Gibson J-45

This guitar was exactly as described, having a Sitka Spruce to, Rosewood sides and back, ebony fingerboard and bridge, Grover tuners, and simple appointments in the way of decoration - just the way I wanted it.

Keep in mind this is not just a new guitar, it's a new, new guitar, fresh out of Gibson's Montana factory and direct to me, next day delivery. The varnish smell wet at this point, but even now, the sound, having not matured yet, is deep, full, loud, and out of this world. Could be a little louder for fingerpicking, but with a flat pick, I get the volume and rich tone, a little on the dark side but oh so well balanced, that rosewood gives. It's near perfect and will only improve with time.

The fit and finish are flawless, with beautiful matched rosewood sides and back, and the front done in Gibson's legendary sunburst. I may have the action tweaked a bit because it seems just slightly high, but I have been used to an electric archtop with slick action, so it may just be a matter of getting used to it.

My guitar seems as well built as any I have ever seen, but it is an acoustic and requires a certain amount of care that let's say, a solid body electric doesn't require.

What can I say about Gibson? I ordered this guitar through Music Villa, via the web, and Paul called Gibson, which is right there in Bozeman, and had a friend pick one out for me. Well, when I received the guitar, there was a letter from Geno stating the he did infact pick out my guitar making sure every aspect was the best he could fine in what was available. I called him on their 800# and sure enough, he was not only there, but remembered the transaction in detail. If you are considering a Gibson, use Music Villa. You will not be sorry. Beats the hell out of the scratched up versions you find in local stores.

I have been playing off and on for 30 years, and am finally able to afford the quality of instruments that I have always craved. I do the Saturday morning basement thing with some other old hippies, playing mostly Country, Blues, and some Rock oldies. My other guitar is a Gibson ES135, a wonderful compromise between a 175 and a 335, giving me the jazz tones or with the tone up and on the bridge pickup, the harsher blues and country tones. If my J-45 was stolen, lost, or broken, I would replace it in a heartbeat. It's a wonderful, understated elegent working tool - the best of all worlds. Anyone thinking of buying this guitar, contact me at the address below if you have any questions not answered here. The only negative I can say about Gibson products is they are a bit spendy, but then, good things have their cost.

Made Between 1943-45 in the USA, 19 frets , solid mahogany top (rare, huh), solid mahogany back and sides, maple neck with walnut center stripe, alot of cracks and a really worn finish.

I play mainly old time country, bluegrass rythm, some blues, and Willie Nelsonesque leads. It's great. I can't quite describe the sound. It's very well balanced with the highs and the lows, great definition, and it's very dry sounding (from the all mahogany construction, I presume). I think it could be used for most any kind of steel string playing. Beautiful.

I couldn't judge this on a nearly 60 year old guitar. The finish is nice and cracked and worn through in areas

She's is pretty beat up, but I can't blame that on her. she was obviously played heavily, and shows it. But it also shows that the woods been broken in well too. It's beautiful.

I contacted asking them about model information for various years on the J-45 and they responded within 48 hrs. I doubt they'd help me with any repairs. I'm not the original owner

I've been playing for awhile. I have owned a Martin D-3532, an American Strat, a 1962 Danelectro, a 1965 Fender Mustang, a Dobro Hula Blues, an old stella acoustic, an old Kay, an Alvarez A-700 Mandolin, and a bart reiter special open-back banjo. Most of them that are still remaining have to go to pay for this one though. If it were stolen I'd look for another good one, apparently with the old gibson's it's a hit or miss situation. I love the fact that it's old, but I hate the little ticks that come along with it being old. I compared it to other old guitars that folks I know had. I wish for know other features. I'd like to share, I love it.

This is a 2002 Bozeman MT Gibson J45. It comes equiped with a Fishman UST (the newer ones I am told have the Schertler Blue Sticks but this one does not).

The wood is Mahogany B/S and neck, and sitka top. The top finish is a simply gorgeous sunburst (I don't think anyone does a better sunburst than Gibson). The Nitro finish is like glass, although I can see a very minor bit of orangepeel under close inspection, but this is very minor. The fit and finish overall are superb, as good as the best Martins or Taylors I have seen recently.

