ParlourMan Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Good afternoon, I hope you can help. As the topic indicates I'm trying to evaluate J-45 models, this isn't possible locally, so it would most likely be an internet order, although I am familiar with a couple of guys from the store so I wouldn't feel terrible about asking for a 'good one' and their returns policy is fabulous. However the specs sheets on the Gibson site are missing some details regarding the differences between a J-45 standard and a J-45 TV (true vintage). Some background: I have the Keb Mo Bluesmaster model, number 6 of 300 it tells me. I love the neck on this guitar, the wider nut width the string spacing etc.. I know both models are a bit smaller in nut width at 1.725 as opposed to the Keb Mo's 1.805, however they don't specify string spacing at the bridge, can any owners of recent editions of both models pitch in to answer this for me? Also, for the differences between models, should I select the TV for a purchase, one of the first things I would likely do would be to install a pickup, the standard already has the LRBaggs unit installed which would be decent enough for my needs, so can anyone offer anything deeper than what can be gleamed off the official site on these models. My aim is to have a good strummer, but something I can also fingerpick with aswell, so I quite like the string spacing to have at least a decent bit of room to move as opposed to a crammed setup which is suitable for strumming but a bit tight for fingerstyle. Cheers in advance for any help. best regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy2 Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Save your money and skip the TV. Especially if you plan to modify with a pick up right away. A standard J45 should suit you just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Save your money and skip the TV. Especially if you plan to modify with a pick up right away. A standard J45 should suit you just fine. Yes - the new Standard J45's are great - ready to play live with the Baggs pickup, or to tune electronically. I know there are some great tv's, but some people on the forum don't like adding a u/s pickup. Let Mr Gibson do all that for you. Regards BK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modoc_333 Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Good afternoon, this isn't possible locally, so it would most likely be an internet order, where are you? surely there is a store close enough to be worth the drive considering the amount of money you are about to spend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted April 24, 2011 Author Share Posted April 24, 2011 where are you? surely there is a store close enough to be worth the drive considering the amount of money you are about to spend. Hi, I'm based in Luxembourg, there's 3 stores here, none carrying anything like this, normally I try out stuff when I go back to Scotland. Although an online order is less preferred, the store I deal with has a great returns policy and I have a fairly lengthy history with them and have bought many guitars from them so I wouldn't feel bad about an "on approval" order. Naturally I'd love to go and spend a day trying them but it's a 8-9 hour drive away. I suppose I could make Paris in about 4 hours or a little over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojorule Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 Are you looking at Woodbrass by any chance? If so, would be interested to know how you get/got on with them. I used to live that side of Paris and rather liked the idea of buying there. Sort of a nostalgic version of buying local. Killer prices too. I looked to buy my Woody there before Christmas, but they ran out and haven't had any in stock since. J45 standards have been a bit will 'o' the wisp there too. In the end Thomann did great by me, and their prices for Luxemburg are enticingly cheap. Here in Hungary things are a little bit more expensive, even when buying online, though Thomann still made things quite attractive. Extremely helpful people. Given your interest in the bridge spacing on the Woody, you might want to bear it in mind as a further alternative if you do go the slopeshoulder way rather than the route of the Bird. Apparently the bracing and body construction are essentially those of the 45 Standard, but the finish would be closer to the TV. Don't really know what to compare the neck with, other than that it reminds me of the 59 profile Les Paul neck on my Howard Roberts Fusion, which I also love. Obviously with the wider nut and string spacing of all the Jumbos though. Plenty of chunk, but easy to manoeuvre around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted May 9, 2011 Author Share Posted May 9, 2011 Yeah I'd had a look at woodbrass, few others too and of course Thomann is always an option for the reasons you mention. I've actually managed to build up a fairly decent rapport with one of the guitar staff at thomann from a few calls on previous purchases, I'm torn at the minute between the hummingbird tv, 45tv and maybe even a woody, I like the idea that I'll be less precious with the guitar from the off given the instant cost saving vs the other two, also it already has a pickup installed that I find very useable for what I'm doing. A case of a working gig-ready model against something I might baby for a while and would still need a pickup if I wanted to gig with it. Ideally I'd have room for two sj or 45 and the bird but that's a lot of money so I may have to change my thinking there ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincentw Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 "My aim is to have a good strummer, but something I can also fingerpick with as well" -- based on this remark I would advise the J-45 Standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry K Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 Given a choice between J-45 Standard and J-45 TV but being unable to play either of them, I