Gibson J-45 Faded vs J-45 Standard - Acoustic Guitar Comparison

Gibson just launched the new "Faded" Series including this awesome J-45 50s Faded… but how does it compare to the Standard J-45? Will less lacquer change the tone drastically? What do you think? Leave us a comment.
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GUITAR SPECS:
Back & Side Wood: Solid Mahogany
Body Size: Slope Shoulder Dreadnought
Top Wood: Sitka Spruce
Nut Width: 1.725"
Neck Shape: Round
Bracing Pattern: Standard "X" Scalloped
Scale Length: 24.75"
Pickup: LR Baggs VTC
Tuners: Gotoh
Case: Hardshell
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[@richardbenjamin775]

Gents I wish we lived closer to y’all. Loving these videos. My wife picked me up the J45 faded burst during a recent disagreement with prostate cancer surgery and radiation therapy. Bought the guitar after looking at your video on it Quinton. Thank you both. Peace, Rick

[@DougCunnington]

I remember matte finish and film cameras! I dig the thinner nitro finish a lot, maybe I like the standard a bit more with a pick. I wonder how the faded would be fingerpicked

[@marclegault6986]

Great comparison guys. Please do the same with the Hummingbird faded vs standard.

[@kelroundell6304]

Huge difference. I find the faded harsh or thinner. I’ll take the Standard.

[@Khumphries]

I think the faded version sounds better and maybe has more volume than the standard. My faded 30's J35 was delivered today and i'm really happy with it.

[@markstaggs7342]

I own ten high end acoustic guitars and my tenth is a new Gibson J-45 Sixties model and I'm in love with it ,I think it is one really special guitar,I played three different J-45S and I fell in love with this guitar,I have Taylor's and Martins and a Epiphone that I play outside at cookouts and outside get togethers,I am blessed with these beautiful and beautiful sounding guitars.

[@hoyttorras3391]

Both sound really good, especially playing near end. Faded is a cool alternative to a classic.

[@seanhopkins3758]

as much as every guitar manufacturer tries to put a new spin on a classic model, usually to help with sales, there is a reason guitars become classics. Because they are great instruments and have stood the test of time!!! It's the perfect convergence of sound, playability and pleasing visually!!!! Martin D28 or OM28. Gibson J200, Hummingbird and the J45. When it comes to Gibson I am a huge fan of the J45 standard. I've seen videos on the J45 Studio, the J45 Label and the J45 with Rosewood. To me none of them sound as good as the Standard model. I listened to this video twice and I still think the Standard model is the clear winner. Boomy, rich with great string separation. Beauty is in the eye (and ear) of the beholder, but the Standard model in this video is richer and warmer. The Faded sounds a little thin. Keep the gear reviews coming. I watch them all!!!!!

[@timrinard7130]

What brand strings are on the faded?

[@pleasure.93]

both are beautiful guitar and sounding greats

[@msigersYT]

I prefer the standard. But I think the 50s J-45 would be a better comparison. As always, well done fellas!

[@martinkleinman2522]

both are super. i like the look of the faded better. but to my ears, the glossier one has more thump. maybe the faded is better for recording?

[@HarryNicNicholas]

i have a 66 cherry sunburst J45 that has faded completely to a J50 look. still sounds quite good (it sounds amazing).

[@rewerbm]

The faded sounded more resonant and bassy. I prefer it over the standard.

[@deborahmcalister3936]

it's been my experience that all the 50's j45 appointments have a more resonant bassy response. The standards seem brighter sounding to me. ...the faded Gibson looks like a Taylor 214 koa sunburst. I think they look cheap, however I do like the j35 and the hummingbird without the sunburst.

[@HarryNicNicholas]

@@deborahmcalister3936 kinda agree, it doesn't look "faded" more "ran out of paint". i have a 66 cherry sunburst that is actually faded completely, looks like a j50, but it's really rich golden brown now, not a sort of pale rust look.

[@deborahmcalister3936]

@@HarryNicNicholas SWEEETTT!!! I love to see a pic of that fine jewel!!

[@nellatrab]

Of course different examples of like guitars sound different....the faded sounds a bit richer to me here. Nice work guys!

