Gibson J-45

Brand new 2005 J-45. All the features and materials previously described.

The j-45 has evenly balanced, full, rich, warm tone. The sound is great, clear, with good projection. The built-in pickup doesn't do much for me. I would rather use a good mic to pickup the sound of the guitar. The sound of this guitar suits my style perfectly. I play country, folky- type blues stuff like Hank Williams, Dylan, Lightin' Hopkins, Beatles, Stones, Eagles, Grateful Dead etc.

The action is a little higher than I'm use to but that can be fixed. I've checked this guitar over very closely and I can't find any flaws. The neck is beautiful, the frets appear to be perfect. The materials are top-notch and I wouldn't expect anything less and I would be sending the guitar back if I suspected they were skimping on quality.

Only time will tell how well this guitar will hold up. I bought this guitar with the expectation that I will have it/play it until I die or am physically unable to play anymore, in which case it will go to my son who is also a guitar player. I will be using this guitar for gigs, mainly solo acoustic gigs. I would never gig without a backup guitar.

I don't know. Never dealt with gibson in this regard and hopefully I won't have to.

I've been playing along time. I bought a no-name acoustic guitar for $180.00 25 years ago, it's still in great shape and I'm still playing it. I believe Iwas due for a new one. I believe Gibson makes some of the best guitars around. I own 4 gibsons and they've never let me down, yet. I love the look, sound, feel and smell of this guitar. I'm proud to show it off and what it can do. Suggestions- put another strap button on the heal of the guitar so customers won't have to.

Mine is a recent one (2003 I believe) made in Bozeman, Montana. Solid Sitka Spruce top & Solid Mahogany back & sides, exactly as per standard specs for this model. Back & sides are very dark, nearly black. Top sunburst is very well done, but also on the dark side (tobacco burst type, ranging from black to a warm gold tone). Rosewood fingerboard with MOP dots, 20 frets. Teardrop shaped pickguard. All this is as close as you can get from the original specs of this historic model (i.e. the original round shoulder that appeared sometimes in the thirties/forties). So, the basic specs, but anything else on it would be out of place here (with the exception of course of the Fishman Active transducer - fortunately no controls on the body as you have your amps settings for that...). Comes in an elegant and sturdy hardcase. Only downside, the plastic white end pins look so cheap and so does the plastic used for the (Gotoh) tuners buttons.

It sounds great. The genuine Gibson sound that you would have heard so many times on Stones (I know they are using a Hummingbird, but I can not hear the difference...) and Beatles record (they were using a J-160, again, pretty close). So, a very well balanced sound, where the bass is not overwhelming and the highs are well present, without sounding too bright. In a nutshell, ideal for singing along. Compared to my Martin D-35, the Gibson does not have this rolling bass and the sound may not be as rich, but it sounds sweeter and warmer. Beautiful harmonics as well.
The other day, I was playing with my 8 yrs old son, who was at the piano. We were doing some of his favorite Disney tunes. I pulled out my Ovation Elite, Martin D-35 and this Gibson J-45 asking him which sound he preferred. The J-45 was by far the one he liked most and he was not biased by any sort of brand or price considerations... and I know that he has a pretty good ear!

Set-up (factory I would think) was absolutely fine and I find this J-45 a very comfortable instrument to play. I particularly enjoy the slightly shorter scale compared to most other dreads (i.e. 24.75 instead of the usual 25.4-25.5). Gibson describe the neck as a V shape, but I have to admit that the V is actually very soft here.
The strange thing is the very poor finish at the junction of the fretboard and the soundhole, like they ran out of sandpaper on that day, and I know that this is not unique to my guitar as it's been reported by others here. I know it's a detail, but I just find it strange. On close inspection, I also noticed that the finish on the back was slightly uneven and was probably close to dripping before it dried out... again, just a detail, but clearly something that you would not get on an equally priced (let's say) Takamine... Don't get me wrong, no major flaws or nothing that would affect the playability, but just some aspects where you would expect Gibson to do better.

