Gibson J-45

Made in 2009 in Montana. Top of the line J45 Gibsons. The top of the J-45 Custom is made from AA-grade Sitka spruce, while the back and sides are constructed from pattern-grade Indian rosewood. Equipped with the Element Active Acoustic Pickup System from L.R. Baggs pickup. 20 frets neck, medium size. Sloped shoulder body. Ebony fingerboard and bridge.The headstock also features a new flower and vine abalone pearl inlay, abalone rosette too. Horrific plastic pins!

Potentially a well sounding instrument, nice bottom end and a nice blend of high tone with good harmonics but lack of volume. The fretboards is large and good for finger picking not as good for strumming, require to much precision to may play fast chords 'cos...buzz and has a metallic resonance under the saddle.

As i mentioned, the fret buzz on the medium/low strings, controlled by a luthier with Plek it has pronunced hump and saddle on the fingerboard. Very high factory action. Wrong pickguard position, it cover the abalone rosette. X-bracing not well glued!
Nice woods but for 2.000 euro Gibson may use AAA grade sitka spruce top, ebony pins and better crafmanship.
The final check list card was by another guitar....it has a different serial number!

To much problems on this instrument.
Impossible to make an evaluation.

The guitar was immidiatly send to the Gibson assistance. They were very kind but...don't solve the problems and suggest to contact the dealer! Only pickguard sostitution!
Not a lifetime warranty, maybe a partial warranty.

Been playing on and off for 30+ years. I buy this guitar 'cos I really like it but, sorry Gibson....returned to the dealer. Oriental manifacturers works better. It is a shame a such great brand sell this kind of instruments and give so poor assistance. Me and many other musicians friends are now considering new Gibson products not affidable. Sorry Gibson but I will look for others brands instruments.

Gibson J45 2005 spruce top mahogany back and sides vintage sunburst

I bought his guitar six months ago brand new. The dealer had two to choose from they were different that's for sure sound, feel,and the grain.The one I got did not have the finish of the other but the sound and feel was just a little better it could be because the other was newer 2007
Anyway I went in to the shop this week and had another play of the 2007 and hell it was bad compaired with my 2005.
I think this has a lot to do with the Guitar opening up I play it every day and it just sounds better and better to my ear.
I heard a long time ago that a good acoustic will sound good with
old strings well I still have not replaced these long life Exp's
it came with.The old ovation would sound dull after a month always have to replace when do put new one's on I bet I will get a nice surpise its just a hate changing anything.

action is very high strings not cut into nut right finish not perfect
I'll fix these things later. I've seen chinese guitars with better finishes but this is hand made and I can live with it.

Yeah this Guitar will stand up my giging but I would not like to drop it
I'd like strap locks but i shudder at the thought of drilling a hole.

nice helpful guy at the shop never had anything to do with Gibson

I'm 60 playing 50 years I've had a lot of Guitar's always loved Fender's
though the years anything vintage in all this time never bought a new Axe thought they had no Mojo Well what a lot of BS cause the Mojo's in the hand.
So now I play this Gibson J45 and a 2005 Gibson ES 335 I feed these into a AER 60 compact very light to cart around important at my age.

2007 J-45, purchased January 2008. Grover kidney button tuners, active undersaddle piezo pickup with volume control in soundhole.
Quite a muted sunburst - but a pleasingly figured fingerboard does make up for it a little.

Case is adequate and looks plush inside, but I wouldn't say it was heavy duty. If I travelled around with it I'd probably want a hiscox/gator case.

I wasn't a fan of the white button tuners the J45's used to have, and am pleased that they're now fitted with grovers.

Case candy: 1 plectrum!

The whole package is understated and unfussy.

At the moment it's still a little stiff - it has opened up slightly so far in the couple of months I've had it. It came with quite a low action and straight neck, and a little added relief has improved the projection.
It's already got the recognisable warm, middy thump that you hear on the records. I'd say it definitely likes to be either strummed/flatpicked, or fingerpicked quite enthusiastically - you won't get really crisp articulation out of it but that's really not what it's about.

Certainly if you do fingerpick, then this guitar favours styles which allow a middy, dark tone - it's not a million miles away from the sort of sound you can hear on Nick Drake records (obviously allowing for the fact he used a different guitar!), or some early blues.

Should you attack it with a plectrum, you can bash out Springsteen numbers with conviction and it's quite serviceable for Stones songs too, not to mention large swathes of classic rock.

I wouldn't say it's exactly stunning in any tonal area -there are certainly louder guitars, crisper guitars, guitars with more balanced response etc, but it does simply sound JUST RIGHT for lots of popular songs.

