Gibson J45 vs J15 vs G45

FLGuitar · #1 08-29-2021, 06:27 PM

Good evening,

I am wondering what the tonal differences regarding Bass and Depth are between a Gibson J45, J15 and G45, as I am looking to purchase one and do not have an opportunity to compare side by side in person. Also if someone could tell me which a better buy of overall quality and finishing touches of the guitar, between a J15 and G45 given the user prices are similar for an all around guitar with good depth and bass.

Thank you.

Wade Hampton · #2 08-29-2021, 07:18 PM

The J-15 is a full depth guitar and should give you a richer lower end response. I’ve never played a G-45 that blew my socks off, but most of the J-15’s I’ve played have been guitars I’d like to own.

That’s a matter of personal taste, of course, but it’s a noticeable difference between the two models.

Wade Hampton Miller

Rogerblair · #3 08-29-2021, 07:41 PM

J45 and J15 are both great guitars, just different in tone. Haven’t played the G model.
Rb

FingahPickah · #4 08-29-2021, 08:03 PM

Never played a G45. My son has a J15 that sounds great - crisp and balanced - but if pronounced bass is what you prefer - J45 usually delivers that

TBman · #5 08-29-2021, 08:22 PM

I played quite a few J-45 and J-15 while searching for mine. The J-15 is a fine guitar. I fell for the sunburst and history of the J-45. If I had the money I would have bought both. The G however is a thin sounding shadow of the J-45, imo.

Oldguy64 · #6 08-29-2021, 09:12 PM

I have a G45.
It is a great guitar.
Mine sounds and plays well.
Not sure how I feel about the pickup.
I think my Takamine sounds better plugged in.
There were two G’s in the shop.
The other one didn’t sound half as good as the one I brought home.
I like the J45 and the J15 a lot.
But my Gibson “grail” is the second generation Gospel.
The G45 is very close sonically to my memory of that guitar.

FLGuitar · #7 08-29-2021, 10:02 PM

Thank you for the infomation. Any of you have experience with a J30 compared to the J15 and J45 bass and depth?

Perchman · #8 08-30-2021, 04:44 AM

A couple years ago I went to my local Gibson dealer to buy a J15. They had 3 AND a J35. I singled out one of the 15’s for my ear and compared it and the 35 for over an hour. I bought the J35. Had more Gibson bass to my ear. An excellent guitar but I still craved the “real” J45 thump. I traded the J35 a couple months ago on a new Southern Jumbo. Again, I played them side by side for over an hour and the Southern Jumbo has everything that I want from a Gibson acoustic in spades.
That’s my tale as heard by my ears.

Bushleague · #9 08-30-2021, 04:53 AM

Depends if you are talking about the J-45 standard or studio. Between the studio and the others, depending on the individual guitars, the difference might not be very much. Generally the J-15 will sound more bassy, the differences between the J-45 studio and the G-45 are not huge in my experience and more up to individual charicteristics than any inherent difference in the models, though I've met others who dissagree. In my experience the slimmer bodys are very responsive to how you strum them, strummed well over the sound hole towards the neck they generally will produce a nice full sound, but brighten up considerable as you move back over the soundboard. I think these guitars sound a bit different than the signature "Gibson sound" and some people cant get past that, personally, I think they sound good in their own right and are deffinately worth consideration to someone who is trying to find their own sound, rather than duplicate a tone established by someone else.

The j-45 standard is a different beast. A dryer, bassyer, more mellow sound with less overtones and chime than the wallnut guitars. If you are one of those people that need that specific "Gibson sound" I think it best to stick with the standard.

EZYPIKINS · #10 08-30-2021, 08:53 AM

I'd have to say I would lean toward the J-45 Standard.

That said I play a J-185 that kills.

gretsch4me · #11 08-30-2021, 12:56 PM

My J15 with 13's tuned to Eb. Bass, thump and volume. Works for me...

DBW · #12 08-30-2021, 07:55 PM

If you are going to get one of those three and can afford it, go ahead and get the J45. It is the standard and the others will not be as good in either quality or sound. I had a G45 and didn't like it. Maybe I got a lemon or maybe it was the walnut. It also had plastic bridge pins and a plastic nut, which I didn't like. I also changed the strings out and the pickup stopped working. It would go in and out. I ended up trading it. Rather than going through that, I would just get the J-45 up front- or get a Martin D-18 and have a K&K Pure Mini put into it. That way you can avoid the under the bridge pickups. You will have to run it through a pre-amp though.