Looks absolutely fine to me. I always treat my guitars carefully and I don't really see what could go wrong on this one.

Never had to deal with the factory.

I play mostly classic pop/folk/rock from the sixties & seventies (Beatles, Stones, Neil Young, Grateful Dead, etc.) and this guitar suits this style perfectly. I also own an Ovation Elite Std LX, a more pricy Martin D-35 and an even more pricy Santa Cruz 00. This Gibson fully deserves its place in the lot. It's also pretty good value, as for a reasonable price you get access to a great instrument with high playability and a great (and classic) sound. It will immediately sound familiar to you. Also, don't forget, this guitar is clearly part of the history of American flat-tops and has remained literally unchanged for the last 70 years or so...

1998 Early J-45. Made in the Montana factory. I'll skip all the composition and other details as they are detailed by other reviewer's; I just wanted to get my two-cents in on this beauty. The guitar is a simple model reminiscent of early productions and is exactly what I was looking for; not a lot of overblown electronics onboard. I use a vintage DeArmand soundhole pickup on occasion with this guitar.

The sound is breathtaking; absolutely the most balanced guitar I have ever played. I traded a 2004 Taylor 410 for this one and am completely satisfied. The guitar is a perfect rhythm guitar and is well suited for light to heavy strumming. It is a fingerpicker's dream as well as the sound is well balanced, vibrant and sustains very well. I play primarily early C&W, bluegrass and classic rock and the guitar is outstanding across all venues. I vary my playing style depending on what I want this guitar to do and it always comes through. Great job Gibson!!

I traded for this guitar from a music store so it came to me second-hand. The store did a wonderful job of setting up this instrument. Action is perfect. The guitar appears as though it wasn't played a whole lot during it's past ownership. The frets are nicely finished. The sunburst finish is unique in that I do not notice any blemishes (which is pretty rare for Gibson). The nitrocellulose lacquer finish is stunning and harkens back to the glory days of Gibson. The tuners appear a little fragile to me but seem to be doing their job so I shall leave them for now. This guitar has been modified with a bone nut and saddle, both of which appear well-fitted. The bridge pins have been changed as well to bone units which is also an improvement over the original releases (I think Gibson should improve their bridge pins on ALL RELEASES) and I believe improves the sound over the factory release. Came with original case which fits and protects the guitar nicely; very lovely lining. I would like to see the ability to lock the case and would be nice if Gibson would install a name plaque similar to Taylor rather than the loud golden graphics on top of the case but this is small potato's really; it's a nice case and does what it was designed to do.

I would not hesitate to take this guitar to a live gig and it will get it's chance soon. Everything that this guitar came equipped with appears able to withstand the rigor. I have some questions regarding the tuners but so far no problems encountered.

I have dealt with Gibson before and they have always been able to provide assistance. This guitar has a lifetime guarantee. In the past I have always found their staff informative and willing to provide resources and knowledge. I have only dealt with the Montana folks as both my Gibson's were produced there but they have also proved helpful with a vintage Southern Jumbo that I own.

I have been playing for over 10 years. I also own a Gibson Sheryl Crow, a Gibson Dwight Yoakum and a 1964 Gibson Southern Jumbo. In addition to the Gibson's, I own a 1964 Hakura Takemuru classical guitar, a Ditson parlor guitar and an Epiphone Cabellero. I traded a 2004 Taylor 410 for this J-45. The J-45 is everything I was hoping it would be and more; it is simply a great guitar. It is more balanced than any of my other guitars and has become my favorite daily player for a variety of styles. Doesn't yet have the punchy bass that my vintage Southern Jumbo has but is close. It is not as easy to play as my Taylor was but more for makes up for that with it's tonal qualities. This guitar is perfect in my opinion the way it is and there is nothing else I want out of it that it doesn't deliver.