The Fishman pickup is serviceable - nothing out of the ordinary, but nothing that's going to cause offence through a reasonably set up PA or acoustic amp. I've nearly aways set the onboard EQ flat on electro acoustics and let the sound technician make the decisions anyway, so I don't mind just having an unobtrusive volume control tucked away rather than great big panels cut out of the guitar.

My girlfriend has a 10 year old Gibson Songwriter which sounds fantastic - I'm hoping that this guitar will reach that sort of sonic ballpark in a few years - allowing for the slightly different body shape/finish etc.

I think overall this has a pleasing, "meat-and-potatoes" sound to it which although a bit fresh at the moment, should mature nicely.

The guitar came with quite a low action and straight neck which, whilst impressively comfortable and easy to play, did lead to some minor buzzing when using a capo and/or playing harder.

I added a bit of relief which raised the action slightly, reduced buzzing significantly and also improved the response. It's still quite easy to play, though barre chords higher up the neck are a little more of a struggle now. That's the tradeoff with acoustic guitars and I feel this is a good compromise for my tastes.

I've had no problems with the nut or tuning (though I do run a pencil through the string slots when re-stringing just to keep things smooth), and the build as a whole is quite clean. The pickguard does overlap the rosette slightly - I might look into getting this moved when it goes in for a yearly once-over, though to be honest I usually just forget about it.
When I first got the guitar there was a small amount of white residue in the corners where the fingerboard meets the body - this was swiftly cleaned up with a cloth.

The finish on the top and sides is smooth (albeit with the pleasing hint of grain texture that you get with nitro finished guitars), although there are one or two imperfections on the back which you can see under a bright light.

Some small tooling marks in one or two places on the fretboard. Fret ends and fingerboard edges are perfectly smooth and rounded.

As mentioned previously, the sunburst is quite muted and is more of a "spotlight" effect. There was another J45 in the shop which had a much more striking sunburst but I finally had to admit that this one was the better guitar in terms of sound and construction.

The bridge saddle is compensated, and intonation and tuning are both solid.

Moving onto the neck profile itself, I have to say that it is FABULOUSLY comfortable to play, and the fretwork is first rate. The guitar as a whole is a very comfortable instrument which I already feel very much at home with.

The guitar does seem to respond better to slightly stiffer strings, both in terms of playing and sound. I've found that a set of Martin phosphor bronze .012's have a little more tension than other brands of the same gauge, so I use these.

I can see myself replacing the plastic bridge pins, probably in favour of ebony, at some point in the future. I just think the current ones don't quite look right. If ebony pins actually do have some sort of tonal benefit, great. I'll leave that for others to discuss.

Without wishing to tempt fate, it's hard to see what could really go wrong. Everything seems pretty sturdy (within the sensible limits of a traditional acoustic guitar) and the electronics are fairly simple.

I'm prepared for the fact that the finish is more delicate than some others - fortunately I think J45's look good with a few years' good wear on them.

While I'll obviously be as careful with the guitar as I can, I won't be worried about taking it to an open mic or a party or letting (reasonably sober and trusted) friends play it. It's a workhorse, like the nickname says.

I've not had to deal with Gibson regarding this guitar. I think it has a year's warranty from the shop (Peter Cook's Guitar World in Hanwell, West London - I'd like to put in a recommendation for them at this point as they have excellent service, stock and prices. The "9" score is for them).

I was originally planning to spend more on something like a Breedlove Pre War dreadnought, but I played this and realised that it just suited me better. I think the boutique acoustics, amazing as they are, would just be a little bit too ..."precious"... for my purposes. I'd also probably be afraid to take them anywhere in case they got breathed on.

I will say that I played a couple of other J45's of varying quality. If I had to replace this guitar, I'd want another J45 but would anticipate having to look around to find the right one.

Mine's a 2002 or so. USA made. Solid wood dreadnaught w/ sunburst finish lacquered beautifully. 14 available frets to body. I upgraded to get locking, fitted case w/ comfortable leather handle. Spruce top, mahogany back and sides. Very lightweight to hold. Perfect balance. Add your own strap button, if you want one on neck. Comes with under-saddle pickup and no control. Rosewood neck, thinnish frets and vintage tuners with white plastic ends. This is a basic, no frills, acoustic guitar.

I'm a strummy guy. For this style the J 45 is the best I've ever played or heard. If I heard better, I'd find a way to buy it. It's also great for finger picking with my clawhammer folky style. Look no further if you play mostly on the first 8 or so frets. It has the Gibson, Beatle-y ring for rhythm if you so appreciate. Country, folk, rock and bluegrass are well within it's range. Play a chord and hear the BLEND rather than individual notes. You can bang the heck out of it without a buzz. But, although it sounds great everywhere, it won't set up for low action to the upper frets. when you do this, you lose the specialness of it's tone for the above uses. The richness of sweet mids is addictive. I love it more now than 5 years ago.

