I used to own. It has a beautiful bottom end and crystalline trebles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmthor Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 I've never regretted acquiring the J-45 RW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tw2_usa Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 i'm a singer and a writer and started playing guitar a year ago and bought a martin rw dread. come to discover i have put my writing skills to work while learning guitar and have written over a dozen songs so far. I am jonezin for a hog j-45 to sing with. i feel, however, that the tones of the rw are an instrumental (no pun intended) component of the inspiration to write the songs i continue to write, and will be happy of the day when i can have both, the rw for writing and the hog j-45 to sing and record... good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 I can appreciate why guys like RW--you get a lot of push in the bass/upper mids so it sounds Big. But at the end of the day, I dont hear what I want out of the top end. Big note but kind of cold (cowbell to hog chimes). Feel pretty much the same way re humbuckers vs single coils. A lot of songwriters have gotten good mileage out of hog slopes: J Taylor, Gillian Welch, Joe Ely, Lucinda Williams, Bobby Zimmerman, the Fabs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 I think a lot of it is going to depend on your touch. I love my RW, and mine is the old '03 with the ebony board/ebony bridge. I hit very hard, (when I do) and have no problem with the highs. 12's. But, in the end, it's up to you. Best of luck. Murph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleeter Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 I had a rosewood dread and perferred singing with my mahogany Taylor....for me now the only guitar for singing/songwriting is my hog J-45.....it's perfect!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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