# Bought A Martin - Always Liked Gibson J45



## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

Way back in '76 I bought a new D18 although my co-worker had a Gibson J45. In comparison the Gibson was a dream to play with it's slimmer neck and fantastic sunburst finish. I can't say it sounded better - just subtly different. Fast forward to now - still have the Martin. I think I enjoy the fight of playing a larger neck - a challenge that makes me play differently than the other guitars I (try to) play. Also the Lifetime Warranty is a good thing to have.


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

I had the exact same dilemma at the beginning of January.

I decided to sell one of my ES 330s and get either a D18 or a J45. Those are my favourite acoustics from my teenage years onward. I'd never played a D18 I didn't like but plenty of J45s I didn't like among the gems I loved to play. From 1966 to around 1978 I had a 1964 Epiphone Texan that I played and had a true bond with. When I had to sell it, I knew that a J45 was what I wanted to replace it.

I'd bought a 64 Texan re-issue last year and it is nice and kind of familiar feeling but a little weak in the tone department and not the quality build I was hoping for.

Flash forward to L&M and I'm trying a D18 and feel like I could really love that guitar. I tried 3 J45s they had there and found them muddy and just kind of 'blah'. I was about to pull the trigger on the D18 when the sales guy came into the sound room with a brand new J45 right out of the box. From the moment I had it in my hands, I felt the old magic of my beloved original Texan - the feel, the sound was just perfect.

So I bought it and now we are living happily ever after. Tada! End of story. Carry on.


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

bluzfish said:


> I had the exact same dilemma at the beginning of January.
> .
> 
> So I bought it and now we are living happily ever after. Tada! End of story. Carry on.


...a story only a guitar player understands


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## Swervin55 (Oct 30, 2009)

Thing is, a D18 (or D28 or D35 etc) is a whole different animal than a J45 so to compare the two isn't fair. Like most things it comes down to personal taste and what floats your boat. Then, if you can't decide, own one of each.


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

Stupid question: How is a D18 'a whole different animal' when compared to a J45. I assumed they were both 'entry' level guitars in a class of fine handbuilds.
I thought the adjustable truss rod and neck size were the major differences. I admit I have not done a side by side comparison and when shopping around they all sounded fine to my ears. I wasn't looking for a particular tone.

























After sitting it it's case unplayed for 3 months it's still in tune(eb)
oops, should have posted pics in 'show pics'


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## Swervin55 (Oct 30, 2009)

Sorry, I should have explained myself better but I was in a hurry. If you consider the same materials of construction (mahogany sides/back, spruce top) they are tonally very different and I think it's because of their different body shapes and perhaps bracing approach but I'm no expert on the subject. You likely won't get the highs out of J45 that you get out of a typical Martin dread. Conversely, you don't typically get the bottom end out of a Martin that a typical J45 exhibits. I've heard it said that a lot of singer-songwriters prefer a J45 because it stays in the background and doesn't overpower the vocals as compared to a Martin. My own experience is that if you like the bell-like chime of a Martin you will be disappointed in most J45's. Also, through the decades, the bracing methods of J45's have changed and so has their sound so it's more important to consider the year of a J45 than the Martin. Finally, there seems to be more disparity in sound between comparative J45's than with Martins. In other words, you might have to try more J45's to find a "good" one than with Martins. Neither of which is good nor bad, just is.

I suck at trying to describe tone, but to my ears a J45 sounds muted or "woofy" compared to a Martin. Again, neither good nor bad, just different. Nice D-18 by the way.:smile-new:


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

ed2000 said:


> Also the Lifetime Warranty is a good thing to have.


I often wonder the value of this "Life time warranty". I have taken advantage of the warranty once within the first 6 months due to a finish problem so that would have easily been included in a 1 year warranty. I have 2 martins that I bought brand new and have the LTW. I am contemplating a 3rd purchase now. Mostly I think the value is in the eventual neck reset that the guitar will need, anywhere from 10 to 20 years away. But I see most users on the "Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum" are choosing to pay for their own neck resets at about $300 a pop. They claim that Martin cheaps out on what they will pay towards a neck reset and any respectable luthier wouldn't do it for that. So you get whatever tech is available as an authorized repair center. I can't imagine letting any joe from L&M do something major with one of my Martins.

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ed2000 said:


> Stupid question: How is a D18 'a whole different animal' when compared to a J45. I assumed they were both 'entry' level guitars in a class of fine handbuilds.


lol. That just sounds funny seeing a Martin D-18 referred to as an "Entry Level Guitar". I always looked at it as a mahogany counterpart to the D-28. Has a different purpose than a D-28 but as far as guitars go equal to a D-28. I always thought the cheaper price had some to do with Rosewood back and sides vs Mahogany on the D-18.


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

While it is difficult to describe sound in words, here's my take in a short description. I've always preferred a guitar that is more prominent in the low and high mids of the guitar tonal range. I've always found D18s exhibit that characteristic more so than with a D28 and J45s (when you find a 'good' one) even more pronounced than that. D18s sound fuller and somewhat mellower than a J45 to my ears but a J45 offers more distinction and separation between the movement of notes within a chord. That is what I like about J45s for my playing style.


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

Re: LTW and neck reset.
Don't get me started on the neck reset 15 years ago done at a well respected Toronto shop. Apparently Martin used a 'too strong glue' to hold the neck onto the body joint.
..and..
LTW does not cover tuning machines seizing but it covers pick guard replacement

Irregardless, I still enjoy pickin' and grinnin' on my Martin.


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