I'll buck the trend and say I prefer the Standard. It has more of what I hear as the balanced Gibson tone. The Banner sounds more like a Taylor, a lot more upper mid-range.
I watch both Acoustic Letter and Alamo music and I love to watch Quintin King and Cooper Greenberg rip it up. Different styles but they are my plug to guitar world. Acoustic and electric
I played the Banner against a Martin DSS-17 Blacksmoke and was shocked to hear how close they were to each other considering the price difference I'd say there was about a .05% tonal difference. Martin seems to have made the 1942 Banner in relative secret.
I don’t know , I have a J-45 standard and it’s my go to. Here in the comparison they both sound amazing but the standard to my ears has more jangle …. I don’t know if the upgrade in price which is substantial is really worth it ! I love my J-45 standard as much as I love my Martin D-41 !!! Another perfect example of a great sounding guitar that the D-45 flagship almost twice the retail of the D-41 is not really worth the upgrade unless you are really into a lot of bling !!! Cause from the front they look almost identical to the common looker. Sound wise ? To me at least it’s not worth twice the price !!!! They sound very very close…. Just like the banner J-45 and standard J-45, lol…. My 2 cents from experience
I agree, one is not better than the other. To me, they sound different, but they also both sound great. I love the Standard, but the 1942 Banner is more my tone. That being said, I'm not sure I would pay the extra $2000 for the banner unless I needed that volume. I could be very satisfied with a Standard J-45.
I have had the banner for a year and a half. It’s amazing. I have many guitars but that is the one I would keep if I could only choose one. Tone, feel and playability are perfect.
Really, like what? how many Banner reissues have u played? Maybe u played a dud. I wanna know what’s a better guitar, bc the one i’ve played is frickin awesome! One of the best guitars i’ve ever played
I like the booming fullness of the Banner model. I can always mellow out a bright guitar. Use certain coated strings. Let the strings get old as long as they don't go out of tune, etc. In my opinion, I find it hard to brighten up a mellow guitar. I have a 1966 Southern Jumbo and it is pretty mellow. I use Elixir Nanoweb 80/20 Bronze strings because I don't play as much any more and they stay pretty bright for a long time. If I want a mellow sound, I use the Phosphor Bronze version of the same strings and it works for me. I think the polyweb version will mellow out even more. I really enjoyed this video and like the way both guitars sound.
*sorry for my English. I have my humble average, a very mellow (and thud) 2005 South Korean Epiphone EJ-160E (non-ladder bracing) dreadnought. I use Ernie Ball Aluminium Bronze (0.11) and/or Ernie Ball Rock & Blues 80/20 Bronze non-coated strings. They are my fave strings & I believe they both can a bit opened/brightened an average dreadnought guitars, particulary Epiphone made in Asian
The standard has low end and the banner has low end. it just has more of everything. My J45 Vintage(2016). doesn’t have that low end grunt. It’s bright and resonant tho
A decibel meter aimed right at the top from about the distance as the mic would be nice. Us in TH-camland don’t get an “honest” representation of the differences in volume given the gain/compression on the recording.
Went to Nashville and discovered the '42 Banner at a Guitar Center when the Gibson Garage had none. It's an amazing instrument and worth every penny. The tone can't be beat! The day we found the guitar happened to be the day that Queen Elizabeth passed away. The case has a deep royal purple case. When we saw that - it was a done deal. Of course, the guitar has been named "Elizabeth."
Good god! That Banner is unreal. What an amazing sounding instrument. And I always thought a Standard sounded amazing. The Banner is kind of in a different league. I imagine it records beautifully fingerpicked as well.
Love the Banner! Paul, I find the tonal difference between Adirondack and Sitka has Adirondack better fit my voice at this time. It might not be in 10 or 20 years. Thanks, Paul and Quinton.
I feel the same with Adirondack. My Sheryl Crow SJ sounds perfect in it’s clarity and everything with an ado top. In my taste this old 94 J-45 of mine with Sitka and a three piece neck just kills it with it‘s slight compression and growl. But this 42 is it! Would probably swop the limited edition SJ. By the way what about this comparison J-45 to the slightly smaller Advanced Jumbo?
I have the Authentic 1931 and a J45 Vintage and a Banner Reissue that i got TODAY! i’ve only had it a few hours, but i think i agree…It’s the best guitar i’ve ever played. how does Gibson do it? I’ve been a Martin man all my life
I think Gibson is making the best guitars that it has ever made in its entire history…I don’t think anyone can say that about any other old guitar companies
Really happy with my J45 standard. Literally can’t fault it; I know I’ve found an especially nice example but it sounds to me that the Gibson acoustic quality control is v strong these days.
