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Comments
Thanks for all the comments and advice... very useful.
So... I made several trips to various shops and tried about 20 or so Gibson short scale acoustics (Hummingbirds, Country Western... but mostly J45s). Every time I played a mahogany Standard J45 and a rosewood Custom J45... I preferred the sound of the rosewood. Whenever I compared 2016 Std J45s with 2016 Vintage models... the Vintage models sounded a bit better (and were much lighter in weight).
Also tried a Ltd Edn flame walnut back and sides with an Adi top... that really didn't work for me.
Then, tried another 2016 Vintage model (the 4th J45 Vintage I'd tried)... and that was it. Difference between all others was like night and day. It sang... it's price ticket broke the bank... but it came home with me. After years of mainly having rosewood... I now understand what a good mahogany guitar brings to the table. Great bass... but it's clear and it doesn't overpower. Really balanced sound.
I'd assumed the Vintage model was mainly about a few period correct appointments (logo and machine heads) and an Adi top... I hadn't checked out the specs - as I was choosing based on tone and playability etc. When I finally looked at the specs, the Std and the Vintage are very different animals.
It's got bronze 12s on it at the mo... but, based on what I learnt in the other thread about strings, I'll try some phosphor bronze on it at some point.
Thanks again.
Pic's!
Thanks. No pics yet... as I'm technologically challenged. Meanwhile, it's this wee beastie http://www.gibson.com/Products/Acoustic-Instruments/2016/J-45-Vintage.aspx
Sadly, it doesn't have a pickup - so that's the next decision.
Thanks.
I think the True Vintage has been replaced by the Vintage.
Last time I looked, I think GuitarGuitar still had a True Vintage in stock - and it was about £300 less than the Vintage. I think there may be some spec differences - but I'm not sure.
That said, I try not to get too hung up on specs. On paper, the Walnut b & s model with an Adi top should have sounded better than it did.
And yeah I didn't realise they'd changed the name, this was a few months back when I was in the shop and the 2017 models hadn't been announced yet.
Yeah, I think they changed the name towards the end of 2015. My guitar was made in late 2015... but it's a 2016 J45 Vintage. I think that's the correct-ish name... not that it matters much... the main thing is it puts a smile on my face! :-)
Yeah... good point... I thought there was some kind of difference... but couldn't recall.