Rose Morris 1996 Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Is there a difference in sound between a J-45 Standard and Custom? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Yep, rosewood vs mahogany, hence signficant diffeerence in tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 The standard has mahognay back & sides, the Custom has Rosewood back & sides, there are tonal differences between these woods. How much difference depends on the tonal sensitivity of your ears, your personal preferences, visual preferences etc etc... Perhaps look up a few mahogany/rosewood comparisons to give you an idea, assuming there's no way to try both for yourself. Each has its own devotees and detractors, there is no better, only preference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojorule Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Is there a difference in sound between a J-45 Standard and Custom? The difference between a mahogany back and a rosewood one. Also between a rosewood fretboard and an ebony one. It's hard to describe. Some people find rosewood a very 'dark' sounding wood, so less bright than others, but hog is not exactly bright either. Many consider rosewood to give more overtones than hog, but maybe they are just different. Perhaps the rosewood promotes a stronger bass and treble response, and perhaps it rings and sustains more. Ebony on the other hand tends to promote a brighter sound than rosewood when used for the fretboard. Try these two samples from the same source for size. The Standard has the growl that I associate with hog-backed Gibson slope-shoulders (just listen to that first chord). The Custom sounds clearer to me, but also less warm. To me the Standard has the classic Gibson sound, but others here definitely prefer the Custom, and when fingerpicked it still has a very nice middle response. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_NCARjMp7s&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5gwnIY0nKg&feature=related Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Thanks Mojo, this is an excellent referance under similar conditions. For me its hog all the way on the J-45. btw; why is it so often that guitar soundclips are so often used with a bluegreass sample when probably less than 1% of the acoustic guitar playing world actually plays bluegrass ? Maybe 80 years ago it would be more relevant, but then again god didnt invent the internet yet ...hmm. The difference between a mahogany back and a rosewood one. Also between a rosewood fretboard and an ebony one. It's hard to describe. Some people find rosewood a very 'dark' sounding wood, so less bright than others, but hog is not exactly bright either. Many consider rosewood to give more overtones than hog, but maybe they are just different. Perhaps the rosewood promotes a stronger bass and treble response, and perhaps it rings and sustains more. Ebony on the other hand tends to promote a brighter sound than rosewood when used for the fretboard. Try these two samples from the same source for size. The Standard has the growl that I associate with hog-backed Gibson slope-shoulders (just listen to that first chord). The Custom sounds clearer to me, but also less warm. To me the Standard has the classic Gibson sound, but others here definitely prefer the Custom, and when fingerpicked it still has a very nice middle response. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_NCARjMp7s&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5gwnIY0nKg&feature=related Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moej45 Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Thanks Mojo, this is an excellent referance under similar conditions. For me its hog all the way on the J-45. btw; why is it so often that guitar soundclips are so often used with a bluegreass sample when probably less than 1% of the acoustic guitar playing world actually plays bluegrass ? Maybe 80 years ago it would be more relevant, but then again god didnt invent the internet yet ...hmm. I totally agree EA....play me some Patience on that thing and give me a real frame of reference! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danner Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 I totally agree EA....play me some Patience on that thing and give me a real frame of reference! +1, the mahogany J-45 has that unmistakable Gibson tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojorule Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Thanks Mojo, this is an excellent referance under similar conditions. For me its hog all the way on the J-45. btw; why is it so often that guitar soundclips are so often used with a bluegreass sample when probably less than 1% of the acoustic guitar playing world actually plays bluegrass ? Maybe 80 years ago it would be more relevant, but then again god didnt invent the internet yet ...hmm. Aha, EA. That's because most guitar soundclips are created by Martin owners, who just happened to be passed something else for comparison. In the case of the samples I posted, I suspect that the player owns both a Martin and a Gibson, since he segues into the blues when he wants to demonstrate fingerpicking. Given that he really goes to town on the bluegrass, however, I conclude that he loves his D28 somewhat more than his J45, and has ultimately voted Martin on Lefty Guy's AGF poll. Imagine if the samples were created by Taylor owners instead, though. At least bluegrass sounds viable and earthy on a Gibson. Just think what a J45 - Standard or Custom - would sound like in a demo based on metrosexual, thingy-type music... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Both tone-woods are excellent – One should really have both to learn the difference of their nature. There are a handful of stereotypical statements 'bout the 2 : Rose - More bass and trebs. More overtones, louder, oncomin'. Hog - Accentuated mids. Soft rounded sound, even mellow. I tend to support those characteristics – to me there is some Yang/Yin there - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojorule Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Thanks Mojo, this is an excellent referance under similar conditions. For me its hog all the way on the J-45. btw; why is it so often that guitar soundclips are so often used with a bluegreass sample when probably less than 1% of the acoustic guitar playing world actually plays bluegrass ? Maybe 80 years ago it would be more relevant, but then again god didnt invent the internet yet ...hmm. Actually to be fair, listening again, it's less bluegrass than greengrass here, isn't it? More traditional Celtic than its American successor? Which poses an interesting question. When do the Cork and Kerry Mountains turn into the Blueridge Mountains in musical terms? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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