Both great guitars, I prefer the mellower tone, it's more balanced. I compared these clips with your J-45 video from 2020. Just goes to show how these vids can vary, the older video sounds great. In this video, we can see that the fancier version has a lot more highs, and some odd resonances, it's not as balanced to my ears. I think the conclusion is these videos have an EQ bias, which translates simply to the fact that they're all killer guitars.
Sometimes its what you pocket can afford and you can live with. Everyone has a different ear and so become attacted to their own ear gauge tone. No right, no wrong buy what makes you happy. Sometimes it early for people in their guitar process and their ears are still working it out. So there is a guitar for where ever that person's ear is and what their pocket can accommendate. I can hear the difference, however I would kick eitherone to the curb. Hand skills can cover a lot of ground. Practice enjoy and don't let anyone take your guitar away from you. I catch everyone of your demos they are the best!
Ignoring the headstock fascination, the banner model has much in common with the Eastman e10ss which was not modelled on the modern sitka-topped J45s, but the vintage Adirondack topped ones, including the darker sunburst. The Eastman I have has more presence and less darkness one associates with the modern J45s. The difference is my e10ss is not torrified, but newer ones are like the banner Gibson. The point being that J45s have a history and this review makes clear it includes stiffer but more responsive red spruce. Red spruce takes longer to open up. My Eastman has developed a lovely sustain that rings. I darken the tone with ebony bridge pins and uncoated Daddario PB strings. Although recently I put a set of XS 11-52s on and the sweetness across all 6 strings is so enjoyable. My old fingers are loving the tone of that red spruce.
I understand music stores sale the products they get from vendors at market value, so this is no stab at Music Villa, but more on the industry as a whole. Why is it Gibson could build a J-45 banner in the year 1942 and sell it for $45 USD retail and yet in 2023 their comparable model is a custom shop "1942 banner" for $5000... A few problems here. #1 Adjusting for inflation, that $45 USD J-45 should cost around $850 USD today, which is (probably not coincidently) what you can get a 2023 "Inspired by Gibson", all-solid wood Epiphone J-45 for. #2 The J-45 Standard ($2999) is the counterpart in the lineup to the old J-45 banner from 1942. Customer is paying over 3x the same price great, great grandpa would have paid in 1942 for a product that, even Gibson admits by requiring a custom shop model to reproduce the 42 spec is inferior in materials and build to their stand series offering in 1942 (I'm saying a modern J-45 Standard $3000 is not the same quality is a real 1942 J-45 ("Standard") that would have sold for the equal of about $850... why is this? why do we have to pay for a custom shop model just to get what was in the 40s/50s/60s standard line quality? It's not just a Gibson question) I doubt many customers think of it this way, but it doesn't change the sad reality of where we are today with corporate greed, the real cost of modern US labor, etc...Think about the price of USA built Fenders, Martins and Gibsons from the 1940s into the early 1960s. If those players had to pay todays prices for USA built and they had the same great import options we have today, they would never have selected American made instruments. They wouldn't be able to afford them... Would love to hear explanation on the entire industry not being corrupt and in need of being torn down and rebuilt... The future is imports and at this point that makes me smile, as much as I love and respect some of these brands, they are not being faithful to their customers.
I have the J-45 Standard and couldn’t be happier with it. The only upgrade I might consider would be a Gibson CS J45 with torrefied adi top. To be honest the standard spruce version is lovely but interested to hear others’ experiences.
I have a 2019 standard and a 2017 vintage which is the predecessor of the Banners. They are both awesome. The Vintage sounds crisper and just absolutely beautiful but the standard is a better strummer. One isn’t really “better” than the other.
Paul, would you be able to do a comparison of the Gibson historic series - 1942 banner j45 V 1942 banner Southern Jumbo V 1960 Hummingbird fixed bridge
he is not exaggerating. The banner is so dang loud. u have to play really soft to be able to sing w it. it’s so so loud. i’ve never called a Gibson a CANNON. but it is. for sure. amazing guitar. Bucket list guitar
These are... take a seat... 6,500$! Buy a d28 authentic... i didnt know these are vts red spruce tops. Hide glue. Did they reproduce the true nitro finish?! Cause the old finish is something totally diff from the modern formulas. Still though. Thats a hefty price for an instrument rarely seen played by anyone. In all the years of me traveling and playing my j45. I never once met another person playing one😂
@@AlahuSnackbar it either has to be blues or something very intimate and soft sounding for stand-alone playing, Martin destroys it anything else stand-alone
@@g3ng4rb0i3 torrified top basically means that the soundboard of an acoustic guitar has been artificially dried out by baking the wood in a kiln or similar. The process sells the torrified top as a corner cutting means of achieving all the benefits of an aged, opened up instrument without having to wait many years. When I buy an acoustic guitar I want to live with it and experience the aging of the instrument as it opens up and starts to reach its potential, a torrified top on the other hand will usually have a brittle, bright sounding locked in response that won’t age or open up, it’ll lose its natural spring and is pretty much dead, you might as well buy a laminated top guitar. Other people might disagree but I’d go non torrified every time.
