Buc McMaster Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 (edited) I spent some time this evening listening to some of the videos I used to do with the Gibson acoustics I once owned and was reminded of how much joy it was to struggle to learn a song, instrumentally and vocally. Well there's been a few years torn off the calendar since then and, to put it mildly, I ain't what I used to be..........but still..........I started looking at what's available out there. Found this one: 1960 Reissue J-45........a standard of the Boseman line. Has the ADJ bridge/saddle arrangement, button tuners and wine red stain...........looks pretty good and I can get it for a very good price. No way to play it before purchase but I know the guy and have done business with him in the past...........he'll do the right thing if need be. Anyone own or crossed paths with this particular model? I know the adjustable bridge is frowned upon by many but it doesn't bother me at all. The nut is 1 11/16"........this is not the skinny neck, is it? What say ye? Edited January 7 by Buc McMaster 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 (edited) I've got four guitars with the adjustable saddle. I'm sure they would each probably sound different with a fixed saddle, but they don't sound bad by any means as is. The modern version Gibson is using seems to pretty solid, rattle free, and effective at conducting string energy to the top. Plus, the adjustable saddle is pretty handy sometimes if you're using a capo and a little action adjustment would help. 1 11/16 " is pretty average for a Gibson acoustic, so it doesn't seem like this model, while having sixties influences, is equipped with one of those ultra narrow late sixties nuts, which were around 1 9/16". Good luck with your search. Hope you find a Gibson that's good enough. That wine red finish is lovely Red 333 Edited January 7 by Red 333 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 That's a nice uke. But why is the p-guard shaped like the state called J-45. . To be serious, this is probably a very fine sounding retro-slope. And it's pretti too. . The adjustable saddle is of course an issue. As you you might recall, not because it's adjustable, which is a plus in this temple - but due to the tusq. Tuqs isn't the right material for these components - white porcelain is. It's either ceramic, , , , , , or rosewood/palisander. I would try to find a second hand original on the web and have some comparison-fun. Not impossible, , , neither all cheap. Congs & Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 DON'T BUY IT! The Pickguard is on upside-down! JK - It's beautiful! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 Since it's 1.687" and a rounded shape and not the slim taper, I would not have any issues with it. Narrower than the 1.724" J45 standard but it's a slim taper shape. It's bigger than the DIF necks that are 1.574" rounded which I consider the skinny necks. It looks great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted January 7 Author Share Posted January 7 And then there's this one........... Collings CJ-45T........this I very much like. The 1.75" nut width, 0.998" handful of neck..........sounds delicious! Not Gibson of course but quite an instrument. More expensive....yes......but we only live once. I'm in negotiation............. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 (edited) I have the J-50 twin of that J-45 (a 2020 J50 60's original) and really like it. Also have a real 1965 J-50 ADJ, and while the 60's original series is a nice tribute to the original, it's a completely different guitar in every way. I actually like the 2020 guitar better. Have been taking a break from playing guitar for awhile, but it was the only one I played for a couple years after purchasing it. I also have a 2008 J-50 Modern Classic (very similar to a J-45 standard) and the 2020 60's original is much closer to that than the real 1965 J-50. The neck is more narrow on the 60's original, but not by much. I might not even notice if I was blindfolded. True, it has the same nut width as my 1965 J-50, but the carve is much, much fatter. I compared the circumference of the necks (good indicator of what it's like wrapping your hand around it) on the 2020 vs 2008 J-50. IIRC, the circumference was about 1/4" less on the 2020 at the first fret. But by the time you got past the 3rd fret, they were exactly the same and the rest of the necks were identical as you went up the scale. So, I don't think the nut width is a very good basis for comparison. My real 1965 J-50 has the same nut width but is a much thinner neck. I like the sound of the tusq saddle on the ADJ bridge. Not going to attempt to describe it, because it's too subjective. But it sounds much more like a modern Gibson acoustic than any vintage guitar I've played. Edited January 7 by Boyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 9 minutes ago, Buc McMaster said: And then there's this one........... Collings CJ-45T........this I very much like. The 1.75" nut width, 0.998" handful of neck..........sounds delicious! Not Gibson of course but quite an instrument. More expensive....yes......but we only live once. I'm in negotiation............. Plus, made in Texas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 Oh my. That Collings…. i think you need your blue guitar back, this red one, and then find one in… I don’t know… say white. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWG4927 Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 (edited) Of all the custom colors Gibson has done on acoustics, the Wine Red looks the most natural. Do you really need a too pretty sounding J-45-wannabe dentist's guitar? Edited January 7 by JWG4927 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted January 7 Author Share Posted January 7 1 hour ago, JWG4927 said: Do you really need a too pretty sounding J-45-wannabe dentist's guitar? Huh? Thanks for the info, Dave & Boyd. I've become somewhat allergic to slim, narrow neck profiles, much preferring a big, fat handful. Jury is still out and heck, it might never come to pass. I've come to the realization that my playing out days are over and at this point in life all I really need is a good instrument to pluck on around the house so all this electric rigging laying around here will be going soon......which will more than cover the price of either of these guitars. For the neck profile alone the Collings has the edge with me, not to mention they are among the finest instruments built today. We'll see........