The guitar comes with medium/high action. Again, lower the action a little, but you WILL reach a point of diminishing tones. The intonation is perfect. I cut the nut down a smidgeon for easier F's (1st fret stuff). The guitar wants to be played with vigor. It's not a silky neck. You work for the gorgeous tone of each note/chord. It's light body feels airy, sitting or standing. You will feel the vibrations in the back of the guitar against your body. It will re-assure you in this way that it's transmitting your musical message.

This guitar goes everywhere with me. For the past 5 yrs., it has taken a beating at the hands of kids and adults at clubs and parties, indoors and out. The finish is dulled by sweat from my forearm and by detergent I used on it to get sticker glue off it. All of which just makes the j45 more of an extension of my lifestyle. I play it live and in practice. Nothing has worn out. Strings sound WAY better to me after several weeks of playing. The guitar just isn't made for bright, snappy sounds in my opinion.
It is solid feeling, as though it's made of one piece. No durability issues here. I don't bring backup in acoustic outings. Bear in mind that I mike the instrument-so what's to break? A string? Take 5.

Haven't needed any. Warranty on parts and labor was 90 days, I think.

I've been playing since '64. I play a Tele onstage mostly, although I like the SG I got at a yardsale in '80. I started on acoustics (a Decca) and have had an Epi, Aria, an Ovation legend. Bands come and go as will my use of electrics. There will ALWAYS be a place for the j45. It is a player. It is nearly invisible around the stuff with frilly appointments. But, she will shine like a silver dollar when played to her strengths. If lost or stolen, I would seek to get another. I took it off the rack 5 years ago and the guitar had the sound and feel I wanted. Still does.

2006 Gibson J-45. Mahogany back and sides. Sitka top. Passive pickup. This guitar ain't fancy. That's one of the reasons I bought it. A classic.

The sound is warm and rich. The bass has a good growl without being too boomy. The highs are sweet without being overly bright. The kind of guitar you don't want to put down.

The action was setup at E.M. Shorts Guitars in Wichita,KS. They did a good job. I have replaced the saddle with a bone saddle from Bob Colosi. I ground it down myself so the action is relatively low, which I like. No flaws from the factory that I could see.

Seems real solid to me.

Haven't had to deal with Gibson yet. Sent in my warranty card and they sent a letter sating I was registered.

I've been playing for about 8 years. Just an average guitarist that strums the songs I grew up with (60's, 70's stuff). I love the old fashioned look of this guitar. It is an excellent strumming guitar and a good fingerstyle guitar too. I would definitely buy another one if it were stolen.

Vintage Sunburst, Spruce top and Indian Rosewood back and sides. Slope-Shouldered Dreadnought shape. Vintage "backwards" bridge. I replaced the cheesy origional string pegs with new bone pegs which increased the brightness of the guitar's sound. 14 frets clear. It has an undersaddle pickup which by itself exhibits the usual "quack" but run throught a tube compressor yields quite good acoustic tone. Tuners are Gold-plated Grovers and are very good.

I play blues, slide, bluegrass and fingerstyle. This is a very versatile guitar for all of these styles. I use a Drive amp and a Centaur PA and the combination is adequate.

Here we go... I bought the guitar at Northridge Music in Citrus Heights, CA. The first guitar I bought had a big "hump" at the 14th fret. Northridge's incompetent "luthier" said it was "OK". It was not OK. I took the guitar back and it was sent to Gibson for "repair". It came back from Gibson and they didn't do a thing to it. I demanded a new guitar and finally received one after many months of haggling with Northridge. Finally I received a guitar that could be made into a player. I took the instrument to Nicholson Music in Folsom California where their luthier finally made it play like it should. Northridge offered no reimbursement for the expense I incurred to repair an instrument that should never have been hanging on their shop wall. A big fat "F" for Northridge Music and an "A" for Nicholson.

It is a good, mid-level guitar. I think it will last a long time. I like it.

Gibson sucks. They get an "F".

I have been playing acoustic guitar for almost 30 years. I've bought and sold dozens of Gibsons, Martins, etc. I would advise anyone who is thinking about buying a Gibson acoustic to play a lot of guitars and be very careful. Their quality control isn't very good. Martin is much better, but Gibson has cooler looking instruments. I am happy with my J-45 but would warn anyone buying one to be sure that it is right before you take it home.

I play fingerpicking blues and bluegrass primarily. The J-45 sound is great for the old blues stuff and has a complex sound with a great bass that I like a lot with a thumbpick. It cannot hold its own in a group setting though. If there are more than a couple other guitars and/or a banjo, flatpick solos are inaudible. Solo playing is fine. I don't have a pickup but am thinking of putting in a K&K pure western.

Action is set up rather high. The piece of wood used for the top is a great piece of spruce. Interestingly, it's a black guitar so you can only visually appreciate the grain with a mirror.

