Canada's Legendary Multi Instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, producer and teacher. JP Cormier is a 35 year veteran of the Canadian music scene, and is known the world over for his heartfelt songs, electrifying live performances and his genius level instrumental abilities. He has won 13 ECMA's, 5 Music Nova Scotia Awards, a Canadian Folk Music Award and has received 2 Juno nominations. He has 17 solo albums to his credit, has produced well over 100 albums for other artists in his own studio and has launched the careers of many artists by producing or touring with them. He still tours 200-250 days a year and is a prolific recording artist. His RU-vid video Hometown Battlefield has received nearly 1 million hits here on RU-vid and another 2-3 million hits on Facebook. It has been shared 70,000 times.
I’m 100% self taught. My problem is that I was only ever interested in learning to play the music I liked. But none of it is all that complicated so you plateau very early.
Hey JP, I don't know if anyone's ever told you this about your amazing microphone that you love, but there is actually some sort of reverberation problem or something where it starts to sound like it's in a tunnel. And I've watched your videos on several different sound systems. Some I hear it more prominently than others but I just thought you should know that I feel something is going on there and worth looking at. I feel like we might be getting robbed of some clarity and quality here.
Interesting. I have one and it had no problems I have some really nice guitars ( Gibson J45, Martin D16, Gibson WM) You got a bad one- $199 new at MF Must be a 2nd for Canada use only
I bought a Taylor 310 CE, absolutely beautiful sounding mahogany guitar with one major flaw which one could not tell when purchasing. they drilled the holes too big for the string pins. It's been a real hassle to change strings while trying to hold down the pins from inside the soundhole to keep them from sliding up. Took it to the Taylor factory in CA and they said there's nothing wrong with it, but I tell you, I have owned a lot of guitars over my life and on all of those, even cheap ones the pins always seated down tightly.
John, I was looking at an Alvarez Yairi online and noticed it was assembled in China. Have you played one of these and is the quality up to par? thank you for your reply! Phil
The honest truth is the year is 2024. Everyone has access to high quality materials and anyone can make an acoustic guitar. You can only do so much with a design that has been around over 100 years. Why do so many hyper focus on a name on a headstock instead of the music? Perhaps that is why we are at a stalemate.
This may be subjective or random, but it's been recommended to me to use double sided tape instead of glue.... The premise (wasn't that it's less invasive to the guitar, but) was that it actually sounds "better"... "more natural" with double sided tape.... That it eliminate more of that last little bit of Piezo quackiness..... A good acoustic amp.... And another cool idea is making your own IR's of your own guitars.... To closer to the actual sound of your guitar... You can use a simple IR pedal. And Bob's your uncle... Relatively similar to a mic'd guitar, without having to sit still for a mic or volume/feedback issues. In a mix a pretty natural live guitar sound.
John I am thinking of getting either a Yamaha LL16 D or a Eastman AC 422 CE. But I really like the full sound you get from the Yamaha and the bottom end tone from it. Plus the eastman cost like $ 300.00 dollars more both have rose bodies with ebbany fretboard. But I fell the yamaha is the way to go. I am more of a strummer not much of a finger picker. Which would you buy. Thank you. Also I love your reviews. God Bless Canada and the USA which is where I am from.
With the FG9 I hear individual notes in a chord, not the homoginized chord where you hear the chord but not the individual notes. More like a Fender rather than a Gibson electric .
My Excellente arrived yesterday all the way from the north of England down to the Wiltshire countryside. I believe it was the only one for sale in the UK. Now l would normaly never buy any guitar and especially an acoustic without playing it (20% rule) but after seeing your review and the one on RandysRythm youtube channel (great channel and Randys a lovely sweet Texan) and various others who were shouting BUY ONE! I pulled the trigger. My God, what a looker, it's really pimped up eh but in a good way? The materials, great woods, ebony and bone, great tuners but.......the tone. Just Wow! It's so sweet, it's beautifully balanced through the sonic range. I've found that unlike my recently purchased Epi IBG 1942 Banner VOS J45 which is a bit more rock 'n roll and can handle being played hard if you need that sound, the Excellente responds better to a more considered gentle approach. I'm so glad l found your channel John, love your honest no nonsense approach, coupled with your obvious knowledge and enthusiasm for all things guitar. Love your playing too. I'm an ex London UK pro, l worked in West End musicals, tours and session work. That is until a rear end car accident damaged my hands. I could still play but not to the standard required. Then in 2020 l was left paralysed from the neck down after COVID triggered Guillian Barre Syndrome in me. I was in hospital for 6 months, but I walked out using a stick. My hands only started working again in 2023, it was like starting to play from day one again and incredibly frustrating but now l'm good enough to play in local pubs which is such a joy for me. Thanks again John for switching me on to the Excellente. Can't t wait to see how she's gonna open out after being played for a few months. Cheers! NB My pickguard is fine and shows no sign of lifting.
the j-45 sounds the best to my ears. i have a gibson blueridge that i bought new in 1969. even though i don't play anymore,it is one of my treasured possesions.
