Hey gang:

Just a few lines to catch you up on a guitar I recently took delivery of - Jim Merrill's interpretation of an early J-45.

Brazilian fretboard
Brazilian REVERSE belly bridge with a through bone saddle
Waverly tuners
Adirondack top
Insanely quilted sapele B&S
Tigerstripe guard
Vintage sunburst on top
burst on neck
nitro finish
width at nut (bone): 1 3/4"

Fit and Finish: superb, right up there with Collings who I feel sets the bar for finish perfection.

Weight: on the lighter side

Tone/Sound: bass is wonderfully thumpy and rich but NOT boomy. Very woody and you can feel it resonate through the back when you hold it close. Trebles are warm and round and not at all piercing. Mid's are delicious but clearly understated relative to the highs and lows. Very very close in sound to that classic Jorma J-50 sound. In fact, if you like McCartney's tone on Yesterday, this is darn close.

Playablity: Jim was excellent in trying to assess where I wanted the action. A 1/4 turn of the truss rod after some settling in and we dialed in the action just right.

Overall impression with the experience: This is the best part. I ordered the guitar direct from Merrill and Co. and they delivered the finished product right on schedule. I received in progress pictures throughout the process and communication was excellent.

Bonus: Got to keep the sound hole from the top and it is signed by Jim and the boys.

Downside: It created GAS for another Merrill guitar

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mikey62,

How long did you have to wait for the guitar?

Really nice, Mikey! Great experience with a custom order. And a great end product.

Love that sunburst!

That looks amazing and the description of the tone "...Trebles are warm and round and not at all piercing. Mid's are delicious but clearly understated relative to the highs and lows."
I bet it sounds fantastic. Congrats!

Dave

you sneak! how come you didn't tell me about this the other day?????????

Mary:
I was hoping to show it to you in person but I couldn't hold back anymore!

You will be pleased.

Mike

Gorgeous! When do we get to hear sound files?

Can we assume the Collings CJ SS Varnish is for sale? Can you compare the two for tone, volume, balance, playability?

Homer:

I am holding onto the CJ SS Varnish but it is as different as it is similiar to Merrill.

Tone: The Merrill has better tone insofar as it is smoother sounding and warmer. Everyone who has listened to the two side by side acknowledge a preference for the Merrill. The Merrill sounds like an older guitar whereas the Collings is clearly a Collings and sounds new (and it is.)Both guitars have brazilian fretboards and bridges ( or so I have been told)

Volume: The Collings clearly projects more sound than the Merrill but then the Collings has a longer scale and the action is a tad higher.

Balance: Both guitars have somewhat scooped mids as do most of the slope shoulder models ( at least to my ears) but the Collings has a stronger bass and a brighter treble compared to the Merrill which is more even across the spectrum and produces a better thumpy tone when playing alternating bass stuff. There is more bounce in the Merrill.

Playability: The Merrill has the Gibson short scale and is easier to play but I think it is just a function of the scale differences.

Other: We all know that when you buy a Collings you are buying from the company with the best quality control and production standards I have ever seen in any industry. They deliver consistently on so many levels. You can sleep well when you order a Collings. When you buy a handmade you get to talk to the builder and if things line up well - you get what you wanted. I can say that Jim Merrill did whatever he could to accomodate my desire in a modern J-45 that takes you back 50 years.

If I were playing with a few people and it an "unplugged" situation then I would reach for the Collings. Late at night when it's nice and quiet I reach for the Merrill.

I have no complaints per se with the CJ and it is the best one I have owned (had two others) but if you are really into the Gibson thing and can't find decent old wood that hasn't been "repaired by self proclaimed master luthier joe schmuckatelli" then you might want to consider the Merrill. If you need an acoustic guitar that is a sonic equalizer when jamming then go for the Collings.

Finally, I sound like me on both guitars but I prefer the way I sound on the Merrill. Hope that makes sense.

Mike

Mike, you have me itching to hear the tone.

Don't suppose you record. Would love to hear even a recording.

Looks to be a marvelous guitar.

Merril's do grab my interest.

Can't wait to try one.

Stuart

Mike: Thanks for your thoughtful comments. I don't have a lot of experience with Gibson slopes, older or new. So this colors my perceptions of my own CJssVarn. Truth, I was expecting something different. I still like mine a lot, and more everyday. But I guess I was expecting more of what I would call an older, rounder, warmer sound, given the varnish. All of my previous varnishes (Collings and otherwise) are dreads or OMs and they are all so profoundly open and old sounding in comparison with their nitro brothers, that I keep thinking the CJ might accidentally have been lacquered. But after reading your comments about your Merrill vs. your CJ, I think it is likely a matter of understanding and, hopefully, embracing the Gibson-ish sound. I do like Jim Merrill's work a lot; I've owned a C-18 and an OM-28. I have a little regret about letting the OM go, but I understand it lives in a happy home and that's good enough for me. I was just now out on the back porch, softly playing the CJ in the dark, digesting a wonderful outdoor-grilled dinner, thinking about your take on your two slopes (and how lucky you are to have both), reveling in the balmy Colorado evening (in the mid 70s), and in disbelief that I will wake up to snow tomorrow morning.