I was looking for a bare bones, solid wood acoustic guitar I could plug in and this fit the bill. I definately didn't want the "mission control" panel you see on Martins, Taylor, and Tacomas. This guitar is classic and smooth. The tuners are vintage looking but I know from my '64 Hummingbird they may bend if handled rough. I would have liked to see metal chrome tuners.

This guitar came out of the box, never played since the factory. Its tone is "classic Gibson" as other reviewers have said. To me that means a balanced, growling base when played unplugged and mellow high notes. It doesn't have the "umph" of an aged Gibson but give it time.
When I plug in I don't care about acoustic sound so the active tranducer pick up in my J-45 works well for me. It wails with thuddy distortion when I turn on the drive and turn up the gain.

Action and finish are fine. I haven't seen any of the flaws on my J45 that others have noted on new Gibsons.
The sunburst is very dark with a dark stain on the sides and back as well. In a perfect world I'd prefer a lighter stain on the sides and back but I have no complaint.

Time will tell but so far so good.

NA

I've played nearly 20 years and this will be the guitar of my life (the Hummingbird I mentioned belongs to my dad). I play my own songs which are a cross of folk/country/alt-rock. My favorite bands are Cracker/Jack Johnson/Merle Haggard...you get the idea.
I chose Gibson because their guitars have a vibe other (suppossedly higher quality)manufacturers are lacking. My J-45 catchs that Gibson vibe.

You've read all the specs below... My model is a 2003, Bozeman-made masterpiece. Compared to other recent J45s I have seen, mine has a lot tighter and more even spruce top. The burst is also a lot darker, starting at a very dark orange. It has a very classic and sophisticated look. The best feature is that it lacks sophisticated "features" (think Taylors, Takamines, and Martin 16 series, etc).

I have upgraded it quite a bit to make it look and sound its best. First, I removed the ugly Gibson "golf ball" pins and replaced them with Martin-style bone/tortoise pins. I removed the stock pickguard and replaced it with a Greven BOLD guard that was custom shaped to be the exact same size as the original guard (and the Greven actually fits the rosette). I removed the stock Fishman UST pickup and replaced it with a K&K Pure Western to get rid of the battery/wires and to get full saddle/bridge contact. Plugged in, the K&K sounds much better than the Fishman as well. I had bone nut and saddle installed to replace the stock glassy sounding TUSQ that came from the factory.

I give this section an 8 because it is not a "feature-packed" guitar. That's what I like about it.

I play mostly old-time, bluegrass, and solo singer-songwriter stuff (Iron and Wine, Damien Jurado, Dolorean, Nick Drake, Dylan, etc).

The tone before the upgrades was unmistakably classic Gibson, but the upgrades increased the complexity and depth of the tone. The Lows are punchy and crisper, the highs are more defined.

I would also like to note that my J45 sounds better than any other new J45 I have played. I have been told this by very many reputable luthiers and musicians. It is probably all of the upgrades I have made. Who knows??? Gibson is known for making some duds and I have heard some new duds. This one is classic Gibson all the way.

Like I said before, I removed the stock Fishman UST and replaced it with a K&K Pure Western soundboard transducer. The removal of the UST itself improved the unplugged tone substantially. The full saddle/bridge contact gave me the full sound I hear when I play older J45s. Plugged in, I use the Pure Western with Baggs PARA DI and like it very much. With the Fishman, my J45 had a good acoustic-electric sound. With the K&K, it sounds absolutely acoustic. Very, very, woody and airy. Beautiful.

I give this section a 9 because it sounds better than 95% of the other guitars out there. There are other (mostly pre-war) guitars out there that sound better though.

Factory setup was of course high. Like I said, I replaced the saddle, nut, and pins with bone and had my tech set it up for medium/low action. It is a bit harder to play than my Martins, but it is comfortable enough to play until sunrise (I know from experience).

Gibsons are not even on the same page as far as build quality as Martin, SCGC, Bourgeois, Collings, etc. They finish the guitar AFTER it is assembled, causeing uneven sunburst patterns, lacquer buildups, etc. They have been known to "over-build" their guitars and this can easily be seen. Part of the Gibson sound, though, is their thicker finish and assembly techniques. I am lucky that mine is not as bad as others I have seen.

