Dave F Posted October 29 Posted October 29 1939/40 Gibson J-35 Acoustic Guitar w/ case | Reverb 1939/40 Gibson J-35 Acoustic Guitar w/ case Used – Very Good Price Drop Original price$8,750 Original price $1,750 savings New Price$7,000 Free Shipping Quote
Larsongs Posted October 29 Author Posted October 29 6 hours ago, Lars68 said: I think the J-35 is simply a more cost efficient guitar to produce, and hence the lower price. No spraying of a sunburst and no polishing means less labor hours. A lower price to the consumer does not necessarily mean less quality, tonal or otherwise. In this case, I bet non of us could hear any difference whatsoever in tone in a blind test based based on if a finish is polished or not. According to the video above, there is a difference in the angle of the x-brace between the J-35 and J-45. This makes sense, why else call it a J-35? In Gibson model history, the 35 is a seperate model and design from the 1930’s, while the 45 first appeared in 1942. So very likely, Gibson is making a vintage inspired version of the original bracing in the modern J-35, to differentiate it slightly tonally from modern J-45s. As for the tone of the J-35 in the video, I’d say it's 100% Gibson and nothing cost cutting about it. Sounds great! For me, if I was starting my journey into Gibson, and was into vintage inspired look and features, this J-35 is exactly where I would start. If money is no object, here is a similar alternative… https://www.ebay.com/itm/266957499418 Lars The 3 Guitars range from $2199 - $2999. That’s only $800. So, I agree Satin vs High Gloss is about $500. They probably use less expensive Tuners, Bridges & Saddles to save a couple Hundred bucks. So there you are. Quote
Larsongs Posted October 30 Author Posted October 30 From that comparison YouTube the 30’s J-35 lacks bass & has more mids & high freq. The 50’s J45 sounds more balanced with bass mids & high freq. It sounds more opened up. The J45 Std has a very balanced sound too. Good balance of Bass, Mid’s & High Freq. Doesn’t sound as opened up as the 50’s J45 to my ears. But, with the High Gloss finish & the highest quality appointments sounds great & in time will open up & sound even better I would think. All are great choices. Quote
Dave F Posted October 31 Posted October 31 Last day for Fullers sale, but they run the sale about once a month. Quote
PrairieDog Posted October 31 Posted October 31 On 10/29/2024 at 11:57 PM, Larsongs said: From that comparison YouTube the 30’s J-35 lacks bass & has more mids & high freq. The 50’s J45 sounds more balanced with bass mids & high freq. It sounds more opened up. The J45 Std has a very balanced sound too. Good balance of Bass, Mid’s & High Freq. Doesn’t sound as opened up as the 50’s J45 to my ears. But, with the High Gloss finish & the highest quality appointments sounds great & in time will open up & sound even better I would think. All are great choices. Which 50s? They have two. The lower cost 50s Faded and the 50s Original which is more expensive than the Standard. The 50s original is on par with the Standard with some extra vintage elements. Bone and neck carve among others. I found they made a difference. I thought the 50s original sounded really good, like you said well balanced and open. However, The 50s faded, the down market version from the Standard, I found very thin and weak. If you order one, make sure you pick the right 50s model. Quote
Larsongs Posted November 1 Author Posted November 1 I have to try one of those Original's too. There sure are a lot of J45's! Spec wise the two 50's models don't seem that different other than one has Gloss finish & the other a Satin finish. Or is there something more. Does the difference in finish ,ake tha much difference of the Sound? Gibson Acoustic 50s J-45 Original - Vintage Sunburst 6-string Acoustic-electric Guitar, with Mahogany Back/Sides, Sitka Spruce Top, Mahogany Neck, and Rosewood Fretboard - Vintage Sunburst $3199.00 Or $90.64/month with 36 month financing* Add to Cart String TypeSteelNumber of Strings6Left-/Right-handedRight-handedBody ShapeRound Shoulder DreadnoughtBack & Sides WoodMahoganyTop WoodSitka SpruceFinishGloss Nitrocellulose LacquerColorVintage SunburstBody BracingScalloped X-bracingBindingMulti-ply top/backNeck WoodMahoganyNeck ShapeRoundedRadius12"Fingerboard MaterialRosewoodFingerboard InlayMother-of-Pearl DotsNumber of Frets20, StandardScale Length24.75"Nut Width1.725"Nut/Saddle MaterialBone/BoneBridge MaterialRosewoodTuning MachinesGrover Strap with Cream buttonsElectronicsLR Baggs VTC Under Saddle PickupStringsGibson, .012-.053Case IncludedHardshell Case. Gibson Acoustic '50s J-45 Faded Acoustic-electric Guitar - Faded Sunburst Acoustic-electric Guitar with Spruce Top, Mahogany Back, Sides, and Neck with Rosewood Fingerboard - Faded Natural $2499.00 Or $70.81/month with 36 month financing* Add to Cart String TypeSteelNumber of Strings6Left-/Right-handedRight-handedBody ShapeJ-45Back & Sides WoodMahoganyTop WoodSitka SpruceFinishSatinColorFaded SunburstBody BracingScalloped X-bracingBindingMulti-ply TopNeck WoodMahoganyNeck ShapeRoundRadius12"Fingerboard MaterialRosewoodFingerboard InlayMother-of-pearl DotsNumber of Frets20Scale Length24.75"Nut Width1.725"Nut/Saddle MaterialBone/BoneBridge MaterialRosewoodTuning MachinesGotoh, White ButtonsElectronicsLR Baggs VTCStringsGibson, .012-.053Hardshell Case Quote
