Help...confused...J-45 selection

[Darrell]

Tried a bunch of J-45's this weekend. I was most interested in the standard J-45 and an Advanced Jumbo that sounded well balanced. I really like the vintage sunburst. The the salesman walks up with a used J-45, blonde in ROSEWOOD. It really did sound nice. He said he would sell it for about the same price as the other two J-45's.

So, do you thow your desire to get the color you want for the Rosewood? Or do you get the guitar you THINK you want. The obvious musicians choice is to get the rosewood. Let me know your thoughts.

[benmeza]

I would have to ask what you plan on doing with this guitar. Record? Play out? In my own experience with your dilemna, I have learned to go with what I am most comfortable with. I have bought expensive guitars that were suppose to be made of superior quality parts, but in the end I always had that little voice in the back of my head that said, "this is nice, but I still wanted <insert superficial details here>". The fact is, a regular J-45 is a nice guitar anyway, so as I see it, you don't lose too much if go for finish over woods. I guess you have to ask yourself if the sound of that Rosewood J was enough to compensate for the finish. My guess is the sound of the Rosewood version you tested wasn't too much better than the regular versions you played (although you know the rosewood versions are more sought after) otherwise you wouldn't be asking. If I were you, and some dealer is offering to sell me an Advanced Jumbo for the price of a regular J-45, I would jump on that deal. Now those are some nice guitars! Of course if the decision is just too difficult for you, I can take that burden off your hands and pick something out for myself. I take check/money order/pay pal/ and cash! :D

[Darrell]

I plan to play in a variety of areas. Around the house, open mics, lessons, with buddies, and some home recording and song writing. I guess we really are comparing red apples to green apples. They are all J-45's.

[Buffalosix]

The 3 guitars you mention are similar only in the body shape. They should all have somewhat different sounds and some slightly different features.

J-45 is well, a J-45.

The Advanced Jumbo (as I recall) has a longer scale length (25.5 as opposed to 24.75) - in addition to the neat fretboard inlays and script on headstock.

The J-45 Rosewood has the different body wood, Rosewood like a Martin D-28 - in addition to having the Grover tuning keys.

I for one was blown away by the sound of the J-45 Rosewood and bought mine relatively quickly after playing it. I originally had my heart set on sunburst, but loved the sound of the blonde J-45 Rosewood that I bought it almost on impulse. Haven't regretted it.

Good luck with your decision.

[Darrell]

has the same neck length. As a matter of fact...all model's of the 45 are the same (24.75).

I am curious as to what the difference is between the 24.75 length and the 25.5 besides length. What is the difference in tone, playability etc.

[Darrell]

I am heading out to the store after work with 16 big ones.

Let's see which one follows me home. The J-45 rosewood or the Sunburst Advanced Jumbo.

[Darrell]

I didn't buy either.

The used Rosewood was an Advanced Jumbo in blonde not a J-45 in blonde (which I thought it was and which I would have bought at the same price). I just couldn't get used to the funky inlay's on the rosewood.

The other was the regular J-45. I like the slightly smaller neck of the J-45. I really liked this guitar.

Why didn't you get the J-45?

Glad you asked. I asked them if they had a Sunburst J-45 in Rosewood. They got one in yesterday. Straight from the factory. It hadn't even been opened. Didn't even have a finger print on it. WOW. What a guitar. Why did I like it so much? Can you say EBONY finger board. Man it's slicker than snot. It is jet black and the dots nearly pop out at you. It took about 3 minutes of playing to realize this is my guitar.

Of course it is going to set me back another 300 bucks.

Are you going to get it?

One day. My wife says "do it...I want some new clothes". Our finances tell me otherwise.

The purpose of purchasing this guitar is so that I don't ever need to buy another one. I don't feel I would need to if this one was at home. It is definately a big step forward from this 300 dollar Takamine.

[Wally]

Darrell, what was the price on the used Blonde AJ?
Also, since you learned that the blonde was an AJ, you do realize that there is definitely a difference in scale lenghths of a J-45 and the AJ, right? There is much more different than alike on the two models, in fact.
By the way, those 'Diamonds and Arrows' are some of the most recognizable inlays that Gibson has ever used. There is no mistaking wht guitar one is looking at when you see them. The vintage AJ is the most valuable old Gibson and rightly so. I have never heard a guitar that can match my '38 AJ.

[Darrell]

I am not saying it was a bad guit. Heck, I almost bought it.

