Gibson guitars are considered to be among the best around, thanks to their perfect blend of incredible sound performance, high endurance and vintage feel
These durable guitars are not only fantastic in appearance, but they can carry a tune much better than most brands, even though they are budget friendly
To address the high demand, Gibson released several different models of guitars with different types, materials and specifications
Because of the abundance and variety, it can be difficult to navigate and find the best guitar for your needs
However, it can be difficult to choose between the two, as both look pretty much identical, and you only notice the differences once you get used to playing them
But don’t worry, we’re here to help you find the right guitar
Body and Neck The guitar has a walnut body with a maple neck
The guitar has a mahogany body and neck
Availability This is a discontinued model but can be purchased for around $1800-2000
Tuners feature Grover Mini Rotomatic tuners
Features Grover Nickel closed gear Rotomatic tuners (larger in size)
Fine internal reinforcement in a hand-scraped X design for better resonance
The Gibson J15 is a discontinued guitar that is no longer in production, meaning you can’t order it from Gibson’s stores
But despite being an old and discontinued version, the J15 remains a popular acoustic guitar that offers you the best value for your money
The J15 is a unique model made with a combination of woods – it has a maple wood neck and a walnut fretboard and body
This elite combination makes the guitar the right balance of solid, reliable and lightweight
The guitar has a voluptuous and curved shape with wide rounded shoulders, which makes it easier to handle while sitting, standing or walking around
The curved shape plus lightweight wooden model also makes it easy to carry
The J15 has a scale length of 24 ¾ inches along with a full size dreadnought, making it ideal for adults
The size gives the guitar abundant power and a strong volume with lush sounds
The combination of walnut, spruce and maple neck produces those nice and warm tones that make playing the guitar welcoming
The dreadnought also allows you to switch between playing the guitar at a moderately loud volume and playing it softly for a lovely whimsical sound
As for the definition in sound, it is definitely crystal clear and there is a luxurious resonance produced by the chords
The guitar gives excellent soulful tunes with some chimes
There is a decent amount of sustain and the tonal range is midrange and well balanced
Playing the right chords can give you unmatched sweetness in the melody
It is recommended to play the Gibson J15 by flat picking or strumming, but the guitar also produces good results with fingerstyle
Going back to the design, the guitar has a hand-sprayed nitrocellulose lacquer finish for final touches
The lacquer gets warmer and brighter as the guitar ages
The finish is of two types- Antique Natural and Walnut Burst, but both are clean and smooth
The maple neck also has a satin finish with a comfortable taper at the top, making it slim
One small issue though is the unsanded and coarse wire on the inside, which you can see from the sound hole when playing – it’s a small detail but it could be annoying to some
The solid maple neck has a comfortable slim tapered profile and a very nice satin finish
Furthermore, if you are interested in playing the J15 at gigs, you can find an LR Baggs Element inside
This element picks up the chords without hindering the final results
The element consists of a smooth transducer placed under a saddle
Gibson even hid the volume knob and mounted it a soundhole rather than drilling it in place from the sides to reduce obstruction
Despite being cheaper than the J45, the Gibson J15 is definitely a quality guitar with no detrimental effects on the final product
If you prefer a more ring tone, then the J15 is ideal for you
The guitar has excellent fine control and tuning capabilities thanks to the Grover Mini Rotomatics tuners
While the J15 is generally cheaper than the J45, it certainly didn’t have a detrimental effect on the sound
Many players actually prefer the ringtones of the J15 over the J45
The acoustic sound is carried by a beautiful overtone
You’ll find a full spectrum that includes all kinds of tones, from soaring acoustics to powerful lazy bass
Gibson J45 guitar
Gibson J45 guitar
Gibson J45 guitar
Moving on to the Gibson J45, this is another fantastic choice from the acoustic line and unlike the J15, it is still in production
The guitar has a different feel thanks to the luxurious mahogany neck and body and a rosewood fingerboard (also called the fingerboard), but the look remains the same (and beautiful! )
When it comes to size, the J45 shares its curvy shape and dimensions with the popular J15, the perfect adult size, but not so big that you need big hands and big fingers to strum the chords
The jumbo guitar looks similar to the Martin dreadnought – but the shoulders are more sloping and rounded
Like the J15, the J45 guitar top uses solid Sitka spruce, a material known for providing excellent punch and clarity to the chords
It is accompanied by a mahogany body that remains more reserved and darker
So, apart from the body materials, the J15 and J45 share a lot of visual appeal
There is an LR Baggs element on the board that lies under the saddle – it is attached to the top of the sound hole
The sound hole has a control setup where you can adjust the volume and manipulate the tone
There are no extraneous knobs or dials to hinder your gaming sessions here
The hardware has a solid internal bracing in a hand-scraped X design created to increase resonance
There are also Grover Nickel closed gear Rotomatic tuners in place of mini ones
In terms of sound, the J-45 is quite unique in that it focuses on treble and midrange tones rather than big and loud acoustics
The mahogany is smooth and controls bleeding
It’s as versatile as the J15 and you can definitely let this brighter guitar do the main work at gigs
The J45 is also great for playing at gigs – there’s a bit of muting, but it’s not a deal breaker
An outboard mic will sound better if you just play by strumming
In short, if you want a well-balanced and versatile guitar with a luxurious and warm feel, the J45 is definitely for you