Next horse for stable

[geminibuddy]

I have a j45 2009 custom zebrawood, and in electric I have a good 335 and tele.
Consider me a Sophomore Rookie player - not good yet but trying. Highly interested in fingerstyle- masters Atkins, Reed, Knopfler, Emmanuel all role models. I like anything that was on vinyl, 8 track, or cassettes. Ha! With my j45 having zebrawood what should give best tone vary? Should my next focus be on a good smaller 00/gc size or go opposite and do a jumbo? Is a Budget $1000 enough or wasted money and I need to save up? Ideas? I know this is general and vague but my cash flow is limited so i am Plotting a path!

[reeve21]

Welcome to the AGF, geminibuddy,

Your J 45 should sound good for finger style. TBMan has some recordings in show and tell with his, as does J-Doug. They both play bare flesh finger style and get a nice tone from that guitar.

But smaller bodies are popular in that genre. Since you are a Gibson fan you might save up for a used OO or L series. Or you might buy one of the knockoffs. My favorite is the Farida OT-22 from Elderly Instruments. Not sure they are in stock right now, but when they are you could buy 2 and have money left over with your budget. A little more money will get you the all solid wood version still well under your budget. Lots of threads on them if you want to search.

[donlyn]

Next horse for stable

Originally Posted by geminibuddy

I have a j45 2009 custom zebrawood, and in electric I have a good 335 and tele.
Consider me a Sophomore Rookie player - not good yet but trying. Highly interested in fingerstyle- masters Atkins, Reed, Knopfler, Emmanuel all role models. I like anything that was on vinyl, 8 track, or cassettes. Ha! With my j45 having zebrawood what should give best tone vary? Should my next focus be on a good smaller 00/gc size or go opposite and do a jumbo? Is a Budget $1000 enough or wasted money and I need to save up? Ideas? I know this is general and vague but my cash flow is limited so i am Plotting a path!

Hey g.b.,

There are some nice guitars for the money out there in enough different sizes to suit your taste. But it's unusual specifically mentioning a Jumbo. Other people have commented favorably on some (you'd have to search topics or threads) for under 1K. including some with laminate B&S to go with a solid wood top.

So as it turns out, at the beginning of the summer around Memorial Day, I tried out an Epiphone "Inspired-By-Gibson" solid wood spruce top maple B&S sunburst J-200. List was about $800 or so. I went into local GC (nicer than most I would guess) and tried it out (not on a Saturday). Very impressed, played it for a couple of hours and decided to buy it. Needed a hard shell case too, so paid extra; did not come with one. Got the Epiphone jumbo case. With small discount which offset sales tax, it cost me about $950, with a new set of Elixir PB HD Light strings (.013 - .053). (Guitar price has since gone up a bit I believe.)

Guitar neck felt different and the nut is 1+11/16", and I changed out he factory strings almost immediately. Took me a while to really get used to it (not the nut width; I have three other guitars with that nut width, two of them J-200s), mostly due to the neck carving, which kind of has an ovoid back. Very nice sound, and it plays as softly or as loudly as the effort you put into it. No, it's not a Gibson but it is very well made and costs a lot less too. Right now it's a keeper, and probably always will be. And it is a handsome instrument. Dimensions are not exact to my Gibson, but very slightly smaller in depth and width.

It was well set-up, so I put off doing that for a bit while I got used to it and it got used to being a guitar. Still running off the original factory set-up. And I played it almost exclusively until the summer humidity arrived in August (in southern New England).

Net result is that I am very favorably disposed to having bought it, and would recommend you try one out. Just because. Not everyone looks for Jumboes right away, but I love 'em and think they have the best possibilities for being balanced sounding guitars. And the string gauge I use is basically a hybrid of Medium trebles with Light bass strings. Big body guitars don't need more bass and the slight boost to the treble produces a great sound.

I've been playing for over 55 years and most of my music is from the 50s through the early 80s in about any genre that was around during that period which was before 8 track and cassette. Rock, blues, country, rockabilly, pop, lot of folk, british invasion, et cetera.

And I fingerpick all my instruments using my nails as picks.