I'll buck the trend and say I prefer the Standard. It has more of what I hear as the balanced Gibson tone. The Banner sounds more like a Taylor, a lot more upper mid-range.
I watch both Acoustic Letter and Alamo music and I love to watch Quintin King and Cooper Greenberg rip it up. Different styles but they are my plug to guitar world. Acoustic and electric
I played the Banner against a Martin DSS-17 Blacksmoke and was shocked to hear how close they were to each other considering the price difference I'd say there was about a .05% tonal difference. Martin seems to have made the 1942 Banner in relative secret.
I would take either one. Both sound brilliant.
The Banner just has more mojo.
I don’t know , I have a J-45 standard and it’s my go to. Here in the comparison they both sound amazing but the standard to my ears has more jangle …. I don’t know if the upgrade in price which is substantial is really worth it ! I love my J-45 standard as much as I love my Martin D-41 !!!
Another perfect example of a great sounding guitar that the D-45 flagship almost twice the retail of the D-41 is not really worth the upgrade unless you are really into a lot of bling !!! Cause from the front they look almost identical to the common looker. Sound wise ? To me at least it’s not worth twice the price !!!! They sound very very close….
Just like the banner J-45 and standard J-45, lol…. My 2 cents from experience
I agree, one is not better than the other. To me, they sound different, but they also both sound great. I love the Standard, but the 1942 Banner is more my tone. That being said, I'm not sure I would pay the extra $2000 for the banner unless I needed that volume. I could be very satisfied with a Standard J-45.
Best music store on the planet boys and girls. I bought a banner and standard from them. They both have their place man.
I have had the banner for a year and a half. It’s amazing. I have many guitars but that is the one I would keep if I could only choose one. Tone, feel and playability are perfect.
I have to say.....on my main toob, there r things much better
I got one yesterday. it’s the first torrefied guitar ive ever played that actually does sound old
Really, like what? how many Banner reissues have u played? Maybe u played a dud. I wanna know what’s a better guitar, bc the one i’ve played is frickin awesome! One of the best guitars i’ve ever played
if you know of something “much better”. Please share
I prefer the more mellow sound of the standard
Of the 2, I would take the one that feels best in my hands.
OMG i love this channel!!!
I just NEED to meet Bozeman, if only for a cup of coffee, and hear some acoustic songs.
Greetings from Brazil guys.
I like the booming fullness of the Banner model. I can always mellow out a bright guitar. Use certain coated strings. Let the strings get old as long as they don't go out of tune, etc. In my opinion, I find it hard to brighten up a mellow guitar. I have a 1966 Southern Jumbo and it is pretty mellow. I use Elixir Nanoweb 80/20 Bronze strings because I don't play as much any more and they stay pretty bright for a long time. If I want a mellow sound, I use the Phosphor Bronze version of the same strings and it works for me. I think the polyweb version will mellow out even more. I really enjoyed this video and like the way both guitars sound.
*sorry for my English. I have my humble average, a very mellow (and thud) 2005 South Korean Epiphone EJ-160E (non-ladder bracing) dreadnought. I use Ernie Ball Aluminium Bronze (0.11) and/or Ernie Ball Rock & Blues 80/20 Bronze non-coated strings. They are my fave strings & I believe they both can a bit opened/brightened an average dreadnought guitars, particulary Epiphone made in Asian
@@wiwiksundari8668 That sounds like a great guitar and string combination. Those non coated strings should sound perfect on your Epiphone.
The standard has low end and the banner has low end. it just has more of everything. My J45 Vintage(2016). doesn’t have that low end grunt. It’s bright and resonant tho
A decibel meter aimed right at the top from about the distance as the mic would be nice. Us in TH-camland don’t get an “honest” representation of the differences in volume given the gain/compression on the recording.
Excellent TH-cam, however I have a couple of questions. What brand of strings and what gauge did you put on each guitar?
Do the 1942 Banner Southern Jumbo next please! Great video.
