Extracted and expanded from the Gibson acoustic thread. I’ve been out and about looking for the holy grail - a do it all guitar that works well for backing up a singer, strumming, picking and fingertsyle (of sorts). Don’t need a bluegrass guitar nor do I need a Celtic wonder of DADGAD beauty, but if it can handle slack tunings a la Doughty then great. I don’t really like big bodied guitars - I find them too unwieldy.
I had a Lowden 0-23 for a few years and loved it but it was hopeless with a singer and for strumming for me, plus it was ridiculously huge, so I sold it. I bought a Martin 00-16m as a songwriting guitar in the interim and really love it, great neck, comfy, easy to play, sounds great but caves under pressure and lacks a bit of sparkle.
So off I went to try some stuff...
Gibson:
2012 J45 - average
2010s American Eagle - liked it but it was really trebly.
2018 J45 - very good - warm and thumpy, easy to play, finished by Stevie Wonder.
2018 J35 - very good - Louder and treblier than the J45, beefy rounded neck, light and airy. Someone forgot to finish sanding the soundbhole half way round.
2018 Hummingbird AG - wet cardboard box.
I was impressed by the 2018 Gibson models sonically and from a playing point of view. There were some q.c. Issues compared to other brands - the main finish was good, it’s just the details that are poor really, gaps between headstock face and nut, sanding marks round sound hole, rough sanding on braces, poor finish where neck meets body and the like. The sunburst finish itself was quite nicely done. Really don’t like the Grovers either.
I also tried a Martin OMC-35e - sounded a bit dull, really needed new strings; a Martin HD28 - lovely but too much boom in the bass; a D18 - nice and tight, not the best one I’ve played recently though; a DPCm thing - sounded good and felt nice, but not quite what I want in a Martin; an Atkin O-37 relic - nice guitar, didn’t like the relic finish; and a Taylor 12-fretter, which as usual with Taylors just didn’t work for my ear.
So out of them all, it was the J45 or D18 I liked the best sonically, though I still find them unwieldy, the 0-37 and American Eagle for size but they don’t really strum well, and the OMC for something in the middle and my favourite acoustic neck profile ever.
None of them made me buy, but I’m getting closer. I think I fundamentally prefer the Martin sound to Gibson.
Comments
If they sound too light, you may just need to compromise of ease of handling. An older standard D28 (before they went to forward-shifted bracing) may well suit - not as boomy as the HDs. They finger pick well, too.
I would certainly recommend the size for anybody looking for an all-rounder but finds OM lacking a bit.
I have tried quite a few gibsons of late and i do think the OP should consider how he intends to use the guitar, if its solo/at home/live then the good ones are a great sound for accompnying the singer, in a band setting i find they get lost in the mix and i far prefer a bright sounding guitar with a lot of cut
Salsburg tends to use open tunings with his JOM.
In all honesty, though it was a nice guitar it wasnt The Answer...
That's not to say I don't appreciate the suggestions, I do - thanks all for the input!
I previously went down this route and purchased a lovely Collings OM1 Custom; nonetheless, it never lost it’s ‘stiff’ feel and i sold it on.
A fellow recent band member has had a simple £550 Taylor 12E, and it sounds mega through the PA....
Makes you think
Feel free to add to this thread if you’re having adventures in acoustic buying too! Surprised you didn’t like the Collings but I can also see where you’re coming from, having tried a few in the past (dreads only though).
These have been mentioned a few times elsewhere - I must try to find one to try.
The best I've played under £1500.