Thanks for reading, but there's a lot there to digest, and that's a lot of guitar. I think Jumboes and Jumbo-related shapes make the best fingerpickers due to the balance. Even a basic Taylor shape (say Grand Concert) is a jumbo related shape. Not my first rodeo, and not my first jumbo by a long shot. I find that a Jumbo can accommodate any type of song you want to play, except maybe opera. Maybe. . . .

As another contributor likes to say, hope this helps. Or is at least interesting.

Be well, and good luck on finding something you like.

Don
.

[geminibuddy]

Originally Posted by donlyn

Next horse for stable



Hey g.b.,

There are some nice guitars for the money out there in enough different sizes to suit your taste. But it's unusual specifically mentioning a Jumbo. Other people have commented favorably on some (you'd have to search topics or threads) for under 1K. including some with laminate B&S to go with a solid wood top.

So as it turns out, at the beginning of the summer around Memorial Day, I tried out an Epiphone "Inspired-By-Gibson" solid wood spruce top maple B&S sunburst J-200. List was about $800 or so. I went into local GC (nicer than most I would guess) and tried it out (not on a Saturday). Very impressed, played it for a couple of hours and decided to buy it. Needed a hard shell case too, so paid extra; did not come with one. Got the Epiphone jumbo case. With small discount which offset sales tax, it cost me about $950, with a new set of Elixir PB HD Light strings (.013 - .053). (Guitar price has since gone up a bit I believe.)

Guitar neck felt different and the nut is 1+11/16", and I changed out he factory strings almost immediately. Took me a while to really get used to it (not the nut width; I have three other guitars with that nut width, two of them J-200s), mostly due to the neck carving, which kind of has an ovoid back. Very nice sound, and it plays as softly or as loudly as the effort you put into it. No, it's not a Gibson but it is very well made and costs a lot less too. Right now it's a keeper, and probably always will be. And it is a handsome instrument. Dimensions are not exact to my Gibson, but very slightly smaller in depth and width.

It was well set-up, so I put off doing that for a bit while I got used to it and it got used to being a guitar. Still running off the original factory set-up. And I played it almost exclusively until the summer humidity arrived in August (in southern New England).

Net result is that I am very favorably disposed to having bought it, and would recommend you try one out. Just because. Not everyone looks for Jumboes right away, but I love 'em and think they have the best possibilities for being balanced sounding guitars. And the string gauge I use is basically a hybrid of Medium trebles with Light bass strings. Big body guitars don't need more bass and the slight boost to the treble produces a great sound.

I've been playing for over 55 years and most of my music is from the 50s through the early 80s in about any genre that was around during that period which was before 8 track and cassette. Rock, blues, country, rockabilly, pop, lot of folk, british invasion, et cetera.

And I fingerpick all my instruments using my nails as picks.

Thanks for reading, but there's a lot there to digest, and that's a lot of guitar. I think Jumboes and Jumbo-related shapes make the best fingerpickers due to the balance. Even a basic Taylor shape (say Grand Concert) is a jumbo related shape. Not my first rodeo, and not my first jumbo by a long shot. I find that a Jumbo can accommodate any type of song you want to play, except maybe opera. Maybe. . . .

As another contributor likes to say, hope this helps. Or is at least interesting.

Be well, and good luck on finding something you like.

Don
.

Don this was one of the best responses that I’ve ever seen and I cannot thank you enough for the details.
I wish you would keep me in your circle because anyone that can use the phrase “favorably disposed “ in their communiqué is someone that I would love to sit at the table with. Ha!
I am born 1965 but late starter and hopefully a late bloomer in guitar. Ha! However - I Grew up in Muscle Shoals area of Alabama where the local radio station played a little bit of all of it and I like all the styles that you do.
I can sense that I will eventually get both the jumbo and an 00 but I need to master the technical skills before then. I just cannot afford both instruments at once and I am laying groundwork on which to identify. Being Newbie and I have learned about being impatient and purchasing wrong thing that I cannot easily sell. Ha!
I too love the sounds of the larger bodies- and they are eye candy- and I have so much to learn!! I have been lucky “trading” around and keeping eyes open to the desired “keepers” so far (at least today) ha!

