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Tough acoustic decision...


emuhunter

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I'm about to pull the trigger on a nice new acoustic after saving up for awhile. I've played a TON of different instruments, have it narrowed down to two and am in the middle of a dilemma though...

 

I had some money problems about 6 months ago, and I had to part with my '03 J-45 to make ends meet. Lo and behold, it's up for sale again! I loved it, lots of good memories with it, beautiful guitar, worked well for me etc.

 

At the same time, I've wanted a Hummingbird for quite awhile (almost 10 years to be exact) and a Modern Classic 'bird came along that I REALLY love playing at a price I can deal with (a good bit more than the J-45 I'm considering but still...).

 

Of course, it's apples and oranges to compare them both since they're really different vibes and sounds. I can't figure out which one I want more, so I'm in a holding pattern and going back and forth on this... I'd love some outside perspective.

 

Oh, and in case it helps inform the decision... I'm a singer-songwriter who's started doing the solo acoustic thing recently. Some of my big influences as a writer are Ryan Adams, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, and Jeff Tweedy.

 

Thanks in advance!

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I'll admit, that IS a toughy. Of course, any opinions you get are going to be just that......opinions.

Personally, I like the J-45 more than the Hummingbird. It wasn't always that way. At one time my DREAM guitar would've been a Gibson Hummingbird. My taste in how much "bling" a guitar should have has changed over time.

You yourself said about your old J-45; "I loved it, lots of good memories with it, beautiful guitar, worked well for me, etc." If your J-45 was "The One", it had to have been one of the good ones and they don't come along all that often.

I get the feeling that you really missed that J-45 after you sold it. If it was me, I'd have to buy it back because the chance to do it may never come up again. But.....that's just my opinion.......I don't envy the decision you have to make. Hope you make the right one.

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You can't make a wrong decision either way; both guitars would be excellent for singer/songwriter stuff. The J-45 is my favorite Gibson model, and you did say that yours worked well for you. That's the one I'd pick, but you might be hankerin' for something new... and there's nothing wrong with that, either.

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Thank you so much for taking the time to share your opinions thus far!

 

My problem is I'd really love to have both but don't have financial means to do so at this point short of selling an electric, but I finally have my electric collection balanced to where I feel like I don't really NEED anything else (a few I certainly wouldn't mind owning of course, but I figure I'll feel that way until I'm 6 feet under hehe).

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This is a "less than" informed opinion, but I kinda get where you are coming from.

 

A long time ago, I wanted a Gibson J45, but could not afford it...so I bought an Epiphone AJ-35S (solid woods) aniversary model (1997) It was and still is a "nice" guitar for the price, with a similar intimate and warm tone to the J45, but NEVER nearly as captivating as the real thing. Over the years, the Epi opened up a bit, aged well and became an old friend. I had a new bone nut and saddle made for it and replaced the plastic bridge pins with Ebony, so all of the "plastic" was gone.

 

From time to time I would play a J45 or similar model at a store, and dream. Then, last year it was my 40th birthday and I decided I would finally buy myself the "real thing" - after playing everything, I found myself more and more attracted to the Gibson SONGWRITER guitar - it wasn't nearly as intimate as the J45, but it had a bit more top end snap, and it worked as well with fingerpicking as it did with a pick. The body was a little less comfortable than the J45 or my Epi, but it sang and vibrated and projected much more. In the end, I bought the songwriter, and I still have my Epi.

 

I guess the bottom line is if you love that particular guitar, go back and get it, because nothing will replace it. Shop around for a suitable "less expensive" option for the other set of sounds you are wanting from the hummingbird, or just continue to save up. There are plenty of Hummingbirds out there that you haven't had a love affair with yet, but that ONE PARTICULAR J-45 isn't coming back if you let it go.

 

.02

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Another J-45 vote...

 

 

Ditto. You wanna' take the chance that lightning will strike twice?

 

IMO.....it's fate. You're GASSING and sounds like the one that you let slip through your hands with some apparent regrets is now available again......don't hesitate. If you don't do it now, you'll most likely NEVER have another chance.

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I'm about to pull the trigger on a nice new acoustic after saving up for awhile. I've played a TON of different instruments, have it narrowed down to two and am in the middle of a dilemma though...

 

 

 

Well, emuhunter......does it STILL look like a dilemma? So......when're you picking up the J-45?

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Once upon a time, I had to sell my Guild D4. Certainly not in the class of your J45 (my dream guitar) but still the nicest one I'd ever owned and one of the few NEW guitars I'd ever bought. When I sold it, I knew I'd made a mistake, but needs must. I did ask for buyback rights.

Three years later, I put a post on CL to the buyer asking if I could buy it back. Turns out he was moving and had never really bonded with it. I gave what I got for it, took it home, re-stringed it, hit a G chord, and was "home."

I still lust for a J45, and I've been saving for one for five months. In the meantime, I own the guitar that made me love the instrument and made me want to be a guitar player.

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Shocked to see so many J-45 players on here!

Unless the humbird blows away your old guitar, this is a no brainer. I lucked into my J-45: a rich, highly playable instrument that fit me like a glove. After years of gassing and buying and selling I've never felt the need to audition another acoustic since.