[@richardlucascronley5128]

Does anyone know the chord progression or name of song in intro?

[@lhvent]

The Faded model sounds great

[@LindaLooUK]

I wish Gibson would stop putting large pickguards on their acoustics. Solid wood soundboards need to move. I think the J45 Standard has more of a midrange whereas the Faded has more bottom and top end by comparison and seems to be more resonant.

[@edyue1]

Yeah, that pick guard is unnecessarily huge (see Martin)

[@DUNPEAL01]

It's paper thin and looks great to me.

[@westrunningbrook]

How about a video where you feature Quinton as a player and let him talk about how he got started and became the musician he is?

[@erinpatricia4]

I have the faded 50s coming today. I like the woody sound. Also I play lots of 50s country and rockabilly. Plus I like to have a unique guitar . Not the same j45 that everyone else is playing

[@HighColorado]

I notice a significant difference, & I wonder about string ages on each; how much of an age difference? I note the larger scratch plate on the new faded and wonder how it may impact top vibration. I would really like to see and know how close the bracing/ scalloping may compare. To me the standard sounds richer, but Im biased!

[@williamcatalano1762]

I think you hit it on the head with this. I'd prefer the J-35 faded for this reason. Smaller pick guard which results in it being more responsive and resonate. I think in the last video they did they said the J-35 had a bigger sound to it meaning it was a bit louder. So it makes sense.

[@williamcatalano1762]

@OLX kidstaff I personally like the old style Gibson logo on it and the tiger striped pick guard. The open geared tuners are a nice touch, but I wouldn't of minded the white ones they put on the 45.

[@williamcatalano1762]

@OLX kidstaff I like the look of them even if they can break easier or crack. I have open gear tuners on my Martin D-15M and I've never had a problem with them.

[@garrettchristopher3462]

I have a 2019 j45 standard in that cherryburst...it looks and sounds great

[@steby123]

I' m with you Ken !!

[@texhaines9957]

I like the voice of the standard, however I am unsure about the neck profile: Gibson has changed that from time to time. I really like my J45 Banner with a neck I can play and it has a thinner matte finish also. Thanks Paul and Quinton

[@jeremyfrost3127]

The difference between the two is largely due to the bone but and saddle on the 50s vs the Tusq on the Standard.

[@Rjohns1414]

I recently acquired a faded J45. It is unique in tone and projection. I have owned several vintage and a couple recent J45s, including banner guitars. Comparing them via memory I find the faded J45 to be clearer and have more projection. I attribute that to the bone saddle and the thinner finish. I am not inclined to say that clearer and more projection is better or worse, just different. That being said, my main horse is a well worn, 90's J100 that remains unbeaten.

[@todddammit4628]

I gotta say, this video is an excellent example of how much variance there is in the J45 lineup. By all measures, the faded J45 should sound better than the standard. But you can put 10 J45 standards in a room and have 12 totally different guitars somehow. The J45 standard in this video is a particularly good example of a J45. I've played many that never came close to that sound.

[@toddcagle4245]

What is the neck finish? Gloss ? Satin? etc

[@drothberg3]

That's really interesting. The faded seems louder and bassier, but that seems like it could verge on being a bit boomy. The Standard is crisper and more balanced. Depends what you want.

[@noamaster3898]

Might be normal variation...might be that the J-45 Faded has the fatter 50s neck, and a light finish with no grain filler.

[@AlfimAlves]

@@noamaster3898it’s the saddle bruh, the faded has a bone saddle

[@edallen5384]

The faded sounds a touch brighter to my ears

[@vasinudomratchatavanich975]

Standard is the winner to me although both are good 👍

[@markstrain8989]

beginning strums in each we're awesome and dare I say they sounded a bit different? The problem I have with Gibson is they can't leave well enough alone- they're always tweaking stuff, so it's hard to know which J45 is "the" J45. That said, the faded is distinct enough in appearance and sound that you know what you're getting. Now, play "this land is your land," the same way all the way through on each, then I'll know which one I want. Many thanks.

