I own a Gibson J-45 Standard and a Inspired by Gibson Epiphone J-45... The tone between them is so close, but the difference is in how they feel. The nut width is just a little wider on all of the USA Gibson models and it changes the feel, to me makes them just a little more comfortable to play. My J-45 also projects a little better than the Epiphone J-45, but when I record the two it's almost impossible to tell the difference, truthfully I kind of prefer the more subdued tone of the Epiphone a lot of the time... You can't go wrong with most of these.... I owned a G45 and didn't care for it... The Epiphone "J-45" Studio, is a long scale guitar with that distinctive Epiphone headstock, rosette and pickguard. This is the rebranded old Epipone AJ220S. Come on Gibson! A J-45 is a short scale guitar, the long scale incarnation is an Advanced Jumbo. Sure its' your value line, but you could be consistent. Epiphone released limited edition sub $400 short-scale EJ-45S which was a holiday item them seemed to only stay in production for six months. Laminate back and sides, solid top, but at least proper scale length for a J-45 with a 60's style Gibson pickguard. This is the model Gibson should have relabeled as the Epiphone J-45 Studio.
All nice, but what I’m waiting for is a Gibson J-45 Modern. Make it a cut-away with the asymmetrical slim taper neck like the LP Modern. Then put in advanced electronics (like Lag HyVibe or Yamaha TAG3).
For acoustic playing the Epi IBG J-45 is plenty good enough for me, any way I play it. The Gibsons that cost so much more are terrific but nobody at the sessions would notice the difference.
I've always found it insulting when people refer to more affordable guitars as a "beginner's guitar ". I've been playing guitar for 40+ years and apparently I'm still a beginner since I don't have money for a high end Gibson.
After 40 years I think you can be upgraded to intermediate. If you can't buy a Gibson, get an Epiphone J-45. It's a affordable price, made to Gibson Spec's. Although Epiphone is an older Company, it's owned by Gibson. Sometimes Gibson get Artist's to suggest a modern feature or two that the Artist would like to incorporate into their design. Like the 'Slash' J-45. The Epiphone design he did turned out well. It has a broader neck, and flattened at the back of the neck. Whereas Gibson usually make the back of their Guitar's rounded. LR Baggs under the saddle pick-up, rich bassy tones a and high, clear Top range. I suggest you introduce yourself to a new constant experience. Everyone needs more than one Guitar. Different songs demand it. It's a nice step up, when you're half a step away from true quality.👌🎸🎸🎸
I don’t think the ‘beginner guitar’ means you’re a beginner guitarist, more like, the guitar being affordable is the probably going to be the first one that is purchased, as in the beginning of the guitar owning journey not your guitar playing development 😎
I bought an Eastman that’s a slope shoulder all solid wood Adirondack top and mahogany back and sides, ebony fretboard and saddle looks like the J35 and is a third of the cost of a Gibson but it is it’s equivalent in balance and tone. So you don’t have to break the bank.
In the blind test #1 sounded best through MacBook speakers. #2 did not sound good but that might be because of the pickup mix. #3 was good but I liked the standard J-45. I had my standard J-45 set up with removing the pickup system and putting in a new bone nut, saddle and bridge pins. It sounds like the perfect J-45 to my ears. Perfect for some songs when you want that sound.
Thank you, great video. As a proud J-45 Standard owner, i must say that the Epiphone has incredible value. The Banner is a dream (but in that collection I'll go for the 00)
Great video. I own the G-Bird and was very tempted by the G-45 but I wanted the electronics inbuilt. Personally, I think the Generation series are the best value Gibson, ever (and I've owned 17 of 'em over the years). Best sounding guitar - I am a bit surprised at the difference in sound between the J-45 faded and the Standard. I am thinking of getting the faded but in this test I would choose the standard over it, which surprises me - I would have expected the thinner finish of the faded to have better sound than the heavier finish of the standard. I'll have to revise my expectations, try both and then make a decision.
If this is an "acoustic" comparison, why are they plugged in? I wanted to hear the guitars by themselves, sans the crappy electronics. (ALL piezo electronics are trash.)