Some have absolutely yellow centers, blatant finish flaws, grainy sunbursts, and glue drops. Mine is as good as I have seen from recent Gibsons, but nowhere as good as it should be.

I give this section a 7 because without the upgrades I made, it would not be on par with its historical counterparts.

Gibsons are known to be sturdy as tanks. I have a buddy who plays his grandfather's 1959 J45 and it is still going strong.

The tuners have the classic J45 look, but feel a little cheap. On the other hand, the old J45 tuners usually still work. Only time will tell. I'm leaving them on...

I can absolutely depend on this guitar. Whether I am jamming with pals or on stage, this guitar will always be solid.

I emailed Gibson a few times with questions about their warranty registration. I heard back from them right away. No complaints.

It carries a world-class lifetime warranty on par with Martin and the hand builders.

03 Bozeman-made, mahog body, sunburst spruce top, fishman, med strings, sloped shouldered dread, 24.5 scale, very flat, gibson playable neck, not as fast as Taylor neck but accessible and smooth. It is what it is - best of the basics, and surprisingly great looking!

How to engage with this guitar: do not sit in the soundroom of a guitar store and meticulously pick martins, taylors, collings and then turn to this one. It will seem classic and beautiful in appearance but meek and thin in sound. Tried that been there. Instead: pick it up in a hallway or echoing room, get a flat pick and pretend that you're a neil young, dylan or springsteen folky - then try clarence white or tony rice. Then take a breath, drop the pick and try some arpeggiated finger picking. These guitars, as all the reviews say, have incredible dynamics, and go from loud to sensitive, from bright to bassy depending upon right hand attack, etc. Had tried one face-to-face versus other acoustics for years and just didn't get it. Then got a pick and gave it strum and it just opened up. Amazing.

Good set up - no complaints, used, some picky gibson finish bit at neck/body join, and one belt nick in the back.

feels light, looks tough, will see

n/a

Been playing for a while: writing more on acoustic now. acoustics - Taylor 310/Seagull Cedar Mosaic Artist/35 year old Yamaki rosewood D28 clone/and now J-45. Each totally different - this is definitely the flatpicking, strumming C&@ champ, and will use it with full band for strumming. Taylor still better for quieter finger picking, bright stuff, and Seagull is good all-rounder. irony is: 35 year old yamaki probably sounds best of all of them, but is a bit tired.

2002 USA made of course. Solid top with fishman p/up. Vintage burst is very nice with white binding!!

The sound of this is insane........the type of sound you can only dream about and wish you had. Its rich and full, yet bright when it needs to be.

A few small blems here and there as you expect on all things these days....

What is it with Gibson anyway that ALL of thier acoustics these days are splitting? This one came in with a 1/2 split from the sound hole to the neck. I recently bought a Songwriter .....it also has two small cracks from the bridge facing the rear...Im toild that Gibson since the 70's has been making the tops thinner and thinner.......I think I agree. I cant see any new Gibson being played in 20+ years time without having undergone a some major repair work to the body.

Well I write them an email and they reply within a few days.....THIS IS GOOD.
As for my cracks in my two new guitars? They say tough shit! Because I bought them first odf all oversees........and secondly they are both 'second hand'....one being 6 months old and the other was owned for a year. In my mind if you make something and your SURE of the quality and workmanship then it should be NO problem to fix AN OBVIOUS flaw for the customer no matter where it was bought...especially if its fairly NEW!!

After 35 years years of playing I sit and look at my 8 Gibsons of various models and wonder if I should have wasted my money......then again, I love my SG and les pauls and ES-135...and love the sound of my Gibson acoustics......but I wish they got it together and made them with much more care and attention like the older days. Theres NO quality control anymore even thought they say it goes though several checks. I have a les paul whcih has been double stamped on the headstock even....nice screw up!! Overall, I think Gibson is going like the Taiwanese..............cheap and nasty workmanship!

