J45 12 string?

[Mr. Paul]

Intriguing. Anyone here ever played one?

https://www.talltoadmusic.com/product-page/new-gibson-j-45-12-string

[Hall]

Very tempting, huh!  Like yourself Mr. Paul, I hope someone here has played one.

[Sgt. Pepper]

First one I have ever seen. I used to be stationed in Petaluma when I was in the Coast Guard.

[j45nick]

That's interesting.  Basically similar to a first-generation B-45 12 string from the mid 60s. Many of those have bitten the dust.

I wonder how it's braced?

The neck looks pretty wide.

We've seen modern  Hummingbird 12s here, but I don't recall seeing a modern slope-J 12.

ZW might have some thoughts on this one, since he knows more about Gibson 12s than most folks here.

[DanvillRob]

Damn!    That's tempting... $3K for a brand-new J-45/12..... (and a short drive away!).

[Sgt. Pepper]

4 minutes ago, DanvillRob said:

Damn!    That's tempting... $3K for a brand-new J-45/12..... (and a short drive away!).

If that Chicago style pizza place is still there in Petaluma I recommend it. I saw a few shows at the Mystic Theater. I miss that place. I'll bet I would not recognize it.

[DanvillRob]

Just now, Sgt. Pepper said:

If that Chicago style pizza place is still there in Petaluma I recommend it. I saw a few shows at the Mystic Theater. I miss that place. I'll bet I would not recognize it.

Well...  I have no room for another guitar, (I have 11, plus the mandolin, violin, keyboard 6 amps and 2 pianos)....Plus...I'd buy an old  Bozeman Hummingbird and an old slope-shoulder J-45 before I'd buy a new 12 string...not to mention that I already have the best playing and sounding 'Bird  12-String I've ever had in my hands.....so just can't justify it...BUT.... it is STILL tempting!

[kelly campbell]

I am thinking of buying  one but I have not played one either and so I wont until I get that opportunity  

[zombywoof]

Yeah, the first Gibson B45-12s built in 1961 and early 1962 were pretty much a J-45 with a 2" wide neck and humongous headstock.   They had the standard Gibson non-scalloped X brace and ADJ saddle bridges.   Gibson went back and forth between tailpieces and pin bridges.   The problem with the early guitars is Gibson did not have a clue how to build a 12 string resulting in them being built too lightly to handle the tension.     Gibson finally figured it out in late-1964 and started adding sister braces to the lower leg of the X.

I assume this new take on the slope shoulder 12 string is a very different beast.  So the upshot is I would like to try one myself. 

 

Edited May 6, 2021 by zombywoof

[Hall]

Whenever I would hear Lightfoot live on his B45-12 I would think it a must.    This  new J45 model is kind of a chance to  get closer!    Truth is, who the heck stays in bed with their 12 string anymore!   

[zombywoof]

There is a certain etiquette when it comes to Gibson 12 strings.  The first thing you have to play on them is  the "Walk Right In" riff.  

Other than The Rooftop Singers the artists I would think are most associated with the Gibson 12 strings are Lightfoot, Leo Kottke and Rev. Gary Davis who started playing one after his hands began to give him trouble.  If you ever watch the episode of Pere Seeger's  Rainbow Quest where Rev. Davis appears  you can watch and listen to him playing a slope shoulder B45-12. 

[gearbasher]

David Cassidy (as Keith Partridge) "played" a Gibson 12.

 

 

[j45nick]

31 minutes ago, gearbasher said:

David Cassidy (as Keith Partridge) "played" a Gibson 12.

 

 

Now that was a bit weird!

 

Sort of a captive audience, in a manner of speaking.

[Hall]

Scared me!

[Sgt. Pepper]

38 minutes ago, gearbasher said:

David Cassidy (as Keith Partridge) "played" a Gibson 12.

 

 

Are they doing the Johnny Cash thing and playing in Prison's?

[zombywoof]

57 minutes ago, gearbasher said:

David Cassidy (as Keith Partridge) "played" a Gibson 12.

 

 

Bwhahaha.  Yeah but it ain't one of the early now near legendary B45-12s.  Easy to tell.  The split diamond on the headstock of post-1964 guitars have sharp rather than rounded points. 

My 1961 B45-12

 

Edited May 8, 2021 by zombywoof

[slimt]

Played a J45 12 string today. Actually quite comfortable to  play. Even balanced weight. Not headstock heavy ,  the one I played could use a bit better nut adjustment but overall not bad.    4100cdn though out the door. 

[QuestionMark]

On 5/8/2021 at 8:22 AM, zombywoof said:

There is a certain etiquette when it comes to Gibson 12 strings.  The first thing you have to play on them is  the "Walk Right In" riff.  

That is certainly something I automatically do first thing when I get a 12 string in my hands.   Not sure anyone younger understands that, though.  In my case after I play the “Walk Right In” riff, I then go into The Kingston Trio’s “If You Don’t Look Around” 12 string riff.  Not sure many even our age understand or know that one, but it is also a great 12 string riff.

QM aka “ Jazzman” Jeff

[zombywoof]

10 hours ago, QuestionMark said:

That is certainly something I automatically do first thing when I get a 12 string in my hands.   Not sure anyone younger understands that, though.  In my case after I play the “Walk Right In” riff, I then go into The Kingston Trio’s “If You Don’t Look Around” 12 string riff.  Not sure many even our age understand or know that one, but it is also a great 12 string riff.

QM aka “ Jazzman” Jeff

With me the second song is generally Blind Willie McTell's "Searching the Desert for the Blues" or Leadbelly's  "John Hardy."  You need a Leadbelly tune to see if tuned down 1 1/2 steps you can even come close to summoning up the thunder Leadbelly did with his jumbo Stella 12. 

Edited May 13, 2021 by zombywoof

[QuestionMark]

37 minutes ago, zombywoof said:

With me the second song is generally Blind Willie McTell's "Searching the Desert for the Blues" or Leadbelly's  "John Hardy."  You need a Leadbelly tune to see if tuned down 1 1/2 steps you can even come close to summoning up the thunder Leadbelly did with his jumbo Stella 12. 

John Hardy is a great song.  I forgot about it until you mentioned it.

QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff

[Twang Gang]

Wow David Cassidy was some player.  Without barely moving his left hand position he was able to make that 12 string sound like a violin string section 😜

[Johan S]

On 5/6/2021 at 4:43 PM, Mr. Paul said:

Intriguing. Anyone here ever played one?

https://www.talltoadmusic.com/product-page/new-gibson-j-45-12-string

Didn't know this was made as a 12-string version.