Just ordered a j45 faded. All the demos on here seem to be recorded with $2,000 neumann mics. I worry how its gonna sound just acoustic on the porch. Hope im not disappointed
Blind test = 2 of 3 . Got the 1st and 2nd wrong way round! Guess the epi sounds just as good as the Gibson. Would still take a Gibson j45 in a heartbeat. Oh yeah.
Big downside of the Epi Slash is the battery compartment , you should loosen your strings in order to put the battery inside, there is no dedicated battery compartment with access from the outside like any other modern guitar.
I have a G45 which is a sweet guitar. I have however been told by a Dealer that the G Series by Gibson has been discontinued, so I’m surprised to see this video posted now. Perhaps you can ascertain whether that’s correct and update this video with the result. Personally I hope not, but can perhaps guess why. Maybe they’re intending to put the Player port onto the Epiphone Range? More information please.
Recently purchased the Gibson J45 but the action is set so high it was unplayable, had the shim off the saddle quite a bit now its sounds and plays fantastic 😊
Absolutely LOVE that J45. But regardless, your skill is amazing. You could make a cow paddy sound like a vintage Gibson. I love your playing. And your videos.
Best Gibson I ever played was the Advanced Jumbo. Looks like a J45 but rosewood and long scale. WAY louder and more powerful. I mean louder than Martin HD28 powerful ( which isnt typical for a Gibson). They are Gibsons CANNON. Most people arent familiar with them. I didnt know they existed either until a guy bought one to a bluegrass jam and had loudest guitar in the room 😂. I traded a Martin D28 for it and took it home. Sadly it burned in a house fire and a new one now cost 6k dollars! If you ever get a chance to play a AJ then definitly do! Its like a J45 on sterioids and a supercharger on it 😂 They only make them in limited batches now. Copies of the original 1937 AJ. I had a 2010 model
The other ones sound nothing like the top dollar J-45, at least with the sample. Way better sounding guitar. YMMV with each individual guitar, of course. I'm loving my Japanese built Yamaha FG5. They make some good stuff that's worth checking out.
Jeez, people. If you live and die with ANY Gibson, you're doing good. I'm 72. Bought my first for 275 bucks (new!). If I'm playing my last one (2018 J45 Standard) on the day I die, I'm a happy man.
Idk what was with J15’s? They were close to the 45 after a year or two Pulled for being too good Also, if you are a “Epiphone sounds as good as Gibson….” Well you know
It's a little ironic that this video contains probably the worst-sounding recordings of "the most-recorded guitar of all time." Putting the mic directly in front of the sound hole, that close to the guitar, is a rookie recording mistake.
It would be helpful for these type of videos if you would play songs that are well known and easily recognized melodically by the masses. It seems that with these demonstration videos, the players rarely play anything recognizable.
For the sound and money I'd go with Epiphone J45! By the way a good guitar player doesn't care what guitar he/she is playing, they're going to make it sound great!
Player port can also be used as a cup holder😅 What a gimmick. Save your cash get the epi slash model as the lr bags pup and comes with a hardshell case
I'll take the new ebony Gibson Songwriter custom shop. Now that's a real beauty and sounds better than any of these. I have a J45 standard and I still long for the (rosewood) Songwriter custom.
I might be listing a Songwriter Custom on Reverb. I had it made for me with an Adi top and the best rosewood back and sides they had, with the electronics on the side for more control over the pickup. Right now it's at MusicGuitarWorks by Denver getting a setup and PLEK. It already played and sounded great. I just wanted it to play to its full potential, in tone, playability, and intonation. It was already great but I wanted to see what they could do. I also have a few Santa Cruz, Bourgeois, Martins etc over there getting PLEKED. It's about 4 hours from where I'm at. I'll be picking them up in about 6 weeks. I am going to play them one last time before I have to put them up for sale. On Reverb I have two guitars already listed for sale but they are a lot more expensive. The Songwriter is a one of a kind with the Adi top I had them put on. I have a certificate from Gibson. Check out my Reverb page in about 6-8 weeks and it might be for sale. It's hard to let a guitar like that go but due to some health issues I'll need to sell off most of my guitars.
I honestly think the Gibson sound is just too metallic. I hear the strings more than the body. I'd rather have the guitars here without all the paint on them.
Hi! Dinesh mentions it's sound qualities throughout the video as to why it's the "workhorse" guitar for singer songwriters and the reasons why it's the most recorded guitar. Thanks for watching!
