The J29. Am I missing something?

[Kwlsky]

Hello everyone.

I have been in the hunt for a rosewood backed guitar.  I respect all brands of guitar, but I have found that  a Gibson acoustic is the sound my ears are in love with, Guild being second. So I'm searching for another Gibby.

I'm a cheap bastard, so I buy used and always look for deals, which brings me to the J29. I have researched their specs and find them eerily similar to the AJ, even down to the 30's style advanced X bracing.  Besides cosmetics, the only difference between them I find is the scale length. We all know how revered the AJ is,  but it seems the J29 has spun off as kind of "Meh".

Unfortunately, living halfway to nowhere, I have never had the chance to play and compare an AJ to a J29.

Any thoughts from you all on the sound quality of a J29, and the reason for the huge perceived discrepancy between the AJ and the J29?

Thanks in advance.

 

[slimt]

The J29 might be narrower   I tried  one out a couple says ago. It was not bad.    The J29 I think is a-short scale.  
 

Where the AJ is still  a 25 1/2 scale   Not unless they changed that to.   And a bit deeper body.  

both nice guitars.  

[Kwlsky]

Thanks Slimt.  I wasn't aware of the body depth difference. 

[slimt]

7 minutes ago, Kwlsky said:

Thanks Slimt.  I wasn't aware of the body depth difference. 

I would double check     Most of these guitars are really nice.   If I wanted another Rosewood guitar. I would probably buy a J29.   I already have AJs 

[usernameinvalid]

The body depth on the J29 is the same as the J15 J35 J45 and AJ.  The new/reissue  J35 and J29 came out at around the same time 2013 I think.

The biggest difference is the scale length and the quality of the rosewood. I've played a couple J29 and for the price they where both very nice sounding guitars

But being short scale you won't get the volume you will get from an AJ.

[Kwlsky]

1 hour ago, slimt said:

  If I wanted another Rosewood guitar. I would probably buy a J29.   I already have AJs 

That's high praise for the J29 to have it accepted in to a herd of AJs.

[zombywoof]

These sorts if discussions about quality of body wood always seem to arise whenever taste and judgement are involved.  My take on it is perceived sonic differences tend to be overblown when the context of bracing and other factors involved in making sound come out of a guitar are ignored.  So for me any difference in sound between say a 1967 Martin D 28 and one built just a few years later more than likely had less to do with the switch from Braz to EI rosewood than it did going with an oversized bride plate.   I would think though that if the J29 has the same bracing footprint as the AJ the guitars I probably want to involve in a shootout to evaluate impact of body wood would be a J35 or say a J45TV.  

Maybe it is odd but in 55+ years of owning guitars I have never owed one with a rosewood body.  Nor do I recall one which I still kick myself in the butt for passing up.  That has to say something but what that is I do not have a clue.

 

Edited July 20, 2022 by zombywoof

[Kwlsky]

1 hour ago, usernameinvalid said:

The biggest difference is the scale length and the quality of the rosewood

Some of the rosewood patterns on the backs of AJs have looked stunning.
J29s - not so much. 
I wonder if those visual differences translate into sound quality differences. 

[Kwlsky]

29 minutes ago, zombywoof said:

These sorts if discussions about quality of body wood always seem to arise whenever taste and judgement are involved.  My take on it is perceived sonic differences tend to be overblown when the context of bracing and other factors involved in making sound come out of a guitar are ignored. 

I agree. That’s the point I think I might be getting at. Since the J29 and the AJ have the same body wood, bracing, and body shape, is the perceived difference in sound quality by the general public due to the differences in price tag? Wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened. 

[Al Pike]

My J29 rocks. I have let go of many high end dreads. Not letting this one go. The top on this is superior. Used ones went for $1100 and up not too long ago. I paid $1200. It is equal to my old Martin D35 and my Custom Shop Southern Jumbo rosewood….

[Kwlsky]

58 minutes ago, Al Pike said:

My J29 rocks. I have let go of many high end dreads. Not letting this one go.

That is really good to hear.  Especially so because if I buy one, it will most likely be over the internet without playing it first. (I know everybody, I know - bad idea.  Live in Maine like I do and see what other options you come up with.)

[MissouriPicker]

22 minutes ago, Kwlsky said:

That is really good to hear.  Especially so because if I buy one, it will most likely be over the internet without playing it first. (I know everybody, I know - bad idea.  Live in Maine like I do and see what other options you come up with.)

I’ve bought several guitars over the internet.  No problems.  Just buy from reputable dealers or sites like Reverb.

[Sgt. Pepper]

I've bought tons of stuff on line, only being able to see pics. If I can't return it, I don't buy it. By from Reverb or a big store that has a return policy. 

[slimt]

I wouldnt buy a new guitar over the internet . Not all of each model are the same.  I prefer to try first, check overall condition for flaws.  Besides. Shipping costs are high. 
 

