Joey Joeyson Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 I've been saving up for a WHILE and have always wanted a J-45 but i'm unsure what year to buy as there are many for sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBSinTo Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 To my mind, if you are a musician rather than a poser, or investor, how a musical instrument SOUNDS is its most important quality, followed closely by its playability. Thus, playing j-45's until you find one that fulfills your needs would be the best approach, rather than shopping by year of production. Good luck with your search. RBSinTo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 I had an old biker buddy from the old days tell me once. "I've never seen an ugly woman." I have no idea why I just remembered that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 My 100% fingerpicker experience likes the 2002 J50 more than the later model J45s with slimmer necks (had a 2010 J45 Standard)........my J50 has a chunkier neck and space and is a close image of the 1956 I was looking at......but with wider nut! BluesKing777. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 (edited) Mr. BK777 brings up as very good point. It is not all about sound but also feel which means nut width, neck carve (shape and thickness) and string spacing at the bridge. While Bozeman tends to stick with a standard nut width and string spread at the bridge, the shape of the neck can be all over the place in terms of how deep it is. It comes down to what feels like home to you. The problem, of course, is finding those specs other than the nut width. The last time I bought a newish slope shoulder jumbo was three or four years back. It darn near turned me into a nervous wreck as it was the first time I had bought a guitar costing any kind of money sight unseen. But I was able to find some solace in the fact that going into it the seller had provided me with every spec I needed to allow me translate those numbers into feel. Edited June 15, 2022 by zombywoof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 As BK and Zomb have alluded, it’s not really a numbers game as per years. Basically any Bozeman built slope has an equal shot at being great…some are built lighter than others, minutiae of specs vary but ultimately they are all largely hand built, high end instruments, and the natural variables in each piece of tonewood such as density, grain, mass etc which come with all organic matter are likely to make far more difference than model year. For example, in 2007/8 my old band had an artist deal with Gibson and ordered (amongst a couple of other bits) three J45 Modern Classics, which are now known as Standards. The three were so sonically different from one another it was unreal. One was rich, dark and plummy, one more tight and bright with a high end sheen, one balanced and extremely even. They rolled off the production line within a couple of days of each other, and we were all so surprised by each of them when we got them in a room together. Figuratively speaking, all three were very good guitars, but distinctly different. I think the key advice is to try before you buy if you can, but go by factors such as neck profile and other specs (Sitka Vs Adi, torrefaction Vs traditional curing) that you know are to your taste rather than year of manufacture. Good luck with your hunt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 So it means you got to know what you want before you have it! And how you do that is anyone’s guess. 😆 Once you have it, there is the matter of setup...phew, strings, case, humidity control, maintenance .......and after all that, it can sound different every time you pick it up. So, just put my abovementioned 2002 J50 Ren era back in its case and the medium strings I struggled with were fabulous today. The tone was there with lights but........mediums are better but harder to fingerpick. And did I mention the setup and repairs and bone nut and saddle by the best repair guy around turned it from a toad into a princess? I think I will ring him again but he may think I am stalking... Some people just buy a J45 off the shelf, don’t do anything and are happy as piggies in the trough. BluesKing777. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 3 hours ago, BluesKing777 said: Once you have it, there is the matter of setup...phew, strings, case, humidity control, maintenance .......and after all that, it can sound different every time you pick it up. Some people just buy a J45 off the shelf, don’t do anything and are happy as piggies in the trough. My 2003 was pretty nice out of the box. I eventually changed the saddle. (myself, I've never paid for a setup, it ain't rocket science) They can sound different on different days, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 On 6/15/2022 at 6:58 AM, Murph said: I had an old biker buddy from the old days tell me once. "I've never seen an ugly woman." I have no idea why I just remembered that. The girls all get prettier at closing time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 (edited) 17 hours ago, Murph said: My 2003 was pretty nice out of the box. I eventually changed the saddle. (myself, I've never paid for a setup, it ain't rocket science) They can sound different on different days, eh? I could do the setup myself and do a bad job like the previous owner who filed the nut wrong, saddle awful and painted them with tea to make it look old, but forget to stretch the neck...so guess they didn't play it much. And..if I did it myself, I wouldn't get to go to the workshop, kind of like a guitarist's Santa Cave....😁 First photo is my custom 00 deep body being made, note the famous Italian Moon Spruce top, and the second photo is some lucky fella's guitar that was ordered (like mine but slothead ) and was about to pick it up, when I had a quick pluck and went home and then came back to order mine.....😃 BluesKing777. Edited June 17, 2022 by BluesKing777 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 9 hours ago, BluesKing777 said: And..if I did it myself, I wouldn't get to go to the workshop, The truth always comes out, if you're just patient... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 (edited) 25 minutes ago, Murph said: The truth always comes out, if you're just patient... Well, he can SMELL a dodgy fret or a badly cut nut from the doorway, true! While we are friendly, I am his friend but mainly....client!😷 But I feel like calling him every time I play a guitar he has ‘perfected’ for me! But so do all the dudes, I suppose, and he goes home and wants to be left alone....😗 BluesKing777. Edited June 17, 2022 by BluesKing777 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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