One explanation I've heard is that Producers love the Gibson J-45's lush, but also very controlled mid-range. Sure they have dozens of processing gizmos at their disposal, EQ boxes, compressors, etc... But you want to apply as little processing as possible. The J-45's natural compression and midrange (and I'm talking specifically about the traditional spec, Spruce top with Mahagony b&s) just records great and for many mixes it just doesn't need the same amount of processing as say a Martin D28 which has a huge booming bass response and shimmers all over the high frequency range. Like a good "workhourse", the J-45 comes out of the box with a very tamed tonal character ready to be put to work. The J-45 also a songwriters favorite for these same features. At 3am in the morning, on the road in a hotel room with thin walls, you can play a J-45 very quietly unplugged and the way its built, it's natural compression is going to give you its full tone character just at a low volume making it really easy to sing over for those late night ideas you need to hammer out... There is no other guitar I've found that does this. If you're on a budget, the all solid wood, Inspired by Gibson, Epiphone J-45 is all you need. It does this just as well as the USA built Standard... Musicians come to understand, the loudest guitar in the room with the most bass response might not be the one you're after. Gibson builds tools for professionals who know what they are buying.
Epiphone is by no means a great beginner guitar, it's a tin can with strings, for a good beginner guitar check Seagull, Yamaha, Washburn, Breedlove, Cort, not an Epiphone. Epiphone electrics are good, acoustics are not.
what youre saying is pretty much the opposite of every review Ive seen on epiphone IBG acoustics.....tons of reviews by quality players, who can't believe that Gibson allowed the Epi's to be "this good" for a fraction of the price of a Gibson. Have you actually played any?
You can sure tell the difference as soon as he made the change from Epiphone to American made Gibson. It's like climbing out of a Volkswagen into a Cadillac.
▶ Products used in this video:
Shop ALL Epiphone Acoustic Guitars Online: bit.ly/457qogW
Epiphone J-45 Studio: bit.ly/3YyGpdm
Epiphone J-45: bit.ly/3KDdnTR
Epiphone J-45 EC: bit.ly/3qsE2vS
Shop ALL Gibson Acoustic Guitars Online: bit.ly/3qldqgr
Gibson G-45: bit.ly/3OqD4Z0
Gibson J-45 50s Faded: bit.ly/3KBg0Wo
Gibson J-45 Standard: bit.ly/47uC8M4
Gibson 1942 Banner J-45: bit.ly/3QI8WuK
International Customers- Please contact your local or preferred dealer for all shipping inquires.
Thank you for the demo. I purchased a Gibson J-45 Standard tonight. You helped me make the decision.
Good choice! I hope it serves you well!
Hi Indy. Which J45 did you get? I played one just yesterday for the first time ever-- one of the best acoustics I've ever played. 😎🎸👍
I own a Gibson J-45 Standard and a Inspired by Gibson Epiphone J-45... The tone between them is so close, but the difference is in how they feel. The nut width is just a little wider on all of the USA Gibson models and it changes the feel, to me makes them just a little more comfortable to play. My J-45 also projects a little better than the Epiphone J-45, but when I record the two it's almost impossible to tell the difference, truthfully I kind of prefer the more subdued tone of the Epiphone a lot of the time... You can't go wrong with most of these.... I owned a G45 and didn't care for it... The Epiphone "J-45" Studio, is a long scale guitar with that distinctive Epiphone headstock, rosette and pickguard. This is the rebranded old Epipone AJ220S. Come on Gibson! A J-45 is a short scale guitar, the long scale incarnation is an Advanced Jumbo. Sure its' your value line, but you could be consistent. Epiphone released limited edition sub $400 short-scale EJ-45S which was a holiday item them seemed to only stay in production for six months. Laminate back and sides, solid top, but at least proper scale length for a J-45 with a 60's style Gibson pickguard. This is the model Gibson should have relabeled as the Epiphone J-45 Studio.
I just love the standard J45 soooooo much !!!
I have a J45 studio and it's great, but my J15 Walnut back and sides is incomparable
All nice, but what I’m waiting for is a Gibson J-45 Modern. Make it a cut-away with the asymmetrical slim taper neck like the LP Modern. Then put in advanced electronics (like Lag HyVibe or Yamaha TAG3).