Mine is an early 90's J-45 and I don't think it was well made. I live in a humid environment (deep south) but I haven't subjected it to abusive heat or anything like that. Yet, the belly is rising and the bridge rotating. I've been told that many of the old Gibsons started to do that as well over the years but mine is only about 15 years old. I've installed a bridge doctor which seems to help but I feel like it's not a well built guitar.

Customer support is terrible as far as I'm concerned. When I bought it (from an authorized dealer) I made sure to take care of all the warranty info and register with Gibson etc. When I started to have problems with the bridge/belly I contacted Gibson. They told me that the warranty process meant nothing essentially and if I didn't have the original reciept they could do nothing. The store I bought it from went out of business years ago and I haven't been able to find the original reciept. After some questioning, the Gibson rep more or less admitted that the warranty program is really just so they can get your contact info and send you crap in the mail. So if you buy a Gibson save your reciepts in a safe place! You would think a high end guitar company would stand by their products better than Gibson does.

I've been playing for 17 years or so. I wouldn't get a J-45 again. I like the sound and I think the roundshoulder shape has a definite coolness factor but it is a mediocre tool for my music. I would get a big sounding dreadnought for bluegrass/flatpicking and a smaller OM size or something similar for fingerpicking. It's almost impossible to find a guitar that excels at both and although the J-45 can do both it suffers at each. A Martin M-38, for my ear, may be the best guitar to compromise these styles.

Made in 1991 at Montana in the USA. Round shoulder. Vintage Sunburst (Black/Brown/Orange). Circular Abalone, 12 frets. Solid spruce top. Solid Mahogany neck , back, sides ribbed front. Hard case included. The tuners resemble fishermans friends mints stuck to what it appears when looked closley enough to be a name plate stamp and a vintage old western wild west Camera resembling the American flag. Reminds me of the wild wild west and Jack Daniels whiskey.

Rich and Full, but Boomy when it gets going. I strum and listen a lot in my musicical universe and even sing, but that 'Workhorse" Boomy almost thunderous sound comes and goes and comes back again depending on whether you strike 6th,5th & 4th strings whilst strumming; and it puts me right off, due to the round shoulder design probably. Image is everything with GIBSON I feel the sound speakes for itself, Good appearance of sound to the appearance of guitar. Coming from England it's too American and Epiphone would suit especialy when it comes to Price, they're second best to the GIBSON's tone, feel and appearance. Great nick name though. Prefer something brighter and tighter. GIBSON Square shoulder range. If it were a car it would be a Ford Mustange BOSS.

The action when compared to a cheaper model is stiff and very stable, it's quite responsive, but it does'nt play back well due to the Boomy sound it gives it just keeps on going and going. A well made sturdy feel almost cuts into the body when you hold it in a playing position. The finish is the end result a thick shiny lacquer over the black/brown/orange finish. I think GIBSON needs a renaisance.

Never tried giging with it and probably never will. You pay for what you get with GIBSON without doubt.

Playing for Years
Expensive Deep Montana, USA sound
GIBSON Image made FAMOUS by FAMOUS ARTISTS
Would I gig with it NO. I would either need it or send it along with a model that has a pre-amp and use that one no matter the price, it's how its played at the end of the day.

2000 model J-45 made in Bozeman, Montana. All the specs are on the gibson.com website. As far as features this guitar is a minimalists dream. I personally love it because of this.

This guitar perfectly suits my musical style (folk & blues). It has a very warm sound with minimal sustain which is great for fingerstyle blues, and it also has that traditional shortscale mahogany sound which is perfectly suited for folk music. I could not be happier with the sound of this guitar.

The action, like others have stated, was quite high when I received this guitar. Gibson I'm sure does this to get the most volume and tone out of this guitar, but if you wish to sacrifice a little volume you can certainly adjust it down to play more like an electric. The fit and finish on this guitar is outstanding. The sunburst on my J-45 is known as "vintage sunburst" and it is most certainly the nicest sunburst I have ever seen; not harsh and "spotlight-like" (as evident on several other J-45's) but rather very smooth and historically accurate. The top is also perfectly bookmatched.

There is a reason this guitar is known as "the work-horse". It gives new meaning to the term durability, and certainly will stand the test of time.

I've dealt with Gibson in order to replace the pickguard which was covering the rosette and they were beyond helpful. The warranty is for life, and this guitar will most certainly stay with me for that long too!

I've been playing for about 8 years now, and I just bought a Martin OM-35 about a year ago. Even though the OM-35 was less than a year old when I stumbled on this J-45, when I saw and heard it I knew it had to be mine. I traded in all my old electric guitar gear in order to finance this purchase and I never thought twice about it. I most certainly would replace it if it were stolen, and if there were a fire I'd grab this guitar first; in other words it's simply irreplacable to me. I've played just about every Martin dreadnought, as well as several other Gibson, Taylor, Bourgeois and Froggy Bottom guitars and nothing has sounded as beautiful to my ear as this J-45.