The only drawback in terms if materials in the rosewood on the fretboard could be a little nicer or even a bound fretboard would be better. The fret ends, while nicely finished are a little noticeable while moving along the neck. The neck shape overall is very comfortable though and a real pleasure to play. Not as narrow and fast as a Taylor or recent Martin, but still very playable, especially with the short scale.

The tuners, while cheap (the bottons are white plastic) seem to work very well and do not slip at all.

This is why a bought this guitar. The sound is simply tremendous. This is a brand new guitar, but the clarity, depth of tone and sustain are the best that I have ever heard in a new Mahogany B/S guitar.

The bass is very nice and tight (thumpy and full though as well) and the mids, while very present are mellow (not harsh or strident at all). The highs are crystal clear as well and sustain very well. I had a Martin D18V and it also was an extremely good sounding guitar. However, that guitar was little too loud and boomy for my taste.

As someone else has already said in another review, the tone of this guitar seems to draw you in. It's REALLY hard to put down--it's such a pleasure to play and hear.

No complaints really other than I would prefer a bound fingerboard. I think that is about the only aspect of the J45 that could be improved (in fact, the Rosewood J45 has a much nicer fretboard).

I have not had the guitar plugged-in yet, but again, it's a Fishman UST and I know the sound will need substantial eq to remove som ethe inherent UST quackiness. That was a given though, and I really like that there is no 'barn door' in the side of this gorgeous guitar!

Too sooon to tell, but I have heard Gibson is pretty responsive to their warranties.

n/a

I give this guitar a 9 due to the caliber of the fretboard only (could be a notch better i.m.o.).

You buy these guitars for the sound and overall the vibe that these J45s have in spades. There are simply no imitations for these guitars.

Features are as described elsewhere. This guitar is simplicity at its best and that's why I give it a 10. Mine is a 2002 model. Actually this is my second J-45. I'd been dreaming about this guitar since I was a kid and finally ordered one from Musicians Friend. First one I got had a defect with the truss rod cover. I was SO disappointed because the guitar was SO beautiful otherwise. So I sent it back to MF and emailed Gibson Montana to let them know how upset I was about it. Well, they were just as upset as I was and bent over backwards to make it right for me. Ended up, Gibson Montana arranged for their Master Luthier Ren Ferguson to hand pick a J-45 from the line and they shipped it overnight to me direct from the factory! The one I got is absolutely perfect in every way. The nitrocellulose finish is flawless, not a drip anywhere. The SMELL of this thing is awesome. (You should have a category for smell.) You just breathe in the aroma of that rosewood and maple. Action was a tad high for me (I'm used to a Fender Strat with .10's). But I quickly got used to it. First string change, I lowered the saddle just a bit and now it's perfect. As for accessories, it came with a nice hard shell case (made in Canada, can you believe that? Can't we make those in the good ol' USA?), a sound hole humidifier, and the guys even thru in a Gibson Montana ball cap! Is that great or what?

Sound is awesome. D-e-e-p bass, crisp treble and suits my style perfectly. I'm a front porch picker and this guitar gets as loud as I want it to get and has all the character I'd ever want. I've played it thru my Fender blues Jr., and it sounds incredible amp'ed too. Just as true amp'ed as it is acoustic.

As I said earlier, the first one I got from MF had a defect with the truss rod cover. Somehow, the truss rod was not set properly and it caused the cover to not lay flat against the head. But on this new one, everything is absolutely perfect. I took a mirror and checked out the body from inside, and it is truly a work of art. No finish flaws at all on this one.

I suspect this guitar will last thru several lifetimes, and I fully intend to pass it on to one of my kids or (hopefully) grandkids some day. I've heard a lot about the nitrocellulose finish checking over time, but I don't expect that to be a problem for this one. It will never leave my house in my life time.

All I can say about Gibson Montana customer support is AWESOME! The guy that helped me out with my problem is Don Rufatto (hope I got that last name right). Anyway, they jumped over some hoops to make it right with me when I had the problem with the first guitar from MF and the result is I now own a real gem of a Gibson. Truly a dream come true for me.