For acoustic playing the Epi IBG J-45 is plenty good enough for me, any way I play it. The Gibsons that cost so much more are terrific but nobody at the sessions would notice the difference.
My J45 Standard Rocks, audiences at gigs immediately started commenting at how great it sounds. The neck profile is great for electric Guitarists too.
We hope it serves you well!
@@gibson Thanks, I only wish I had got it earlier in my career. To all those budding Singer Songwriters GET A J45 NOW!
Love how Dinesh’s shoes match the rug lol. What happened to the Southern Jumbo?! That would’ve been a nice cameo haha. Great video! I LOVE my J-45!😃
I've always found it insulting when people refer to more affordable guitars as a "beginner's guitar ". I've been playing guitar for 40+ years and apparently I'm still a beginner since I don't have money for a high end Gibson.
After 40 years I think you can be upgraded to intermediate.
If you can't buy a Gibson, get an Epiphone J-45. It's a affordable price, made to Gibson Spec's.
Although Epiphone is an older Company, it's owned by Gibson.
Sometimes Gibson get Artist's to suggest a modern feature or two that the Artist would like to incorporate into their design.
Like the 'Slash' J-45. The Epiphone design he did turned out well.
It has a broader neck, and flattened at the back of the neck. Whereas Gibson usually make the back of their Guitar's rounded.
LR Baggs under the saddle pick-up, rich bassy tones a and high, clear Top range.
I suggest you introduce yourself to a new constant experience.
Everyone needs more than one Guitar. Different songs demand it.
It's a nice step up, when you're half a step away from true quality.👌🎸🎸🎸
That’s a wound of your own infliction.
I don’t think the ‘beginner guitar’ means you’re a beginner guitarist, more like, the guitar being affordable is the probably going to be the first one that is purchased, as in the beginning of the guitar owning journey not your guitar playing development 😎
I bought an Eastman that’s a slope shoulder all solid wood Adirondack top and mahogany back and sides, ebony fretboard and saddle looks like the J35 and is a third of the cost of a Gibson but it is it’s equivalent in balance and tone. So you don’t have to break the bank.
Of all the info given, that's your takeaway?. 😅.. write a song
I’m a little biased because I own a Gibson J45 in vintage sunburst. I have had it since September, and I love it!
I preferred 1 and 3 in the blind test
In the blind test #1 sounded best through MacBook speakers. #2 did not sound good but that might be because of the pickup mix. #3 was good but I liked the standard J-45. I had my standard J-45 set up with removing the pickup system and putting in a new bone nut, saddle and bridge pins. It sounds like the perfect J-45 to my ears. Perfect for some songs when you want that sound.
Thank you, great video. As a proud J-45 Standard owner, i must say that the Epiphone has incredible value. The Banner is a dream (but in that collection I'll go for the 00)
Gotta say, the Epi's sounded better than some of the Gibson's here. Bravo Epi!
Now I would like to hear the new all black J-45 Custom with Les Paul style headstock in comparison, too.
Great video. I own the G-Bird and was very tempted by the G-45 but I wanted the electronics inbuilt. Personally, I think the Generation series are the best value Gibson, ever (and I've owned 17 of 'em over the years). Best sounding guitar - I am a bit surprised at the difference in sound between the J-45 faded and the Standard. I am thinking of getting the faded but in this test I would choose the standard over it, which surprises me - I would have expected the thinner finish of the faded to have better sound than the heavier finish of the standard. I'll have to revise my expectations, try both and then make a decision.
Awesome video. Also worth mentioning the Epiphone Slash J-45 is a killer guitar too!
Another awesome guitar!
Love theese videos I've always wanted a j45 I was able to get a g45 when they first came out love Gibson guitars
You do my favourite reviews. Straight up info. Thank you dude.
I really liked the G-45 and of course the 50s one..btw I got all 3 at the blind test lol
That's a good ear!
If this is an "acoustic" comparison, why are they plugged in? I wanted to hear the guitars by themselves, sans the crappy electronics. (ALL piezo electronics are trash.)
the sound hole doesn't allow for the rubber feedback destroyer plug because of the v/t k dials. 😞
Just ordered a j45 faded. All the demos on here seem to be recorded with $2,000 neumann mics. I worry how its gonna sound just acoustic on the porch. Hope im not disappointed
I’m gonna go with that sunburst standard
It's a beauty for sure!
