pig140 Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I'm really thinking about buying one of these, but I've never gotten to play the RW version. Not sure what to expect. I posted on the AGF, but only a few of those guys have played one. What should I expect it to be like compared to the regular J-45 or a Martin RW or a Taylor RW etc.? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aymeric22 Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I have one! I find it great. A kind of warmer D28, very versatile guitar for bluegrass or fingerpicking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maninblack Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I have one. Warm and versatile are good adjectives. Not as woody or crisp as a hog 45. Sweeter than a D-28, but not quite as robust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearbasher Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Let me start off by telling you I'm basically a chord masher. I hadn't played my J-45RW in a long time. But, I just picked up my maple J-45 and that made my pull out the RW last night. I can't believe what a great guitar it is. With that said, compared with a mahogany and maple J-45, the RW blows them both away. More volume and warmth than the maple and cleaner than the mahogany. I've never picked up a Taylor, so I can't make a comparison. I own a maple Martin Dred and I put that in the same class as the maple J-45. The only RW Martin I've played was a friend's D-28. I hate to say this (I'm a Gibson man); it had to be the best guitar I've ever heard. I also prefer the sound of my Guild D-55 over the J-45RW, but I don't really like the long scale neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pig140 Posted April 23, 2008 Author Share Posted April 23, 2008 I have one. Warm and versatile are good adjectives. Not as woody or crisp as a hog 45.Sweeter than a D-28' date=' but not quite as robust. [/quote'] Thats the exact sound I'm looking for. Thanks for the responses. I feel the D-28 is too boomy and a little heavy on the bass end. I also felt that the hog J-45 just didn't do it for me. I guess its the mahogany that has what I think is called "quick decay" where the notes don't really sustain. It seems like the RW version is perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aymeric22 Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I play mine only with fingers and it seems to me i can do anything, depending on the way i use it. Picking, sweet sound, deep (and bassy) sound, strumming, flatpicking, bluegrass,... For Bluegrass (Rosewood style) with a plectrum an HD 28 or a D28 may be still the reference, for all the rest the J45 RW is amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajay Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I demoed a Dwight Yoakam Homky Tonk Deuce for a week. Awesome sound, and I loved it. My only problem was that I'd played a long scale acoustic since 1972, and didn't feel like switching. That was in 2002. I could feel the difference, so I got my Advanced Jumbo based upon my admiration of the J-45 RW tone. Two weeks later I got my AJ, and I haven't looked back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcorner Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I'm with ajay on this one - if you are going for a J45 RW you might as well get an Advanced Jumbo because they are more resonant with the forward shifted bracing. They are also very beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pig140 Posted April 23, 2008 Author Share Posted April 23, 2008 I thought about that, but, and I know this shouldn't matter, I'm really partial to the looks of the J-45. I like everything about it, from the upper belly bridge to the modern style Gibson logo. BUT, I may get a chance to play an AJ this weekend at GC if I can make the trip over to Jackson. The AJ may be a tad more than I'm looking for. Hopefully, we'll see.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcorner Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I am glad you will get to try an AJ. It is unfortunate that they take a bit of time to open up, so your visit to the GC isn't really going to present you with that explosive tone - but you will get a whiff for sure. I appreciate everything you have said about D-28s and the look of a basic J-45 because all these statements make sense to me and my tastes too - but my ears keep telling me to advise you to get an AJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonyc007 Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I have a J-45RW and it is my Baseline guitar. It sounds so good / feels so good / looks so good; all other guitars need to be measurede against her. Great, great guitar. Difficult to say if one is your favorite, but most days, I grab the J-45RW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maninblack Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 It doesn't sound like the AJ is the right guitar for you. I love mine (and the 3 dozen I have played for that matter), but I prefer the J-45 (hog or r/w). The AJ is the opposite of what I consider versatile. It is excellent for bluegrass, campfire jams or rock and roll. But it is loud and not particularly subtle everywhere else. It doesn't come close to the 45 as a strummer or folk-blues box. Plus, the short-scale on the 45 really facilitates smooth playability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarstrummer Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Don't own one but have played