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 (edited) Maybe look for one of their 50's original J-50's or J-45's? I think it's the same guitar with a fatter neck (fatter than the J-45 standard). They also include a pickup which makes them a bit more expensive. There are a few threads about them here and the owners seemed really happy. I prefer the skinnier neck, so they wouldn't be for me. The "wannabe dentist" thing went over my head too. 🤣 Edited January 7 by Boyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philfish Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 That Collings looks so good, I got to play a CJ 35 a friend owns over thanks giving They make a nice guitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 I have never played a bad Collings. I would have to think really hard about passing that.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson29 Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 Well, I gotta say, lefties don’t have as much choices out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 I don't think I would call that Collins 'much of a choice'. Neck is a little thicker than I like but I would love to try out a righty. The J45 Legend I had, had a slightly thicker neck than the Collins. I am surprised the top is not torrefied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted January 8 Author Share Posted January 8 And then there's this. Never have I seen a southpaw 185. It's a 2003 model and appears to be in very good condition........... Sheesh. First world problems. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneS Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 6 hours ago, Buc McMaster said: And then there's this. Never have I seen a southpaw 185. It's a 2003 model and appears to be in very good condition........... Sheesh. First world problems. Yes, that one. Do that one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 17 hours ago, Buc McMaster said: I've come to the realization that my playing out days are over and at this point in life all I really need is a good instrument to pluck on around the house so all this electric rigging laying around here will be going soon...... I don't know. I still play out, but NEVER with electrics and mine are still piled up. Full electric bass rig, several classic tubes amps, a Tele and a Les Paul and an SG, a full p.a. system, monitors. I've been saying I'm gonna sell that stuff for a decade. It's still here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 21 hours ago, Salfromchatham said: Oh my. That Collings…. i think you need your blue guitar back, this red one, and then find one in… I don’t know… say white. And join The Buckaroos! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 1 hour ago, Murph said: I don't know. I still play out, but NEVER with electrics and mine are still piled up. Full electric bass rig, several classic tubes amps, a Tele and a Les Paul and an SG, a full p.a. system, monitors. I've been saying I'm gonna sell that stuff for a decade. It's still here. I made the mistake of selling off all my 'stuff' back in the 60's. Fender Jag I gave to my brother.... sold my Bassman Amp, Showman Speakerbox, Jazz Bass, Fender Echo Chamber....even my Shure 545 Mic! Had to buy new 'stuff' over the rest of my life. I recommend don't sell..... give to your kids/grandkids/nieces/nephews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 16 minutes ago, DanvillRob said: And join The Buckaroos! That does satisfy a color fetish. At least it did for me. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 I pretty much lived on a steady diet of 1950s to mid 1960s Fender Teles and Esquires along with Tweed and Blackface Fender amps as well as an Ampeg or two. Today all that remain are a 1950s Supro Comet double neck lap steel and a 1961 Standel amp. These were also the last things I ever acquired in the attempt to rekindle my waning interest in electrics. But then a a funny thing happened on the way to Ye Olde Music Shoppe and I have found that just like electrics I can now walk away from any acoustic without one twinge of regret. Kind of liberating really. Based on the neck depth stats provided by Wildwood, though I would class the necks on the 60s J45 not as the skinniest I have ever run across but certainly as skimpy. Based on my frame of reference any neck with a depth of less than maybe .86" at the 1st fret would fall into that category. Then again, I play at least three guitars which clock in at a depth at the 1st fret of over 1.0" including a J50. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 14 hours ago, Buc McMaster said: Sheesh. First world problems. If this is one of those "If you could only have one guitar..." First World Problems, I agree wholeheartedly with Anne. "Pick Me" Pick Me (Shrek reference).... the 185 will give you more depth of tone choices, playing styles than a J45. My 'opinion' is based on years with a J-45 Custom and and an SJ200. Assuming the 185's b/s are maple. Or to put it this way - if there were a fire here - I'd grab my SJ200 first. He who hesitates ... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted January 8 Author Share Posted January 8 7 hours ago, AnneS said: Yes, that one. Do that one. This one is at the top of the list for now. Quite unique and priced right, I think.....it wouldn't require that I sell off anymore than I already have. It is, however, located in the wilds of Canada where the dry winter air can wreak havoc on thin acoustic guitar woods..........I am a bit trepidatious over this potential issue. It might be fine........it might not. Who here owns a 185? What can you tell me about the model? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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