The real issue, is that it is the last guitar I plan to buy. I keep a very small number of guit's. 3 total now, and one is going to go go now. (2 normally) If it is going to be my last guit., I decided to get the one I want, lock stock and barrel. The spec on the AJ was 24 and 3/4, just like the J-45. All the new ones are that way. Yes, I loved the regular AJ burst, but it was gone (purchased the previous week). I could have waited for them to order another, but I was getting the J-45 rosewood for about the same price. I dabbled in the used market, ebay and a like, and I got insecure about most of the transactions. (not enough info., etc.)

Based on what I looked at the passed month, my ranking were as follows
1) AJ burst - gone, would have to wait for new shipment
2) AJ blonde rosewood and regular J-45 tied.

This came after trying every slope shoulder at a store that carries one of every Gibson acoustic. 30+ models in stock.

In walks J-45 rosewood burst, matched the price of AJ burst.

[Wally]

I'll have to check into the AJ scale lenghth. That is one thing that sets it apart from the J-45 and 50. It was my understanding that the RI AJ's were fairly true to the measurements of the original. The AJ RI's that I have played were 25 1/2" scales.

Darrell, I was on the Wildwood Guitars website and noticed that they have some AJ's newly arrived from Gibson. Check out the particulars as described.
http://www.wildwoodguitars.com/acoustics/gibson/aj/gb_aj_00743024/gb_aj_00743024.html

The Advanced Jumbo is just too much of a famous guitar for Gibson to mess with the original scale lenghth.

[Darrell]

But I read ever document on the Gibson site regarding both guitars. And they are the same length.

I bought local because I have a rule, "I don't buy it (a guitar), unless I can try it". As I said, if the AJ I wanted was there, it would be in my house now. Instead, I have a 45.

[Wally]

Congratulations, Darrell, on the J-45. I am sure you will enjoy it. I have a '46 J-45. If you check the spec sheet on the Gibson/Montana site, you will see that the J-45 is a 24 3/4" scale. The J-45, 50 and old 35's have always been that scale lenghth.
I also have a '38 Advanced Jumbo. I will assure you that it is a 25 1/2" scale guitar as are the reissues. There is no info on the spec sheet for the AJ, but if you get near one of the original 300 AJ's or a RI AJ, measure it. It will be a 25 1/2" scale. This is as sure of a thing as is the fact that there are no Fender Broadcasters with 24 3/4" scale.

Darrell, I just got this back from Bill at the Gibson Factory in Boseman, Montana.

"Hi Wally:
The infromation you request can be found on our web site and our current catalog.
The Advanced Jumbo is a long scale guitar. 251/2 inches
The J-45 is a short scale 24/34 inches.
If you have any other questions please feel free to contact me.
Thank you,
Bill"

[Darrell]

Either way, I am happy. I think I would have been happy with either guitar. And at the same price, this one just happened to be the one. I honestly could not tell the difference in the lengths in any of the one's I play. And I played a bunch of them. But then, as I said on the other forum, I am an intermediate guitar player at best. (Started late in life) The main thing, I got a guitar I am happy with, and that legendary Gibson sound that is so distinctive. Who know's, if I get flush one day, I may get an AJ too.

[Wally]

A good Gibson is hard to beat, and I do believe in having as many instruments as possible for different sounds and feel.
IMO, in concert with a set-up, a properly compensated saddle is a must. I throw the saddles from Martins, Gibsons, Larivee's, Guilds, and Tacoma guitars away. The only made-in-USA guitars that I have seen with correct saddles are Collings, Santa Cruz, and Bourgouise.
Enjoy that Gibson!

[sshan25]

The AJ reissue IS 25.5 in in scale length. That is why it sounds & plays differently than the J-45. Any site that says it's 24.75 is incorrect.

[mudshark]

AJ=25.5 scale
J-45= 24.75 scale

If you like'em warm 'n' woody, go with the J-45, and if you like'em bright 'n' sassy, go with the AJ.

Also, the AJ has a different top bracing than the J-45.

This is just personal preference, but for me there's just nothing like a mahogany J-45. They ain't been buildin'em since 1942 for nothin.! :D

Finally, hi all from Amarillo, TX. I never could get next to Gibson electrics (Hamer, Hamer Hamer!!!!), but I sure do love their accoustics. I have a J-45 1942 reissue and a 1960 LG-0 and love'em both. Also have a Larivee mahogany dreadnaught with the long scale, a D-05, and it's an amazing value fer the buck. :!:

Lookin' forward to learning a lot here. :idea:

[muffin man]

I bought a j-45 about 2 years ago w/ the idea in mind that this could be my last acoustic guitar purchase. So far I have no desire to get another acoustic guitar. Oh! I play other acoustics all the time but they don't do it for me like my J-45.