PrairieDog Posted November 1 Posted November 1 (edited) @Larsongs The specs do seem on the surface the same. I noticed that the Faded has a “fat” pickguard, and the Original just says 50s style. I wonder if a heavier pickguard accounts for the tonal differences folks are picking up on? Also, don’t discount finish in the magic that makes sound. That nitrocelluose is an ingredient in the mix. Maybe the lighter mass of the thinner finish on the Faded doesn’t carry the reverberations the same way the heavier gloss finish does. They do say if you take the original finish off a Stradivarius, it no long sounds like one, and no one has been able to recreate his recipe. Maybe the finish is more secret sauce than we give it credit for? And don’t count out they may use slightly nicer woods in the pricier models. Even if they aren’t AAA tops, there are still variations of quality in mill run slabs that they may sort out for different models. All just spitballing guesswork here. All I know is I wasn’t hip to any Faded sound, but the Original 50s nearly came home, until I chanced upon the 42 Banner. (By the way, if by any chance you want cow skulls on your 50s original you can get a “Bison” from GC. GC ordered up a few plainer street run models of the j-45 Bozeman 30th. Just in case you play any cowboy music, it makes a statement 🤠) Just mentioning, if you are thinking about the 50s Original, the Gibson site has them showing out of stock right now. So if Sweetwater has one, I’d grab it. Edited November 1 by PrairieDog Quote
Larsongs Posted November 1 Author Posted November 1 (edited) I remember reading something in the 70’s about Martin have woods stored in a special facility for natural aging. Maybe Gibson & others did too. Not sure they still do though? But, maybe? I know they have artificial drying processes now. It would be interesting to know more about what they did then & what they do now. Hopefully the more expensive higher end model versions of Guitars like all the J-45’s (& others) do actually have something more than the bling that justifies the higher prices. Edited November 1 by Larsongs Quote
PrairieDog Posted November 1 Posted November 1 11 minutes ago, Larsongs said: I remember reading something in the 70’s about Martin have woods stored in a special facility for natural aging. Maybe Gibson & others did too. Not sure they still do though? But, maybe? I know they have artificial drying processes now. It would be interesting to know more about what they did then & what they do now. Hopefully the more expensive higher end model versions of Guitars like all the J-45’s (& others) do actually have something more than the bling that justifies the higher prices. Good luck with your search. Seems more used j-45s are popping up. Maybe folks are getting cash for the holidays. I got a really good deal on my 2023 Banner, so keep an eye out. Quote
Sgt. Pepper Posted November 2 Posted November 2 1 hour ago, Larsongs said: I remember reading something in the 70’s about Martin have woods stored in a special facility for natural aging. Maybe Gibson & others did too. Not sure they still do though? But, maybe? I know they have artificial drying processes now. It would be interesting to know more about what they did then & what they do now. Hopefully the more expensive higher end model versions of Guitars like all the J-45’s (& others) do actually have something more than the bling that justifies the higher prices. What bling is on a J-45? Quote
PrairieDog Posted November 2 Posted November 2 (edited) 41 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: What bling is on a J-45? Well, there was this a couple months back https://www.gibson.com/en-US/p/Acoustic-Guitar/ACCH54751/Autumn-Burst but in serious answer to your question, there really isn’t any. that is why the price differences really seem to be made up in build/finish quality. Edited November 2 by PrairieDog Quote
Sgt. Pepper Posted November 2 Posted November 2 2 minutes ago, PrairieDog said: Well, there was this a couple months back https://www.gibson.com/en-US/p/Acoustic-Guitar/ACCH54751/Autumn-Burst Well ya got have a model that the Bro-country guys will strum. 1 Quote
PrairieDog Posted November 2 Posted November 2 (edited) 7 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Well ya got have a model that the Bro-country guys will strum. Chuckle. I confess I was kinda bummed I missed that one. there is a street version at GC built on the regular 50s Orig with just the bison heads and roping and bison on the head stock. No abalone. Almost bought it for my wife for Xmas, it was right up her alley, but good thing I didn’t. She got her head turned by 2008 LP Trad in desert burst. I think I’ve lost her to the solid body side 😆 btw, not sure if you saw I edited after I posted, I was mentioning in a serious answer to your question, there really isn’t any bling on the regular models, so the costs probably do reflect different builds and finishes. Edited November 2 by PrairieDog Quote
