NJA15D - NGD - JA-15

[veinbuster]

I don't know whether or not to like this, what with my "never sell only buy" mantra.

You have to (and did) like it:
First, it is killer
Second, letting a friend who likes something more than you take it over isn’t the same as selling, even if some money changes hands to keep it honest.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

You have to (and did) like it:
First, it is killer
Second, letting a friend who likes something more than you take it over isn’t the same as selling, even if some money changes hands to keep it honest.

My voice of reason.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Get some Paua/abalone in that hole, make it your own.

So I had someone send me a PM asking about the overall tone of the guitar, and how/whether the maple neck vs spruce top affected the sound. So here are my thoughts:

I also have a Spruce Hollowbody (with Archtop Pickups). That has a mahogany neck with rosewood fretboard. So that can be a fair comparison to the JA-15, in a sense.

The Spruce top on the JA-15 will certainly mellow it out compared to a maple top. It seems a common consensus [citation needed] that a Spruce HB is mellower than a HB I (with maple top), which is mellower than a HB II (with a maple top and back).

The JA-15 is not bright. It sounds comparable to my Spruce HB. Maybe it is because the bigger body would sound mellower, but the ebony/maple neck counters that just enough. The JA-15 has flatwounds installed right now, because that's what the seller had put on. That is probably a big influence too, maybe moreso than the bigger body in making it mellow.

I suspect if I put Ernie Ball strings on it would get noticeably brighter: EBs are known for being nice and bright (or harsh, I guess, depending on POV).

IMHO, it isn't so much one way or the other that you wouldn't be able to adapt in some way to get closer to what a player might need, tone-wise: different strings, twist of the tone knob, tweak of the amp EQ settings, etc.

Also keep in mind that my JA-15 has the so-called 50s Gibson wiring installed, which may also affect it.

Read your comment and this came to mind -

 

[Tosca]

I had a JA-15, but a good friend of mine fell in love with it, so it eventually became his. It was the guitar featured in the February 2011 Guitar Player magazine, although I eventually put a pick guard on it.

View attachment 5841 View attachment 5842

I’d love to know why the change from the 6 slot to the 5 slot tailpiece was made. Does it have a different sound or feel? The break angle over the bridge saddles is a little steeper with the 5 slot...are there other differences?

 

[Shawn@PRS]

I’d love to know why the change from the 6 slot to the 5 slot tailpiece was made. Does it have a different sound or feel? The break angle over the bridge saddles is a little steeper with the 5 slot...are there other differences?

I really don't know, I'll ask Paul about it.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I really don't know, I'll ask Paul about it.

Haha! Love the nonchalant (meant nicely) way in which you make this statement!

Great

 

[shinksma]

I don't know whether or not to like this, what with my "never sell only buy" mantra.

You have to (and did) like it:
First, it is killer
Second, letting a friend who likes something more than you take it over isn’t the same as selling, even if some money changes hands to keep it honest.

My voice of reason.

Indeed. Selling to a close friend is like lending it permanently, knowing you can always borrow it back whenever you want.

And if Shawn ever had the urge to fill that JA-15 sized hole in his life, he is probably better positioned than most to find a way to do so economically...

 

[shinksma]

Yes it's the guitar from the blog and the guitar from the magazine. I had the tail piece swapped out, but the original is still in the case (or it was when I sold it).

Cool!

I’d love to know why the change from the 6 slot to the 5 slot tailpiece was made. Does it have a different sound or feel? The break angle over the bridge saddles is a little steeper with the 5 slot...are there other differences?

Yeah, I would love to know the details on this too, mainly because the use of a 5-slot tailpiece (vs 6-slot was mentioned in a 594 thread (IIRC, might have been PSF), and I always like to know little details like this!

Even if the reason is "it looks nicer" or "better symmetry for contact points". Actually, I might buy that last one...

 

[Tosca]

I really don't know, I'll ask Paul about it.

Thanks Shawn...I’d guess it has something to do with sustain (more mass on the 5 slot) or string tension (different break angles over the bridge). I have an extra 5 slot and should try going back and forth between the two (assuming they’re interchangeable) on the same guitar (either my JA-15 or one of my 594s) but:
1) I’m too lazy
2) I love them all the way they are and don’t want to mess with them too much
3) My auditory/tactile memory probably wouldn’t last the few minutes it would take me to change the tailpiece back and forth...and I don’t have any objective way to measure string tension or sustain.

I’m sure there is at least one good reason for the switch though....

 

[Shawn@PRS]

Alright, here's the scoop. The strings break at a much sharper angle on the 5 slot version than they do on the 6 slot version. This steeper angle causes more down force on the bridge and improves tone and sustain.

 

[shinksma]

Alright, here's the scoop. The strings break at a much sharper angle on the 5 slot version than they do on the 6 slot version. This steeper angle causes more down force on the bridge and improves tone and sustain.

Cool! Thanks for digging into it, @Shawn@PRS !

Sustain is quite nice on the JA-15 - I need to compare that to my other PRSi, especially the HB.

I was going to say I will compare it to the sustain of my other PRSi with two-piece bridges...but the JA-15 is my first! Everything else is a one piece. Might be trem, might be wrap-around, might be through-body, but all are one-piece bridges!

 

[Shawn@PRS]

Cool! Thanks for digging into it, @Shawn@PRS !

Sustain is quite nice on the JA-15 - I need to compare that to my other PRSi, especially the HB.

I was going to say I will compare it to the sustain of my other PRSi with two-piece bridges...but the JA-15 is my first! Everything else is a one piece. Might be trem, might be wrap-around, might be through-body, but all are one-piece bridges!

Keep in mind, Paul has hyper-sensitive hearing, so us normal people may not hear a difference.

 

[Glide-bpm]

Well, cool... My new 594 has the 5 slot tail piece. I will say, that sucker rings for days. Having not changed strings for the first time yet, I wouldn't have noticed until I did if not for this thread. Thanks!!!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Keep in mind, Paul has hyper-sensitive hearing, so us normal people may not hear a difference.

Paul is pretty hyper-sensitive to other things as well, it’s amusing to see him upset by bad manners, as I would be.

However, it doesn’t take long for the penny to drop.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Yeah, that is more like what I would want to play on the JA-15.


That is good stuff, but I can't play that well/cleanly, so though mildly inspiring, I can't cop that style effectively.

Tag has been making a series of short videos that I have found very inspiring. Here's one:

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Tag has been making a series of short videos that I have found very inspiring. Here's one:

That's pretty dope!

Where the f@ck has Tag been at anyway?

 

[Dusty Chalk]

That's pretty dope!

Where the f@ck has Tag been at anyway?

YouTube, apparently.

 

[vchizzle]

Beautiful, congrats!

 

[shinksma]

Beautiful, congrats!

Thanks! it continues to be a wonderful instrument.

But I will admit that last night I cheated on it, recording some lead/noodling tracks using my RL Vela. And the only reason I used my Vela is because the same tracks recorded using my SE Angelus just weren't lighting the spark, and I had brought the Vela along to the bandmates' studio (a.k.a. house) as a jam guitar, figuring we might jam after doing some recording.

Still, we will be doing some more recording over the Christmas weekend and into the new year, and it is quite possible the JA-15 will be called up for service!

 

[Lee B.]

When I eventually get a JA15, I think I would be tempted to send it to the PTC to convert it to SC250-style switching, with the trailing 2v 2t array and an upper bout 3-way switch. I love that layout. Just never been much of a master volume, master tone guy.