[@rzh3443]

Differences seem subtle to me and may have more to do with the wood characteristics ( no two pieces of Sitka sound the same ) than the finish. Not good or bad either way, just a little different. A comparison to their torrified top model might be more relevant ?

[@johnviolette5511]

Dang you guys! you demo a gibson J 45, I want one! You demo a nice martin D18/28, I want one! You demo the latest Taylor, I want one!!!!

[@DJWRailroad]

@ John Violette - just a simple (or not so simple!) case of GAS. Why do you feel you should be immune to that "malady" any more than the rest? ;-)

[@willieG333]

Please plug it in...would love to hear the electronics..

[@jimdoner3443]

The faded is kinda like turning up the presence controls on a great stereo

[@ryancurtis5965]

Wonder how these would compare to Martin Whiskey Sunset rounded shoulder?

[@G_Demolished]

The DSS-17 rocks, especially costing $1200 less.

[@dvanolya]

Hey Quinton can you list all the chords in that progression at the start of the video? Real nice.

[@WoodworkerDan]

To my ear, the standard has a warmer, fuller, and less strident. I also think it is a better looking guitar. I would love to play one in real life because if it sounds in real life like it does in this video, I would be very interested in owning one. Unfortunately, I live in the middle of nowhere, and winter is coming, so I will probably have to wait until spring to drive somewhere where I can play one.

[@Cjwilly333]

But are the necks the same?

[@revelry1969]

Faded sounds better for sure. It’s all that heavy lacquer on the “standard” version

[@b1j]

Yes! Compare the J-45 to the Standard D-18.

[@noamaster3898]

They slightly understated the difference between the J-45 Standard and the 50s...not just different tuners. The Standard has a slimmer neck, and the 50s (including the 50s Faded) has the fat neck. The 50s / Faded has a bone nut and saddle, the Standard has a Tusq nut and for some reason.

[@rmzzz76]

Bone nut and saddle on the Faded series probably account for 60-75% of that tonal difference... Really curious to hear the comparison with the J-45 Original series 50's model, that would be apples to apples except for that thinner finish.

[@fiddsj45]

I compared those two a week ago. The faded was better, hands down. But that was between THOSE TWO guitars. They're all unique and there will be gems and duds of any model.

[@rmzzz76]

@@fiddsj45 More so with Gibson than other builders. They "tap tune" their tops during the hand scalloping process to give "each guitar its own personality", which means "correct to the ear of the factory worker doing the hand scalloping". "One players dud is another player's treasure" is another way I've heard it put, which does kind of make sense with Gibson acoustics because probably more than any other brand they are "singers guitars" instead of "players guitars", valued for their short-sustain and focused mid-range over long sustain and booming bottom end (e.g. Martin HD28V). Artist who have acclimated ears and know what they want prefer to cherry pick their guitar and value its distinguishing qualities. General performers, just want a reliable tool to get the job done and should their instrument get stolen or destroyed, they can walk into any authorized dealer, buy the same model and be good to go... Not everyone is looking for the same thing and knowing which brands shine at what is important.

[@rmzzz76]

Correction, Gibson does not "tap tune". They do go through a selection process, but they do not carve braces based on tonal response of the unique top.

[@scottvangiesen6199]

Standard by every measure.

[@daveh7314]

Standard sounds far better. Richer sounding and with more depth.

[@GuillermoCarrasco]

I guess that bass and low midrange had been faded in the correspondent model... Again, it is a matter of taste...

[@muscle99sav]

Standard by a mile

[@deborahmcalister3936]

I agree.. should have compared it to a 50's j45.

[@ZacCostilla]

The faded seems so much weaker, or maybe the bottom end is just thinner sounding. Either way the Standard sounds much fuller, and much better.

[@hotlov72]

Yep it's not even close, The standard by a mile

[@hotlov72]

Gotta shave the braces down

[@toomuchtime5505]

Hey boys! I bought a Taylor AD27 Flametop and put Phosphor strings on. Much better sounds like the Faded here.

[@pgrove]

I like the sound of the standard more.

[@richardlucascronley5128]

Standard sounds fuller, the other is more airy

[@jimmycollette9209]

The standard because I have one. You would not be disappointed in either.