Like watching an old married couple. Love you guys. The Banner is pretty cool too!
Hope to buy one of each, wonderful!
Went to Nashville and discovered the '42 Banner at a Guitar Center when the Gibson Garage had none. It's an amazing instrument and worth every penny. The tone can't be beat! The day we found the guitar happened to be the day that Queen Elizabeth passed away. The case has a deep royal purple case. When we saw that - it was a done deal. Of course, the guitar has been named "Elizabeth."
The j45 sounds better to me. More Compressed no irritating noises. Just warm and Nice
Good god! That Banner is unreal. What an amazing sounding instrument. And I always thought a Standard sounded amazing. The Banner is kind of in a different league. I imagine it records beautifully fingerpicked as well.
Love the Banner! Paul, I find the tonal difference between Adirondack and Sitka has Adirondack better fit my voice at this time. It might not be in 10 or 20 years. Thanks, Paul and Quinton.
I feel the same with Adirondack. My Sheryl Crow SJ sounds perfect in it’s clarity and everything with an ado top.
In my taste this old 94 J-45 of mine with Sitka and a three piece neck just kills it with it‘s slight compression and growl.
But this 42 is it! Would probably swop the limited edition SJ.
By the way what about this comparison J-45 to the slightly smaller Advanced Jumbo?
I bought a 1942 Banner J-45 last February! By far the best guitar I have. It really complements my Custom Shop Martin D-28 1937.
Beautiful guitar stable you have there, sir!
I had a CS D-28 1937 for a while but for some reason couldn’t bond with it. Traded it for a brand new 000-28EC and am very happy.
I have the Authentic 1931 and a J45 Vintage and a Banner Reissue that i got TODAY! i’ve only had it a few hours, but i think i agree…It’s the best guitar i’ve ever played. how does Gibson do it? I’ve been a Martin man all my life
I think Gibson is making the best guitars that it has ever made in its entire history…I don’t think anyone can say that about any other old guitar companies
Really happy with my J45 standard. Literally can’t fault it; I know I’ve found an especially nice example but it sounds to me that the Gibson acoustic quality control is v strong these days.
Both great guitars, I prefer the mellower tone, it's more balanced. I compared these clips with your J-45 video from 2020. Just goes to show how these vids can vary, the older video sounds great. In this video, we can see that the fancier version has a lot more highs, and some odd resonances, it's not as balanced to my ears. I think the conclusion is these videos have an EQ bias, which translates simply to the fact that they're all killer guitars.
Sometimes its what you pocket can afford and you can live with. Everyone has a different ear and so become attacted to their own ear gauge tone. No right, no wrong buy what makes you happy. Sometimes it early for people in their guitar process and their ears are still working it out. So there is a guitar for where ever that person's ear is and what their pocket can accommendate. I can hear the difference, however I would kick eitherone to the curb. Hand skills can cover a lot of ground. Practice enjoy and don't let anyone take your guitar away from you. I catch everyone of your demos they are the best!
Louder and more depth on the 42’
I have a 50’s J-50 and it’s a beautiful instrument. Thanks guys!
The Banner is a beast.
The spruce top for me definitely
Ignoring the headstock fascination, the banner model has much in common with the Eastman e10ss which was not modelled on the modern sitka-topped J45s, but the vintage Adirondack topped ones, including the darker sunburst.
The Eastman I have has more presence and less darkness one associates with the modern J45s. The difference is my e10ss is not torrified, but newer ones are like the banner Gibson.
The point being that J45s have a history and this review makes clear it includes stiffer but more responsive red spruce. Red spruce takes longer to open up. My Eastman has developed a lovely sustain that rings. I darken the tone with ebony bridge pins and uncoated Daddario PB strings. Although recently I put a set of XS 11-52s on and the sweetness across all 6 strings is so enjoyable. My old fingers are loving the tone of that red spruce.