 

[Murph]

My J-45 came from Musicians Friend nearly 2 decades ago. It was a surprise gift from my wife.

It was perfect, they had never opened the box. I wasn't concerned, I'd bought many thousands of dollars in gear from them the previous years, they would have made it right had there been an issue.

[Dave F]

Years ago, I had a yearning to have the looks and comfort of a sloped shoulder Gibson that would rival the sound of a forward shifted rosewood Martin, HD40 series, a sound that I like. I went through a few before I was satisfied.  The three rosewood I have are a 2020 '42 Banner SJ with the aged top, a 2016 Nick Lucas 12 fret L00 Mystic Rosewood and a 2022 Custom L00 12 fret with an aged top. Just my preference, I think the deeper NL body or the aged top is giving me the sound I like. Here's some of the Gibson Rosewood guitars I went through. They were all very nice guitars but either the sound or comfort did not cut it for me.

AJ Std/'34 Jumbo RI/ Custom J200/ Dwight Yoakam Honky Tonk Duece/ Custom J-45/CJ165/Stage Deluxe

 

[philfish]

6 hours ago, usernameinvalid said:

  The new/reissue  J35 and J29 came out at around the same time 2013 I think.

Was that what they were called " new/ reissue" what ever they were that was a nice line of guitars from Bozeman. Reasonably priced

Tried the 35 and 29 at that time always impressed 

[Larsongs]

19 hours ago, Kwlsky said:

That's high praise for the J29 to have it accepted in to a herd of AJs.

Or it it could be….  GAS! LOL!

The J29 is a nice Guitar if you like Short Scale.. Rosewood & Spruce create great Sound.. Although, I don’t believe they are available new.. A Used one could be a good Buy though….

Edited July 21, 2022 by Larsongs

[kidblast]

16 hours ago, slimt said:

I wouldnt buy a new guitar over the internet . Not all of each model are the same.  I prefer to try first, check overall condition for flaws.  Besides. Shipping costs are high. 
 

 

Agree, that's a great way to buy guitars, especially acoustics.

unless, the nearest Gibson dealer is over an hour away and it also happens to be called "guitar center"  no thanks..

I've bought a bunch-a guitars from places like MF and Sweetwater (most from Sweetwater)   Any problems (only 1 as a matter of fact)  were quickly corrected. 

so for me, I don't see it as a risk at all  it's the only way I can acquire something I want.

Edited July 21, 2022 by kidblast

[Kwlsky]

2 hours ago, Larsongs said:

A Used one could be a good Buy though…

I see them on Reverb on and off. There are some there now, some for a very decent price.....  but most who sell on Reverb don't have a good return policy. That bothers me.

Edited July 21, 2022 by Kwlsky

[Sgt. Pepper]

20 minutes ago, Kwlsky said:

I see them on Reverb on and off. There are some there now, some for a very decent price.....  but most who sell on Reverb don't have a good return policy. That bothers me.

Usually used and vintage stuff do not have a return policy. Now that being said if you buy a guitar off Reverb, and it says its in mint condition, but it looks like there was $200 worth of pennies thrown at the top, you can get your money back due to the description being misleading. But if the guitar comes, and it is as described, well than that is your 'New Used Guitar". I've never had to return a guitar I got off The Verb and I always list everything about the guitar I can when selling there. You can always ask for more pics, sound, and video clips of the guitar form the seller.

Edited July 21, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper

[dhanners623]

As long as the place is reputable and has a return policy, you’re only out shipping if they send you a guitar that still thinks it’s a tree.

I used to be in the “Never-buy-a-guitar-especially-a-Gibson-without-first-playing-it” camp but the last three guitars I bought (my J-35 and an Epiphone IB’64 Texan from Sweetwater, and a Farida OT-22 from Elderly) were purchased online and all were winners.

Last year, I bought an old 12-fret slot-head parlor guitar on Reverb that was advertised as being in great shape. The place had a no-returns policy. As I was living overseas at the time, I had them send the guitar to my main shop, St. Paul Guitar Repair, for some minor work I wanted done, and I’d pick it up when I was back in the U.S. They examined the guitar and told me it needed a ton of work and the cost would far exceed the value of the guitar.

I contacted the seller and said I wanted to return the instrument (and listed the problems) and while he disputed the extent of work that needed to be done, he accepted the return and refunded my money. 

[Larsongs]

I agree buying new online depends on who you’re buying from.. Never had a bad or in resolved Purchase with Sweetwater..

In any case you can’t buy a new J-29…. You’ll be searching for Used which is probably better anyway…

[jvi]

J 29 19 frets , fingerboard a little farther from soundhole than many other Gs.  5 years on mine and its stock and stayin.

[Jinder]

I was mightily impressed with all the J29s I played when they were released. The 29, 15 and 35 were all wonderful instruments and superb value for money.