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Which slope-shoulder should I get?

ataylor

By ataylor
in Gibson Acoustic

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ataylor

ataylor

Posted
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It looks like I'm getting a new job next month and may be able to swing my dream acoustic this fall -- a sunburst slope-shoulder Gibson. Now the question is... what to get? The three guitars I'm thinking of right now are (in no particular order):

 

- J-45 True Vintage with red spruce

- Fullers J-45 with red spruce

- Fullers J-35 reissue

 

I think the Fullers J-45s are basically production J-45s but with upgrades to get them in the TV realm. I know they typically have red spruce tops, madagascar rosewood fretboards, and banner logos. Probably don't use the hide glue, but apart from that, they may be pretty close to the TV J-45s.

 

I'm looking for the short scale, which is why the AJ isn't listed -- the J-35 could be a nice middle ground between the AJ and J-45 as it has bracing and styling similar to the AJ but with the short scale of the J-45 (along with slightly more simple appointments like inlays and binding).

 

Most likely I'll be going through Fullers, where I know I can get a good deal. The tricky thing is that I won't be able to play them in person, but I've heard that Fullers typically gets the cream of the crop from Gibson, so I'm not too worried. Anyone have experience with one or more of these guitars that would like to offer their thoughts?

 

Thanks!

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Red 333

Red 333

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I have both a J45 TV with Red Spruce top and a Fuller's 1939 J35 Reissue with Red Sruce top. I also have a *small* amount of experience with the FVG J45, as I auditioned one at a (noisy) guitar show before I got my TV.

 

Obviously, there a great many similaritiries between the three models. There are, however, a few differences.

 

The TV and the J35 share the same AJ-style top bracing. I believe the FVG J45 has the same bracing as the J45 Standard (by no means a sonic weakling, by the way), meaning it's shifted away from the soundhole a tad further.

 

The J35 shares the AJ's fat lower back braces. All four are high and thin on the J45TV. The FVG J45 seemed to have the same back braces as the Standard (being a little fatter and blunter than the TV's), but (and this is from memory), I believe the taper of the top two began later than on the Standard displayed near it (or so it seemed). There may be some other differences I could not see, as Jeremy Fuller suggested the guitar was tuned for them specifically.

 

The J35's neck is a little deeper than the J45TV's. Though it's not actually not too much deeper, it's more D shaped, so it feels more of a handful. The J45TV's neck is flatter, as is the FVG J45's.

 

I'm confused as to whether all J45 TV's get the VOS finish, but that's a consideration. I didn't particularly care for it at first, as I usually much prefer the glass-like finish of the FVG J35/J45. However, I find I'm less self-conscious about getting it scratched or dinged, as Gibson kindly already roughed it up for me.

 

The J35 has open back single tuners. The tuners on the J45 TV vary from build to build it seems. Mine has single white button tuners which are very white, in contrast to the aged binding. I don't mind, but many others have commented that they feel the like-new buttons don't match the tobacco-stained binding.

 

The J35's back, sides, and neck are finished with a more translucent (and red) stain, which highlights the beautiful grain of the mahogany. The J45TV and FVG J45 have a more opaque and brown finish on the back, sides, and neck.

 

My J35 has a smaller, OJ style burst, but I have seen others with the more traditional style found on the J45 TV and FVG J45.

 

The J35 has the AJ's thicker-on-the-bass side straight bridge, while the J45TV and FVG J45 have belly up bridges.

 

I'm sure there are other physical differences I can't think of right now, and some obvious ones (peghead hsape, logo inlay) that I won't go into. Additionally, I don't know if the J35 has a hide-glued top, but it's thought the J45 TV does most of the time.

 

I've never used my calipers to measure the tickness of the top of either the J35 or the J45 TV; all I can tell you is that the J45 feels lighter in weight overall. The J35's thicker neck and lower back braces may account for that weight difference for all I know...

 

Both the J35 and J45TV are sensitive, responsive, and dynamic instruments. My J35 has punchier mids, and my J45 TV more powerful bass. I'd also say that the J35 is somewhat drier, while the J45 TV has more overtones. Both have terrific sustain. Honestly, I couldn't hear the FVG J45 at the nosiy guitar show well enough to give you any kind of opinion about it.

 

Before I got the J45 TV, the J35 would be the guitar I'd grab in a fire. Now I would probably be burned to a crisp, dithering over which one. I'd PROBABLY be more inclined to grab the J45 TV if the tan case weren't so heavy.