think it is impossible to predict which one would sound better to you. Very hard to say unless you have already tried examples of the two lines and have a sense of what you like. Since you have no way to predict which one would sound better to you, you may as well decide on the basis of the features such as pickup on the standard, deluxe case for TV, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarstrummer Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 If most of your use will be with a pick up, you might want to go with the standard. However something else to keep in mind is that I believe the J-45 TV and the Southern Jumbo TV both come with the AJ top bracing, which is well worth the extra price, IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry K Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 If most of your use will be with a pick up, you might want to go with the standard. However something else to keep in mind is that I believe the J-45 TV and the Southern Jumbo TV both come with the AJ top bracing, which is well worth the extra price, IMHO. Agreed. To me the TV's seem lighter, very lively and responsive, and the tone goes somewhat in the direction of vintage Gibsons I have played. If you are playing through an under-saddle pickup you probably can't tell the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 Cheers for the replies, I have managed to try the standards of both the hummingbird and the J-45, in fact I'd talked myself into one of them, but these guitars were spoken for. I already have the Keb Mo (Wider nut, fingerstyle spacing and small 00 body) so I'm looking to add a bigger box to the hoard, this led me to the J-45 Custom rosewood or standard to begin with, then I tried the hummingbird so added the TV of that to the list of models I'm interested in. As much as I am looking for a good strummer, I'd like something nice too, hence the attraction to the TV lines, I've sold some electrics to raise the cash so it opens up the options to something along the lines of the following: J-45TV - Nice luxury model, great looks & some features and build specs which would steer me in a vintage type response Hummingbird TV - again a nice luxury model, big sound and some of the compression built in for very balanced strumming work, some bling and also something different from what I've had before. and a late entrance of the woody - less pricey, fully functioning giggable guitar with a great reputation from the off. The TV's are nice guitars, but not museum pieces so inevitably I will get over the babying period and want to take the guitar out to play (this would require the addition of a pickup) but for recording it would be a mic setup so there's still valid reasons for both to be considered. In the pursuit of whittling down the list it has only ended up a larger list than I started with, 45 Vs 45 custom rosewood to 45tv Vs h'bird tv Vs woody. Regarding the final ordering, while I do subscribe to the try before you buy policy, it's not always possible, so even if I go with something like thomann in the end, it's still cheaper for me to do this and return the guitar if it doesn't suit than it is to go to Paris or Strasbourg for a day on the off-chance I might get lucky. I also get to try it through my own setup in my own home rather than succumb to the "I've came all the way here, I'm not going home empty handed" mentality or be wow'd in a shop then underwhelmed later on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Just to complicate things further ... dont suppose you considered a Songwriter Deluxe ? If you really want a contrasting tone then rosewood vs mahogany is probably the ultimate constrast. I really love the SWD and its my main giging guitar as the rosewood overtones sound great plugged in, especially in larger venues throgh a PA. The SWD comes with a cut away and a great fishman prefix pro pickup system. I would throw that in the hat also especially if you will be gigging with this guitar, but if not, from the ones you listed I would definitely go for the Bird TV. J-45 or SJ is just too close to the Keb Mo I reckon. Cheers for the replies, I have managed to try the standards of both the hummingbird and the J-45, in fact I'd talked myself into one of them, but these guitars were spoken for. I already have the Keb Mo (Wider nut, fingerstyle spacing and small 00 body) so I'm looking to add a bigger box to the hoard, this led me to the J-45 Custom rosewood or standard to begin with, then I tried the hummingbird so added the TV of that to the list of models I'm interested in. As much as I am looking for a good strummer, I'd like something nice too, hence the attraction to the TV lines, I've sold some electrics to raise the cash so it opens up the options to something along the lines of the following: J-45TV - Nice luxury model, great looks & some features and build specs which would steer me in a vintage type response Hummingbird TV - again a nice luxury model, big sound and some of the compression built in for very balanced strumming work, some bling and also something different from what I've had before. and a late entrance of the woody - less pricey, fully functioning giggable guitar with a great reputation from the off. The TV's are nice guitars, but not museum pieces so inevitably I will get over the babying period and want to take the guitar out to play (this would require the addition of a pickup) but for recording it would be a mic setup so there's still valid reasons for both to be considered. In the pursuit of whittling down the list it has only ended up a larger list than I started with, 45 Vs 45 custom rosewood to 45tv Vs h'bird tv Vs woody. Regarding the final ordering, while I do subscribe to the try before you buy policy, it's not always possible, so even if I go with something like thomann in the end, it's still cheaper for me to do this and return the guitar if it doesn't suit than it is to go to Paris or Strasbourg for a day on the off-chance I might get lucky. I also get to try it