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Haha hearing all this makes my decision a LOT easier actually, I've been thinking a ton about it so it's pretty helpful to get other perspectives that actually...happen to be the same perspective!

 

BryanMichael mentioned the idea of getting a less expensive substitute for the sounds one would get from a Hummingbird, which I think is a great suggestion. Any ideas where I could start looking for that sort of sound on the cheap?

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Which one would fit your new solo acoustic act? Perhaps you should base your choice there. Aside from that, wanting something for ten years is a long time and if the opportunity comes up - go ahead and grab it! Otherwise you might never know.

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Which do YOU like the most?
:)

 

Oh that's the problem hehe... I love what I'd describe as the workhorse minimalism/classic image of the J-45, as well as the tone of course. To me it's a really "meat and potatoes" guitar, fits like an old pair of good jeans.

 

At the same time, the Hummingbird makes my heart go pitter-patter every time I see one. It has for years. I feel like it has a very different kind of character: flashy, brash, exciting, while still having a great history.

 

If all things (meaning prices) were equal, I'd probably go for the Hummingbird... The J-45 I'm looking at is about half the price of the Hummingbird I have my eye on. BUT even if I did that, I'd still miss the J-45. If I chose the J-45, I'd miss having the chance to pull the trigger on the Hummingbird.

 

I guess I could sell my AC-30, and get both? Hmm... These are the thoughts that plague my mind haha.

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I found a great J-45 about three years ago and haven't looked back since. Sold my Martin D-35 as a result, and bought a Martin OM-21. Between the J-45 and the OM-21, I pretty much have my acoustic bases covered. I can get lost in my J-45 for hours. Doesn't matter how you play it, and no matter how hard you strum or hit it, it just never gives up and keeps giving more. I think that's why you see a lot of them on stage.

 

So my vote is for the J-45, particularly your history with that particular guitar. You're lucky to get it back.

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Oh that's the problem hehe... I love what I'd describe as the workhorse minimalism/classic image of the J-45, as well as the tone of course. To me it's a really "meat and potatoes" guitar, fits like an old pair of good jeans.


At the same time, the Hummingbird makes my heart go pitter-patter every time I see one. It has for years. I feel like it has a very different kind of character: flashy, brash, exciting, while still having a great history.


If all things (meaning prices) were equal, I'd probably go for the Hummingbird... The J-45 I'm looking at is about half the price of the Hummingbird I have my eye on. BUT even if I did that, I'd still miss the J-45. If I chose the J-45, I'd miss having the chance to pull the trigger on the Hummingbird.


I guess I could sell my AC-30, and get both? Hmm... These are the thoughts that plague my mind haha.




Haha, I understand 100%. To make the choice/priority if you have the funds for one of them can be terrible in a good way. I like "understated" guitars myself, so the J-45 would be up my alley.

It's like a Jackson Randy Rhoads. I think it is a very cool electric guitar, and was played/developed by one of my favorite rock guitar players. It still wouldn't be the right guitar for me. I'm about twice as big as Randy was, and have short hair :D It wouldn't, in my eyes, look or feel right on me.

Can you make some similar thoughts about one of the two you're eyeing? Are you "a J-45" or "a Hummingbird"? :)

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Between those two, I would go for the third option: J-45 Rosewood.

 

The hog J-45 and the Hummingbird are so similar - both short scale hog/Sitka gits. Both awesome, and I'd be happy as a pig in {censored} to own either model. But since I cannot be objective about this, I'm going to suggest that you go for what would be MY preference: a J-45 Rose.

 

Try one out, man. Do it.

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Haha, I understand 100%. To make the choice/priority if you have the funds for one of them can be terrible in a good way. I like "understated" guitars myself, so the J-45 would be up my alley.


It's like a Jackson Randy Rhoads. I think it is a very cool electric guitar, and was played/developed by one of my favorite rock guitar players. It still wouldn't be the right guitar for me. I'm about twice as big as Randy was, and have short hair
:D
It wouldn't, in my eyes, look or feel right on me.


Can you make some similar thoughts about one of the two you're eyeing? Are you "a J-45" or "a Hummingbird"?
:)



That's a really interesting question, I'm not sure which one I'd describe myself as... What would you say the distinction between a "Hummingbird" and a "J-45" person would be?

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That's a really interesting question, I'm not sure which one I'd describe myself as... What would you say the distinction between a "Hummingbird" and a "J-45" person would be?

 

Hummingbird- Dolly Parton

J-45 -David Allan Coe.

 

Just kidding btw... sorta.

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Good suggestion, I'll check one out!


Just wondering, how related are a J-45 Rosewood and that Advanced Jumbo Pro that Guitar Center started carrying a few months ago?

 

 

Not very. The Advanced Jumbo (I'm not familiar with the Pro model) is an unbelievably great guitar on its own merits. It has a longer scale than the J-45 and is a seriously loud powerhouse of a git. I love the model, but because I like to sing I kind of prefer the short scale of the J-45, which I think of as mellower and a bit broodier. Totally subjective... I really love all of Gibson's slope-shoulder dreads. In the end I think it'd be just about impossible for you to go wrong with any version of the J-45, Hummingbird (more of a square shoulder deal) or Advanced Jumbo... or hell, throw in the Southern Jumbo... All amazing guitars, IMHO.

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