I should also say a word about Musicians Friend and their price guarantee policy. I first ordered this guitar at $1599 and I thought that was a fair price. Later, just on a whim, I surfed the net for a lower price and found one at some obscure dealer. Price was $1149 and the dealer only had one in stock. MF matched the price! So I ultimately wound up with this beautiful J-45, handpicked by Gibson's master luther, for a really great price. How great is that?!!!

I've been playing guitar since nine years old. That's 37 years and counting. I was weaned on Hank Williams and grew into the Beatles, and on and on. I originally saw a picture of Hank, Sr. playing this Gibson when I was probably ten years old and I've always dreamed of owning one. Over the years, I've owned numerous high end electrics but I never bought a good acoustic. This was my dream and always out of reach, since if I had the money I would generally opt for another electric. Now that I'm a bit more financially able, I considered and tried out several others before settling on the J-45. Martin D-28 was my other choice. But for sentimental reasons, I opted for the Gibson. Made the right choice! (Though, I'm still thinking about picking up a D-28 too.)

2001 Gibson J-45 Hertitage Sunburst Finish - Boseman Montanta- I picked mine up online. It has all the basic features solid spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides. No silly EQ or plastic control box on top, just the fishman piezo pick-up mounted under the bridge and the plug at the base of the guitar where the strap attaches. Typical white bean style Gibson tuners - that look flimsy but apparently last forever (so my friends dad says). Guitar neck is thin and the action is very low and easy to play. It came with a deluxe hardshell case (blue interior) and soundhole humidifier. Overall it's a very decent looking guitar/with a simple, classy pickup system.

I've never heard a better sounding acoustic. Granted, I've only been playing 6 years, and played an inexpensive Washburn (D-10) before, but I've played a few Taylors and Martins. I think the J-45 has the best balance of bass/treble. The bass thunders, but the treble still rings nicely. The only problem you may face with this guitar is volume. You will have to strum as loud as you can to try to be heard on a busy street corner. However, if you can afford this guitar, you shouldn't be playing on a street corner. To me, volume doesn't matter I gennerally play in my apartment and record on my 4-track. The pickup is decent, as good as can be expected for an acoustic, but I don't have an acoustic amp, so I'm not in a great position to judge it plugged in. Overall, sound is excellent, the tone is sick.

Action was medium-low when I pulled it out of the case, so i kinda lucked out. However, whoever set-up this guitar, never checked the pickup. The low-E string was not being picked up by the bridge piezo, so i took it into the local luthier and he had to "take out a wedge" which was supposed to be removed at the factory. After that, the pickup worked like gold, so I think Gibson needs to tighten down on their QA/QC out there in Montana. The finish was/is beautiful and everything else about the guitar was fine.

I took this from Connecticut to New Orleans LA, (approx 1500 miles) storing it in the back of my pickup truck in the middle of August. Tough as nails.

I've never delt with Gibson, but I had the pickup fixed after I got the guitar and didn't pay a cent. The lifetime Gibson warranty covered the repair. The pickup is covered for a year, all other guitar components are covered for life.

The thing looks classy, plays like butter and has an undeniable tone. I'm not sure if its worth $1600, but I'll let you know in about 20 years - I'm going to hang on to this one and find out. If it were stolen I'd buy another, maybe think about the Rosewood model even. If you've got the cash and play enough, go grab a J-45.

1999 J-45 made in Bozeman, Montana. Solid spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides, sunburst gloss finish, 24 1/2" scale, 1 3/4" nut, hard shell case, factory-installed pickup.

Rich, full Gibson acoustic sound. Gets better all the time. Perfect for the folk/rock, singer/songwriter stuff I mostly play, strumming and some fingerpicking. Has a thick, percussive sound that you don't get with a lot of sweeter sounding acoustics. The J-45 has guts. I love it. Sounds great plugged into my AR Acoustic amp, too.

All great. I bought it used, so I can't say how it was set up from the factory. Had the action adjusted at my local shop a few months ago (it was getting just a little high), and it's perfect now. The fit and finish is great. A solid, well-made guitar.

Judging from my experience with the guitar, and from what I've read, it seems like a sturdy, reliable instrument. No concerns here.