[@kilgoretrout321]

every individual guitar is different, so I haven't heard enough to definitively say the finish is the cause of any difference. They're the same guitar, specs wise, right? Pick up each and buy the one you prefer.

[@anthonyb2334]

The original gets my vote. Thank you

[@haystack17]

I feel like the j45 50s faded will breakthrough in a big band live setting a bit more. ? Maybe?

[@Dub1281]

How about a version without a UST Gibson? Faded for the win though

[@billyhughes9776]

The Faded has more bottom end and is brighter on top. The Standard is fuller in the midrange and more even on the sides. I prefer the Standard, but the Faded sounds very good.

[@barneycarparts]

I think you are right. You have a good ear.

[@redrock1963]

The Faded seems to have a slight compressed sound to it.

[@paullanier8280]

Faded gets my nod

[@iconoclast2.079]

AllI I know is that the J45 even the studio is the best acoustic! Recently acquired the 2022 Rosewood back n sides…it blows away Martin Ds and Taylor American series.

[@mrtambourineman6107]

Just get the original J45, it's a good price for a premium instrument and just fantastic, perfect even.

[@KommammoK]

why pickups

[@jdstan9650]

Faded looks better...Standard sounds better...typical of Gibson, there's always a compromise.

[@WysteriaGuitar]

This particular faded J-45 sounds a bit thin to me compared to the standard...

[@McCambira]

J45 always ❤❤❤❤❤

[@MrCrystalcranium]

It’s a shame, you can hear very clearly how the big pick guard is muting the faded. The standard just has a deeper more resonant tone, especially in the lower mid range. There’s lots of resonance in that guitar. Unfortunately the faded can’t vibrate nearly as much. I’ve never understood why Gibson does this to their guitars.

[@vaoro]

You might be true but any pickguard vibrates in a certain way and it's a part of the unique sound of the instrument. And we love the sound of 50s Gibson's sound with that big pickguard, less resonant and less sustainy, vintage, dry and lonely. If a guitar sounds best without pickguard, every guitar should not include a pickguard. I do love resonant guitars but I don't expect resonant sounds from Gibson.

[@jed1166]

The Faded wins on looks alone! The standard burst always reminded me of my first acoustic, a $15 Sears and Roebuck model I got for Christmas, 1966… this guitar played and sounded awful, and the burst looked awful. I could never get it’s image out of my mind, so the burst finish on a standard J-45 always repelled me. But, the faded is really beautiful!

[@howardmakely2169]

It has a j-50 pickguard.

[@mikawaya398]

9:23

[@user-vx7qk4vw5k]

どっちもええ音ですね〜✧*｡٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و✧*｡

[@The_Watch_Mister]

No idea what they sound like because all Quinten does is beat the shit out of those strings.

[@sorencin11]

Agreed standard by a mile,

[@jjmuni]

… and even earlier standing in the black room developing prints by hand… Faded sounds harsh and less round midrange to me anyway. The historic banner you had a few weeks ago still eats all of them for lunch.

[@jeffbeliew6192]

J- 45 faded sounds better to my ears

[@whiskersb5296]

Standard. No doubt.

[@R.L.Humpert]

The standard sounds better to me but I’ll take a Martin HD28 over any of these.

[@musikvonandreas]

tried a faded today.. Pretty sterile sounding guitar.. The lacquer feels cheap too.. Not impressed

[@user-lz1ri2dw9f]

I don't like matte.

[@soofitnsexy]

j 45 alll the way...not Fade away......

[@derpepsch9292]

The hype surrounding these guitars is completely incomprehensible to me. I tested four J-45s. two standards and two southern jumbos. All of them were poorly made and had horrible intonation problems. Sorry, but the newer J-45s sound cheap and are almost all unplayable due to the intonation. The only J-45 that was in working order was a vintage guitar from 1955, but it cost more than $8,000.

[@frankcline66]

The standard is clearly the better sounding guitar.

[@ManchurianCounterweight]

I'd say the faded sounds ok, classic had a snappier, more present sound, more mids, sharper, brighter.