Mine is c. 2004 standard model picked up (barely) used for a reasonable price off eBay in the UK. All the usual features as per other reviews. Personally I like the machine heads which other people say look cheap, they do they job and are part of the charm of the retro design. This is a fairly simple guitar which has little in the way of features - but that is exactly what I wanted so it would be odd to mark it down for that. It gets extra points for the under bridge pick up and decent hard case, and loses points for the lack of a strap button on the heel.

Frankly I am pretty disappointed with the acoustic sound of this guitar. I came to this from a Taylor 414 and the Taylor beat it absolutely hands down for tone when finger picking (although the Taylor couldnt be strummed which is why it has gone!). I play a mixture of rock, blues folk and country of this J45 and it sounds OK. Trouble is it doesnt (to my ear at least) sound like a $1000 guitar should. Amplified sound is suprisingly good however from the under bridge pickup. If this guitar had cost $400 I would have rated it 8, it didnt so it only gets a 6!

It is not really fair to assess the action on this guitar as it had been set up too low by the previous owner and it needed a truss rod adjustment and heavier strings on it after I got hold of it to sort it out. Action is good now, very low for an acoustic and nice to play. Finish is unexceptional - feels OK but (like with the sound) this doesnt feel like a $1000 guitar. The truss rod cover is especially crap, so much so I have had to replace it with something that I am not ashamed of.

To be fair the general look of the guitar is flawless, very nice looking top, all joins are fine. My only other criticism in this department would be the fret ends which could be much smoother. They do not rip the flesh of your fingers like a few cheap imports I have played but they are not what they could be. Again I am marking this down based on cost. The Taylor I referred to was similar money, the Taylor felt like it had the quality of a BMW, this feels more like a Kia!

Based on the "work horse" reputation reliability should not be a problem, I have had the guitar for a few months and bar a quick truss rod adjustment everything has been fine. I only gig with electric guitars (teles and strats) so I cannot tell you my gig experiences. I would use this guitar happily at an acoustic show though and I am sure it would cope fine!

I checked a couple of details with Gibson customer support after buying this guitar and they emailed me back within a working day with helpful information. That is as much as I can expect so I am happy with that!

This is really tough. This is what buying and owning guitars is all about, the thing is that despite everything I have said, I love this guitar! Speaking logically I know that it was not good value for money - a used Takamine would have given me much more for much less but the thing is I had to have a Gibson! I love the way this guitar looks (and it does play well - playability is very good). I keep telling myself this guitar will improve with age. It had better!

My brain scores this guitiar as a 6, my heart scores it a 10 - they meet somewhere in the middle. 7 is a bad score though, a $1000 should be a 9+ every time!

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.

2001 J-45 Made in USA. 20 big fat frets, under saddle transducer, solid spruce top, mahogany back, sides and neck. Nice finish. Slope shouldered body. Nice chunky neck, crappy tuners, crappy bridge pins. Rosewood fretboard and bridge.

It suits my strumming and hard digging style. It does not fare well on fingerpicking compared to my 000-28, but thats okay, the 000-28 does not bark when attacked either! The sound is rich and full, not as much bass as my D-42 or J-200, but again, thats okay. The only guitar that approaches the J-45 for midrange presence is the D-42, but it is quite different overall. I find myself recording with the J-45 alot more than the other guitars, and i guess i just go to it automatically. Why is that? I think i like the midrange, my hearing is not what it used to be!!! Actually, i always use more than one acoustic when recording, for different textures, but this J-45 always seems to show up in the recording logs whenever someone is looking up what acoustic was used for a specific track! Says alot...

Very well put together, in and out. Set up was quite good, and this is a new instrument. I think the dealer tweaked it up a bit. I don't like the tuners, i think Gibson was trying to create a vintage vibe, but the tuners were crap then, and those tuners are crap now. Not everything old is good, guys! Anyway, i changed the tuners and the bridge pins. If you want really good bone bridge pins at a really reasonable price, look into Orth.

These guitars are built for the long haul. Not that i want to bang it around, but i find i am more comfortable with the J-45 and don't baby it like i do the Martins. But that is all part of the charm and fun of owning different guitars, they do different things to you, bring out different emotions, and that's alot of fun, to me anyways.

I have never had reason to call them. I guess thats a good thing. I have a good warranty with the guitar. It came with a little humidifier and booklet. They want you to look after it. They are also letting you know that they will not cover any damage caused by dryness or over humidifying, so take care of your guitar!