Dave F Posted November 2 Posted November 2 (edited) Looks like Gretsch got hold of that one. Or maybe Martin. Edited November 2 by Dave F 1 Quote
PrairieDog Posted November 2 Posted November 2 (edited) 7 minutes ago, Dave F said: Looks like Gretsch got hold of that one. Or maybe Martin. Okay, that inlay is turning my head Edited November 2 by PrairieDog Quote
Sgt. Pepper Posted November 2 Posted November 2 36 minutes ago, PrairieDog said: Chuckle. I confess I was kinda bummed I missed that one. there is a street version at GC built on the regular 50s Orig with just the bison heads and roping and bison on the head stock. No abalone. Almost bought it for my wife for Xmas, it was right up her alley, but good thing I didn’t. She got her head turned by 2008 LP Trad in desert burst. I think I’ve lost her to the solid body side 😆 btw, not sure if you saw I edited after I posted, I was mentioning in a serious answer to your question, there really isn’t any bling on the regular models, so the costs probably do reflect different builds and finishes. I know I’ve seen lots of J-45’s. Even strummed some. Quote
Larsongs Posted November 2 Author Posted November 2 (edited) 13 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said: What bling is on a J-45? I originally meant compared to the faded 50’s even an J45 looks blinged out with its fancier finish & upgraded appointments. But, here’s another, I kinda like this one which is also a Rosewood model. https://www.gibson.com/en-US/p/Acoustic-Guitar/ACCGBH714/Rosewood-Burst?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAABmT-XFedKECLM5xdycMQQLS3OXi1&gclid=CjwKCAjw-JG5BhBZEiwAt7JR640I2Bz2VXr3wDKIqglkoQljSddaPYc8lULTdlLApjsj8j8Fos2l-hoCgukQAvD_BwE Edited November 2 by Larsongs Quote
Larsongs Posted November 2 Author Posted November 2 Here’s another ornate J-45 that looks & sounds great. Quote
62burst Posted November 2 Posted November 2 2 hours ago, Larsongs said: Here’s another ornate J-45 that looks & sounds great. Noticeable radius to that fretboard. These are a few of my favorite bursts. Quote
Lars68 Posted November 2 Posted November 2 I just want to point out that because something is made with less expensive parts/materials and using less labor hours, it is not necessarily of lesser quality compared to a more expensive counterpart. I believe this to be especially true if one part of the perceived quality is something as subjective as tone. Sometimes a cheaper material has all the right attributes, and the only difference that matters is just price. Keep in mind also that a manufacturer can ”over spec” something simply in order to signal a ”higher” quality, one that can not be measured, only perceived. How come we so often are lured into thinking the most beautiful, exotic, rare, and crazy expensive woods sound the best? Nothing wrong with paying for beauty and aesthetics, by the way, if that is what one wants, but that is not the same as quality. Lars Quote
Larsongs Posted November 2 Author Posted November 2 (edited) 17 minutes ago, Lars68 said: I just want to point out that because something is made with less expensive parts/materials and using less labor hours, it is not necessarily of lesser quality compared to a more expensive counterpart. I believe this to be especially true if one part of the perceived quality is something as subjective as tone. Sometimes a cheaper material has all the right attributes, and the only difference that matters is just price. Keep in mind also that a manufacturer can ”over spec” something simply in order to signal a ”higher” quality, one that can not be measured, only perceived. How come we so often are lured into thinking the most beautiful, exotic, rare, and crazy expensive woods sound the best? Nothing wrong with paying for beauty and aesthetics, by the way, if that is what one wants, but that is not the same as quality. Lars Well said. As pretty as some are that’s not the intended goal of my next Acoustic Guitar purchase. At least it wasn’t originally intended to be. I’ll probably throw this Thread off course by saying this. Because if it was about fancy, I’d get a SJ-200 similar to the one George Harrison had. Edited November 2 by Larsongs Quote
Sgt. Pepper Posted November 2 Posted November 2 12 hours ago, Dave F said: Looks like Gretsch got hold of that one. Or maybe Martin. Is that a Dwight Yoakam D-28? Seen him twice. Quote
Dave F Posted November 2 Posted November 2 (edited) 2 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Is that a Dwight Yoakam D-28? Seen him twice. Marty Stuart HD40 Edited November 2 by Dave F Quote
Sgt. Pepper Posted November 2 Posted November 2 12 minutes ago, Dave F said: Marty Stuart HD40 Seen him too. Quote
Dave F Posted November 2 Posted November 2 11 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Seen him too. Me too Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.