Gibson j100 xtra VS J45

elasticman · #1 06-22-2013, 07:55 AM

Just picked up a lefty J100 XTRA. 1994 version with mahogany body. Wonderful dry, woody percussive tone. Not too many overtones, so it sounds great with my voice and strummed.

Being a lefty, it's very hard to find good acoustics, so it's not like I can just pop into a guitar store and try before I buy.

I now have my eyes on a j45, which has the same woods. Has anyone played the j100 AND the j45? Would the j45 just be a quieter version of the j100? The j45 does have the short scale, so it might be easier to play. But other than that I wonder if it's redundant to have these 2 gits in my stable. It's not like I have Eric Clapton's budget...

hakkolu · #2 05-02-2014, 06:13 AM

Which one did you end up keeping? I am in a similar situation. Us lefties don't have the chance to try a gazillion guitars unfortunately, so we have to trial all.

steverok · #3 05-02-2014, 07:14 AM

I don't think you'd be owning two of the same guitar. The difference in body style and scale length make them two different animals. I own a J-45 with mahogany B/S and a J-100 Xtra with bubinga B/S. Both are great guitars. The J-45 is softer in the bass and lower mids, but still strong and sweet. They both sound like Gibsons, but that's about where the similarities end.

hakkolu · #4 05-02-2014, 08:56 AM

How would you compare the J45 and the J100 to a Hummingbird? I would be curious to hear which one is more in contrast to the 'bird.

#5 05-02-2014, 08:57 AM

I have a J-45 and J-100Xtra with bubinga b/s. Completely different animals.

hakkolu · #6 05-02-2014, 09:30 AM

Us lefties do not have the options you guys have on woods like bubinga. I guess the comparison is for J100 vs J45, both ma-hog.

Play2PraiseHim · #7 05-02-2014, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hakkolu

How would you compare the J45 and the J100 to a Hummingbird? I would be curious to hear which one is more in contrast to the 'bird.

The Hummingbird will usually be the warmest of the bunch. It has its own unique tone. The tone is rich , full, and sweet. When you get a good one, it can sound like 2 guitars playing at once under a full strum. The True Vintage is usually a more responsive that the modern classic version. The modern classic version is braced a bit heavier and has a brighter sound but still sounds like a Hummingbird.

The J-45 will be brighter than Hummingbird and have better projection. The sound is drier and it has more of that signature Gibson thump and less of warm midrange compared to a Hummingbird.

The J-100 mahogany I have no experience with. I have owned a maple J-150 which is essentially the same thing as a J-200 minus fretboard binding. It had a very balanced and crisp voice. I will say that every Gibson Jumbo that I have played has not projected as greatly as a J-45 did. They can be gentle giants.

sfden1 · #8 05-02-2014, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elasticman

Just picked up a lefty J100 XTRA. 1994 version with mahogany body. Wonderful dry, woody percussive tone. Not too many overtones, so it sounds great with my voice and strummed.

Being a lefty, it's very hard to find good acoustics, so it's not like I can just pop into a guitar store and try before I buy.

I now have my eyes on a j45, which has the same woods. Has anyone played the j100 AND the j45? Would the j45 just be a quieter version of the j100? The j45 does have the short scale, so it might be easier to play. But other than that I wonder if it's redundant to have these 2 gits in my stable. It's not like I have Eric Clapton's budget...

Wish I'd seen this when it was first posted because I've owned both a J-100xtra (maple b/s) and a J-45 and at the same time. As it is the OP has long since made his decision.

That said, they are very different guitars. I wouldn't think having the same b/s wood would change any of that.

hakkolu · #9 05-02-2014, 03:29 PM

what did you decide to keep and why?

sfden1 · #10 05-02-2014, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hakkolu

what did you decide to keep and why?

Well, I sold them both to help fund a a Santa Cruz Vintage Southerner Deluxe, basically SC's version of a vintage J-45 but with maple b/s, which eventually led to a vintage 1940's SJ.

I liked the J-100xtra but to me it was more of a strummer than a fingerpicker, though I certainly know of folks that fingerpick them well, just not me. Plus after a while I found the size and scale a bit too much. That said, it was a nicely made guitar with a beautiful maple back, well balanced and with a good deal of punch and more sustain than one would expect (but not muddy). It was not as loud as folks without experience with the Gibson super jumbos seem to expect, but not quiet either. All in all a nice rhythm guitar.

I've found the round shoulder short scale Southern Jumbo to be a better fit for my style and a more versatile (to me) guitar. I've since acquired a 1940's LG2 that to me is a somewhat smaller version of the J-45, a bit more comfortable to play and with just about as much volume and punch.

Hope that answers the question.

elasticman · #11 05-06-2014, 10:21 AM

[QUOTE=sfden1;3937960] As it is the OP has long since made his decision.

QUOTE]

I am the OP. I bought a J45 but ended up selling it. It didn't do much for me, but may have been a "dud". Then I found a fantastic "Early 1960s Country Western reissue" that Southpaw had made as a custom in 2009. It's round shouldered, short scale, mahogany back/sides, just like a J45. Sound-wise I believe it to be in a whole other class! It sounds like a Gibson, but with more sustain and complexity than the J100 and a slight bit more bass. For me it's also very easy to play.

So my J100 Xtra, while a great guitar - is still for sale!