 

By the way, I love Gibson slope-shouldered dreads. In addition to the J45 TV and J35, I've got a Southern Jumbo TV, an AJ, a short-scale, maple bodied AJ, a J45 Rosewood Vine, a J160E Standard, a laminated top J160E Peace, and a trio of Texans, which are essentially long-scale J45s (albiet made for Epiphone in Japan).

 

Red 333

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CAMELEYE

CAMELEYE

Posted
Posted

I'll throw in my two cents for the J-35 Reissue. I've owned just about all the more recent Gibson 45s and SJs over the past few years, and I feel the 35 is the best of the lot. Mine has a very thick neck, although I heard a few were made with a more "normal" size. It's a handful I gotta tell you. Took some getting used to, but now it feels just fine. Don't even notice the girth. Not much else to add, as Red did an excellent job (above). Ce

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fp

fp

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Your choices all look good but since I own one of the Fullers J35's, that's the one I'd tell you to get.

Not only does mine play and sound great, it's hands down the best looking of the six different Montana made slope shoulder Gibsons I've owned or any other guitar I've owned for that matter. I'm a nut for a red finish correctly done on mahogany wood, whether it be furniture, cabinets or in this case a guitar.

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Red 333

Red 333

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While I would love to own a J-45 (just about ANY J-45) and will someday.......

 

I tend to be partial to the slightly more robust and louder Advanced Jumbo (AJ)

 

Peace_Dove_Strap.jpg

 

TP, nice photo of a gorgeous guitar. What kind of bridge pins have you got on her?

 

Red 333

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Taylor Player

Taylor Player

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Hey TaylorPlayer! Paul' date=' I still want that guitar strap!!! Either you have to let me have it or quit showing pics of it!!!! I'm drooling all over myself!!! [drool']

 

1st to Red..... Where else do you get bridge pins?!?!?!?!? BOB COLOSI!!! (Mine are the bone double inlay ones he had in size 2A for my Gibson AJ)

 

Now on to Larry....

 

Ahhhh my "Hippy" old ACE strap! I love that thing and will never get rid of it. It was a gift from my Birth-mother. Being an adoptee, I did the whole birth-family search 22 years ago and after a few years actually found my birth-mother and her family which included 4 half-siblings all younger than I. We all have the same birth mother but different fathers! It is a very long story, but we had a reunion where after finding out that I played guitar, she gave me her strap that she had used since either the late 60's or early 70's. I never knew the story about ACE straps or saw what is probably the most famous of those Straps used on Neil Youngs guitar "Old Black" until much later after I already had the strap several years. It was in pretty rough shape, but I have a friend who is a great sewing person. She saved my strap and made it useable again for me.

 

Here is Neils strap....... (From what I have read, the cloth from his ACE strap was stiched onto a leather strap he had)

 

NeilYoung-oldblack.jpg

 

 

And the strap looks good with all my guitars by the way.... but I tend to use it only with this one....

 

 

100_0406.jpg

 

That was before I had all the electronics and wiring updated and swapped out the Vol/Tone knobs.... here she is now.

 

EpiCasinosm1.jpg

 

OK..... sorry to the OP about the Hijack of the thread.... back to SLOPE SHOULDER DREADS!!! [biggrin]

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Guth

Guth

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ataylor,

 

I personally find it impossible to recommend one over the others. I currently own a J-45 TV and am very happy with it. Before the J-45, I owned a Fullers J-35 reissue. I just never got along with the J-35 and ended up trading it ( I didn't dislike the guitar, I just didn't find myself really wanting to play it all that much). However, I would never claim that I find J-45 TVs to be superior to the J-35 reissues. It really all comes down to the individual instrument.

 

If there is no way for you to play the guitars that you are wanting to purchase, the only thing that I can think of for you to do is to call Fullers and ask them about the models you interested in, and of the units that they have in stock, which one sounds the best to them. We're not all looking for the same thing tone-wise, so hopefully you can describe what it is you're looking for from the perspective of tone. This is assuming that you don't have a particular style preference (other than the slope-shoulders) and are more concerned about tone. Talk it over with the folks at Fullers and work through the details on their return policy. If you end up being less-than-happy about some aspect of the tone of the guitar you receive initially, perhaps you can exchange it at no additional charge (minus shipping) for another that would suit you better.

 

Good luck with the search!

Guth

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