I'm so happy with my ibG J-45 😊
Need an update with the epiphone inspired by Gibson, including the banner 1942
Blind test = 2 of 3 . Got the 1st and 2nd wrong way round! Guess the epi sounds just as good as the Gibson. Would still take a Gibson j45 in a heartbeat. Oh yeah.
In the blind test the last guitar sounded best to me, the epiphone sounded low and hollow. Still a decent guitar for the price
Big downside of the Epi Slash is the battery compartment , you should loosen your strings in order to put the battery inside, there is no dedicated battery compartment with access from the outside like any other modern guitar.
Idk what was with J15’s? They were close to the 45 after a year or two
Pulled for being too good
I have a G45 which is a sweet guitar. I have however been told by a Dealer that the G Series by Gibson has been discontinued, so I’m surprised to see this video posted now. Perhaps you can ascertain whether that’s correct and update this video with the result. Personally I hope not, but can perhaps guess why. Maybe they’re intending to put the Player port onto the Epiphone Range? More information please.
Recently purchased the Gibson J45 but the action is set so high it was unplayable, had the shim off the saddle quite a bit now its sounds and plays fantastic 😊
wow....thats kind of a bummer to buy a $3000 guitar that is "unplayable".....where did you get it?
Absolutely LOVE that J45. But regardless, your skill is amazing. You could make a cow paddy sound like a vintage Gibson. I love your playing. And your videos.
Wow, thanks!
Gibson demo shop gets me again. J45 faded ordered last night.
Best Gibson I ever played was the Advanced Jumbo. Looks like a J45 but rosewood and long scale. WAY louder and more powerful. I mean louder than Martin HD28 powerful ( which isnt typical for a Gibson). They are Gibsons CANNON. Most people arent familiar with them. I didnt know they existed either until a guy bought one to a bluegrass jam and had loudest guitar in the room 😂. I traded a Martin D28 for it and took it home. Sadly it burned in a house fire and a new one now cost 6k dollars! If you ever get a chance to play a AJ then definitly do! Its like a J45 on sterioids and a supercharger on it 😂
They only make them in limited batches now. Copies of the original 1937 AJ. I had a 2010 model
The Gibson j45 50s faded is the winner for me
The other ones sound nothing like the top dollar J-45, at least with the sample. Way better sounding guitar. YMMV with each individual guitar, of course. I'm loving my Japanese built Yamaha FG5. They make some good stuff that's worth checking out.
Jeez, people. If you live and die with ANY Gibson, you're doing good. I'm 72. Bought my first for 275 bucks (new!). If I'm playing my last one (2018 J45 Standard) on the day I die, I'm a happy man.
Excellent review
Thank you kindly
Idk what was with J15’s? They were close to the 45 after a year or two
Pulled for being too good
Also, if you are a “Epiphone sounds as good as Gibson….” Well you know
It's a little ironic that this video contains probably the worst-sounding recordings of "the most-recorded guitar of all time." Putting the mic directly in front of the sound hole, that close to the guitar, is a rookie recording mistake.
And (regardless of the recording) I just don't think any of these comes close to sounding like a classic J45, not even the custom shop.
As soon as you started mixing in the PU sound with the acoustic sound I left.
It would be helpful for these type of videos if you would play songs that are well known and easily recognized melodically by the masses. It seems that with these demonstration videos, the players rarely play anything recognizable.
Hi! Great comment, but unfortunately due to copyright we can't play songs like that.
@@gibson That makes no sense. You can play "Happy Birthday", America the Beautiful, Christmas carols, folk songs, etc.
@@gibson How many songs have a G, C, D progression? I think you can slip by without infringement issues.
Banner J45 for me 👍😎. OR the custom shop Advanced Jumbo but you didnt have one here
i save up for the j 45 standard
Great choice!
The Banner for me please!
For the sound and money I'd go with Epiphone J45!
By the way a good guitar player doesn't care what guitar he/she is playing, they're going to make it sound great!
Player port can also be used as a cup holder😅
What a gimmick.