several and they've all sounded great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pig140 Posted April 27, 2008 Author Share Posted April 27, 2008 I did it.....I got a J-45 ROSEWOOD coming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarstrummer Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 I did it.....I got a J-45 ROSEWOOD coming! Great, congratulations. =D>/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 I did it.....I got a J-45 ROSEWOOD coming! i just lost a bidding war on ebay tonight for a 2003 J45RW. maybe it's headed your way! LOL! wouldn't that be something. it went for 1925.00 and i stopped at 1800.00. figured i could get a new one for right around that money and have the warranty. enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Always_Black Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 From time to time, it sounds like we are describing wine rather than guitars.......thin, robust, pleasant......great taste, less filling ! :) To me, the J-45 RW just sounds F'n awesome. One Bad A$$ guitar. I hope to own one someday......maybe in all black. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pig140 Posted April 27, 2008 Author Share Posted April 27, 2008 i just lost a bidding war on ebay tonight for a 2003 J45RW. maybe it's headed your way! LOL! wouldn't that be something. it went for 1925.00 and i stopped at 1800.00. figured i could get a new one for right around that money and have the warranty. enjoy! Yeah, that was me! LOL I know I probly paid too much, but the cheapest I could find new was about $500 more (which I think is MAP) than I won it for and I really really wanted it. If I could've found a new one around 2K, I'd already bought it. If it turns out to be not what I wanted, it'll go back up on ebay or on a forum. I'm sure I'll have to take a $1-200 loss, but I knew that when I decided I wanted it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 Yeah' date=' that was me! LOL I know I probly paid too much, but the cheapest I could find new was about $500 more (which I think is MAP) than I won it for and I really really wanted it. If I could've found a new one around 2K, I'd already bought it. If it turns out to be not what I wanted, it'll go back up on ebay or on a forum. I'm sure I'll have to take a $1-200 loss, but I knew that when I decided I wanted it.[/quote'] WHAT ARE THE ODDS!? well, it appeared to be a really nice guitar and i'll bet it'll be everything you were looking for. if i had won it, i'd be driving to okeechobee, fl. by now. about a 5 hour round trip. instead, i'll relax on my day off. congratulations! looks like you got a good one there. post some pics, ok? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pig140 Posted April 28, 2008 Author Share Posted April 28, 2008 I definitely will. I hope its as nice as he says it is. I wish I could drive to get it, but I'm in North Louisiana, so that's just a tad too far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPDEN Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 I did it.....I got a J-45 ROSEWOOD coming! Congrats! Of played a handful of different J-45 RW's in the ast 6 or so months, and every one left me saying now that is the guitar i would choose. And keep in mind that was comparing to the D-28 and even the HD-28 with the different top bracing. So I think you made a great choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPDEN Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 i just lost a bidding war on ebay tonight for a 2003 J45RW. maybe it's headed your way! LOL! wouldn't that be something. it went for 1925.00 and i stopped at 1800.00. figured i could get a new one for right around that money and have the warranty. enjoy! For me to buy off of eBay, it has to be discounted a decent amount, or be something that is quite unique. In all cases they have to be from a seller that describes well, shows it well and has a good feedback record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarstrummer Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 I never have and probably never would buy a guitar off e-bay. Also, most dealers will give a much better deal than the MAP. But, if it's a guitar you've just got to have, I can certainly understand that too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pig140 Posted April 28, 2008 Author Share Posted April 28, 2008 I never buy without playing either.....until now. It's normally a rule of mine. The problem for me was that I tried the nearest GC and two other Gibson dealers. Nobody within 100 miles in all directions had the J-45 RW. I based my decision on research and asking lots of questions. I even emailed the guy in Ireland that had the only clip of one on youtube. Also, it seemed that judging from it scarcity on ebay and forum classifieds, and based on the price brought at the auctions...I figured I could take the chance. Besides, I only outbid the last bidder by $25. And now I have it.....the elusive J-45 Rosewood! (well...I will in a few days....) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcorner Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 I definitely will. I hope its as nice as he says it is. I wish I could drive to get it' date=' but I'm in North Louisiana, so that's just a tad too far.[/quote'] Good for you. I am glad to hear you got the guitar you wanted and I will look forward to seeing the pics if you get time to post. Rosewood rules! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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