Been playing a long time. I own a few nice acoustics, some that i have mentioned above. I also own some nice electrics. I have always wanted a slope shouldered Gibson since i was a kid. I saw a J-45 in a shop window when i was 10 years old,(1965), and it was the most beautiful thing i had ever seen at that point in my life (except for Carmella, my childhood sweetheart!) I did not compare this to anything else when i bought it, other than a few more J-45s and a couple of J-50s. This one sounded the best. 2 years later and it sounds even better! I don't know about it being a fantastic value, as i have not tried every guitar in that price range under the hot golden sun, but it is the only guitar that stirred up the past! It reminds me of a time long ago!

This is a 2003 Bozeman MT product. It's so barren and standard, it's beautiful. Mahogany back and sides, spruce top, vintage sunburst top. It came with a nice Fishman undersaddle transducer. It's a J-45. Everyone knows what it's made of and looks like. I'll go straight into the other more interesting things about this guitar.

How do I even start out with this? I own a lot of guitars. A few Martins, a couple Taylors, a Collings a PRS and a Breedlove. I have considered myself a Martin man, though I experiment with other guitars that tickle my fancy. I came across this Spartan box at my favorite local music shop one day, and began to strum. It wasn't overly boomy like my 3 Martin Dreads, and didn't have a high sparkle like my Collings OM, but it did something to me that I really can't explain. It was honest and pure and had a nice mid range thump, rolling inobtrusive lows and gorgeous punchy highs. It sounded like it meant every note that it produced. I was taken aback, and decided that if this guitar was there when I came back in two days, then it was meant to be. I came back and it was gone! I asked in desperation- the owner of the shop said one of his employees had taken it home - but if I wanted it, he'd get it back (hey, it pays to be a good customer!). Next day, I took this baby home. It sounds so markedly different from my other guitars, I was somewhat apprehensive. But, there's something so simple and perfect about it, that it makes me sort of forget about those pearl-inlayed Martins sitting in my studio. It's perfect for just about anything- incredibly versatile. Fingerstyle, hardcore alt.country strumming, flatpicking, jazz....you name it. Everything sounds good. Everything sounds honest. That's the word that I've come up with to describe this guitar: honest.

This box was set up like traditional Gibson acoustics: like a Dobro only with higher action. I like high action, but come on! The frets are high and round, and I love them, but the nut is pretty high too (I may wind up filing it down a bit so I can play a barred F without breaking too many tendons in my wrist). I bought a bone saddle and put it in, and after some minor adjustments, I had it set up the way I wanted it. The pickup was always spotty - being very faint on the high and low E strings. I remedied the situation by doing a little cleaning under the pickup in the saddle slot, and by making sure the bottom of my new saddle was absolutely razor-straight. I was a bit disappointed that the pickup wasn't balanced when I got the guitar, but I was going to customize it anyway, so why complain? Other than the action and the pickup, the guitar was in great shape. Sometimes you'll run across a shoddily-finished Gibby, but not this one. Clean and simple - not as clean as, say a Taylor, but it sounds better than a Taylor, so who cares? Right?

Will this guitar survive live playing? You bet. It's not the number one acoustic on touring musician's stages for nothin'! In fact, I didn't really consider this guitar mine until I took it on stage and whacked it a few times with a guitar cable to give it a few scratches and dings. The finish seems great, and I added a strap button which better not fall off, or I'll be really embarassed. This is one of my main stage guitars - I alternate between this one and my trusty, banged-all-to-hell Martin D-35.

I sent Gibson my warranty card. They sent me a letter back addressed to me. That's all I've dealt with them. Seems good to me, eh?

I've been playing for 8 years. I am a professional musician/songwriter, etc. I've played a lot of guitars in my short years on this earth, and have had the pleasure to own a good number of them as well. I had always been leary of Gibson acoustics because of their reputation of being so inconsistent in terms of qualilty. However, the more newer Bozeman products I play, the more I have begun to realize that Gibson is once again a force to be reckoned with in the Acoustic guitar world. I still wouldn't go out right away and look for a J-45 if this were stolen or were burned up in a stage-pyrotechnics fire. I'm at the point now where I'll get a guitar that speaks to me when I play it. Actually, if this one were rendered a total loss, I'd probably go get the J-185 that I keep playing at the same shop. Hell, I might just buy it anyway. Comparing guitars is really a matter left for the ears, rather than for the printed page - or the internet. However, archives such as this are very good references, because there's a lot of people who have a lot of guitars who can shed light on how these sound, and give some consistant remarks on what to look for and what to avoid. This J-45 is an amazing instrument - totally unlike other guitar makers' products. It sounds distinctly Gibson, dry and punchy, loud and clear, strong and honest. It doesn't try to do anything it can't- there's no crazy overtones or complexities involved with a J-45's sound. It's simple, pure and sounds like a....guitar. In the search for the perfect sounding instrument, there'll never be a clear winner. However, in my search, this J-45 comes very close to perfection - be the strings new and bright, or old and stretched. No matter what the condition, the J-45 that I have excells at whatever I ask it to do. That's a remarkable feat.

