NGD: I Bought It! JP15

[TSJMajesty]

Drew's now like, "You should buy an old Kawasaki and do some riding, @TSJMajesty ."

Haha! That took me a minute.

My biggest hurdle is figuring out who to leave up to this task, but I want all my gear given out to people who will appreciate the shit out of it but can’t afford it, particularly kids/teens.

Yeah, interesting thought.

How'd we get here anyway? I bought a new JP15, and now we're all dying to give our gear away to the right people. WTF is going on?

Guess I should've started a new thread.

 

[DrewJD82]

Haha! That took me a minute.

Yeah, interesting thought.

How'd we get here anyway? I bought a new JP15, and now we're all dying to give our gear away to the right people. WTF is going on?

Guess I should've started a new thread.

It’s certainly not a bad thing when people say “I’m grateful for having experienced this stuff and I want other people to know the joy of experiencing it, too!”!

 

[TSJMajesty]

It’s certainly not a bad thing when people say “I’m grateful for having experienced this stuff and I want other people to know the joy of experiencing it, too!”!

No, you bring up a good point. (I was kidding around.)

It's like, you almost need to know someone ahead of time, because it sucks the way a person's stuff gets sold off in general. I've watched that happen twice in the past 5 years. If there's no one in the immediate family who needs the money, and/or shit's gonna get given away at half its true value, then just give it to someone who would truly appreciate it.

 

[la szum]

Maybe it's a Memorial Day vibe in the air.

Growing up below the poverty line with a Single Mom I get what it is like
to have nothing, or be happy with sneakers from K Mart.

Ok, I hated those fucking things.

Taken a long time to get here, and a lot of wits and honest work. I totally
get the spirit of wanting it to go where it will be appreciated to the point
of tears of gratitude, and not just be in some middle-aged man's "collection"
like the total tool I have become.

 

[Jambi]

Tell you what I'm gonna do. I'll bequeath it to you.

 

[TSJMajesty]

View attachment 23422

 

[Stone]

Me same old Story

 

[TSJMajesty]

Welp, I've played it several times now, and while it is undoubtedly a very fine guitar, I'm just not loving it.

I guess I'm just completely spoiled by the Majesty, as the JP just seems to make me work a bit harder to play the same things.

The bridge is different, and while I thought I'd like it more, due to the fact that palm mutes are easier on the JP, when I want to play clean stuff, where the notes need to ring into each other, I have trouble finding a comfortable position for my palm, that won't partially mute the strings.

I guess I could easily overcome this by going back to the way I used to play with my fingers open, and partly resting on the top, just below the bridge PU, but during this 'honeymoon phase', I don't want to chance getting any fingernails scratches on it.


Moving around on the fretboard seems to take a bit more effort to land the notes when I change positions, but again, probably because I've gotten used to the neck finish on the Majesty. The neck on the JP is smoother, but I *think* the fingerboard isn't. But I'm not sure on that one.

And both of these are in no way a knock on the JP; it's just that for me now playing a Majesty for 5 years, it is simply effortless!


Maybe it just comes down to the simple fact that I'm not a good enough player to be able to switch to a guitar that's ergonomically different, and it not affect my playing. For example, I can't even play my LP comfortably any more, with that bridge so high up off the top.


OTOH, even with the same exact PU's as on the Majesty (which is actually different than other JP15's), the JP seems to have an even richer harmonic content to the notes, if that's even possible!! The body is Okuome, with a full Maple top, so that could have something to do with it.

Both my Majesties are Mahogany body, with a Maple shield, so slightly different, uh..., tonewoods.

But I ain't kicking it outta bed any time soon either. Overall I do really like it.

 

[ᛗᛜᛜᚺDᛜᎶ Ꮤᛨᚳᚴ]

Welp, I've played it several times now, and while it is undoubtedly a very fine guitar, I'm just not loving it.

I guess I'm just completely spoiled by the Majesty, as the JP just seems to make me work a bit harder to play the same things.

The bridge is different, and while I thought I'd like it more, due to the fact that palm mutes are easier on the JP, when I want to play clean stuff, where the notes need to ring into each other, I have trouble finding a comfortable position for my palm, that won't partially mute the strings.

I guess I could easily overcome this by going back to the way I used to play with my fingers open, and partly resting on the top, just below the bridge PU, but during this 'honeymoon phase', I don't want to chance getting any fingernails scratches on it.


Moving around on the fretboard seems to take a bit more effort to land the notes when I change positions, but again, probably because I've gotten used to the neck finish on the Majesty. The neck on the JP is smoother, but I *think* the fingerboard isn't. But I'm not sure on that one.

And both of these are in no way a knock on the JP; it's just that for me now playing a Majesty for 5 years, it is simply effortless!


Maybe it just comes down to the simple fact that I'm not a good enough player to be able to switch to a guitar that's ergonomically different, and it not affect my playing. For example, I can't even play my LP comfortably any more, with that bridge so high up off the top.


OTOH, even with the same exact PU's as on the Majesty (which is actually different than other JP15's), the JP seems to have an even richer harmonic content to the notes, if that's even possible!! The body is Okuome, with a full Maple top, so that could have something to do with it.

Both my Majesties are Mahogany body, with a Maple shield, so slightly different, uh..., tonewoods.

But I ain't kicking it outta bed any time soon either. Overall I do really like it.

Can't learn until you try! At least you are being realistic and honest about it, and understand that it may not be "the one" or one of "the ones". If you do have to sell it, the money it ends up costing you is nothing but tuition fees ;~)) Sounds like a tone giant though, which is nice!!