Haven't dealt with Gibson. No warranty, since I'm the second owner.

I've been playing for almost 20 years now, but only gotten fairly serious about it the last 5. I also own a Martin D16GT, a Martin D1R, and an Art & Lutherie Cedar Top acoustic. The Martins are both fine guitars with lots to recommend them, and the A&L is a great value, but the J-45 blows them all away. It's easily my favorite. Not only is the tone superior, but it's easier to play than the Martins, due to the 24 1/2 inch scale and the 1 3/4 inch nut. My fingertips are kind of thick, not tapered, and the wider fretboard really makes this guitar a joy to play.

I really got lucky buying this on the internet -- I don't think I'd do that again on a high-end guitar like this. I played two brand new J-45s in a music store over the weekend, and they were nothing like mine. I don't know if that's because I got a good one, or because mine is getting "played in, " but there sure was a difference. At the price I paid, this is an outstanding guitar.

This 2001 Gibson J-45 was made in Bozeman Montana and has the specs described in other reviews. This round shouldered dreadnought has a solid Sitka spruce top, solid Honduras mahoghany back and sides, Indian rosewood fingerboard and reverse belly bridge, Kluson-style nickel tuners (made by Gotoh now, I think), Fishman p-up,etc. Comes with a Dampit humidifier and Gibson pick.

This Gibson suits my style perfectly because I am, for the most part, a strummer, not a finger-style player. It's tone is rich, meaty, woodsy and full of vintage soul. I bought a Taylor 310 the day before I bought this guitar, and had to take it back. The Taylor was beautiful with flawless construction, but it was so bright and shimmering, it got on my nerves. The Gibson is a cannon. Strum hard and it really projects. Go soft and it sounds great too. Suits my folk/rock style very well.

Action is a little high, but prevents any fret buzz. Still, the neck is very comfortable all the way up. Some acoustic makers are trying to catch electric crossover players by using really fast necks. I say, let the electric players get used to an acoustic neck the way it ought to be. The nitrocellulose finish is beautiful. And, the vintage sunburst finish is is a breath of fresh air after looking at all of the natural spruce tops that pervade the market today. I'm a bit of a contrarian, so I'm really glad my guitar does not look like everyone else's. My only complaint is the use of the Fisher-Price plastic bridge pins! I don't know why they couldn't use the same Tusq material they used for the saddle and nut. It's silly for a guitar of this quality and price.Tusq bridge pins will be ordered soon!

The J-45 seems built to last. Since it will never leave the confines of my house, it'll do just fine, I'm sure.

I e-mailed Gibson with a few questions after my purchase. They always responded within 24 hours. I'm happy with that.

I've been playing off and on for many years, but got really serious again about 7 years ago. I'll never make a good cowboy because I don't fall in love with my guitars!! I've had a lot of fun buying and selling them with the goal of playing as many different shapes and brands as I can. I do keep drifting back to dreadnoughts. Over the last several years I have owned a Taylor 314, Martin SPD-16, Taylor 810 LTD, and Guild F-30R. My wife thinks I'm crazy, but hey, I'm having fun. When I bought this Gibson J-45, I A/B- ed it against a Guild D-40, Taylor 410, Gibson J-180, Martin D-18 and it just spoke to me. This one might be a keeper, but if it were lost or stolen....

2002 model J-45 from the gibson factory in montana.solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard and bridge. very nice lacquer finish on a vintage sunburst top. round shoulder body style and comes with a factory installed under the bridge saddle pickup. there are no controls on the guitar, just a battery tucked away inside. vintage style tuners, a 24 3/4 scale neck, and being more acustomed to martin guitars the frets seem taller and fatter. also comes with a very nice case(not plastic). the guitar fits very snug in the case and should provide excellent protection. i give this guitar a high rating for features because it has everything i was looking for and nothing i wasn't. simplicity was the feature i was after.