Bought mine back in 1992... Manny's in NYC. Sat in the "Old" acoustic room for hours, conviced that I was getting a Martin. Then I pulled the J-45 and a great friend was found. Spruce top, white binding, etc. I've been told the "Special" referred to a "Manny's" deal with the folks out in Bozeman... instead of dots mine has the a split inlays very much like Les Pauls. Pretty cool. Anyway, I've been beating the hell out this guitar for 12 years and it's as tight as the day I got it. As solid as they come.

You want an acoustic that projects? This is your guitar. Nothing whimpy about this axe.

Excellent!!! Only problem in 12 years happened about five years ago where I lost a tuning peg. Replaced the entire set with Gibson Factory replacement and never looked back.

Rock Solid.

called the Gibson folks a couple times for manufacturing dates, etc. on a number of my guitars. They have always been incredible cool to me.

I purchased my J-45 on ebay, it ws made in the 70's has a belt rash thats the worst case I ever saw, came with a funky pickguard glured over the original, turnes out it was hiding a deep gash, also came with a vintage DeArmond pu screewed in wired to a tone and volume controll (wired wrong) placed in 2 drilled out holes and a 1/4 inch jack placed in a drilled hole in lower right hand bout. Luckily no cracks. I pulled the pup and controlls, removed added pick guard and gave the poor think a gentle cleaning and buff. As for rating this catergory for an acoustic, It has whats its supposed to have and nothing else and that means a ten to me being a minimalist. But is doesn't have tons of features so a 9 looks better fro rating.

This is the great part. The seller must have had lowered the strings a piece of papers width from fret board. This guitar was bought for finger pickng and slide for Furry Lewis,Lightnin' Hopkins and Fred Mcdowell type stuff. First thing was to raise the nut.. (don't try this at home) I always shim a nut with a cut to size business end of a razor blade. Not my idea, was done by some of the early blues artist. I can see why if fingerpickng is your method, seems toopen up te pallet for tone shaping created by fingernail attack and a lighter touch can be used which saves on broken fingernails. Next it raised the insert for intonation, tried many strrings and (the model escapes me) but they are one click down from the Gibson J-200's without the wrapped end. 11-52 I think, anyhow, It was between these or the Martin Marquies, although the Gibson strings took a while to ether break in or maybe my ear getting adjusted to them its a perfect choice for my needs. Very responsive, even and feel good and most importantly make a fine noise with either fingerpicking or slide.The sound can be bright, full or wirey depending on attack and proximity to sound hole/bridge. Can't help any flat pickers out there. Guitar is loud, thats for sure.
A year ago I would have complained that the neck on this J-45 was not bold enough and the strings a wee bit close together but after getting use to the beck and spacing I have to admit my pickin' them fast slippery blues licks is a bunch easier and is comfortable on my 54 year old hands. This is not my 1st Gibson acoustic and I'm not Gibson fanatic in fact I have some great sounding Regals, Bronsons and Kays to name a few, but without a doug this is a great sounding guitar, holes, belt rash and all. Its easy to mike live, I use a very cheap Sampson C-10 "studio Mike.. Don't have and problem with feedback cause the guitar is so loud, and believe it or not this $60.00 mike has replaced an AKG I use to use.

Action was much too low but now all is well. Guitar body has many cosmetic flaws plus the 3 hole drill for the t,v, and jack. Blues players usually say anytime a guitar doesn't look that pretty nut play and sounds great that its "a bluesy" looking guitar.I won't put a rating on this because anything that was wrong with it wasn't the fault of the guitar.

This guitar has survived living hell and its used constantly to gig.

never been in contact...

Been at it for long time. If this was stolen, I got a feeling I would have to search high and low to be this lucky again but I sure would try. I think most if not all J-45's are very fine and would suit a variety of styles whether it was new or old, they really got this model right on. The only thing else I would like to share is if Gibsons keeps raising there prices, only conservative Replublics will be able to efford them. It was a fantastic value for me at 700 bux, but new, its a guitar not acar

This is a follow-up to a review I posted back in 1999 when I first bought my guitar. It is a 1992 Gibson Centenary re-issue with a natural finish, made in Bozeman (?) Otherwise it's the same as the others. No pick-up, though.

After owning the guitar for 5 years I can safely say that the sound gets better and better. It records really well and is great live, too.

I've just had it set up for the first time in 5 years and it sounds/plays great.

This guitar is solidly built and I wouldn't think twice about taking it on tour or whatever.

