I recently bought one of these secondhand - it's the earlier gloss finish version. Mine was built in 2017, and - it's a cliche, but it's a cannon. I'm a bluegrass flatpicker, and the way the notes pop out on the fiddle tunes is amazing - the notes just punch out immediately, and the tone of the instrument is unlike any other guitar I've heard (I've been playing for 50 years or so) - beautiful. I recently sold a Martin D-18 of the same age, and the Gibson's a much better guitar in my opinion - it's the best one I've ever played. I tried a few Gibsons in the early seventies, but they didn't last long - I soon moved them on. Gibson has really upped its game, and I hope the J-35 stays in production. I also like its simple look, plain clear lacquered wood with minimal binding.
That is a beautifully warm sounding guitar. I guess what I wish Gibson and Taylor for that matter would do is to offer their instruments without the amplification system. Most people don't play out professionally and this only adds weight to the instrument and adds cost to the instrument. The LR Baggs system should be an option add on.
Taylor DOES offer almost all of their instruments without electronics and that choice reduces the price by $200. Unfortunately, dealers rarely order them that way until a customer specifically requests one.
Have a 2013 gloss J-35 I got in about 2015 in a Craigslist guitar trade. Traded a beat up Made In USA Fender I paid about $500 for. Not a bad trade as all! The J-35 was in perfect condition and still is. The action has always been perfect. It's been in 40-degree weather to mid-90's in it's case. All I've done is change the strings, one at a time, leave 5 old strings on, change one, repeat. I think the action has always been great because I never took all the strings off the neck during a string change and also the 50's neck profile surely helps. I also use a cheap D'addario Pro to humidify the guitar during the cold months and keep a cheap Wal-Mart humidity gauge I bought for $8 around to check the humidity. Buy a gallon of distilled water to use with your guitar humidifier's sponge. A gallon will last you years! Always remember to wring the sponge out until you can't wring any more water out! If you don't, the humidifier can drip drops of water into your guitar and you don't want that happening! My J-35 sounds so good, nice sustain. The top has yellowed nicely as well. Big thumbs up for the J-35 and highly recommend them. You can buy different string sets and try different gauge picks to change the sound/feel of the guitar as well! I personally like .50 or .60 mm light gauge picks (Dunlop Tortex, Ernie Ball Ever-Last). The .50 gives a nice bright ringing sound using light gauge .012 strings. You can always buy some extra strings to keep in your case and look out for when they go on sale to try some new ones. Wipe your guitar strings down with a proper cloth after every use as well if you can! Most of all, have fun and enjoy!
I sure enjoy hearing you play the guitar!!! I can't tell you how many times I listened to you. Also, there is another difference between the J35 and j45. The bracing on the top is different
Tuning and structure-wise, and unlike my three overly sensitive Brazilian Martins, the old -45 is nearly impervious to weather changes ... However, when it gets cold, it acts a lot like a fine french-polished end table which blushes white when anything wet - like a sweaty arm - rests on it for more than a second....
I bought a 2017 used in perfect condition. Switched out the tuners for the 3 on a plate golden age tuners from stew-mac. Also replaced the saddle and nut for bone. Sounds awesome.
I do wish Gibson would lose the Baggs VTC pickup. They put it in EVERYTHING! Let the buyer make their own choice. ANything that sits under a saddle compromises the acoustic tone.
I like the pickup. The only reason I bought my j45 was because it had a decent pickup in it. My martins are all pickup less. I think Gibson does a decent job at giving you a work horse. With that said, I do agree there are better pickups to be had. Not sure of the appeal if they were to take out the electronics for me though, I think I’d pick a martins every time 😂
Been waiting for you guys to do this one. I think it’s a hidden gem price-wise and I personally love the aesthetics. The striped pickguard and script logo look awesome.
Love it! Noticeably brighter than a standard gloss finish, which in my opinion is better. I may need to get one.. Love the tiger-Stripe guard. The signature of the J-35 ❤️
Great video. I own 5 guitars with gloss, and 5 with satin finish. I’m a fan. This is a very nice option, basically getting a J45 at a better price point. Sounds like a great value. Thank you
I’ve got a J35 Fuller’s 1939 Reissue 2013 and I love it. I had a 2020 J45 standard and these 2 guitars sounded completely different. Having said that both are great sounding instruments in there own!