having played guitar over 25 years i have owned dozens of guitars, mostly martins.(rosewood and mahogany) i have also had guilds, taylors, alvarez-yairis, and i have to admit, even one ovation.LOL (no offense.) this gibson is dripping with tone. it has a very warm and bright sound and the bottom end just rumbles. not as loud as many of the martins i have had, but it has that quality tone thats keeps you from putting it down for hours on end. the guitar sounds good all the way up the neck. open chords of course sound good, but the barred chords up the neck have the same sweet liveliness. the guitar suits my style very well, very bluesy when you want to be and the larger frets make it much easier to bend strings. traditional country strumming sounds fantastic as well as do bluegrass licks. the only drawback there is in a traditional bluegrass setting you may want more projection to compete with other instuments. really like the feel of the neck and the fretwork and the guitar is very comfortable to play. open tunings and slide sound great as well.

the set-up from the factory was actually just about right, the only problem for me is they come from the factory with 12-52 gauge strings and i have always used 13's so i will need some adjusting to get that right. the finish on the guitar is flawless and the sunburst has always been one of my favorites. if i had to pick a weak spot about the guitar i would say the rosewood on the fretboard and bridge is not the most attractive but that is getting pretty nit-picky.

this guitar will be a great one for playing live. when you play it people tend to take notice of its huge tone. i would definitely use it on a gig with no back-up.

not had much contact with the company. i emailed one technical question and received an answer a few hours later. i called customer service and they were very helpful in answering my questions. while i wasn't asking them to do anything for me, they seemed sincere and appreciative that i bought one of their products.

been playing over 25 years. also own a d-28. if this guitar were lost or stolen i would definitely replace it with the exact same model. i love the tone, the neck and fretwork and its playability. as far as what i don't like about it, well i just havn't got to that point yet. don't get me wrong, it doesn't do everything, none do, but it does cover a wide range of bases incredibly well. i compared the J-45 to many other guitars like the taylor 510, martin d-18 and a spd-16and the gibson seemed like the best all around. when you combine the price, performance, tone, feel, and appearance, it is really an instument that is hard to beat. a previous reveiw stated its price was too high and used the martin d-28 as a reference. well, the martin is rosewood, but with the gibson you get a lacquered finish, scalloped bracing, factory installed pickup, and a real case. while i have only had the guitar for a few weeks, this is the best sounding NEW guitar i have ever purchased. a very strong value for the money. i did use the other reviews on the j-45 in making my decision and must say most of them for the most part are right on. this guitar just suits me particulaly well.

I won't bore everyone with a repeat of the standard features. Mine is the spruce and mahogany version, in vintage sunburst, and is a 2002 model. It has a factory fitted Fishman under-saddle pickup and end-pin jack. The tuners are the vintage Kluson-style (enclosed, but not sealed) with white buttons. It came with a Gibson-branded TKL hard case, a Gibson sound-hole humidifier, and a Gibson accessory pack containing a polishing cloth, some Gibson Pump Polish, a string winder and a pick.

I play a lot of blues, ragtime and country fingerstyle. But then, I also play a lot of other styles, sometimes with a pick, sometimes with fingers. I capo up a lot, occasionally use alternate tunings. No matter what I do with this guitar, it sounds fabulous. It has a very "woody" sound to it, very rootsy. I have it strung with 12-52 Elixir Nano-webs, and in this configuration it works well for everything I play. I love it.

The guitar was well set up at the factory, as per Gibson's standard specs. The quality of the woods, the even-ness of the sunburst, the quality of hardware etc. is all great. Internally, the workmanship is flawless. Externally, it's excellent, but there are one or two extremely minor finishing flaws which I just don't think should be there on an expensive guitar - tiny marks in the wood below the lacquer, and a few small lacquer runs or bumps. However, since this is a truly hand-crafted instrument, you can't expect the perfect finish you'd get on a Japanese factory-built Takamine, for instance. The only other minor gripe I have is with the white plastic buttons on the vintage tuners, and the plastic bridge pins. In both cases they feel cheap and are not well finished, with moulding lines clearly visible and noticable to the touch. I will replace the bridge pins with some Martin spares I have. Other than that, the action, fit and finish are excellent.

I can't really comment with any authority on reliability and durability, as I've only owned the guitar a short while. However, assuming it's built to the same standard as other Gibson guitars, it should outlast me! It's as solid as any other quality guitar I've come across, and I know that many professional musicians rely on their J45's for live work.