[Macpage]

Congrats on having a great guitar in the J45! I think this would be perfectly acceptable to work your way into higher level fingerstyle. I like my dread for fingerstyle, but I do like to use a smaller body for all the practice on the sofa.

You can always add another, and there are good new and used ones in your range. Do you want to stay in the same scale as your Gibson? Are you looking for a particular nut width, thin/thick neck, electronics/cut-away, string spacing, other details? If you let folks know some of your your preferences, you will get a bunch of recommendations. There's no shortage of opinions here.

I have heard some describe zebrawood as sort of like walnut in that it's in between rosewood and mahogany. Do you think yours sounds closer to one or the other? In other words, which way would you be leaning if you wanted to get different tone? Are there any clips of a guitar with tone woods that interest you?

With your feedback, I am sure you will get a bunch of posts.

Best,

Mac

[Mark Stone]

Originally Posted by geminibuddy

I have a j45 2009 custom zebrawood, and in electric I have a good 335 and tele.
Consider me a Sophomore Rookie player - not good yet but trying. Highly interested in fingerstyle- masters Atkins, Reed, Knopfler, Emmanuel all role models. I like anything that was on vinyl, 8 track, or cassettes. Ha! With my j45 having zebrawood what should give best tone vary? Should my next focus be on a good smaller 00/gc size or go opposite and do a jumbo? Is a Budget $1000 enough or wasted money and I need to save up? Ideas? I know this is general and vague but my cash flow is limited so i am Plotting a path!

The other responses to your question are great, so I won't add anything except to say -- Welcome to the AGF!

[DanR]

Originally Posted by geminibuddy

I have a j45 2009 custom zebrawood, and in electric I have a good 335 and tele.
Consider me a Sophomore Rookie player - not good yet but trying. Highly interested in fingerstyle- masters Atkins, Reed, Knopfler, Emmanuel all role models. I like anything that was on vinyl, 8 track, or cassettes. Ha! With my j45 having zebrawood what should give best tone vary? Should my next focus be on a good smaller 00/gc size or go opposite and do a jumbo? Is a Budget $1000 enough or wasted money and I need to save up? Ideas? I know this is general and vague but my cash flow is limited so i am Plotting a path!

Welcome to AGF!

If you're playing primarily fingerstyle, I would look for a smaller size guitar. How small is up to you. I had a 000-18 Martin as well as a 00-18 and preferred the 00-18 for fingerpicking. On the other hand, a 0-18 that I played at a local store just seemed too small sounding to me. I don't have any experience in the $1000 price range but I would guess that there are nice guitars in that range, particularly used.

[donlyn]

Next horse for stable

Originally Posted by geminibuddy

Don this was one of the best responses that I’ve ever seen and I cannot thank you enough for the details.
I wish you would keep me in your circle because anyone that can use the phrase “favorably disposed “ in their communiqué is someone that I would love to sit at the table with. Ha!
I am born 1965 but late starter and hopefully a late bloomer in guitar. Ha! However - I Grew up in Muscle Shoals area of Alabama where the local radio station played a little bit of all of it and I like all the styles that you do.
I can sense that I will eventually get both the jumbo and an 00 but I need to master the technical skills before then. I just cannot afford both instruments at once and I am laying groundwork on which to identify. Being Newbie and I have learned about being impatient and purchasing wrong thing that I cannot easily sell. Ha!
I too love the sounds of the larger bodies- and they are eye candy- and I have so much to learn!! I have been lucky “trading” around and keeping eyes open to the desired “keepers” so far (at least today) ha!

Hey geminibuddy,

Thank you for the kind words. By way of comparison, I graduated high school in 1965. Then went to college. Born and raised in the greater Boston area, and still live in Eastern Massachusetts.

I too think it is a great idea to think and research things before you plunk down a lot of cash. Your search parameters are about dead on with this J-200, so I felt I just had to mention it. No need to go overboard, but just add this to your research file. I actually keep some inexpensive guitars on hand because we have a humid season now (I blame global warming), and I rely on my laminate guitars at such times. Big body solid woods do not respond so well in overly humid conditions. There are 2 with the 'lam' stuck into their nomenclature in the signature. That's to designate as 'laminate' bodies. They often make an appearance at times during late August through September now. Couple of years ago it was for pretty much the entirety of both months. Otherwise I prefer solid wood bodied guitars; believe I can notice enough of a difference to spring a few extra bucks for one.