One of the best sounding Gibson acoustic, I think it sounds better than the j45. I own a j45 and I played a j35 and I loved it. More of an open wood sound than a j45 imo
I've got a one owner, unmolested and virtually un-played since new '67 B-15 - first satin finished guitar I've owned since the late 60s. The factory finish is nothing short of perfect. Even though I'm really a Martin guy (7 Nazarenes vs one Kalamazoo and a Bozeman J-45) nobody can lay down a burst or a satin finish quite like Gibson...
Love your reviews, but could I request that in the future you also add in the sound of these acoustic guitars plugged in to hear the pickups in these guitars? Many of us gig with these guitars plugged into a DI and then the mixer, etc and they sound like a different animal when plugged in using the onboard pickups. Many times in the past, I've loved the sound of a guitar acoustically only to hate the sound of the pickups when plugged in and moved on to another guitar. Thanks again for the great reviews of these awesome guitars.
Gorgeous playing, Cooper. Guitar sounded excellent. The Gibson acoustics I've tried don't jibe with what I'm looking for, for some reason. Something about the necks didn't suit what I want, but they certainly sound good.
First off, the nut widths are the same. 1.72". Atleast check your specs before making a video. Also, you should've mentioned that the J35 was reintroduced in 2013 and then discontinued in 2018. That model has a slightly beefier neck than this new faded series and has the advanced jumbo bracing. I'm not sure what bracing the faded has but I'm guessing the same. I got to play the faded J35 and J45 today. Both light as a feather and great sounding, both very crisp and clear. Altho almost no noticeable diff in sound between the two. Then I picked up a J45 standard and got that warm tone that they're known for. So that's a diff comparison all together. Hopefully the J35 is back for good this time and maybe they'll even consider bringing back the J15. Both are some of the best acoustics they've offered in recent decades
I have a WM-45 From 99. And this seems to me, it’s the same guitar with a return to an older model name My 45 looks like hell (previous owners) but, it really is the best Gibson I’ve ever owned..and I don’t have the previous 4 Gibson’s This is a sweet guitar Cooper is playing
Under previous management, the J-35 and J-45 did not share identical bracing patterns. Both were scalloped, but slightly different. Acoustic Letter (located near Gibson's factory) did a video years ago showing the underside of the tops... However, these new J-35 models, both the faded and the one in the historic collection seem to share the same bracing pattern as the J-45.. If they are different, Gibson isn't indicating that in the specs... That's surprising. It's basically a J-50 with different aesthetics (bridge, pick guard, tuners). I love the faded series. To me, this is where Gibson's value line really begins.Their price relative to the standard series models with gloss nitro are very comparable to a line Gibson did in the late 90s and early 2000s called the Working Man's series (WM-45, etc..). Those were a little more stripped down and priced about $300 less than (~$500 today accounting for inflation) under the Standard series....
They are different...the J35 has the "advanced" x bracing like the Advanced Jumbo. The tone bars are also at a different angle. Lastly, the brace under the fretboard is much thinner on the J35. I have one of each and have compared them, the J35 and J45 Fadeds.
As far as the J-35 vs. J-45...I think the earliest J-35's were called that because they were priced at $35, were as the the J-45 cost $45. That's what I've heard. Gibson made a lot of different flat top acoustic guitars back in the day, but I think that beyond some of the obvious size and shape differences, the rationale for many different models was primarily price and cosmetics. The specifications revolved around that. Nevertheless, some of those differences still changed the tone from one model to the next.
I really want another 12 string with a radius and a narrow nut. I have an Epiphone 212 and it is too wide, the nut is 1.875 wide. I shattered my shoulder and along with arthritis and such I can’t play it. I used to have a 54 Hofner Dreadnought 12 string and I was so comfortable with it. I miss it ❤
I'm impressed with how mature it sounds. Its a sweet sounding guitar. I bet one could get a light wax or cleaning compound that could fill in those most of those pores to take off the rough edge while preserving the original tone and benefits of a satin finish. What do you think? Nice demo.
J-35 also has wider x bracing angle than j45, risulting in a more scooped sound. Great guitar for flatpicking or strumming, but a little less versatile than j45 in my opinion.
