J45 Differences between models

[Modac]

Yes....I should have clarified....there is a difference between well played in strings and dead, decomposing strings. Point well taken.

[ballcorner]

I find guitars have a voice much like our own. We can sound subtle, enraged, philosophical and compassionate as well as many other things - our guitars can too, and they reflect the player more than they reflect themselves.

 

There have been a variety of differences in J45s over the years, ranging from bracing patterns to bridge plate thicknesses and fret types. There have been leanings toward certain types of woods and there have been variations in the thickness of finish applied, as well as the thickness of pick guards. You can spend eternity researching the finer details of these instruments, but nothing will ever prepare you for a purchase better than playing a guitar and deciding if it is the right guitar for you as an individual player.

 

Now 44, and having started with guitar at 16, my hands are strong, my control is pretty good and my finger style playing is metronomic without being mechanical. As my technique has improved, so has my ability to play an individual guitar in ways that will enhance its strengths and fade its weaknesses.

 

We often see in the forums a level of opinion that is certain and inflexible. Rosewood is this, mahogany is that and maple is something else. Use this string, there is no better polish than product X, you can't be seriously considering a Taylor, can you?

 

It just doesn't work that way. I go to the shops and play the CJ185s and I think they are the worst guitars in the world - because they don't sound good in my hands. Someone else can make a record-setting album on the same guitar. Comparing people's opinions here in the forums won't likely help you decide which guitar is best for you, but playing them will.

 

I buy my guitars very simply. I go to the shop and my wife puts on my blindfold. She hands me guitars and I play them. We bring three stands and the three guitars we agree sound the best go on the stands. I only see what I have played when we have it down to three. Sometimes, there is a guitar that sounds so much better than anything else in the room that we only fill one stand. Then, we start the real test. I play the new guitar along with at least two of my regular players that I have brought from home. If the new guitar can't bring anything new to work with, I don't buy one.

 

When you change from technical knowledge and research to using the senses that interested you in music in the first place - you will find a perfect guitar. It might be a J45 and it might not. I know for me it is never going to be a CJ185 - but I do own a wonderful AJ because that guitar killed everything in the store.

[TWilson]

Ballcorner-Your posts are interesting, informative and educational.

[ballcorner]

Ballcorner-Your posts are interesting' date=' informative and educational. [/size']

 

Thank you for the positive feedback TW! I enjoy being here at this forum to interact with everyone and I get a lot more from it than I could ever give.

[albertjohn]

The discussion on strings is interesting. Until 9 months ago my acoustic was a Yamaha FG423. An ideal guitar for me in many ways mainly due to brand loyalty (Phil Manzanera - SG2000 - enough said!)

 

The Yam is a great sounding Korean? made solid top guitar but I was always desperate to change strings. With a fresh set it sounded wonderful, bright, clean with lovely jangly chords. But after about a week I was looking to change strings again.

 

Now the SWD is a different story. I don't change strings anywhere like as frequently. It has a darker, flatter tone but altogether more honest sound. In many ways it's tone improves once the strings are a couple of weeks old when they lose a bit of the sharp edge and mellow out a little. I gig a few times a year so most string changes will coincide with a gig.

 

The elixirs I have on at the moment are about 3 months old and still going strong so I reckon I'm saving alot on money of strings.

[littlelegs]

Ballcorner,

Thanks for your input very helpful and kind of puts things into perspective, its so easy to get lost in these forums in the hope that you will find that nugget of information that will decide where your hard earned money should be spent.

The real problem is here in the UK with the lack of stock in one place to compare so it means lots of miles across countys to dealers that just want to sell you somthing no matter what.

The search continues!

[Rambler]

BC. Good one. The is no sub for hands on work-and no question the blindfold test cuts out visual interference.

That said, my own test drives have verified observations Ive received from trusted posters. I think such comments are helpful as long as we realize they are generalizations, not gospel. A good example of a rule bender is the Adv. Jumbo, which has more cut with fewer overtones than the "average" rose dread. Cheers! JK

[ballcorner]

The real problem is here in the UK with the lack of stock in one place to compare so it means lots of miles across countys to dealers that just want to sell you somthing no matter what.

 

 

I had the same problem here in Nova Scotia, Canada, with a monopoly (essentially) dealer only bringing in what they were certain would sell. So, it was J45, J45RW and J45WM and nothing else. There were never more than two Gibsons in the store at any time and when one would sell they wouldn't reorder for months afterward.

 

I could get Martins more easily with two local dealers and lots of local interest. So, that is what I played until Gibsons were stocked and readily available in my local stores.

 

If you go to a good shop with lots of selection, and if you try my blindfold test, maybe you will find a great guitar. As long as it is a great guitar, does it really have to be a Gibson?

 

Paul Brett put one of my collected guitars in his column in May, so I became aware of Acoustic Magazine UK and got a copy ($15, but arrived very fast). I noted that there are a good number of excellent looking guitars in the UK I would love to try that aren't available here - which is to say nothing of the all tube acoustic amps you can get there - WOW. I think if I took you shopping with my wife's excellent ears, we could find you a great instrument and I would come home with a 220V amp!!

 

The search is the best part. I know it will happen for you.

[Johnt]

I'm sure this has been talked about before and I have searched through the archives but an update would be much appriciated.

In my efforts to find the right Guitar and also just being very curious ( in addition' date=' not being able to find any dealers in the UK that have enough stock or any stock of gibsons for that matter that would allow me to find out for myself, yes we have discussed that in other threads), Could the good people of this forum please explain the difference between the mahoghany and rosewood versions of the J45,especially how it sounds ( and yes I know there different woods!)

 

Still searching for the perfect HB but I could be persuaded otherwise......or could I?

[/quote']

 

Hi LL

 

You have a PM

[littlelegs]

Cheers JT

[littlelegs]

Thanks for the shopping offer Ballcorner, if I was state side I'd love too, not too sure about the amp though, another dealer issue.

You are right of course the search is the best bit however frustrating at times.