All J45 owners..... Throw your recommendations at me for upgrading/improving it.

[canucker1981]

Just got me a new one(lovely guitar) so Im up for trying out as many string brands as I can. It has 12s now, should I get it set up for 13s. Anyone do this? Change the saddle and nut to bone? I like it now, but is there more to be had? Give me all you got.

[hondro]

a bone nut and bridge really isn't going to do a whole lot for tone, 13's will give you a lot more tone difference, but damn, those are big strings

[beard]

Keep the same strings and slide a Martin D-35 under them!

[JasmineTea]

http://www.guitarsaddles.com/

[bjorn-fjord]

JT's on the right track. Get a compensated saddle. Any luthier should be able to make one out of bone in about 20 minutes. It may not sound better, but it will be more in tune all over the neck. There really is no excuse for manufacturers to put uncompensated (not to mention plastic) saddles in pricey guitars. The compensated saddle is one of the few advancements that have been made in the last 50 years that actually makes for a better guitar.

[Mr Handman]

 

Originally posted by canucker1981 Just got me a new one(lovely guitar) so Im up for trying out as many string brands as I can. It has 12s now, should I get it set up for 13s. Anyone do this? Change the saddle and nut to bone? I like it now, but is there more to be had? Give me all you got.

 

 

If you change the saddle and nut to bone

Will it make a difference?

In one word: Yes

String gauge, proper radius and compensation on the saddle (change to bone) for the nut and saddle

[Ronaldo]

Originally posted by beard Keep the same strings and slide a Martin D-35 under them!

 

Snarky bastard

 

 

 

 

I have a J 45 w- the original saddle and I

[bunnies=dead]

compensated bone saddle

bone nut

and have the luthier check out the fretwork...its extremely likely theyre not all that level from the factory.

[Barry Jive]

 

Originally posted by canucker1981 Just got me a new one(lovely guitar) so Im up for trying out as many string brands as I can. It has 12s now, should I get it set up for 13s. Anyone do this? Change the saddle and nut to bone? I like it now, but is there more to be had? Give me all you got.

 

 

 

Hi Canucker-

 

I'll start with a brief aside. A long time ago you posted some unmastered recordings I downloaded on a whim. I really like them and still listen to them now and again. Did that ever see an official release?

 

Secondly, to answer your question: both when I swapped in a bone saddle, and when I switched to 13s a significant improvement in tone followed. This was on a Martin Dread, but I assume the changes would be beneficial to any solid wood acoustic.

 

-Eric