Great explanation. Cool guitar, terrible pick guard. Cooper is terrific but I miss Chris' demos playing stuff I might play. Thank God there's no sound port.
Love everything about this model except the black headstock. Is this historically accurate? I feel that it cheapens the look a bit a la the first generation Taylor GS Minis.
I lie a lighter finish It allows the true sound of the wood to come through. I have a Fender with Nitro cellulose and it always seems " Dark" in sound.
Over RUclips to my ears it sounds a little thin and not as warm as a near comparable Martin guitar. Am I alone in my observation? I would appreciate hearing what others are hearing.
Always love Cooper's playing. I think the J-35 is pretty ugly, but it sounds really great when it's played softly; but sounds weak when played a little aggressively.
Gibson Acoustic '30s J-35 Acoustic-electric Guitar - Faded Natural $2,199.00 On Sweetwater. This is Gibson trying its best to sell guitars at a "lower price." So pricey! Why Gibson, why!
Absolutely disagree on the tuners, 3 on a plate tuners with plastic buttons are what is on a j35, was the very first thing I ripped off the guitar, open gear tuners are fine on say a guild, or newer style of guitar, they were never on a j35, and if Gibson calls in a j35, they flat out missed the mark on the tuners in any historical sense, also the 3 on plate tuners built today tune perfectly fine. Do not kid yourself. The tuners are flat out the fail point on the this guitar, and Gibson missed the mark here, while getting many other things correct for once, like the logo being correct, not using the belly bridge, the correct small rectangle. If I am buying a historically significant guitar, at a premium price point, small things like that matter. I like the j35 faded, so much so I got one, changed the tuners, ripped out the pickup, and have a reasonably correct j35, it’s not exact, the bracing for instance , I can deal with that, but the wrong tuners stick out like a sore thumb.
"...J-50 is a J-45 with a clear finish..." Except when it's not... I recently sold an early J-50 with an original tobacco sunburst finish... and to confuse buyers even more Rosewood and walnut J-45's have clear tops... That's about as oxy-moronic as any marketing ploy I've ever heard. There is only one REAL J-45 (mahogany with a second rate "painted" spruce top as God so intended) If it's anything else, it ought to be called a J-44, 43,42 whatever but not a J-45... and that includes the 68-82 square shoulder abominations....
![Megan Thee Stallion - Roc Steady (feat. Flo Milli) [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/HozPPyqW0dY/mqdefault.jpg)
I recently bought one of these secondhand - it's the earlier gloss finish version. Mine was built in 2017, and - it's a cliche, but it's a cannon. I'm a bluegrass flatpicker, and the way the notes pop out on the fiddle tunes is amazing - the notes just punch out immediately, and the tone of the instrument is unlike any other guitar I've heard (I've been playing for 50 years or so) - beautiful.
I recently sold a Martin D-18 of the same age, and the Gibson's a much better guitar in my opinion - it's the best one I've ever played. I tried a few Gibsons in the early seventies, but they didn't last long - I soon moved them on. Gibson has really upped its game, and I hope the J-35 stays in production. I also like its simple look, plain clear lacquered wood with minimal binding.
Nice to see Gibson produce a really nice instrument at a better price. Satin finish really improved the tone.
That is a beautifully warm sounding guitar. I guess what I wish Gibson and Taylor for that matter would do is to offer their instruments without the amplification system. Most people don't play out professionally and this only adds weight to the instrument and adds cost to the instrument. The LR Baggs system should be an option add on.
Taylor DOES offer almost all of their instruments without electronics and that choice reduces the price by $200. Unfortunately, dealers rarely order them that way until a customer specifically requests one.
