N.75GD: JM-Mini

BatUtilityBelt · Sat Dec 10, 2022 3:32 pm

That's new 3/4 scale guitar day.
Call me crazy now. After liking 2 of the 25-1/2" scale JM style from CNZ Audio, I decided to watch their site like in the good old days of Rondo. And soon, there were new offerings - a LP I already have enough of, a hollow body I don't need, and a variety of short scale versions of their real guitars (22" scale) for real cheap. I already know I like their pickups and build quality, and the thought of something smaller to noodle on the couch with crept into my head, so I took a chance (for a whopping $159.00). So this arrived today.

Top Small.jpg

It was set up with the trem decked. The action was a bit high, and I didn't want to lower the saddles because those little screws jab you when they stick out too far. So like my other 2 CNZ Audio guitars, I shimmed the neck instead, and the action dialed in well with no bad frets... for $159?!? yay.

Out of curiosity I decided to try the trem, so I loosened the screws and nope. Tuning goes all over the place with this trem operational, so those got tightened back down and this will be a hard-tail only. I suspected that would be the case, so I'm not really disappointed, but wouldn't a working trem on a mini guitar be kinda cool?

The pickups are the same as on their full sized JM guitars, and I like them. They are more tonally fussy about their height on this short scale guitar (I have no idea why that would be). But I was able to easily adjust them to my ears' liking.

The nut width is the same 1-5/8" as on their 25-1/2" scale models, and the neck is no slimmer, so again, yay. It feels decent playing, just gets crowded in the higher frets. It doesn't actually feel unnatural except when bending, because bends take a lot less on the shorter scale. That's something to get used to. I played a couple hours and couldn't find anything awkward about the scale difference.

They called this color ivory. Hmm, I think my eyes see it as shell pink. Maybe I should have gone for the coral one instead, but this is still a good color. The pick guard is somewhat yellow, and it's a nice combination in my view. Pretty happy with this stocking stuffer.

Edit: After playing it off and on all evening, I've determined it is like a hard tail Mustang with P90s. I have a Mustang, but yeah, P90s!

sabasgr68 · Sat Dec 10, 2022 6:02 pm

I think that´s a good price for a decent enough guitar. Like you said, your couch companion

BatUtilityBelt · Fri Jan 27, 2023 2:20 pm

This is my only 22" scale guitar. I don't think that's weird. After I got it, I decided the slightly chipmonky tone was an acceptable compromise for a couch noodler, because it's not intended for recording. It played well, but it bugged me that bends were far too easy. That sounds wrong, but you have to get used to switching between guitars with very different play, and it bothered me having to get used to full scale after playing this guitar...

A few weeks ago I decided "Shorty" was going to get 12 or 13 gauge strings to compensate for the difference in bendiness. This morning I actually went through with a change to 12's. Aside from the frets being closer together, "Shorty" now plays just like the grownup guitars, so big win there. What I wasn't ready for was a major tonal change. The chipmonkiness is completely gone from this guitar. It sounds all grown up now too, like P90s should. I have to admit I now wouldn't think twice about recording this thing. I've never been one to attribute huge tonal differences to string gauges, but in this case it is night and day. I guess for a short scale guitar, tone is more about how much mass is in play (maybe), so thickness can compensate for length. Just wow. For reference, it got Roto Purples, so this is not a cork sniffing swap by any stretch. Just a great morning.

sabasgr68 · Fri Jan 27, 2023 3:06 pm

BatUtilityBelt wrote: ↑Fri Jan 27, 2023 2:20 pm This is my only 22" scale guitar. I don't think that's weird. After I got it, I decided the slightly chipmonky tone was an acceptable compromise for a couch noodler, because it's not intended for recording. It played well, but it bugged me that bends were far too easy. That sounds wrong, but you have to get used to switching between guitars with very different play, and it bothered me having to get used to full scale after playing this guitar...

A few weeks ago I decided "Shorty" was going to get 12 or 13 gauge strings to compensate for the difference in bendiness. This morning I actually went through with a change to 12's. Aside from the frets being closer together, "Shorty" now plays just like the grownup guitars, so big win there. What I wasn't ready for was a major tonal change. The chipmonkiness is completely gone from this guitar. It sounds all grown up now too, like P90s should. I have to admit I now wouldn't think twice about recording this thing. I've never been one to attribute huge tonal differences to string gauges, but in this case it is night and day. I guess for a short scale guitar, tone is more about how much mass is in play (maybe), so thickness can compensate for length. Just wow. For reference, it got Roto Purples, so this is not a cork sniffing swap by any stretch. Just a great morning.

Interesting comments about bending on short and regular scale guitars. It would have never cross my mind.

Well, it´s great you´re enjoying it more now and that "Shorty" was elevated to the "suitable for recording" guitar department

As per the Roto Purples, I don´t think I´ve ever seen those strings before. Searched for it, and regular 10s are $4.99 in Sweetwater. Ernie Ball´s 10s are $6.99. Have you used those Roto before, how do you like them?

BatUtilityBelt · Fri Jan 27, 2023 3:44 pm

sabasgr68 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 27, 2023 3:06 pm Interesting comments about bending on short and regular scale guitars. It would have never cross my mind.

Well, it´s great you´re enjoying it more now and that "Shorty" was elevated to the "suitable for recording" guitar department

As per the Roto Purples, I don´t think I´ve ever seen those strings before. Searched for it, and regular 10s are $4.99 in Sweetwater. Ernie Ball´s 10s are $6.99. Have you used those Roto before, how do you like them?

Yeah, Ernie Balls and Rotos are my typical go-to strings. I don't feel or hear a difference, so the price point is great. Also, you get an extra high E string with Rotos, which I think is a fantastic add-on. Most of the strings I break are high E.

sabasgr68 · Fri Jan 27, 2023 4:20 pm

BatUtilityBelt wrote: ↑Fri Jan 27, 2023 3:44 pm
sabasgr68 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 27, 2023 3:06 pm Interesting comments about bending on short and regular scale guitars. It would have never cross my mind.

Well, it´s great you´re enjoying it more now and that "Shorty" was elevated to the "suitable for recording" guitar department

As per the Roto Purples, I don´t think I´ve ever seen those strings before. Searched for it, and regular 10s are $4.99 in Sweetwater. Ernie Ball´s 10s are $6.99. Have you used those Roto before, how do you like them?
Yeah, Ernie Balls and Rotos are my typical go-to strings. I don't feel or hear a difference, so the price point is great. Also, you get an extra high E string with Rotos, which I think is a fantastic add-on. Most of the strings I break are high E.

Thanks! The extra high E is a good "extra". I´ll try not to forget that name.

Fri Jan 27, 2023 5:03 pm

BatUtilityBelt wrote: ↑Fri Jan 27, 2023 3:44 pm
Yeah, Ernie Balls and Rotos are my typical go-to strings. I don't feel or hear a difference, so the price point is great. Also, you get an extra high E string with Rotos, which I think is a fantastic add-on. Most of the strings I break are high E.

Wish you could get nylon strings with and extra "D" string!!! (That is the one that most often breaks with nylon strings.)