I also like a lot of Doo-wop; I forgot that on my earlier list. Also you may find a lot people recommending smaller body guitars as good for fingerpicking, which they are. But you can fingerpick any guitar you want, if you want to. Personally I like to use any of my guitars for fingerpicking, because it's all about the player, not the guitar. It's what I like to do. Although my smaller Taylor short-scale 412e-R rosewood Grand Concert is a great fingerpicker too, at least for me. Feel free to pm me if you want to exchange ideas.

Btw, One of my friends had a J-45 and he played it very well. Have thought about one a few times, and almost bought a J-15 once when they were first introduced. Couldn't really bond with it though, and walked away.

So speaking of fingerpicking large body guitars, here's a couple of fellows named Mark and Chet who do a couple of fingerpicking duets on Gibson rosewood J-200s,
"I'll see you in my dreams" and "Imagine":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wTVLIZaxMk




Be well and play well,
Don
.

[geminibuddy]

I have seen (and love) that video.

In exploring-
What do you think on a “budget 12 fret” ? Maybe $800-1200? Or should I save up? Also I have an eye on a j200 online about a trade. Ha!

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by geminibuddy

I have a J45 2009 custom zebrawood, and in electric I have a good 335 and Tele...Highly interested in fingerstyle - masters Atkins, Reed, Knopfler, Emmanuel all role models...Is a Budget $1000 enough or wasted money and I need to save up? Ideas?...

Jumping off the acoustic bandwagon for a minute or two, $1K will get you one of these:



https://www.musiciansfriend.com/guit...ut-with-bigsby

All the early Chet visual/tonal vibe at 1/3 the price of a '59 6120 reissue, and if you're serious about electric fingerstyle you'll need a Gretsch in your stable sooner or later - recently discontinued BTW, so I'd grab it while the getting is good...

[Stonehauler]

actually, I really like your J-45 for what you want. It's one of the industry workhorses for a reason. If you did not have the J-45, the Martin D-18 is another industry standard.

Honestly, if you are wanting a different sound, a 12 string would be good, or a good hollow-body like the Casino?

How does the J-45 fit you? Do you feel it's too big, just right, too small?

Have you played any parlors? How do they sound to you, and more importantly, how do they feel in your hands? Some will have a big guitar like a J-45 and when they bring home a small body they have a where's the beef...I mean bass moment, or keep worrying that they will break the guitar. (sorry, got to be older for that joke to make sense)

Have you thought about a baritone Uke? IIRC, the 4 strings are DGBE just like a guitar, so everything transfers over easily and will give you a very different sound while still doing the fingerpicking thing.

What about a classical guitar? Also something that will give you a very different sound.

Just throwing out some options you may not have considered.

[geminibuddy]

Originally Posted by Stonehauler

actually, I really like your J-45 for what you want. It's one of the industry workhorses for a reason. If you did not have the J-45, the Martin D-18 is another industry standard.

Honestly, if you are wanting a different sound, a 12 string would be good, or a good hollow-body like the Casino?

How does the J-45 fit you? Do you feel it's too big, just right, too small?

Have you played any parlors? How do they sound to you, and more importantly, how do they feel in your hands? Some will have a big guitar like a J-45 and when they bring home a small body they have a where's the beef...I mean bass moment, or keep worrying that they will break the guitar. (sorry, got to be older for that joke to make sense)

Have you thought about a baritone Uke? IIRC, the 4 strings are DGBE just like a guitar, so everything transfers over easily and will give you a very different sound while still doing the fingerpicking thing.

What about a classical guitar? Also something that will give you a very different sound.

Just throwing out some options you may not have considered.

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond appreciate all the info!! It’s so nice to have experience talking- and yes- I too understood “where’s the beef”!!! Hahhaha

The keb mo blues/bluegrass had me thinking L-00 but I’m afraid I am “tone chasing” instead of working on my talent!! The Martin may be a good add. I am flipping some lesser guitars to try to trade up. Nickel at a time Ha!! It is all so educational and interesting

Thanks again