I have a 2005 mahogany J-45 purchased at Guitar Center. It's a short-scale, 14-fret model and contains a stock Fishman pick-up. I love the look and feel of this guitar. In particular the vintage sunburst paint job, with nitrocellulose lacquer. (Gibson is the only major high-end guitar manufacturer that still uses nitrocellulose.) I ding them only for the nut, saddle, and pins made of synthetic material. Martin has gone back to bone for the nut and saddle, and I would encourage Gibson to do the same. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I really like the Gotoh butter bean tuners, which are similar to the ones on old Gibsons. New Grovers just wouldn't look right.h

The sound is fantastic. I fingerpick, and I flat pick a little. For fingerpicking, it is one of the best sounding guitars I've ever played. I play Piedmont blues, and it produces that early sweet, yet dark, blues sound. (If you don't know what I'm talking about pick up an old John Jackson record--I recommend "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down." He plays a J-50--basically the same guitar.)

Set up is great. It is a little messy around the neck just above the sound hole. It looks some glue didn't get wiped off. There are other minor flaws here and there, but I'm comparing to Martins and Taylors, for which the quality control is tighter. Gibsons are still made mostly by hand (unlike Taylors and Martins), so these imperfections have a certain charm.

It seems pretty solid, but it's hard to say at this point. I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt.

Life time warranty is hard to beat.

For the money, it's hard to get something that sounds even close to as good. If you don't believe me, try some of the mahogany Collings's, which are copies of Gibsons. Gibson acoustics had a bad reputation in the 70s and 80s, but the company is under new leadership and is producing quality acoustics again.

This is a 2004 Gibson J-45 built on Dec. 17th of that year. It was made in Bozema, Montana, USA. It has a solid spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides, mahogany neck, and rosewood fret board with MOP dot inlays. It came with a built-in Fishman Matrix II active piezo UST pickup with the output jack in the endpin. Finish is a glossy vintage sunburst and tuners are Gotoh white "butterbeans". This is a slope-shouldered, 14 fret, short-scale dreadnought acoustic guitar in the typical Gibson tradition. It came with a "Deluxe" black hardshell case with black lining and the "Gibson Acoustic" logo on the outside in gold. Also comes with warranty card, owner's manual, Gibson History pamphlet, "Dampit"-style humidifier with instruction guide, and a black "Gibson" pick.

This is not an extravagant guitar, but it wasn't designed to be. I've rated it based on what Gibson intended it to be.

This guitar is just about perfect for my style because it does just about everything! I play a lot of classic rock (Beatles, Stones, Stone Roses, The Who, Bob Dylan, etc...) as well as some modern rock (Oasis, Wallflowers, Jet, Coldplay, etc...). This guitar has that punchy, mid-rangey Gibson flattop sound that they are known for. I even get nice overtones with some dynamic strumming. I don't really fingerpick much, but this guitar is designed more for strumming anyways and is plenty loud for that purpose. The tone is very clear and not boomy or unbalanced. I would say it has a rich tone to it, but not in the J-200 style. I haven't tried the pickup yet.

Setup from the factory was good, but I prefer the action to be a slight touch lower than the way it came. All the frets were level though, and the fret ends were nicely filed. The top was bookmatched well and the vintage sunburst nitrocellulose finish is absolutely stunning. There wrere no buzzes or other playability problems. There were only two issues with the finish. The first was (and I've noticed this on virtually ALL J-45's!) the bottom end of the neck where it meets the soundhole is not sanded and stained very well so it looks a bit rough and unfinished compared with the rest of the guitar. The second was that there was a small yet semi-deep scratch in the finish (but not through it)on the top inside edge of the soundhole. I'm not sure if that happened at Gibson or at the shop, though! In any case, not big issues... overall very nice.

