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A J-45 comes to Sydney via Tokyo

flatbaroque

By flatbaroque
in Gibson Acoustic

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flatbaroque

flatbaroque

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Gday from Sydney, Australia.For a while now I have had the urge to splurge on a J-45. I already had a superb Martin OM-18V which is a great fingerstyle guitar (wide nut) and handles chording pretty well too-incomparable woody tone. But over the past few months I had a chance to play a few J-45's in a couple of Sydney guitar shops. Loved the playability and the round tone and measured thump of strummed chords.My Martin has a V neck which can feel like a bit of a fight some times.Worth the fight though.

No way I could afford a new J-45. Priced here at about $3800 US new. Occasionally they come up on E-bay but I haven't managed to get a chance to play one first before bidding (which I need to do).So I'd almost given up.

But recently I was going on a 2 week holiday to Japan.So I started googling to see what the guitar buying scene was in Tokyo.Turns out in was pretty damn fine.I got to play a lot of guitars, oodles more than available in Sydney.Ended up getting a 2010 Standard J-45 (with the black nut) (used) for $1600 US. Maybe not a huge bargain for you lucky US guitar citizens but a good buy for us Aussies.Was a battle to get to Narita airport.Peak hour, carrying a big backpack, a day pack, guitar in hardcase changing trains 3 times on the metro.

Worth the effort.It's a fine instrument.

Incidently the Martin is also Sitka and Honduran Mahogany. Tonally the two guitars are quite close.

I was tossing up whether to buy the J-45 and made a deal to myself that I'd have to get some sort of sign before I committed.On the second last day in Tokyo I turned on the telly and there on breakfast TV was a Japanese folkie (very Dylanish in an oriental way) playing a J-45.He even spoke about the guitar afterwards.It was in Japanese but he was pointing to the guitar.Bloody hell I thought Its a Sign!...so 2 hours later I had a new guitar.Will do photos later.

Cheers

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flatbaroque

flatbaroque

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Thanks for the compliment on the name, but i can't take credit.It comes from the album name of one of my favorite singer songwriters Roy Harper, an English artist from late sixties to present.His album was "Flatbaroque and Beserk".Other albums included "Come out fighting Genghis Smith" and "Folkjokeopus". He is a bit of a cult figure.Pink Floyd has a song "Hats off to Roy Harper" and Jimmy Page has played a few tasteful licks on some of his albums.

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E-minor7

E-minor7

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Look forward to hear more about your J-45 - and see pictures. It may be very simular to mine, which is from Jan. this year. I got it in midsummer and it's been a pleasure getting to know the instrument. Basicly a Martin-person, this guitar offers me something completely new - In a bold second I wouldn't hesitate to call it a bit weird (excuse me for slippin' a quiet laughter here). Back on the serious note, I'd like to repeat a statement mentioned in an earlier post a few weeks after I found it : This version of the J-45 just doesn't fit the term 'workhorse', if you ask me. In these ears and fingers it is much better as a lyrical player, especially on the first three frets. A deep, someone said nut-like, relaxed tone seem to emerge everytime I pick it up. And that's what makes it so unique. The answers recieved when it takes a tougher beating, isn't nearly as precise or exiting. Must have something to do with the hand-carved bracing, and that's all fine. Anyway - have a jolly autumn with the new maid and let's get some stories from your end of the endless J-45 world. Hep. . . .

 

By the way, I have the Bullinamingvase lp standing on my sofa - another splendid Harper record, for those who don't know.

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