Query failed: connection to localhost:9312 failed (errno=111, msg=Connection refused). NGD: Atkin J45 'The Forty Three' - Acoustics Discussions on The Fretboard
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UNPLANNED DOWNTIME: 12th Oct 23:45

NGD: Atkin J45 'The Forty Three'

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  • SchnozzSchnozz Frets: 1786
    Wazmeister said:
    Two weeks or so into ownership, and it remains the best, most fun and beautiful acoustic I've ever played ! 

    Gimme  :p
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  • AntonyAntony Frets: 5
    I live in a remote area, so I planned a weekend trip to Glasgow to buy my dream guitar. My massive and faithful Tak EN20 is coming to the end of its working life. I took along my son (who is an annoyingly better player than me these days) so I could hear him play while I listened and vice versa. I was 95% convinced that I wanted a Gibson J45 Standard. I nearly ordered one online on the strength of reviews and they look so pretty, but a warning voice (and a few comments from others) told me not to drop that kind of money on something without trying it. So straight into Guitar Guitar and started talking Gibson. Between us, we tried several Standards across two or three stores, a J45 Montana  and a few Martins and Taylors of similar price/spec too. All nice guitars, for sure, but not special. In fact, after playing a few J45s, I realised that I was going to have to rethink the whole mission - they just weren't going to be "the one". Then out came the Atkin Forty Three...  I'd never seen one, although a friend had spoken highly of them. Personally I think the idea of faux aging is a bit cheesy, but sound wise it just blew everything else out of the shop. A bit pricier and without a factory pickup, it was easily superior to the others and a joy to play. It was painful because I so wanted to like the J45s, but I just couldn't warm to them. My son and I went away, tried stuff in other stores and had some lunch, but all the time the conversation kept coming back to that damn Atkin. We realised that we were actually comparing everything else to the Atkin without finding a match. Back we went and had another go - ironically in a screened off area full of Martins. At one point I was just twanging the bottom E - almost a sharp crack and yet full and woody at the same time while we were grinning foolishly at each other and nodding. After a bit of horse trading over the price and arranging for a pickup to be fitted, the deal was done. A little more than my original J45 budget but not as much as a J45 Montana. I can't wait for it to come home and I think my son is planning to kill me so that he can inherit. I still have my reservations about the principle of fake aging, but it looks great and the fingerboard has an amazing natural stipe running the length of it. If it really bothers you, I believe they also do non-reliced versions.  The lesson is: try before you buy and don't discount the wild cards.
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  • ESBlondeESBlonde Frets: 3532
    I can fully relate to your experience. At the beginning of Jan I expected to buy a Gibson but thought I'd try a few Martin's, Brooks, etc. While a hummingbird 125th anniversary sounded very impressive I kept going back to the short row of Atkins. In the end I whittled it down to   "D" and have been loving it ever since.
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