moej45 Posted November 29, 2011 Posted November 29, 2011 Ok....so it's pretty well known that I have been having a rocky relationship with my 4 month old j45 over the past month or so. To backtrack, when I bought it I orders colosi pins,nut and bridge and took it to a highly regarded local father son luthier team. the son worked on it and it took three weeks as they are always backed up. When I picked her up I noticed the action was lower than I am used to. But no big deal. I was all too happy to just take her home. Once I capo'd up I realized there was some buzz there but nothing too bad. But over the past 3 months it's gotten worse. They had said that any adjustments just bring it in and they would adjust it for free. But honestly I have been jammed up here with a third child and running my company. And this weekend I decided I had it with this J45.....it had to go...it wasn't for me. My plan was to get the action adjusted and then trade it in towards an sj200. So I took it in and the father of the team was there...he made a quick truss rod adjustment and let me have a play. Well....I found out why I gravitated towards it. The higher action restored the tone and I am now in NO mind to be trading this in. It's here to stay!
E-minor7 Posted November 30, 2011 Posted November 30, 2011 I'm sure the holy ghost played in. . . . Good luck -
j45nick Posted November 30, 2011 Posted November 30, 2011 What we're seeing here is the difference between a properly set-up guitar and one that's not quite right. Pay attention, folks. The fault may not be the guitar itself. That's the lesson to be learned here. You had the patience and experience to realize that something wasn't quite right, and the persistence to see it through. Even the professionals don't always get it right the first time, but a good pro will make it right in the long run.
dchristo Posted November 30, 2011 Posted November 30, 2011 glad your 45 is back in your good graces......nothing worse than not being happy with your guitar
moej45 Posted November 30, 2011 Author Posted November 30, 2011 What we're seeing here is the difference between a properly set-up guitar and one that's not quite right. Pay attention, folks. The fault may not be the guitar itself. That's the lesson to be learned here. You had the patience and experience to realize that something wasn't quite right, and the persistence to see it through. Even the professionals don't always get it right the first time, but a good pro will make it right in the long run. Could not be more true nick.
BluesKing777 Posted November 30, 2011 Posted November 30, 2011 Glad the J45 is back! I currently alternate my thinking of which guitar to keep if I could only keep one Gibson acoustic, and my mind changes daily, but really the J45 would be the only choice in a fire or flood situation. It does it all. BluesKing777.
struma6 Posted November 30, 2011 Posted November 30, 2011 Awesome! Glad you connected with your 45! Nothing beats a great set-up on a great guitar!!!
Jerry K Posted November 30, 2011 Posted November 30, 2011 It's nice to have one guitar where the action is a bit too low, for certain moods and types of playing. But too low really, really kills tone. Suggestion: read up on frets about how to adjust truss rods and change action height at the saddle. Every player should know how to do these tasks.
Jack6849 Posted November 30, 2011 Posted November 30, 2011 I once had a very famous guitar repairman tell me that the most common problem he saw in years of dealing with acoustic guitars was an "over-tightened truss rod"... I believe it. The truss rod is often inappropriately tightened in a misguided strategy for lowering a guitar's "playing action"... (i.e. string height). That solution has limited effectiveness and can often lead to even bigger problems and worse (i.e. damaging...) attempts at solution. Glad to hear that in this case, your problem was handled with a simple (and safe...) fix. Jack6849
EuroAussie Posted November 30, 2011 Posted November 30, 2011 Oh I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. I was utterly shocked how much the tone went for the worse when i made a truss rod adjustment to straigthen the neck a bit more, which lowered the action also, and the resulting tone. It was thin, thin ... Went back to the where it was, accepted the higher action, but the big, growly tone returned straight away, it was amazing what a differendce a small turn of the rod can make. btw: glad to hear you the J-45 is staying, I think every Gibson player deserves to own a J-45. It sort of as necessary and everyday as having a coffee machine.
Jinder Posted November 30, 2011 Posted November 30, 2011 Happy news! I don't think I've ever played a J45 I didn't like, and I've crossed paths with a great many of 'em. They're great guitars and, as you know, setup means a GREAT deal. I personally like a bit of a meaty action, within reason...I like to feel the guitar fight back a bit, enjoy the extta tone and volume, and have no problem with left hand power so a highish action is all good in my book, as long as the nut is well cut.
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