Well said
Have a 2013 gloss J-35 I got in about 2015 in a Craigslist guitar trade. Traded a beat up Made In USA Fender I paid about $500 for. Not a bad trade as all! The J-35 was in perfect condition and still is. The action has always been perfect. It's been in 40-degree weather to mid-90's in it's case. All I've done is change the strings, one at a time, leave 5 old strings on, change one, repeat. I think the action has always been great because I never took all the strings off the neck during a string change and also the 50's neck profile surely helps. I also use a cheap D'addario Pro to humidify the guitar during the cold months and keep a cheap Wal-Mart humidity gauge I bought for $8 around to check the humidity. Buy a gallon of distilled water to use with your guitar humidifier's sponge. A gallon will last you years! Always remember to wring the sponge out until you can't wring any more water out! If you don't, the humidifier can drip drops of water into your guitar and you don't want that happening! My J-35 sounds so good, nice sustain. The top has yellowed nicely as well. Big thumbs up for the J-35 and highly recommend them. You can buy different string sets and try different gauge picks to change the sound/feel of the guitar as well! I personally like .50 or .60 mm light gauge picks (Dunlop Tortex, Ernie Ball Ever-Last). The .50 gives a nice bright ringing sound using light gauge .012 strings. You can always buy some extra strings to keep in your case and look out for when they go on sale to try some new ones. Wipe your guitar strings down with a proper cloth after every use as well if you can! Most of all, have fun and enjoy!
I sure enjoy hearing you play the guitar!!! I can't tell you how many times I listened to you. Also, there is another difference between the J35 and j45. The bracing on the top is different
Tuning and structure-wise, and unlike my three overly sensitive Brazilian Martins, the old -45 is nearly impervious to weather changes ... However, when it gets cold, it acts a lot like a fine french-polished end table which blushes white when anything wet - like a sweaty arm - rests on it for more than a second....
Cooper.....You could make any guitar sound fantastic. Your playing is the best.
I bought a 2017 used in perfect condition. Switched out the tuners for the 3 on a plate golden age tuners from stew-mac. Also replaced the saddle and nut for bone. Sounds awesome.
Cooper, you're really a great player man keep it up sounds great.
Get a room
I do wish Gibson would lose the Baggs VTC pickup. They put it in EVERYTHING! Let the buyer make their own choice. ANything that sits under a saddle compromises the acoustic tone.
Well said
I like the pickup. The only reason I bought my j45 was because it had a decent pickup in it. My martins are all pickup less. I think Gibson does a decent job at giving you a work horse. With that said, I do agree there are better pickups to be had. Not sure of the appeal if they were to take out the electronics for me though, I think I’d pick a martins every time 😂
Been waiting for you guys to do this one. I think it’s a hidden gem price-wise and I personally love the aesthetics. The striped pickguard and script logo look awesome.
The J-35 has the Advanced Jumbo bracing. They sound a lot different than a J-45 in my opinion, I have had both.
The last model did (which I own as well), I’m curious if this model is as well but I haven’t seen any confirmation
Pretty much every guitar sounds good when Cooper is playing.
I love the J-35, I've been playing my Burst J-15 lately. Wish they would make a "Faded" LG-2.
Thanks, Chris and Cooper
What a beautiful sound … came through beautifully on my faded iPhone.
Love it! Noticeably brighter than a standard gloss finish, which in my opinion is better.
I may need to get one.. Love the tiger-Stripe guard. The signature of the J-35 ❤️
Great video. I own 5 guitars with gloss, and 5 with satin finish. I’m a fan. This is a very nice option, basically getting a J45 at a better price point. Sounds like a great value. Thank you
I’ve got a J35 Fuller’s 1939 Reissue 2013 and I love it. I had a 2020 J45 standard and these 2 guitars sounded completely different. Having said that both are great sounding instruments in there own!
I’ve always leaned towards satin. It sounds so much more natural and breathes better imo.
I've always preferred the satin finishes. They are way more comfortable and feel like you're playing solid wood.
Different bracing compared to the bracing on a J-45, hence the differences in sound.
One of the best sounding Gibson acoustic, I think it sounds better than the j45. I own a j45 and I played a j35 and I loved it. More of an open wood sound than a j45 imo
I bought a Martin D-X2E in April and have quickly become a fan of the satin finishes. This J-35 looks great and sounds great.
I've got a one owner, unmolested and virtually un-played since new '67 B-15 - first satin finished guitar I've owned since the late 60s. The factory finish is nothing short of perfect. Even though I'm really a Martin guy (7 Nazarenes vs one Kalamazoo and a Bozeman J-45) nobody can lay down a burst or a satin finish quite like Gibson...
