Gibson J-45 Studio

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Gibson J-45 Studio

By MorrisrownSal January 25, 2020 in Gibson Acoustic

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MorrisrownSal

Posted January 25, 2020

MorrisrownSal

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Posted January 25, 2020

Hey guys,

I treated myself today. I traded in my back up Big Muddy mandolin and a Takamine P3NC and a little cash, and picked up a J-45 Studio from Russo's. This will be the gigger instead of the Takamine, which is a GREAt guitar (It is big and heavy, but otherwise a great sounding guitar). 

The J-45 Studio feels about half its weight, and it plays really well. I just like shorter scale better. 

I tried it out against the G-45 Standard, a used J-15, my Takamine, a Martin 13 series, and it just felt home. By the way the G-45 Standard sounded a little better unplugged - to me. zit was more mellow (the J-45 Studio is super bright and crisp). But as my  real need was for the gigs. The J-45 Studio won out with a better pickup (Baggs VTC instead of Sonitone) and the walnut bridge and fingerboard (the G-45 Standar has a richlite bridge and fingerboard). Believe it or not the rich lite felt better, but I couldn't bring myself to choose it.

 

Anyways, any others here buy one or try it out? 

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Dave F

Posted January 25, 2020

Dave F

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Posted January 25, 2020

I tried one and was impressed. The walnut definitely has a different tone. I’ve had two walnut guitars (AJ and a JB) and thought they were very bright and loud. 

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bobouz

Posted January 26, 2020

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Posted January 26, 2020

Congrats Sal!

Had a 2014 J-15 & thought the walnut was very crisp & punchy.

Sold it recently to help fund the purchase of an LG, but still have the roundshoulder category well covered.

Btw, totally get the Richlite thing.  I just can't go there!

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Murph

Posted January 26, 2020

Murph

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Posted January 26, 2020

I love my walnuts....

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uncle fester

Posted January 26, 2020

uncle fester

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Posted January 26, 2020

Congrats!  Hoping for an A/B of your J45 🙂

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Sgt. Pepper

Posted January 26, 2020

Sgt. Pepper

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Posted January 26, 2020

Nice score. I've never been impressed with Martins stuff that has numbers lower than the 15 series.

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Mr. Paul

Posted January 26, 2020

Mr. Paul

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Posted January 26, 2020

I spent a few minutes with one of these, very nice guitars. I was a bit surprised at the price and thought it a very good value.

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MorrisrownSal

Posted January 26, 2020

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Posted January 26, 2020 (edited)

I think the price they used before Applying credit for my trades was about $1250. Pretty solid.

It has one minor issue, which is not really a Gibson issue. The Baggs Element VTC is quiet on the high E. I bet I just have to adjust the ribbon. Also, I switched the strings to Martin Lifespan PBs and it really gave more warmth and girth to the tone. The more I play this the more I like it.

I just have to decide if I want to do the whole vanity/cosmetic swap the Grovers out thing. The tuners work so well, so it is hard to justify a swap. Just a looks thing.

I have a gig this coming Thursday night. I am eager to have some fun with it. 

 

 

 

Edited January 26, 2020 by Salfromchatham

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thegreatgumbino

Posted January 27, 2020

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Posted January 27, 2020

Nice!  Congrats, Sal.  I love the look of them.  Played the Studio and the Standard at GC a few months back.  I thought both were great guitars.  I would love to own one.  Can't wait to hear some song demos from you.

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kelly campbell

Posted January 27, 2020

kelly campbell

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Posted January 27, 2020

Congratulations Sal, Enjoy it.  I love both of my studios..I liked the burst so well I bought one in Natural..love them bothand the G Studio.  I am with Murph  Love the walnut 

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NJ Tom

Posted January 29, 2020

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Posted January 29, 2020

On 1/25/2020 at 3:08 PM, Salfromchatham said:

Hey guys,

I treated myself today. I traded in my back up Big Muddy mandolin and a Takamine P3NC and a little cash, and picked up a J-45 Studio from Russo's. This will be the gigger instead of the Takamine, which is a GREAt guitar (It is big and heavy, but otherwise a great sounding guitar). 

The J-45 Studio feels about half its weight, and it plays really well. I just like shorter scale better. 