I'm sure that this guitar would withstand live playing as everyother concert I attend has at least one on stage. I don't think I'd consider a backup in normal circumstances. This guitar is built very solid. I think that the finish will wear nicely too, although it is nitrocellulose and is succeptible to staining and such. Hopefully the advantages of the aging process in the finish will outweigh any disadvangtages.

I've emailed Gibson a few times and they have always given prompt, courteous service. I haven't had any issues with this guitar yet, though and don't anticipate any. The warranty is only given to the original owner (non-transferable) and is a limited lifetime warranty against defects in workmanship and materials.

Rating based on the above, not actual warranty repair experience.

I've been playing for nearly ten years and have owned mainly Epiphones in the past (PR-350CE, EJ-200, EJ-300S, Casino, EA-250). This guitar is the best I have ever owned in the acoustic field. I love they way it plays, sounds and looks as well as the tremendous legacy behind it. J-45's are a staple of the guitar world and every enthusiast should own at least one in his or her lifetime. The J-45 (or a varient thereof ie. j-160e, j-50, AJ, etc) has been played by the likes of Bob Dylan, Paul Weller, Noel Gallagher, Woody Guthrie, John Lennon, Mick Jagger, and countless others. This guitar was a reward to myself for reaching the level as a guitarist that it can be appreciated. I have no regrets whatsoever about its purchase. As they say, "This one's a keeper!"

BRAND NEW on Closeout! Never touched the showroom floor!

Serial number indicates it was made May 21st, 2003 in Bozeman. All-solid Mahogany/Sitka, gloss DARK sunburst, TUSQ nut and saddle, ugly plastic "golf ball" pins, Fishman UST pickup w/preamp.

Sale included Gibson "DeLuxe" case (same as Martin's low-end cases), cheapie snake-style humidifier, and one Gibson pick.

The guitar has a classic beauty that ony Gibson can satisfy. The sunburst on my particular J45 is darker than most. I installed bone nut and saddle, as well as bone/tortoise pins. I also removed the stock guard and installed a Greven BOLD guard, which was custom shaped to be an exact fit.

I give the J45 an 8 in the category because I had to change to bone, I hate the original pins, and there really aren't too many "features" to an acoustic instrument.

Compared to my Martin D15 and OM16GT, the sound is a lot more focused. It is plenty LOUD and PUNCHY, but it is not such an open sound. It also has more overtones than most Mahogany guitars I have played. This is the sound that Gibsons are known for, so it is perfect!

I use a medium pick for strumming and flatpicking. I also (bare) fingerpick a bit. The guitar excells in all fields. With bone nut, saddle, and pins, Elixir Nanos, and a Dunlop Tor-tex Orange pick, you can't go wrong.

The sunburst on mine is better than most Gibsons I have seen. It is beautiful and DARK. The top, back, and sides are wonderfully bookmatched. The neck is stained and gloss finished. I would rather have a satin finished, natural neck (like a Martin). I won't count off for my own opinions...

The attention to detail is immaculate on this guitar. The only thing I noticed as far as "flaws" would be that the end of the fingerboard (the end in the soundhole) is a bit rough and I wish Gibson would have sanded it smooth.

Gibson has been notorious for QC problems in the past, but if mine is any indication of the direction they are going, I would say that they are getting much better.

This guitar is a tank. The finish is just thick enough to protect well. Just look at all of the J45s which have survived from the 1940's.

No need for a backup unless you break strings regularly (I don't)...

After filling out the online warranty registration, I found out that they don't send a warranty card. They leave it up to you to save the reciept. I wish I would get something from them... Guess I'm spoiled by Martin (who gives a mini-subscription to AG for registering a new guitar).

I have emailed them a few times and they seem very friendly.

I sold my OM16GT because the J45 showed me how wonderful a booming strummer can be. I love the J45 and would never ever think of selling it. If stolen, I'd puke my guts out and buy another.

Even though my playing is decent at best, the looks and sounds of the J45 make me sound like a million bucks. I plan on getting a J45 Rosewood next.