Love your reviews, but could I request that in the future you also add in the sound of these acoustic guitars plugged in to hear the pickups in these guitars? Many of us gig with these guitars plugged into a DI and then the mixer, etc and they sound like a different animal when plugged in using the onboard pickups. Many times in the past, I've loved the sound of a guitar acoustically only to hate the sound of the pickups when plugged in and moved on to another guitar. Thanks again for the great reviews of these awesome guitars.
Gorgeous playing, Cooper. Guitar sounded excellent. The Gibson acoustics I've tried don't jibe with what I'm looking for, for some reason. Something about the necks didn't suit what I want, but they certainly sound good.
Just an amazing sounding guitar! And Cooper you play amaaaaazing!!!🇨🇦👍
First off, the nut widths are the same. 1.72". Atleast check your specs before making a video. Also, you should've mentioned that the J35 was reintroduced in 2013 and then discontinued in 2018. That model has a slightly beefier neck than this new faded series and has the advanced jumbo bracing. I'm not sure what bracing the faded has but I'm guessing the same.
I got to play the faded J35 and J45 today. Both light as a feather and great sounding, both very crisp and clear. Altho almost no noticeable diff in sound between the two. Then I picked up a J45 standard and got that warm tone that they're known for. So that's a diff comparison all together.
Hopefully the J35 is back for good this time and maybe they'll even consider bringing back the J15. Both are some of the best acoustics they've offered in recent decades
I have a WM-45 From 99. And this seems to me, it’s the same guitar with a return to an older model name
My 45 looks like hell (previous owners) but, it really is the best Gibson I’ve ever owned..and I don’t have the previous 4 Gibson’s
This is a sweet guitar Cooper is playing
Awesome sounding guitar in Coopers hands
You vatos are great
As soon as I pay off my d18 I’m going to talk to Jon about hooking me up with j35. Orale carnales 👊🏽
I have a recommendation for a vid because I haven’t found one yet. J-45 standard rosewood vs J-45 studio rosewood. I don’t think it’s been done yet.
The bracing is quite different on a J35 and J45. Wider x on the 35.
Under previous management, the J-35 and J-45 did not share identical bracing patterns. Both were scalloped, but slightly different. Acoustic Letter (located near Gibson's factory) did a video years ago showing the underside of the tops... However, these new J-35 models, both the faded and the one in the historic collection seem to share the same bracing pattern as the J-45.. If they are different, Gibson isn't indicating that in the specs... That's surprising. It's basically a J-50 with different aesthetics (bridge, pick guard, tuners). I love the faded series. To me, this is where Gibson's value line really begins.Their price relative to the standard series models with gloss nitro are very comparable to a line Gibson did in the late 90s and early 2000s called the Working Man's series (WM-45, etc..). Those were a little more stripped down and priced about $300 less than (~$500 today accounting for inflation) under the Standard series....
They are different...the J35 has the "advanced" x bracing like the Advanced Jumbo.
The tone bars are also at a different angle.
Lastly, the brace under the fretboard is much thinner on the J35.
I have one of each and have compared them, the J35 and J45 Fadeds.
As far as the J-35 vs. J-45...I think the earliest J-35's were called that because they were priced at $35, were as the the J-45 cost $45. That's what I've heard. Gibson made a lot of different flat top acoustic guitars back in the day, but I think that beyond some of the obvious size and shape differences, the rationale for many different models was primarily price and cosmetics. The specifications revolved around that. Nevertheless, some of those differences still changed the tone from one model to the next.
I really want another 12 string with a radius and a narrow nut. I have an Epiphone 212 and it is too wide, the nut is 1.875 wide. I shattered my shoulder and along with arthritis and such I can’t play it. I used to have a 54 Hofner Dreadnought 12 string and I was so comfortable with it. I miss it ❤
I'm impressed with how mature it sounds. Its a sweet sounding guitar. I bet one could get a light wax or cleaning compound that could fill in those most of those pores to take off the rough edge while preserving the original tone and benefits of a satin finish. What do you think? Nice demo.
Oh love your Guitar skills.. And lovely clear, singing Guitar :-)
Nice guitar. Sounds real good.
Requesting for a review for Martin Johnny Cash DX and OMC- X1E black
I heard you guys where thinking of closing down the videos. I hope not.