I tried it out against the G-45 Standard, a used J-15, my Takamine, a Martin 13 series, and it just felt home. By the way the G-45 Standard sounded a little better unplugged - to me. zit was more mellow (the J-45 Studio is super bright and crisp). But as my  real need was for the gigs. The J-45 Studio won out with a better pickup (Baggs VTC instead of Sonitone) and the walnut bridge and fingerboard (the G-45 Standar has a richlite bridge and fingerboard). Believe it or not the rich lite felt better, but I couldn't bring myself to choose it.

 

Anyways, any others here buy one or try it out? 

 

I played one very briefly last week but I was more focused on the used J-15 which I was eventually able to swap even for a D-16RGT.  Tone-wise I didn't hear much of a difference between the Studio 45 and the 15, but the 15 won in the bass department....it had just a bit more oomph..  Besides I was swapping used for used and didn't want to fork out any $$$.   I did like the 45 though...it was responsive and lighter that the J-15, but I attribute that to the Trace Amulet stereo electronics in the 15.  There's a pre-amp inside and a spaghetti tangle of wires which I'm sure has an effect on weight and tone.  Since I don't play plugged in,  it'll eventually be removed and stuck in a drawer.

Why did you choose the J-45 Studio over the J-15?

   

 

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Sgt. Pepper

Posted January 29, 2020

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Posted January 29, 2020

14 minutes ago, NJ Tom said:

 

I played one very briefly last week but I was more focused on the used J-15 which I was eventually able to swap even for a D-16RGT.  Tone-wise I didn't hear much of a difference between the Studio 45 and the 15, but the 15 won in the bass department....it had just a bit more oomph..  Besides I was swapping used for used and didn't want to fork out any $$$.   I did like the 45 though...it was responsive and lighter that the J-15, but I attribute that to the Trace Amulet stereo electronics in the 15.  There's a pre-amp inside and a spaghetti tangle of wires which I'm sure has an effect on weight and tone.  Since I don't play plugged in,  it'll eventually be removed and stuck in a drawer.

Why did you choose the J-45 Studio over the J-15?

   

 

I'm assuming if he played both he liked it better.

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MorrisrownSal

Posted January 29, 2020

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Posted January 29, 2020

Actually, wanting gig comfort gives a nod to thinner bodies. The Takamine NEX shape is a big footprint, but it’s thin. Like the Martin 0000s. Same rationale. So that was one reason. I was choosing the tool for the job.

but additionally, the used J15 at RUSSO’s had issues. It was not humidified for a while. The bridge lifted, and it had other related repairs. So, while it was repaired... I was not confident that there were not other longer term issues. I’d rather pay a little more for one with no issues.

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MorrisrownSal

Posted January 31, 2020

MorrisrownSal

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Posted January 31, 2020

I am not good with my iPad photo capabilities.... But here are two... The back is gorgeous in better light. And this dang thing is so growing on me. It's all I have picked up this entire week. I was supposed to gig with it tonight... but life came up, and my partner Mike got a last minute sub. I need to be around home.

Anyways, The sound is so, so, so dry and balanced. With 80/20s it's too thin and bright. With Lifespan PB lights. it's warmer and hits my sweet spot.  The only thing I might prefer on it is a harder wood fretboard and bridge... but then again maybe that would change the sound.

I just wanted to give it another plug, because frankly I am amazed with this Bozeman value.   $1300 OTD.  GTFO

 

 

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vw1300

Posted February 1, 2020

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Posted February 1, 2020

Congrats on the new guitar.  The white tuners look so much better.

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• 1 month later...

DevilDog0811

Posted March 20, 2020

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Posted March 20, 2020

Hello fellow Gibson players. I bought my J-45 Studio new last August/September and I absolutely love it! I was skeptical when I first heard of these new models so I went to GC to see if they had any to try out. They only had one and it just happened to be on sale so I couldn't resist the urge to buy it after playing it. I noticed that the J-45 Studio walnut is no longer on Gibson's website and they now have a J-45 Studio Rosewood model. Just curious if anyone knows if Gibson has discontinued the walnut for the rosewood model. I haven't found anything in my research and I noticed that  places like Sweetwater still have the walnut models listed so I am wondering if these are the remaining models left over if indeed they have discontinued the walnut version.

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Murph

Posted March 21, 2020

Murph

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Posted March 21, 2020

I'd be surprised. Walnut is a "treehugger" friendly wood and plentiful, whereas Rosewood has the opposite quirks.

