Jim's Acoustic Guitar

cmccubbin25 · Nov 27, 2005, 06:15 PM

Does anyone know what kind of acoustic guitar(s) Jim plays?

wordlesschorus · Nov 27, 2005, 09:14 PM

i too would like to know..i went to their Fillmore concert..I'm not too sure but during his solo set i couldve sworn he was using a taylor..maybe even a baby taylor from its slim size..anybody know?

dwight · Nov 28, 2005, 10:17 AM

It's a Japanese Takame (if that's how you spell). Jim mentioned he doesn't even know what model number it is. I suspect it's not a "top of the line" one. He's got a nice pickup in it and I think it's his "baby". He's had it ever since they started and I think he's written many a tune on it/with it. I'm interested as to what the three stickers he has on it say or are...

DD · Nov 28, 2005, 11:40 AM

ive also seen him play a gibson acoustic pretty often. it looked like a smaller model, not one of the jumbos. i hadnt seen him play the takamie live for a long time until this tour.

primushead · Nov 28, 2005, 11:54 AM

QuoteIt's a Japanese Takame (if that's how you spell).

I think it's "Takamene". I think.

TomBarton · Nov 28, 2005, 05:17 PM

yea - one is the takamene - has 3 hologram stickers across the lower part of the body.

the other guitar that he plays (and i'd love to have) is a Gibson J-185 in sunburst finish. a fantastic guitar - i highly reccomend picking one up, if you have the means.

cmccubbin25 · Nov 28, 2005, 10:19 PM

Quoteyea - one is the takamene - has 3 hologram stickers across the lower part of the body.

the other guitar that he plays (and i'd love to have) is a Gibson J-185 in sunburst finish. a fantastic guitar - i highly reccomend picking one up, if you have the means.

do you know what model of Takamine it is?

if one could not afford the Gibson model, what would be a close and cheaper replica?

tomEisenbraun · Nov 28, 2005, 11:03 PM

haha, dude. get your own tone. : )

not insulting you or nothing, cuz that is a great guitar, but if you don't have the means to buy it, don't settle for something that looks like it. go for somehting that sounds good to you.

One guitar I've bought that i think is worth every single penny of it is the Taylor 110-GB. It's only $550 american and as it's gotten older, sounds absolutely great. I'm still surprised that it sounds so good for so little. And it fell off the top of my jeep too (in the gig bag) and screwed up the neck set a little, so the actions a bit high, but it sounds amazing and has some serious balls. You got a grand? Go for a Taylor 310 full size dreadnought with no cutaway. Beautiful guitar. Heck they all are, just comes down to the sound you like.

Sorry to digress, but that's what this place is about, eh?

cmccubbin25 · Nov 28, 2005, 11:16 PM

Quotehaha, dude. get your own tone. : )

not insulting you or nothing, cuz that is a great guitar, but if you don't have the means to buy it, don't settle for something that looks like it. go for somehting that sounds good to you.

One guitar I've bought that i think is worth every single penny of it is the Taylor 110-GB. It's only $550 american and as it's gotten older, sounds absolutely great. I'm still surprised that it sounds so good for so little. And it fell off the top of my jeep too (in the gig bag) and screwed up the neck set a little, so the actions a bit high, but it sounds amazing and has some serious balls. You got a grand? Go for a Taylor 310 full size dreadnought with no cutaway. Beautiful guitar. Heck they all are, just comes down to the sound you like.

Sorry to digress, but that's what this place is about, eh?

i just like the sound jim gets with his guitar (not saying i could get the same sound!) but i have played guitar for almost 7 yrs and have never broke down and bought an acoustic guitar...so i really don't know much about the acoustic! i was just looking for some advice...and looking to spend around 300-400 bucks

cmccubbin25 · Nov 28, 2005, 11:18 PM

Quotehaha, dude. get your own tone. : )

not insulting you or nothing, cuz that is a great guitar, but if you don't have the means to buy it, don't settle for something that looks like it. go for somehting that sounds good to you.

One guitar I've bought that i think is worth every single penny of it is the Taylor 110-GB. It's only $550 american and as it's gotten older, sounds absolutely great. I'm still surprised that it sounds so good for so little. And it fell off the top of my jeep too (in the gig bag) and screwed up the neck set a little, so the actions a bit high, but it sounds amazing and has some serious balls. You got a grand? Go for a Taylor 310 full size dreadnought with no cutaway. Beautiful guitar. Heck they all are, just comes down to the sound you like.

Sorry to digress, but that's what this place is about, eh?

btw...Tom...that is twice you have been hatin' on me? what's up with that man?

tomEisenbraun · Nov 29, 2005, 12:49 AM

hahaha, sorry bro (where was the other time? :-[ )

wasn't bashin ya or nothin, it's just i used to be on this musicianforums.com where evrybody loved Kirk Hammet or John Petrucci and wanted their signatures guitars and it was always "Find your own tone!" in response, so i'm still geared for that. But yeah, didn't mean to come off harsh. That said, Jim does get great acoustic tone in the studio. Hmmm...my suggestion (or my guess, i suppose) is that you aren't going to want to go for a cut-rate Gibson or Gibson imitation, because it won't be anywhere near good, and you could do a lot better with your money than an epiphone that looks like that Gibson. So go try a bunch out.