J35 has the advanced style bracing, the more 30s authentic pattern the 50a j45 has the 50s bracing pattern
Is this going to have more bass response than a Taylor 317e?
sounds good... I still like my FG3
J-35 also has wider x bracing angle than j45, risulting in a more scooped sound. Great guitar for flatpicking or strumming, but a little less versatile than j45 in my opinion.
Agreed, it's a great flatpicking guitar, a real beast!
Great explanation. Cool guitar, terrible pick guard. Cooper is terrific but I miss Chris' demos playing stuff I might play. Thank God there's no sound port.
It’s an amazing pick guard, had some flavor and personality
Love everything about this model except the black headstock. Is this historically accurate? I feel that it cheapens the look a bit a la the first generation Taylor GS Minis.
The Gibson marketing team that named the series "Faded" really blew it. Just call it "Satin." I suspect calling these Faded will actually hurt sales.
Lovely sounding guitar, but as always is it Cooper or the J-35?
The deal-breaker for me is that satin finish. If I'm paying big money for a guitar I want nitro gloss finish. Looks cheap with satin
I lie a lighter finish It allows the true sound of the wood to come through. I have a Fender with Nitro cellulose and it always seems " Dark" in sound.
Agreed.
Mass production
Gentlemen, expecting Gibson’s Marketing Dept. to do anything intelligently is a bridge too far...you know it, you just can't say it.
Gibson just has a way of naming their guitars that confuses the entire buying public. Fire the marketing team, and hire me! 😊
Over RUclips to my ears it sounds a little thin and not as warm as a near comparable Martin guitar. Am I alone in my observation? I would appreciate hearing what others are hearing.
wow its not the Taylor show anymore?
Nice guitar but I really dislike the striped pick guard… I’d rather have no guard at all or a plain one
Always love Cooper's playing. I think the J-35 is pretty ugly, but it sounds really great when it's played softly; but sounds weak when played a little aggressively.
If not "faded" why not 'stone washed'?
So they can be made cheaper? My 2017 J35 full gloss with case was $1500! That's a $700 increase and a satin finish! Gibsons prices are out of whack!
Should be J-35 Natural
Looks like a Taylor Grand Pacific.
Don't you mean that the Taylor looks like the Gibson?🙂
Gibson Acoustic '30s J-35 Acoustic-electric Guitar - Faded Natural
$2,199.00
On Sweetwater.
This is Gibson trying its best to sell guitars at a "lower price."
So pricey! Why Gibson, why!
You what, it’s also $2,199 at Alamo Music Center if they haven’t sold it yet.
I hate those striped pickguards.
👍🙏✌️
I hate the look of the pick guard.
Tiger Stripe pickguard 🤢🤮
Absolutely disagree on the tuners, 3 on a plate tuners with plastic buttons are what is on a j35, was the very first thing I ripped off the guitar, open gear tuners are fine on say a guild, or newer style of guitar, they were never on a j35, and if Gibson calls in a j35, they flat out missed the mark on the tuners in any historical sense, also the 3 on plate tuners built today tune perfectly fine. Do not kid yourself.
The tuners are flat out the fail point on the this guitar, and Gibson missed the mark here, while getting many other things correct for once, like the logo being correct, not using the belly bridge, the correct small rectangle.
If I am buying a historically significant guitar, at a premium price point, small things like that matter.
I like the j35 faded, so much so I got one, changed the tuners, ripped out the pickup, and have a reasonably correct j35, it’s not exact, the bracing for instance , I can deal with that, but the wrong tuners stick out like a sore thumb.
All it needs is a cheesy pick guard with marijuana leaves
"...J-50 is a J-45 with a clear finish..." Except when it's not... I recently sold an early J-50 with an original tobacco sunburst finish... and to confuse buyers even more Rosewood and walnut J-45's have clear tops... That's about as oxy-moronic as any marketing ploy I've ever heard. There is only one REAL J-45 (mahogany with a second rate "painted" spruce top as God so intended) If it's anything else, it ought to be called a J-44, 43,42 whatever but not a J-45... and that includes the 68-82 square shoulder abominations....
A Gibson I can afford. Sorry you can’t ship,