And, as someone who owns a Rosewood J-45 and a Walnut J-15, I'd also say neither is "better" at any given thing. They are simply different.

 

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jvi

Posted March 21, 2020

jvi

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Posted March 21, 2020 (edited)

"tree hugger wood?"  what ? is there tree hater wood ?

Edited March 21, 2020 by jvi puncuation

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fortyearspickn

Posted March 21, 2020

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Posted March 21, 2020

46 minutes ago, jvi said:

"tree hugger wood?"  what ? is there tree hater wood ?

 

Firewood ? 

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Guth

Posted March 22, 2020

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Posted March 22, 2020

There are a number of wood species that fall into the category of restricted and endangered woods. The RED list breaks down such wood species by classifying them as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. Many, if not most (in terms of volume) of the traditionally prized hardwoods for acoustic guitar building are on this list. Guitar manufacturers have been seeking out more sustainable wood choices for many years now. I am assuming Murph's comments had to do with walnut being considered to be a more sustainable choice, although there are multiple walnut species on the list as well.

I've played a few walnut guitars over the years and liked them. I personally consider walnut to be one of the most attractive hardwoods to be found, if not the most attractive. With that in mind I sure wouldn't mind having a guitar made of walnut, but I already have more than enough guitars as it is so that won't be happening for me. If I am still around in another 10, 15 or 20 years from now it will be very interesting to see what all species of woods will be totally off-limits to guitar builders by then and what builders will be using instead.

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Guth

Posted March 22, 2020

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Posted March 22, 2020 (edited)

On 1/30/2020 at 5:04 PM, Salfromchatham said:

I am not good with my iPad photo capabilities....

Good enough that we can tell your guitar vanity got the better of you, lol. Enjoy!

By the way Sal, I can at least understand the temptation. Years ago I found a Taylor 510 that kind of knocked my socks off at a price that was too good to pass up (this coming from someone that never considered myself to be a Taylor fan). I took this one down off of the wall because of the price tag and my whole "judge each and every guitar on it's own" approach. It was pretty much a practice what I  preach moment. Anyway, the Taylor is still configured just as it left the factory, including  (you likely guessed it) — the Grover tuners. 

I'll admit that the Grovers are a bit of a letdown (even the abalone rosette has even grown on me — a little), but otherwise I really like the way the guitar looks, plays, and sounds. If I'm being honest, I've thought more than once about switching the Grovers out for something else, but just as with the abalone rosette, I've come to accept them to be just as much of the guitars personality and history as the unbelievably high-grade Engelmann spruce and Honduras mahogany that Taylor had access to back in 1997 for their regular production guitars.

All that said, I do prefer the look of your J-45 Studio "post-surgery". If the Taylor had more of a "Gibson-vibe" to it instead of the Taylor thing going on I likely would have gone the same route. Since the Taylor is the only one of my guitars that I will leave hanging up on the wall in our living room, it has become my "gigging guitar" of sorts. My comfort demands  are such that it: must be comfortable to play to an audience of none while sitting on the couch.

Edited March 22, 2020 by Guth added more content

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Murph

Posted March 22, 2020

Murph

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Posted March 22, 2020

21 hours ago, jvi said:

"tree hugger wood?"  what ? is there tree hater wood ?

 

I just mean Gibson doesn't have to listen to a bunch of whining if they use walnut.

Trees are for building stuff, otherwise they just turn into termite food. Why is it you never see a tree hugger mad at a termite ?

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fortyearspickn

Posted March 22, 2020

fortyearspickn

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Posted March 22, 2020

 

1 hour ago, Murph said:

 

I just mean Gibson doesn't have to listen to a bunch of whining if they use walnut.

Trees are for building stuff, otherwise they just turn into termite food. Why is it you never see a tree hugger mad at a termite ?

 

'cause they know that wood (pun intended)  get PETA after them.   Birds of a Feather ! 

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jvi

Posted March 22, 2020

jvi

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Posted March 22, 2020

respect trees .  M,  quit whining about people who care about the planet..

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fortyearspickn

Posted March 25, 2020

fortyearspickn

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Posted March 25, 2020

Saw an ad yesterday for another new line of Martins -  The Carpathian Line.   Use Carpathian Spruce.  I guess it's not special to the tree huggers, just to the guitar players. 

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