J45 vine rosewood

[RushinDman]

Just came across the j45 vine that I've been looking for so I'm hoping to sell my j45 custom to purchase this one. My question is the vine has a rosewood back rather than mahogany. What's the difference? The j45 vine I found is an 8 hour drive away so I can really play it before the purchase

 

Thanks

Jamie

[katopp]

Rosewood is said to have richer overtones and a harder tone than Hog.

Hog is said to be more mellow and round.

[RushinDman]

I see so is it brighter ?

[larry50]

I've played both, and I own a J-45 Standard. The J-45 (hog) to my ear has a faster and brighter attack and less sustain than the rosewood version. The rosewood version is a bit darker, slower attack, more overtones, a bit more sustain. Good versions of either will have that fat Gibson bass tone (without being to thumpy or muddy), that classic dry Gibson mid-drive and sparkly trebles. You need to look for a good one though, so make sure you play before you buy. I had to go through at least a dozen or so J-45's before I found mine.

 

Just my $.02.

[RushinDman]

Yes I lucked out on this one I have now beautiful sounding guitar.

I had a garrison g50 which had a rosewood back I didn't like it but that's a different guitar altogether

Thanks for the input guys hopefully i get my dream guitar

[guitarcapo]

In my opinion the species of lumber used to make a guitar's back and sides has very little effect on how it sounds. Very exaggerated hype.

[totamus]

I have several different guitars, 3 with rosewood and 2 with Mahogany (and a third that I gave to my son). Without trying to find word that describe sound, I will simply say that, without fail, when I play Piedmont style blues (Travis Style/Reverend Gary Davis Style/Big Bill Broonzy Style/etc) that Mahogany is always the Guitar of choice. If I had to try to describe it, I would simply say that I get a meatier "thump" on the bass line.

 

Many say that Mahogany is "darker". I suppose that, as far as using an adjective for color on a totally different sense goes, that is a fair description. Thumpier is the best way I can describe it.

 

I would like to get a J45, but it seems to me that J45 in rosewood takes away the very personality of a J45. Like have a 1957 Chevy Nomad 4 door. Yeah, its still a Nomad, but without the characteristic 2 doors, it is just another station wagon.