Lilac Lion Posted March 3, 2012 Posted March 3, 2012 Ok so here's an issue that I didn't think would be an issue. I'm in the honeymoon period with a new guitar, a 2011 Gibson J-45 custom. It's the first guitar I've had that has the shorter scale length. It measures at 24 3/4 inches. I've been playing (cheaper) jumbo acoustics that have the longer neck: 25 1/2 inches. I broke the golden rule and didn't play before I paid on this one. That's a given--so don't flame. I'd played a J-45 before, loved the tone and got my heart set. But it just seems like the sweet spot, the place where I put my fingers to the fret and get the tone I want is just so much more exact than on my electric strat or my acoustic blueridge. I'm taking it to my beloved guitar tech on Monday but checking with the forum too: Is this true of all shorter scale guitars? Is it naturally less forgiving? The neck on the Gibby looks super straight. I've played it enough that the strings are broke in a bit and not fighting me. Does anyone have any experience with this?
jedzep Posted March 3, 2012 Posted March 3, 2012 Well, you've noticed what I have. My 12 fret L0 requires a more precise finger for 'sweet spot' tone, yet it's only shorter in scale than my d'naught by a half inch. That might be only coincidental, as there are other factors involved in getting that tone.
E-minor7 Posted March 3, 2012 Posted March 3, 2012 Lilac Lion – Tremendous name – Welcome Don't forget the new guitar is a HQ instrument. With the right set-up, Gibson often offers magnificent necks of immaculate precision. But you could find this on 25,5's too - Reading this again, I'm not sure I get get the exact point of your Q. Look forward to see other responses.
Lilac Lion Posted March 3, 2012 Author Posted March 3, 2012 OK, I'm thinking that maybe it's like driving a corvette when I'm used to a honda. The handling is much more precise and therefore different. Yay!! Guess I'm wondering cause I took my new guitar to a jam, after having it for just a day, and completely crashed and burned on a couple songs I thought I knew. Typical beginner problem, I may need more breaking in than my new guitar.
jedzep Posted March 3, 2012 Posted March 3, 2012 Now you're on to something. Give it time. Try playing it in a confined space so that the tone is bouncing right back at you off the soundhole. You might already be hitting your 'spot'.
onewilyfool Posted March 4, 2012 Posted March 4, 2012 The sweet spot is usually about 2" deeper than you think it is....
jedzep Posted March 4, 2012 Posted March 4, 2012 The sweet spot is usually about 2" deeper than you think it is.... Yikes! Get your mind out of the soundhole and into the cold shower. You're right, of course.
duluthdan Posted March 4, 2012 Posted March 4, 2012 I will reinforce the observation that the J-45 has a bit of a different sweet spot. Last Friday night I took my J-45 that I've been playing for a whole 10 days to play during the performers break at a club. I usually play my D-28. Most of the same songs. The combination of a new to me fret board, diferent action (a bit higher) the dark, a bit of a lackluster sound system with no monitors - and the nerves - and I found myself fumbling more than once - I thought to myself - "I'm glad their not paying me to do this" . Have to practice more on this baby - I can play the Martin with my eyes closed and socks in my ears because its an extremely familiar beast - this first Gibson and I though gotta spend some more time getting to know each other.
onewilyfool Posted March 4, 2012 Posted March 4, 2012 "finding the sweet spot"....we are still talking about guitars, right???
Lilac Lion Posted March 4, 2012 Author Posted March 4, 2012 And I thought I was stealing a baseball term... glad I didn't say guitar spot. But I coulda.
Lilac Lion Posted March 5, 2012 Author Posted March 5, 2012 OK Friends, thought I would post an update. Something clicked today and me and the J-45 understand each other. We're in love. I think it I was trying to manhandle the frets a little too much. A lighter touch on the left hand and I can get everything I wanted and more from this beautiful guitar.
Harmonics101 Posted March 5, 2012 Posted March 5, 2012 There MIGHT be one sweet spot on a guitar, there may be more than one. Most of my Gibsons have more than one sweet spot, it could be a left hand sweet spot or it could be a right hand sweet spot. It all depends on the song, the progression, which hand is doing most of the work. As with most other sweet spots, there most likely is more than one if you keep looking Harmonics101
j45nick Posted March 5, 2012 Posted March 5, 2012 Hand muscle memory is funny stuff, particularly if you play a variety of guitars. I have long-scale and short-scale guitars, wide fretboards and narrow fretboards, electric and acoustic, steel string and nylon string, as well as little guitars, big guitars, and everything in between. They all play differently, and if I pick up one I haven't played in some time, my first reaction is generally "holy cow, I can't play this thing"! In extreme cases, it can take days to even nominally adjust to a guitar I haven't played recently, and it can be very, very frustrating. It may be that it would be better if I only owned one guitar, or at at least on type of guitar. It isn't the brand of guitar, that's for sure. I don't have any two Gibsons that play in even remotely the same way. To me, it points out the genius of players like Clapton, who seem to adapt to an astounding variety of guitars with little apparent effort. I guess that's one reason he is who he is, and I ain't.
brannon67 Posted March 5, 2012 Posted March 5, 2012 My girlfriend tells me I find it all the time. :unsure:
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