There’s no better demo to showcase an acoustic guitar’s pristine tonal qualities than a respected flatpicker recording a full album of solo instrumentals using only that instrument. The all-new Collings CJ 45 T receives this honor and high validation from Bob Minner, Tim McGraw’s acoustic guitarist for nearly 30 years.
Collings re-imagined this new model to give it a distinct tonal variation from others in its traditional family. The CJ-45 T uses a slope-shoulder design, and the body construction has been completely re-engineered, including new bracing carves and patterns.
In the video below, Minner, lutherie Bruce Van Wart and engineer Clint Watson discuss the appeal of the vintage-inspired CJ 45 T.
“This feels like an old guitar… but I know it’s a Collings,” Minner says in the video. “Even over a majority of the vintage stuff, this would be what I would take into the studio because it’s built right.”
Minner’s new release, Solo, which his boss Tim McGraw called ‘so darn good,’ is an 11-song album of instrumentals recorded exclusively on the Collings CJ 45 T.
Minner’s playing on Solo is gentle and fluid, filled with concise, flat-picked melodic lines. He effortlessly coaxes beautiful tones out of the CJ 45 T (or perhaps it’s the other way around). Either way, the result is a match made in guitar heaven.
Minner also paid a visit to the wonderful Artisan Guitars store in downtown Nashville and talked shop with the staff. Watch below:
Purchase Bob Minner’s Solo record from his website here: https://minnerguitar.com/
Visit the Collings website for more photos and information on the CJ 45 T guitar here: https://www.collingsguitars.com/acoustic-guitars/cj-45-t/
Features:
Top: Sitka spruce
Back & Sides: Honduran mahogany
Construction: Traditional Series Build and Voicing
Neck: Honduran mahogany
Body Binding: Ivoroid with no purfling
Fingerboard Binding: None
Peghead Binding: None
Bridge: Ebony straight-style with 2 5/16" spacing
Fingerboard Radius: 12"
Fingerboard: Indian rosewood with 19 frets and MOP long dots
Bridge Pins/End Pin: Ivoroid with no dot
Nut: Bone, 1 3/4"
Saddle Bone: cutthrough
Neck Profile: CJ-45 Carve
Neck Joint: Mortise & tenon hybrid
Truss Rod: Fully adjustable
Frets: Medium 18% nickel-silver
Peghead Veneer: Ebony with MOP Collings logo
Tuners: Nickel Waverly w/ Ivoroid buttons (16:1 ratio)
Rosette: Simple ivoroid with b/w purfling
Scale Length 24 7/8"
Brace Material: Adirondack spruce w/ abbreviated tongue brace
Brace Pattern: CJ-45 Wartime scalloped X-brace
Body Finish: High gloss nitrocellulose lacquer
Neck Finish: High gloss nitrocellulose lacquer
Pickguard: Tortoise
Strings: D'Addario EJ-17 (.013"- .056")
Case Deluxe hardshell case by TKL
Dimensions:
Body Length: 20 1/8"
Body Depth: 4 7/8"
Lower Bout Width: 16"
Total Length: 41"
