Eddie Rondack Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Hi folks- Looking for some opinions here... I'm considering trading my D-28 Marquis for an Original Jumbo over on the UMGF... I play the Marquis for bluegrass gigs only, which I will continue to have... I've never played an OJ... will it serve for bluegrass? Anybody know how the neck will compare to my Marquis... or to my J-45? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 I've never played an OJ... will it serve for bluegrass? Anybody know how the neck will compare to my Marquis... or to my J-45? Will it serve for bluegrass? Since it has the adi top, headroom aplenty, and a firm bass, tho not the rumble of D28., As the Bard sayeth, "tis 'enough, twill serve". Also, you get a nice clear top end for lead and rhythm ching. They were good enough for Charlie Monroe back in the day. But, no doubt some bluegrass Nazi will snicker. How will the necks compare? Both necks are chubby Vs with 1 3/4 spacing at the nut. Gibsons 12' radius is easier imho for playing up the neck. Bottom line: I think the OJ will do the old timey into BG and much more besides. A most versitile instrument and a candidate for the "if I could only have but one" dilemma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suburude63 Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Just my 2 cents. I sold my Martin Marquis and bought a J45 Adi top TV and a Advanced Jumbo Madi back and sides and adi top. I have never looked back!! They are awsome guitars! I am now a full fledged Gibson adi top addict!! As well as the Gibson Sunburst addict!! I just bought a J185 SB. suburude Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Rondack Posted November 7, 2008 Author Share Posted November 7, 2008 Just my 2 cents. I sold my Martin Marquis and bought a J45 Adi top TV and a Advanced Jumbo Madi back and sides and adi top. I have never looked back!! They are awsome guitars! I am now a full fledged Gibson adi top addict!! As well as the Gibson Sunburst addict!! I just bought a J185 SB. suburude Hey, I had a regular AJ and it was great for fingerpicking and flatpicking, but I didn't love it for strumming... almost like each note was so defined they didn't blend well... I wonder if the adi top fixes that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 I lOVE the OJ--don't have one and it's the only guitar that makes Hoss's GAS meter budge! But I would imagine that your D28 is better suited for bluegrass backup. Heck, I'll come right out and say it-- Your D28 is made for bluegrass. You might still want to try the OJ-- and who knows? It might work just fine for your BG group. THere's a hot little bluegrass band in these parts that uses an acoustic archtop, and they sound great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 I had a regular AJ and it was great for fingerpicking and flatpicking, but I didn't love it for strumming... almost like each note was so defined they didn't blend well "The AJ is a 25-1/2" scale, yes?" he asked, genuinely not knowing.... The longer scale may have caused that. It's not good or bad, it just...... is. I love analogies; sometimes it's the only way I can convey what I mean, and even then people have to cock one eye and think a minute. But one time I read that the difference between what is known as a "short scale" (24-3/4", which I sure don't consider SHORT, but people call them that) and a "long scale" (25-1/2") is this: A long scale is a lot like a finely tuned singing group. Each string is like one voice. Each does it's part. But each one's personality is apparent. When a chord is struck you can clearly hear each string, much like a group of singers on a good day, they're each doing their job but you can clearly hear six different voices. A short scale is also like a finely tuned singing group, but one made up of members of the same family. They each do their job but they blend and complement each other. Lennon and McCartney harmonized on their songs and it sounded great but you could tell one voice from another easily. That would be like a Dove or J30. Now listen to the Everly Brothers. Same harmonies but the voices are similar and somehow blend and overlap. There's your J45-Hummingbird voice. I know that's a hard one to swallow but it's how I read it and it made sense to me at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Rondack Posted November 7, 2008 Author Share Posted November 7, 2008 "The AJ is a 25-1/2" scale' date=' yes?" he asked, genuinely not knowing.... The longer scale may have caused that. It's not good or bad, it just...... is. I love analogies; sometimes it's the only way I can convey what I mean, and even then people have to cock one eye and think a minute. But one time I read that the difference between what is known as a "short scale" (24-3/4", which I sure don't consider SHORT, but people call them that) and a "long scale" (25-1/2") is this: A long scale is a lot like a finely tuned singing group. Each string is like one voice. Each does it's part. But each one's personality is apparent. When a chord is struck you can clearly hear each string, much like a group of singers on a good day, they're each doing their job but you can clearly hear six different voices. A short scale is also like a finely tuned singing group, but one made up of members of the same family. They each do their job but they blend and complement each other. Lennon and McCartney harmonized on their songs and it sounded great but you could tell one voice from another easily. That would be like a Dove or J30. Now listen to the Everly Brothers. Same harmonies but the voices are similar and somehow blend and overlap. There's your J45-Hummingbird voice. I know that's a hard one to swallow but it's how I read it and it made sense to me at the time.[/quote'] The AJ is definitely a long scale... and I can see what you're saying except that my (long scale) Marquis and Western Classic blend and overlap quite well... to my ear anyway. Dang, looks like I've hijacked my own thread... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58LG2 Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 You're not the first to say that about strumming an AJ, although some folks love it for all around. Different strokes/folks. I think for those that don't particularly bond with AJ strumming it has more to do with the forward bracing rather than scale length. Not sure what the bracing on the OJ is????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fp Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 I saw this ad as well at the UMGF. When he first posted the ad he placed a value of $2700 on his OJ. I think this is a bit optimistic for a used OJ. If you are trading straight across you may want to think about it. The Marquis is worth more money then the OJ is. I've seen at least four OJ's sell at e-bay for $1800-$2000. A natural finish Marquis will fetch in the $2300- $2400 range. The seller also just recently bought the OJ, just something to consider. I would like to have an OJ myself and I have a great Marquis which would be real hard to part with. Good luck with whatever you decide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcorner Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 But' date=' no doubt some bluegrass Nazi will snicker. [/quote'] There is a town about an hour and a half from me where if you show up with anything but a Martin they will stop playing. Of course, they don't care if it's a plywood Martin or one of those awesome X series guitars - as long as it is a Martin. I went with a Gibson Trojan and an Advanced Jumbo - they wouldn't let me jam. The following week I took an HD-28V and a 1934 HD D-28 - and I refused to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 I despise that bluegrass Nazi attitude. Reminds me of Harley people. I proudly own a Martin, especially since it was my father's and he handed it to me when he was done with it, but I would never belittle anyone because of what they play (or don't play). I also proudly own a Seagull, which is about the cheapest guitar on the planet outside the Pac Rim, and I would lug that to a jam and dare someone to sneer at me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermionik Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 . . It ain't WHAT you play..... it's the WAY that you play it. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Thermo" It ain't WHAT you play..... it's the WAY that you play it." Sure. Trouble is, music has a social context and, alas, some folks in BG Circles are a little, uh, Martin-centric. Though Dave Peterson is bold enough to flaunt an adv. Jumbo. http://www.1946band.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suburude63 Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Just went to a folk festival yesterday in my home town here. There was a guy with a (he says) 1940s Southern Jumbo he was bluegrassin with a bunch of Martin guys that were droolin over it! Plus I could hear it coming into the room over all the other jammers! It was an incredible guitar!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suburude63 Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Dave with the great! AJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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