Haven't had any need to contact Gibson, so I can't comment.

I have been playing on and off for 20 years. I change my guitars quite regularly, just for the fun of owning and trying different models. At the time of writing, in addition to this J45 I have a '76 Gibson Mk.35, a 2002 Takamine AN45, a '74 Antoria J200 copy, a '72 Aria "John Pearse" Folk Model, and a '69/'70 Eros dreadnought. If my J45 was lost or stolen, I'd be mighty upset and would certainly buy another one. I love the looks, the sound, the playability (the neck is fantastic). I tried a lot of other guitars, but this one just sounded and felt right. The only guitar I can imagine might feel or sound any better would be a vintage J45.

Made sometime during 2001 in Bozeman, Montana. Inspected and shipped the tail end of 2001, bought July 2002. Same specs as other reviews and nicely-reviewed lefty of 8/2/2000: "Solid spruce top, solid Mahogany back and sides, Dovetail neck joint. Vintage sunburst finish. . . . It has 1940's stlyle tuners with white buttons." See other reviews for details. The sunburst on mine seems a tad darker than most I have seen--dark brown to black. The finish is flawless.
Mine came with the Fishman under saddle pickup and endpin jack.

Guitar came with a nice black Gibson case with acoustic logo ("tone, feel, appearance"). In the case was a soundhole rubber tube humdifier thingy and a pick emblazoned with the same logo as the case.

I am mostly a blues player. One acoustic guitars, I noodle and write and practice.

I have poo pooed Gibson acoustic guitars for 30+ years. Most of them sound like a good guitar with a blanket thrown over the top.

A couple years ago, I took my Martin to a little unplugged blues jam and it got smoked by an old J-160e with green strings. Since then, I've kept my eyes open for a lefty J-45-type guitar.

I was really revved when I found a J-45 a couple of years ago. The one I found sounded, well, like a good guitar with a blanket thrown over the top--dead. So when I ventured along with a couple friends to a guitar store we frequent, I had NO clue that I would fall in love. I grabbed this guitar for a trial strum or two and coulden't put it down! This guitar is amazing! Every note is there. I'm not a REAL acoutic guitar player--I play them much like an electric--but this particular J-45 had no problem being whomped on, stroked, chorded, or single stringed. To me, it is the perfect all-around guitar for blues, folk, country, jazz, whatever. Being a lefty, I don't have the time with many brands and types of acoutic guitars that a lot of my friends have had, but this J-45 seems as well balanced as ANYTHING I hope to find. My friend said it had that J-45 "nutty" sound. To me, it's almost alive with sound, bassy but not as bassy as a Martin dreadnaught; trebely, but not as trebely as a Taylor can be.

It's just a great all around guitar. And again, I'm surprised. Either Gibson is trying harder than ever before or this was some sort of mistake. After all these years, I can't believe I bought a Gibson acoustic!?!?

Although it has the onboard pickup, I doubt that I will plug it in much. I'm bascially an electric player.

I have noticed no flaws on the J-45. Action from the factory is satisfactory. Wood is beautiful, as is the paint.

I've seen a lot of older acoustic guitars with problems: bridges pulling up, tops pulling up, neck outta whack, so I plan to baby the J-45. It will see mainly living room playing. I should think it will outlast me. There is only the endpin/strap button. I will add a button at the neck for stand-up playing.

Both the dealer and Gibson are standing behind this guitar--I'm not worried. Seasonal adjustments and string height, I can do myself.

I have been playing guitar for 29 years with varying degrees of seriousness: sit-around guy, jamming with friends, and in working bands.

Currently, I have a nice collection of guitars and amps.

If this one were lost or stolen, I don't think I'd live long enough (I'm a middle aged guy) to find another great sounding Gibson. I've only heard a handful in my life.

The superior sound and quality made me buy this guitar. I didn't need it or really go shopping for it, but once I played it, I HAD to have it before it disappeared into the hands of another. I have owned two Martins and played many a Taylor, Larivee, Guild, you name it. Guitars are wood and they are an iffy proposition, especially if you are left handed and have to take what's offered. When you find a guitar with this much magic, there is no question--you buy it.

The only thing I wish it had is a twin brother.