J45 vs Southern Jumbo

[fortyearspickn]

Wow.  Long journey.  Great you were able to come out of all that in good shape.  Nothing scarier than injuries that will get in the way of playing.  You certainly picked a good 'trophy guitar'  for your reward.   With the Southern Jumbo, you don't need '12 more guitars' !   

[jt]

I have copies of the original specification sheets for all of the Banner models (yes, they will appear in the second edition of Kalamazoo Gals ... in a year or two). The specifications for the J-45 and SJ are identical, but for trim. The bracing is the same, the plate thicknesses are the same.

Note to 12moreguitars: I'm glad to learn of your recovery and your well-deserved gift to yourself. I've also struggled recently with health issues. Having all the guitars a Gibson lover will ever need, I rewarded myself with a bicycle, instead. 🙂

[12MoreGuitars]

Ha! Thanks forty.Yeah I  wasn't gonna try to achieve that.  It was supposed to be 1moreguitar but the 2 snuck in there and I hit the submit before I caught it. Thanks,I do realize how fortunate I am to have most of the use of my fingers although there has had to be some adjustments and my heart goes out to any and all that for health reasons are having to put their playing on hold or worse a stop. A bicycle is a great idea JT. I appreciate your  kind words and wish you a speedy recovery.  Thanks.

[12MoreGuitars]

Hey ya'll, After my new southern jumbo is played a bit and broken in I'm gonna lower the action just a tad. Did I  mention that it is from the original series and not the TV(as much as I wanted)There seems to me to be a lot of space between string and first fret. Can anyone tell me what is correct distance. Also,when lowering the strings would it be more practical to remove the nut and work on the back rather than the slots. The radius looks fine. It's just high to me. However, I don't have a lot of experience working on acoustic guitars other than taking the bridge down and truss rod adjustment. Any advice on relief, string height at 12th. How much is too much ect... yeah, I know its too much when it starts buzzing.haha. I've started using 11 gauge strings lately. At least I will when I do the work. It is not abnormally high at nut but I need it to be as easy to play as possible and it does appear it could come down some. Perhaps I should just work on bridge and see.what do ya'll think?

 

[12MoreGuitars]

Opps,I  probably should have posted to the proper topic. I apolizige. On this topic I only wanted a J45 but after looking at specs and seeing it is the same guitar structurally and then the price difference.well,to someone that likes parallelogram inlays,boundfretboard ect.like me. It was an easy decision. I do see the string peg difference but unless I missed something ( always possible ) I'm sure it is the same guitar. I will say this. I was not able to locate a j45 or a southern jumbo  that had a top that looked as good as the picture they use to sell them. The hamburger never looks as good either but it always taste pretty good and my new SJ has a plain top without much silking but its free of any knots or blemishes, it tight and even grained  and sounds exactly like my uncles 50's J45. Just not as pronounced.yet.

 

 

 

[generaldreedle]

I swear when I compared the J45 to the Southern Jumbo in the store before buying the SJ- the sound was different.  The SJ was a little more articulate, I've seen reviews by others saying the same thing.  

[12MoreGuitars]

Yes, I too have heard others say the same. Unfortunately I was unable to make a comparison. I could not find a store within 300 miles of columbia SC that had a southern jumbo.  I did find a 50's J45 but no standard and never more than the one. I had to go big box. After it breaks in a bit I'm  gonna lower the action  a little but other than that I'm happy. I got it for the same price as the J45 so the extra bling is icing on my cake. I guess all of any of the same models may sound somewhat to a lot different. This being different models even more so but I believe in a blind sound test the two would be fairly equal and it would suprise me to be able to tell them apart consistently but I am sure there are exceptions as well as individuals with better ears than mine and I have been consistently wrong at times. I do like  my new southern jumbo a lot and it is from the original series. Not a TV. It sounds to me just like the 50's J45 I did play and very similar to a buddy that has a real 50's (not as loud and defined but similar)and another with one that has but a few years.  Its spot on.

Edited August 9, 2020 by 12MoreGuitars
Spelling error

[Al Pike]

I have owned a J45 and presently own two SJ’s, one mahogany, one rosewood. The J45 I had and the SJ’s I own are different guitars. Different bracing, different Bridge construction, different break angles, I prefer the sound of the mahogany SJ to the J45...

Edited August 9, 2020 by Al Pike

[12MoreGuitars]

 Hi Al Pike.Yes,I'm sure that is true. There  were changes to both through the years.  I was only referring to the newer models and only to the J45'S I played which were all mahogany. I only could make the comparison after the purchase of my SJ too because I could not find one.I passed on the TV model because I already have a RW guitar.Generaldeedle you didn't say which model you played that was more articulate. TV or the original. I certainly think that the TV would be more articulate.My personal thoughts on the break angle which is all I can see that is structurally different between the two is the SJ center holes would be stronger bridge support than the back holes on the J45 but I don't believe it changes the overall tone.maybe a little if your picking right by the bridge but I don't really know.

[generaldreedle]

42 minutes ago, 12MoreGuitars said:

 Generaldeedle you didn't say which model you played that was more articulate. TV or the original. I certainly think that the TV would be more articulate.My personal thoughts on the break angle which is all I can see that is structurally different between the two is the SJ center holes would be stronger bridge support than the back holes on the J45 but I don't believe it changes the overall tone.maybe a little if your picking right by the bridge but I don't really know.

It was a regular Southern Jumbo vs a regular J45.  I asked the person at the store if I was hearing it right and he said yes and I have trusted his opinion throughout the years.  

[12MoreGuitars]

I would have loved to have been able to sit down in a room filled with a few of each. Even one of each. I also picked the original sj. However, I did send the first one back. It sounded tinny and thin not robust  with a growl like the 45's  I got to play and the southern jumbo I ended up with. So that particular guitar(1st SJ) did sound different but not in a good way.I'm convinced now  because of that it would be easy for some to say they sound different  but not the one I ended up with.It to me sounds just like a J45 and I  wouldn't be able to tell the difference in them. The situation could be reversed too. I have heard dud 45's but I do think that on a consistent basis they are the same structurally and sonically sound as similar as two similarly made guitars can be. At least the newer ones. There are always the special ones that are produced magically for undetermined reasons that can't  be duplicated. Perhaps you got lucky and found the one. I am happy for you. I know I love mine. Thats what makes it speacial to me. Its mine!