through my own setup in my own home rather than succumb to the "I've came all the way here, I'm not going home empty handed" mentality or be wow'd in a shop then underwhelmed later on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 Just to complicate things further ... dont suppose you considered a Songwriter Deluxe ? If you really want a contrasting tone then rosewood vs mahogany is probably the ultimate constrast. I really love the SWD and its my main giging guitar as the rosewood overtones sound great plugged in, especially in larger venues throgh a PA. The SWD comes with a cut away and a great fishman prefix pro pickup system. I would throw that in the hat also especially if you will be gigging with this guitar, but if not, from the ones you listed I would definitely go for the Bird TV. J-45 or SJ is just too close to the Keb Mo I reckon. Cheers EA, I did have a look through the range so have have a glance at the SWD before, I'll have a look again, cheers. I think you're probably right through that the bird might be the easiest choice to make, in terms of adding something different. This all seemed like it was going to be easy in the beginning, but the waters have muddied quite a lot in the past 2-3 weeks. I managed to sell a 52ri, a Gretsch Tennessee Rose 62FT in the past couple of weeks and my Custom 335 just last night, so the funds are there for whichever one I choose. If I had no Keb Mo model, I'd probably order a woody as my first option for a gig ready guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Im going to record the Thomann country jingle durign the week for Mojo, and will record the Aaron Lewis SJ, the CW and SWD with the same tune, same condition, might help you to decide which tone you like more. http://www.thomann.de/gb/gibson_woodie_guthrie_sj.htm?sid=8490661db5f1191bfa44dc2edd0dad12 Actually ... i wont tell folks which guitar is which, they can guess first ... ha. Cheers EA, I did have a look through the range so have have a glance at the SWD before, I'll have a look again, cheers. I think you're probably right through that the bird might be the easiest choice to make, in terms of adding something different. This all seemed like it was going to be easy in the beginning, but the waters have muddied quite a lot in the past 2-3 weeks. I managed to sell a 52ri, a Gretsch Tennessee Rose 62FT in the past couple of weeks and my Custom 335 just last night, so the funds are there for whichever one I choose. If I ha no Keb Mo model, I'd probably order a woody as my first option for a gig ready guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 Cool, cheers EA, look forward to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Here is a good demo comparing a HB TV and HB modern classic. Not only does the TV look a heluva lot better than the modern classic IMO there is no comparisement in tone. The TV wins hands down, much richer and such a lovelly honey sweet tone, like a true HB should sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 Here is a good demo comparing a HB TV and HB modern classic. Not only does the TV look a heluva lot better than the modern classic IMO there is no comparisement in tone. The TV wins hands down, much richer and such a lovelly honey sweet tone, like a true HB should sound. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpkynsUS-38 Watched all these vids already EA, there's also a gut called "cedric vimont" who uses one: I would agree the TV sounds pretty ace to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Nice one ... but this guys taste in clothes leaves a bit to be desired. Actually never realised that Led Zep classic was so easy to play, will have to learn it. Although I would like to hear it through a J-200, I think it needs to big body and bass to really shine through. Anybody know on which guitar Page played it orginally ? Watched all these vids already EA, there's also a gut called "cedric vimont" who uses one: I would agree the TV sounds pretty ace to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 Nice one ... but this guys taste in clothes leaves a bit to be desired. Actually never realised that Led Zep classic was so easy to play, will have to learn it. Although I would like to hear it through a J-200, I think it needs to big body and bass to really shine through. Anybody know on which guitar Page played it orginally ? His Jumper is fantastic isn't it? ;) Friendly guy though, I posted a message about the guitar and had a very considered reply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Actually looking at it again I think he's using a very thin pick when playing this. I would use a slightly thicker pick and dig in a bit to get a bit more texture and a hint of growl out of that TV .... as I know it has it :-) His Jumper is fantastic isn't it? ;) Friendly guy though, I posted a message about the guitar and had a very considered reply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 Actually looking at it again I think he's using a very thin pick when playing this. I would use a slightly thicker pick and dig in a bit to get a bit more texture and a hint of growl out of that TV .... as I know it has it :-) I think the other vids of his with the same guitar are similar, fairly lightly touched, I would guess it has some more bite myself. Looks lovely though, a lot less vivid red than many of the internet pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 The guys from Alice in Chains use a couple Gibbys (SWD and I think the other is a HB TV). Really like the tone they get, and they both sound fantastic, tuned down half a step. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1urGnrR_5M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 Yeah that's cool, certainly looks like the TV model, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 If you want the best Gibson had to offer right now (barring a Legend model), go for the True Vintage. Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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