My Taylor suggestion still stands, as that guitar is one hell of a strummer and has served me well beyond what i would have hoped for and still has a lot more years in it.

I'm not much on mid-priced acoutics these days. If you want somehting good for finger-picking and strummin, the dreadnaught is a great style to get, and a Jumbo (like Jim's) might also suit you well, depending on how big you are. Those things are tough to play sittin down if you're not too long-armed.

aMillionDreams · Nov 29, 2005, 09:06 AM

Epiphone makes some good guitars in your price range but I'd try to find the extra bill or two to get a bottom of the line Martin or Taylor as Eisey suggested.

Eisey, I have got a related gear question for you: What is the appeal of the jumbo body. I know that a lot of acoustic blues comes from jumbo boies, but what is unique about their sound? Also, for recording acoustic, do you recommend micing up or using an acoustic pickup?

BTW, we'd be able to know exactly what Jim uses if the link to the Acoustic Guitar World article was still up, but alas...

CC · Nov 29, 2005, 09:36 AM

jim uses a fishman matrix underneath-the-saddle pickup and runs it through the P.A. via a D.I. box.

corey · Nov 29, 2005, 09:39 AM

QuoteAlso, for recording acoustic, do you recommend micing up or using an acoustic pickup?

A buddy of mine is a whiz with audio recording. He usually runs 2 channels for an acoustic guitar. He runs straight in with a pick-up and mics the guitar from about 4-5 feet away to get a "thicker" sound and mixes the 2 tracks together and it sounds great.
He also has kick-ass guitars and equipment, so that may have something to do with it.

tomEisenbraun · Nov 29, 2005, 09:48 AM

i'd say miking it will always be your best bet. I've got a Shure KSM-27 side address condenser and she gets the job done besautifully. If you can though, stereo miking on an acoutic is the way to go. Maybe one close and one a little further off, to get the fullness of the room or somethin. i don't know, it's fun to experiment with that one.

DD · Nov 29, 2005, 12:14 PM

two of the best sounding acoustic guitars ive ever played were an epiphone ej 200 and an epiphone texan. these are both under or around 400 bucks if im not mistaken.

tomEisenbraun · Nov 29, 2005, 12:21 PM

hmmm...i'll have to try those out.

i don't get much of a chance to play a lot of acoustics, and when i do it's normally at a guitar center. so the real good ones are great, and the mediocre ones aren't given attention (i mean, in regards to how the store takes care of em). I wish i wrote reviews for a guitar magazine.

TomBarton · Nov 29, 2005, 09:29 PM

i was just about to chime back in with some respect for the epi's. In the past 2-4 years they have experienced a HUGE improvement in their quality of production. the sound will be closer to the gibson 185 than any bottom end taylor or martin could be. specifically the EJ-200, or EJ-300S (solid top, big difference for an extra bill over the 200) will get you the closest to the 185. this is in part to the jumbo body - but also because gibson/taylor/martin all have very distinct and unique sounds.

gibson sound is more country-esque than either martin or taylor. that said, im not a fan at all of the sound from a taylor. even the nicest 910 i played still had a hint of rubberbands across a milk carton sound to it. i understand there are lots of people that enjoy it (no knocks at you, Eisey) but my ear just isnt keen to it. from that end, i'd prefer martin sound to taylor, with gibson winning out over the three.

so if you're looking for a close look and sound, the epiphone jumbo's are a good alternative. of course, always play before you buy.

tomEisenbraun · Nov 29, 2005, 11:14 PM

haha, no knocks received. i actually don't care much for the smaller bodied Taylors. My favorite is the one i own, and it's cheap and it's got my own tone after playin it for long enough. i hate the fact that they love elixer's, and i understand the rubber bands bit. i think i'd only get a full dreadnought if i ever got one. That said, I really love the Sigma's (which is owned by Gibson, but cost way too much) and a lot of the Gibson acoustics i've played. They're just frickin expensive. I may have to try out those Epi's because I haven't really played em ever.

Taylor's are good with the new expression system and are excellent if you're a finger-picker. But they don't get a good strum out of em unless you get one without much laquer to it. The way i see it, the less finish the better. Hell, Willie Nelson is living proof on that one.

wordlesschorus · Nov 30, 2005, 12:44 AM

Do you guys think it would be better to pay the extra $100 or so to buy a guitar at a store so you can try it out..or to roll the dice and buy one online? I bought a fairly inexpensive epi aj-15 online and when i got it the action was extremely high and it had a real boxy sound..to top it all off for some strange reason after playing on it for awhile it would really stress my fingers...I'm a beginner but a few of my more accomplished friends who also play the guitar have said the same thing...Other than the fact that i bought an inexpensive epi..ive heard that they are a really good guitar...and the ej-200 jumbo has gotten really good reviews...Noel Gallagher of Oasis is using one on the cover of Oasis' Definitely Maybe album.

Jim's Acoustic Guitar

primushead