I understand music stores sale the products they get from vendors at market value, so this is no stab at Music Villa, but more on the industry as a whole. Why is it Gibson could build a J-45 banner in the year 1942 and sell it for $45 USD retail and yet in 2023 their comparable model is a custom shop "1942 banner" for $5000... A few problems here. #1 Adjusting for inflation, that $45 USD J-45 should cost around $850 USD today, which is (probably not coincidently) what you can get a 2023 "Inspired by Gibson", all-solid wood Epiphone J-45 for. #2 The J-45 Standard ($2999) is the counterpart in the lineup to the old J-45 banner from 1942. Customer is paying over 3x the same price great, great grandpa would have paid in 1942 for a product that, even Gibson admits by requiring a custom shop model to reproduce the 42 spec is inferior in materials and build to their stand series offering in 1942 (I'm saying a modern J-45 Standard $3000 is not the same quality is a real 1942 J-45 ("Standard") that would have sold for the equal of about $850... why is this? why do we have to pay for a custom shop model just to get what was in the 40s/50s/60s standard line quality? It's not just a Gibson question) I doubt many customers think of it this way, but it doesn't change the sad reality of where we are today with corporate greed, the real cost of modern US labor, etc...Think about the price of USA built Fenders, Martins and Gibsons from the 1940s into the early 1960s. If those players had to pay todays prices for USA built and they had the same great import options we have today, they would never have selected American made instruments. They wouldn't be able to afford them... Would love to hear explanation on the entire industry not being corrupt and in need of being torn down and rebuilt... The future is imports and at this point that makes me smile, as much as I love and respect some of these brands, they are not being faithful to their customers.
Banner sounds great !! no surprises there, but, I’d listen to an album of Quentin just noodlin away on a box o’frogs
I have the J-45 Standard and couldn’t be happier with it. The only upgrade I might consider would be a Gibson CS J45 with torrefied adi top. To be honest the standard spruce version is lovely but interested to hear others’ experiences.
I have a 2019 standard and a 2017 vintage which is the predecessor of the Banners. They are both awesome. The Vintage sounds crisper and just absolutely beautiful but the standard is a better strummer. One isn’t really “better” than the other.
Paul, would you be able to do a comparison of the Gibson historic series - 1942 banner j45 V 1942 banner Southern Jumbo V 1960 Hummingbird fixed bridge
That would be a good comparison... we will see what we can do.
I like the sound 1942 Banner J-45 both sounds good but the Banner J-45 has a awesome sound.
The '42 for me...does it have a pickup?
A pickup is not standard on either of these guitars but we can easily install one for you.
he is not exaggerating. The banner is so dang loud. u have to play really soft to be able to sing w it. it’s so so loud. i’ve never called a Gibson a CANNON. but it is. for sure. amazing guitar. Bucket list guitar
Does anyone know the chords to that fun progression starting at 3:25 - G, D, ? thanks! love the chords
Fantastic!
They both sound awesome 🤔
Is there such a thing as too much bass? The Banner has a ton when you dig in any at all.
wow the 45 suffers in comparison to the banner. but $5K is a lot of groceries.
Standard 👍👍👍
Tune that guitar..!
Interesting..preferred standard on this video...banner has waaay to much bass for my liking
i like the standard better. i heard that hide glue isnt all its "cracked up" to be. ha. see what i did there?
J45対決！いいですね〜
If you want a absolute cannon....the Advanced Jumbo will walk all over every Martin in the room and the banjos too
Standard sounds like the classics Gibson sound And has the thump
These are... take a seat... 6,500$! Buy a d28 authentic... i didnt know these are vts red spruce tops. Hide glue. Did they reproduce the true nitro finish?! Cause the old finish is something totally diff from the modern formulas. Still though. Thats a hefty price for an instrument rarely seen played by anyone. In all the years of me traveling and playing my j45. I never once met another person playing one😂
I've only once played a J-45 that I liked that didn't sound very metallic. Lol they sound like they're 90% string and 10% wood.
me too
That’s why us singers like them, more middle frequency space for a voice and the percussive sound keeps us in time
@@AlfimAlves I can see that for sure. But for standalone playing I really think they're overrated af.
@@AlahuSnackbar it either has to be blues or something very intimate and soft sounding for stand-alone playing, Martin destroys it anything else stand-alone
Banner.
Double the price, double the sound.
Standard wins
Sounds like a cannon
Banner is too bright. Sounds stringy and cheap compared to the standard.
Torrified top, no thank you
Why not? Is there something wrong with torridfide? I actually don't know what torrify means
@@g3ng4rb0i3 torrified top basically means that the soundboard of an acoustic guitar has been artificially dried out by baking the wood in a kiln or similar. The process sells the torrified top as a corner cutting means of achieving all the benefits of an aged, opened up instrument without having to wait many years.
When I buy an acoustic guitar I want to live with it and experience the aging of the instrument as it opens up and starts to reach its potential, a torrified top on the other hand will usually have a brittle, bright sounding locked in response that won’t age or open up, it’ll lose its natural spring and is pretty much dead, you might as well buy a laminated top guitar. Other people might disagree but I’d go non torrified every time.
Wind your neck in pal
@@honnaconna7312 wind yer own neck in mate
@@honnaconna7312 what do you mean by this?