Really balanced rosewood dread sound... Definitely would take that over a factory HD28! It sounds like a really old, good one.... Love it. A Maestro? Is it Nitro finish? It doesn't sound like a guitar that's even slightly being held back by a thick poly...
Went to the guitar store with a fistful of cash to buy a HD-28 or Gibson Dove....tried out several and ended up walking out with a Martin DJr-10 for $523. Great little couch picker.... End of story...Don't be a cork sniffer!
HI! I OWN AN OLD MODEL SIGMA DR 45 BEFORE THE DSR 45 WHICH ARE ANOTHER THING THAT'S FOR SURE!! I am leaving this message and hoping that someone will reply and be able to give me true and detailed information on the materials that were used for this model (SIGMA DR 45) of Sigma guitar!! Does anyone know exactly if the back and sides are real solid rosewood or Masello? I know many know that they are two completely different things; solid wood and solid wood are not the same quality, having said that I have the impression that the back and sides could even be laminated and I wonder why they don't specify and even lie in the specifications of the instrument? Why declare that it is real rosewood if it isn't?? Help me if you can to find out more; Thank you!
I have an LJ-26 and that is about all I can justify stretching my budget to. The sustain is crazy and the five-piece neck is a work of art. I do need to try out an FG9 though, because everyone who plays one seems to be impressed.
Had to fight a huge mental block of buying my first Yamaha... but when I played the FG9R in Tokyo, it opened a whole new universe and I couldn't resist. First time watching your videos sir and I couldn't agree more. I've brought this home to play alongside my Goodall Brazilian, Santa Cruz African Blackwood. it stands tall and proud. the FG9 is a beast of a guitar which I will take to the grave. Great content and thank you for giving this dred the spotlight it deserves.
Great review JP. I know that you’re a big fan of Yairi Alvarez but curious how you would compare this against comparable DYM60HD. Retails around $4,800 CDN
As of 2 months ago they had 2 of these beauties at Tony’s Music Box in Fredericton….a rosewood and mahogany…. I had the honour of getting a call from the owner to come in to try them out. Amazing guitars….. thanks for reviewing them JP….
Yeah, the only new 28 I've played that can hang with this was a $9500 (USD) Authentic series. That's like double the price. The FG9 isn't a high output instrument. They keep them rather separate in production similar to the top end L series instruments. Nobody who isn't the master luthier or at least trained/overseen by them is touching these, which is unlike the FG5. I still think the Alvarez Yairi DYM60HD is an exceptional instrument in approximately the same production category (high output brand but low output instrument made by their custom shop with higher end materials and bench techniques), and a bit less pricey. I love both, but the FG9 has a special place for me. And yes, the binding is ebony.
I have a Yamaha AC3M DLX which is fantastic but haven't tried a higher end Yamaha dreadnought. I have a 1980s Guild d50 to compare all acoustics with in my home. At this point I am afraid to try one of these Yamahas. I just might buy it!!!
Always good to see JP review another great guitar. It sure looks the biz. I love that faint sunburst effect. As always I wonder whether to get a guitar like this or wait until I can afford the Yairi DYM60 that I dream of. I would like to see this pitted against a Martin special style rosewood (the musician's friend/guitar center special) dread, which is the cheapest Martin US built rosewood dread. For now I continue to play my MD60BGs of which I own 2 thanks to JP's review of that in the "which one is the Martin?" videos ...
Hi, last week l picked up an Epiphone1942 Vintage VOS Banner J45. It's absolutely awesome. Cost me £1100 including a really great Epiphone/Gibson case. I just love it so much. Ease of playability, great tone, it shimmers, it has the mid thud and enough of a low end. And today l tracked down the only Excellente in the UK. It's 500 miles away but every review l've read and seen say's the same. Including the lovely RandysRythm (l recommend this channel) youtube channel who raved about it. They all said BUY ONE! 😂 It's £4000 under priced. It makes me laugh when all Gibson's advertising (and others) say "great guitar "at this price point" 🙄 it's just a great guitar and stands alone onit's own merits. So today l ordered one and it'll be here tomorrow and l couldn't be happier. Loved your reviews of these three guitars and the Excellente. Loved youf playing too. Cheers!
JP is still the best guitar salesman on the planet. Everyone is giving this guitar great reviews, but no one does it like JP. I think you can buy this guitar for a shade over 4K US.If elected,Trump says he is going to devalue the dollar and add a 10% tariff on all imports, so this guitar may never be a better value.
Thanks, i enjoy the odd stuff i see. Before CoV i was looking for a small Yamaha LJ6. Gave up; no show in 'straya. Was looking in eBay, so search sat there. 3+ years later i get an eBay email saying 'available'. Located in a shop in Nowra, south of Sydney a bit. Done. Too far to go and test. When arrived, zero disappointment. Top wood... Engelmann spruce. My only other is a S Korea Crafter GA7/N. Cedar top. Similar size/shape to Yami. Each give me different buzes. Thanks for your show ups. 😌