Save your cash get the epi slash model as the lr bags pup and comes with a hardshell case
For $5000 I don’t want to see that seam…..definitely want a way better match up on the top.
my exact thought
Oh no…I like the banner year custom. That’s gotta be expensive.
In this case, you get what you pay for. Only wish this had included a Southern Jumbo...
I'll take the new ebony Gibson Songwriter custom shop. Now that's a real beauty and sounds better than any of these. I have a J45 standard and I still long for the (rosewood) Songwriter custom.
I might be listing a Songwriter Custom on Reverb. I had it made for me with an Adi top and the best rosewood back and sides they had, with the electronics on the side for more control over the pickup. Right now it's at MusicGuitarWorks by Denver getting a setup and PLEK. It already played and sounded great. I just wanted it to play to its full potential, in tone, playability, and intonation. It was already great but I wanted to see what they could do. I also have a few Santa Cruz, Bourgeois, Martins etc over there getting PLEKED. It's about 4 hours from where I'm at. I'll be picking them up in about 6 weeks. I am going to play them one last time before I have to put them up for sale. On Reverb I have two guitars already listed for sale but they are a lot more expensive. The Songwriter is a one of a kind with the Adi top I had them put on. I have a certificate from Gibson. Check out my Reverb page in about 6-8 weeks and it might be for sale. It's hard to let a guitar like that go but due to some health issues I'll need to sell off most of my guitars.
It's a sunburst cutaway custom model.
The blind test shows that these guitars, regardless of your favorite, are definitely in the same family of tones.
Nicely done. Thanks!
Cool, thanks!
Murphy lab is the best sounding
#1
Thanks for watching!
Personally, the J-45 Studio sounded the best. The rest sounded like pure garbage.
All those guitars are pre war modells (WW3)
Don't buy one buy a Eastman e10ss for half the price and better quality wood top
I'm only here to try and make myself feel better about how I'll never afford a Gibson. Lol
I honestly think the Gibson sound is just too metallic. I hear the strings more than the body. I'd rather have the guitars here without all the paint on them.
So, what is the answer to the question, "Why Is The Gibson J-45 The Most-Recorded Acoustic Guitar Of All Time?"
Hi! Dinesh mentions it's sound qualities throughout the video as to why it's the "workhorse" guitar for singer songwriters and the reasons why it's the most recorded guitar. Thanks for watching!
One explanation I've heard is that Producers love the Gibson J-45's lush, but also very controlled mid-range. Sure they have dozens of processing gizmos at their disposal, EQ boxes, compressors, etc... But you want to apply as little processing as possible. The J-45's natural compression and midrange (and I'm talking specifically about the traditional spec, Spruce top with Mahagony b&s) just records great and for many mixes it just doesn't need the same amount of processing as say a Martin D28 which has a huge booming bass response and shimmers all over the high frequency range. Like a good "workhourse", the J-45 comes out of the box with a very tamed tonal character ready to be put to work. The J-45 also a songwriters favorite for these same features. At 3am in the morning, on the road in a hotel room with thin walls, you can play a J-45 very quietly unplugged and the way its built, it's natural compression is going to give you its full tone character just at a low volume making it really easy to sing over for those late night ideas you need to hammer out... There is no other guitar I've found that does this. If you're on a budget, the all solid wood, Inspired by Gibson, Epiphone J-45 is all you need. It does this just as well as the USA built Standard... Musicians come to understand, the loudest guitar in the room with the most bass response might not be the one you're after. Gibson builds tools for professionals who know what they are buying.
Why would I take the advice of somebody who can't even work out where the camera is?
Epiphone Slash wins 🏆
Over priced!
Epiphone is by no means a great beginner guitar, it's a tin can with strings, for a good beginner guitar check Seagull, Yamaha, Washburn, Breedlove, Cort, not an Epiphone. Epiphone electrics are good, acoustics are not.
what youre saying is pretty much the opposite of every review Ive seen on epiphone IBG acoustics.....tons of reviews by quality players, who can't believe that Gibson allowed the Epi's to be "this good" for a fraction of the price of a Gibson.
Have you actually played any?
You can sure tell the difference as soon as he made the change from Epiphone to American made Gibson. It's like climbing out of a Volkswagen into a Cadillac.