 

[Warmart]

It sounds to me like you've just not given it enough time yet. Let more time tell you, and don't sweat it too much.

Not surprised the pickups sound different nor that you have trouble playing an LP, so do I, so do I! And I switch guitars sometimes every 5 minutes until I find the one I want at that moment, lol.

 

[TSJMajesty]

I'm playing the JP15 now, and setting the Majesties aside for a bit (until I get properly motivated to change their strings and give both a good cleaning!)

I'm actually digging it quite a bit more then back when I got it. (I've hardly played it; It's a thing I do with new guitars for some reason.)

Even though it has the same PU's, right away I noticed a bit mellower tone in certain areas, so that's interesting. It feels fine, just..., different. Like the frets seem like they are just a smidge taller. Idk if they actually are (I doubt it), but it seems easier to get certain notes to ring clear that I sometimes miss, usually with my pinky on wide stretches.

The neck seems faster, but I'm still thinking the fretboard isn't. It's Rosewood, as opposed to Ebony on the Majesties, so maybe I just need to get used to it. Tone is great, of course, but one thing I've noticed across the board with my 3 EBMM's is the Piezo sounds different on all 3. I'll admit, I'm not a huge fan. But I don't use it that much anyway.

And I still feel the same about the bridge- I like it more than the one on the Majesties b/c palm mutes are easier, but it's harder to play clean arpeggio stuff w/o my palm bumping into the strings and accidentally muting them. I probably just have to adjust my hand position. The smallest ergonomic differences between guitars tend to trip me up. I'm just not good at being able to play on different guitars. I get quite used to one, and stay with that.

And for some reason, bends seems easier as well, almost like it has 9's on it, but they're 10's. Maybe that's the board making it feel easier...?

Overall I'm really liking it! The bolt-on neck hasn't been an issue, like I had noticed when I first got it. I actually had a fleeting thought that I might end up preferring it to the Majesty, but that remains to be seen.

 

[TSJMajesty]

One of the many, many songs/riffs/solos that I practice is Glasgow Kiss by John Petrucci. I hammer away at this one to work on my single note-per-string technique.

After JP plays the main theme once, he takes it up an octave. And this little part here, where you have to quickly hit the 22nd fret with your pinky, I usually miss, even at slow speeds. On the Majesty.

Counted as triplets, the tempo is 138, and I was at 123 bpm. I just nailed it 8 out of 10 times on the JP15.

I'm really noticing being able to land quick position shifts much better on this guitar, and I don't know why.

Could it be the difference between an Ebony board and a Rosewood one?

Come to think of it, way back in the 2000's, when I had the pleasure of using a PRS SC 10 Top for a month, w/ a Rosewood board, I remember the same thing happening. It was like I hardly had to even look where I was, compared to my LP or my PRS, both w/ Ebony boards.

Any of youse guitar gurus who have much more experience than I do playing all sorts of different spec guitars have any insight into what's going on here?

 

[la szum]

Ebony tends to be slicker/faster/smoother than Rosewood because it
is a denser wood. Rosewood will tend to be warmer and softer as a less
dense wood.

Maybe it is just the neck..... or the Majesty forced some ergonomic limitations
on your playing that the JP does not.

I know for me the Majesty would just be too small and cramped. I am a bigger
dude and I need me some room to spread my wings.

 

[la szum]

That JP is one sexy bitch!!!

I can't get on board with the Majesty, but a JP (apart from the slender neck profile)
is right up my alley.

I do feel playing different guitars can offer us insights and force us to adapt. We can
learn different things about ourself as a player. Every guitar, in my experience, has its
strengths and weaknesses. No single guitar is capable of everything all the time. I
mean, who puts cinnamon on everything they eat? No one!

 

[AlbertA]

GuitLooking forward to the first ding post - congrats

 

[TSJMajesty]

That JP is one sexy bitch!!!

I can't get on board with the Majesty, but a JP (apart from the slender neck profile)
is right up my alley.

Whether I end up preferring it as far as playing is concerned remains to be seen, but in the looks dept, it's easily my favorite. Cue 'well, it doesn't look like a shovel' comment in 3, 2, 1...

I'm a sucker for a nice shade of green, the flame is subtle, and the gold touches set it off nicely.

Is there a tool that can measure fret height w/o string removal, that can measure to the thousandth inch?

 

[likitlikeyoulikeit]

Whether I end up preferring it as far as playing is concerned remains to be seen, but in the looks dept, it's easily my favorite. Cue 'well, it doesn't look like a shovel' comment in 3, 2, 1...

I'm a sucker for a nice shade of green, the flame is subtle, and the gold touches set it off nicely.

Is there a tool that can measure fret height w/o string removal, that can measure to the thousandth inch?

 

[Jambi]

Is there a tool that can measure fret height w/o string removal, that can measure to the thousandth inch?

Depth probe on digital or dial calipers given that they are accurate down to a thou

 

[TSJMajesty]

View attachment 32303

Hmm, I think I can use my vernier caliper.

If the throat is deep enough, I'm thinking I can measure the thickness of the neck/board @ the center, then subtract that dimension from the thickness at the top of the fret.

I'll have to slack the strings so I can slip it under them.

Edit: I rarely use that tool, so I forgot it has a depth measuring blade, so it will definitely work.

 

[Jambi]

Edit: I rarely use that tool, so I forgot it has a depth measuring blade, so it will definitely work.

You don’t deal with thousands when you draw up architectural plans in 3D?