NGD: Atkin J45 'The Forty Three'

crunchman · September 2018

Wazmeister said:

chrisv said:

Probably June 2017, based on when it went online. I can tell you for certain when I’m in work tomorrow... https://www.theguitarmagazine.com/gear/acoustic-guitars/atkin-guitars-forty-three/

Ah thanks Chris, appreciate it

Let me know as I may have missed that copy, as I was on me hols last June, and Id like a hard copy.

Wow, your review echoes my own findings.

I should have a copy somewhere if you want it.

Wazmeister · September 2018

crunchman said:

Wazmeister said:

chrisv said:

Probably June 2017, based on when it went online. I can tell you for certain when I’m in work tomorrow... https://www.theguitarmagazine.com/gear/acoustic-guitars/atkin-guitars-forty-three/

I should have a copy somewhere if you want it.

@crunchman - that would be kind of you mate, let me know

meltedbuzzbox · September 2018

good choice mate.
I played a few at Coda and I thought they were much better than the Gibsons.

You did the right thing and played everything, its the only way to know with a guitar, especially an acoustic

WindmillGuitars · October 2018

@Wazmeister That's beautiful .. health to enjoy.. I@ve just sold a D41 so this could be a contender as a replacement

Cabicular · October 2018

My main acoustics are Atkins
A support band were using them at a folk festival I was playing in Pitlochrie and they sounded great
Did a bit of digging and ended up with a dread an OM and a super Jumbo
All stunning guitars and light years ahead of anything else I had owned
Alistair knows a thing or two ....

Wazmeister · October 2018

Cabicular said:

My main acoustics are Atkins
A support band were using them at a folk festival I was playing in Pitlochrie and they sounded great
Did a bit of digging and ended up with a dread an OM and a super Jumbo
All stunning guitars and light years ahead of anything else I had owned
Alistair knows a thing or two ....

Thats interesting mate, as I felt they were “light years” ahead of all else I tried...

What pick ups are you using ?

KKJale · October 2018

Recently played their LG47, the LG2-alike, and was properly knocked out (although slightly put off by the incorrect body shape between lower bout and waist... why, why?!)

The Forty-Three looks brilliant. Serious congrats.

Jim54 · October 2018

Had a short play on a forty-three yesterday. Sounded great, balanced, not muddy or bright. Louder than I was expecting too.
I was really looking forward to seeing the ageing up close but was a bit disappointed with the one I tried in that the 'checking' went in funny concentric circles and just didn't look realistic. Looked like a pool of solvent had been put on the top and allowed to evaporate. Other than that it looked and felt great though. Not sure how different one is to another in the ageing aspect?

Wazmeister · October 2018

Two weeks or so into ownership, and it remains the best, most fun and beautiful acoustic I've ever played !

43rdAnd9th · November 2018

I recently bought an Atkin off a friend... I'd been fancying a J-45 for years and he had this one for sale. It's a custom build, so basically a J-45 shape but not quite the same.

It seems to be the guitar I've been looking for (for a very long time), and nearly a year on I'm still amazingly happy with it. So much so, in fact, that I've decided to sell just about all my other acoustics, because there's no point having a bunch of guitars around that aren't getting played!

Schnozz · November 2018

Wazmeister said:

Two weeks or so into ownership, and it remains the best, most fun and beautiful acoustic I've ever played !

Gimme

Antony · February 2020

I live in a remote area, so I planned a weekend trip to Glasgow to buy my dream guitar. My massive and faithful Tak EN20 is coming to the end of its working life. I took along my son (who is an annoyingly better player than me these days) so I could hear him play while I listened and vice versa. I was 95% convinced that I wanted a Gibson J45 Standard. I nearly ordered one online on the strength of reviews and they look so pretty, but a warning voice (and a few comments from others) told me not to drop that kind of money on something without trying it. So straight into Guitar Guitar and started talking Gibson. Between us, we tried several Standards across two or three stores, a J45 Montana and a few Martins and Taylors of similar price/spec too. All nice guitars, for sure, but not special. In fact, after playing a few J45s, I realised that I was going to have to rethink the whole mission - they just weren't going to be "the one". Then out came the Atkin Forty Three... I'd never seen one, although a friend had spoken highly of them. Personally I think the idea of faux aging is a bit cheesy, but sound wise it just blew everything else out of the shop. A bit pricier and without a factory pickup, it was easily superior to the others and a joy to play. It was painful because I so wanted to like the J45s, but I just couldn't warm to them. My son and I went away, tried stuff in other stores and had some lunch, but all the time the conversation kept coming back to that damn Atkin. We realised that we were actually comparing everything else to the Atkin without finding a match. Back we went and had another go - ironically in a screened off area full of Martins. At one point I was just twanging the bottom E - almost a sharp crack and yet full and woody at the same time while we were grinning foolishly at each other and nodding. After a bit of horse trading over the price and arranging for a pickup to be fitted, the deal was done. A little more than my original J45 budget but not as much as a J45 Montana. I can't wait for it to come home and I think my son is planning to kill me so that he can inherit. I still have my reservations about the principle of fake aging, but it looks great and the fingerboard has an amazing natural stipe running the length of it. If it really bothers you, I believe they also do non-reliced versions. The lesson is: try before you buy and don't discount the wild cards.

ESBlonde · February 2020

I can fully relate to your experience. At the beginning of Jan I expected to buy a Gibson but thought I'd try a few Martin's, Brooks, etc. While a hummingbird 125th anniversary sounded very impressive I kept going back to the short row of Atkins. In the end I whittled it down to "D" and have been loving it ever since.

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NGD: Atkin J45 'The Forty Three'

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