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I have owned many acoustics in my life but looking back I think only 4 made in the USA. A Taylor 510 I bought in 1980 when the salesman said Taylor is a new up and coming company. Around 1994 I bought a Martin JC40 but with life and work it really never got played much. And then a few years ago I bought a carbon fiber Rainsong and a year or so after that a Martin 00015. In between those over the years I have had Yamaha, Carvin, Seagul, Epiphone and Ovation. Most of those were mid priced guitars and nothing really super expensive. They were all fine guitars and nothing wrong with any of them but I seemed to be a “tryer”. I think the Taylor was my favorite and then the Martin but one Epiphone Masterbilt and the Carvin I really liked. Out of all those guitars I do not own a single one today. I have a Epiphone Hummingbird Inspired by Gibson, a Alvarez parlor and a Taylor 200 series. All three of those are totally different sounding.
So my days of trying are pretty much over but before they were i wanted to try out one higher end guitar or at least higher end for me. I wanted to try a Gibson but I was a bit skeptical because I am always reading that the quality control can be hit or miss. I settled on a J45 but my Guitar Center did not have one so I would have to chance it online. I settled on a J45 50’s Faded model. I wanted the 50’s due to a little bit more of a chunkier neck and I like faded finishes much better than high gloss heavy finishes. The upside to a faded finish also is its quite a bit less costly. So i have had it now for about 3 weeks and I am really happy with it. Not that there was anything bad or wrong about all the others and maybe I got lucky but this one really hit home with me. Beautiful sound and a little thicker neck has almost eliminated any soreness that I used to have on my index finger of the fretting hand. Eventually I will sell two and may all three of my other acoustics and just ride off into the sunset with this one!
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Hey Tom
Congrats on the J45. Gibson may have quality control issues, I can’t speak to that but the acoustics that I’ve played have all been great. Before I bought my Breedlove, I was giving serious consideration to a Gibson J-185; it’s a smaller version of the J-200 that is so popular. the J-200 was bigger than I thought that I wanted to deal with – LOL and then turned around & bought one of Breedlove’s Concerto models, the largest that they make. Go figure
I think that you’ll be very happy with the J-45. Many people have played those and when I tried them. I really liked the tone & responsiveness
Gibson’s acoustics are overlooked largely because Martin & Taylor seem to suck all of the oxygen out of the room. -
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Congrats! I love my J45 Koa Ltd. I’m a Martin guy but I just had to get a J45 as well. I’ve had it about 12 years from new and am playing it a lot, about equal acoustic time to the #1 Martin 000 at present.
It took a few years to age-in gracefully. Took it in for a pro setup from a trusted luthier recently, first one of its life since the factory.
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What a beautiful guitar! Now give us a demo, please.
But this raises the often-asked question: Why do we find two guitars that sound almost identical, but one costs 10 times more than the other? There are many Youtube videos comparing the sound and feel of cheap guitars vs expensive guitars. A few years ago I bought an Epiphone SG with a dull finish, because the identical guitar with a gloss finish cost about $400 more. Can an extra coat of paint really double the manufacturing cost of a guitar? Or is it like Bitcoin, which only has value because we agree that it does?
Sunjamr Steve
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Hey Tom
Congrats on the J45. Gibson may have quality control issues, I can’t speak to that but the acoustics that I’ve played have all been great. Before I bought my Breedlove, I was giving serious consideration to a Gibson J-185; it’s a smaller version of the J-200 that is so popular. the J-200 was bigger than I thought that I wanted to deal with – LOL and then turned around & bought one of Breedlove’s Concerto models, the largest that they make. Go figure
I think that you’ll be very happy with the J-45. Many people have played those and when I tried them. I really liked the tone & responsiveness
Gibson’s acoustics are overlooked largely because Martin & Taylor seem to suck all of the oxygen out of the room.Thanks. I sure like it a lot. Really enjoyable.
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Congrats! I love my J45 Koa Ltd. I’m a Martin guy but I just had to get a J45 as well. I’ve had it about 12 years from new and am playing it a lot, about equal acoustic time to the #1 Martin 000 at present.
It took a few years to age-in gracefully. Took it in for a pro setup from a trusted luthier recently, first one of its life since the factory.
Thank You. What 000 Model do you have? I had a 00015 at one time and it was a nice guitar for sure.
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What a beautiful guitar! Now give us a demo, please.
But this raises the often-asked question: Why do we find two guitars that sound almost identical, but one costs 10 times more than the other? There are many Youtube videos comparing the sound and feel of cheap guitars vs expensive guitars. A few years ago I bought an Epiphone SG with a dull finish, because the identical guitar with a gloss finish cost about $400 more. Can an extra coat of paint really double the manufacturing cost of a guitar? Or is it like Bitcoin, which only has value because we agree that it does?
When I see those videos the most common comment seems to be that the less expensive model with the same name sounds really good but the expensive version sounds just a bit better but is it 6x the cost better? I know with this guitar it’s not just the sound as its the overall feel of the instrument so I think I just got lucky.
I’m not really sure myself how a little more spray finish on a guitar can add $800 to the cost. Don’t they pretty much use a machine for that anyway? Oh well, Ive always been a fan of satin or faded finish or whatever each company wants to label the thin finish!
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Congrats on your new Gibson! Glad you were happy with it when it arrived. I’ve been reluctant to buy sight unseen but sometimes it just works out. 😊🎼
Thanks. Sometimes we get lucky I guess!
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Congrats! I love my J45 Koa Ltd. I’m a Martin guy but I just had to get a J45 as well. I’ve had it about 12 years from new and am playing it a lot, about equal acoustic time to the #1 Martin 000 at present.
It took a few years to age-in gracefully. Took it in for a pro setup from a trusted luthier recently, first one of its life since the factory.
Thank You. What 000 Model do you have? I had a 00015 at one time and it was a nice guitar for sure.
It’s a 000-16 from 1995, sitka top, mahogany back, sides, and neck. I’d like to own a 000-15 as well, great for country blues.
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