Thankfully I've never really needed Gibson's help with anything

It's tempting to look at the vintage market and assume the older guitars are the ones to go for but I beg to differ. After two disastrous decades Gibson have finally realised they have to start making quality products again. Like the other reviewers say, take a good look around and play as many as you can find before buying. There is a HUGE difference between the individual instruments. Many are absolute dogs. However, if youmanage to find an instrument that suits you, you'll be a happy camper for many, many years.

2001 standard model. Comes with an excellent hard case.

In a word, beautiful. This guitar just sounds amazing; brilliant bass response particulary. You can't stop playing it. The guitar sustains forever; harmonics are also amazing. I tried two others before I settled on this one; the first was great, but was a cosmetic second. The second didn't sound as 'alive'. But the third one was perfect. I would suggest always trying different J-45's out before you buy. Other people in previous reviews have also said this.

The sunburst is amazing. The finish of the whole guitar is flawless. Take a look at it in natural light and it is perfect. Although, the other two guitars I tried, didn't have as brighter sunburst. It is such a good looking guitar. Elements like the white plastic tuners are what gives it its look. People in previous reviews have been complaining about the tuners being plastic, and yes you should get more for your money, but they are an important part of the aesthetic of the guitar. The neck is wonderful. The factory set up wasn't great though: the action was incredibly high and I am a bass player!

Seems pretty tough, although you want to look after it. Only had it a week, so can't really answer this section.

Academy of Sound were very good. The case didn't have the humidifier in, so they are going to order it for me, which I suppose is goos customer support.

I have been playing for 10 years. I have a 2000 American Jazz bass, 1995 American precision, 1980 Les Paul Custom and a 1988 Strat Plus. And now I have an acoustic to match up to them. This guitar just makes me exicted every time I play it. It just sings to you. I would definately get another if something was to happen to it. It looks so unique compared to every other a acoustic and it sounds so good! It is simple and therefore a classic.

My J45 was built in Kalamazoo back in 1962.I believe that it was originally cherry sunburst but was faded to look like a J50 when I purchased it about 10 years ago. The guitar has a solid Spruce top, and solid mahogany back. I'm not sure if the guitar has solid mahogany sides or if it is laminated. The bridge is non adjustable with a solid saddle and is made from a beautifully figured piece of Brazilian rosewood.

This is one of the finest sounding J45's I've heard. It has a warm, full voice. The sound when played hard goes to a new dimension and becomes percussive and loud as the top is driven.It sounds like the Everly Brithers or early Beatles. It has deep bass but never too boomy as on some Martins. This guitar also exhibits a great sound when played with out a pick great for fingerstylings.

As this guitar was purchased used I can't attest to the factory at all. This guitar has low, low action with absolutely no string buzz. The neck is wide and flat making playing this guitar a dream. Everyone who plays it tyies to buy it from me. The top has some small hairline cracks that have been cleated.It has the original tuners that do a reasonable job of keeping the guitar in tune.

This guitar gas been around for 40 years and only seems to get better with age.I have used it live and it seems solidly made and would offer no problems if used everyday in a live setting.

I've been playing for 40 years. This is the finest flat top I've played. Nothing matches its warm full sound and great playability. A true winner!!

Lefty 2003 Gibson J-45 (US Made, Bozeman, MT). This guitar features round shoulder style, Sitka spuce top, Honduras mahogany back and sides, Indian rosewood fingerboard, V-shape neck, Indian rosewood bridge, tortoise tear drop pickguard, Nickel Gotoh w/white oval button tuners, and a Fishman Active tranducer pickup. Also, it comes with a really nice hardshell case and sound hole humidifier. The vintage sunburst finish gives it a classic look. Scale length is 24-3/4." This guitar may not be as ornate as some of its competitors in this price range, however, it is a very honest guitar in the sense that it does what it is supposed to do and the Fishmann tranducer pickup gives it versatility in that you can plug it in if the situation calls for it.

This guitar is known as the "work horse" and it certainly lives up to that reputation. The guitar has a well balanced sound, one of the best in its price range. Rich full notes and overtones that blossom and sustain wonderfully. The guitar has a deep bass sound to it without getting muddy. The mids and highs are equally represented and thick. The whole things comes together very nicely. Flatpicking is awesome, every note is full and sustains beautifully. Chording is equally powerful and this guitar responds well to soft and hard attacks, never losing its overall articulation. This guitar also does a great job with fingerpicking style on account of its deep full sound. The only negative comes when you do some serious chord work, at those times some of the intricacies can get a bit lost but not to the point where you will feel that the guitar has let you down. In other words, it does have its limits but for an all around singer/songwriter everyday player you'd be hard pressed to find a better sound and value in this price range. The guitar sounds big without being boomy, overall, it is a very unique sounding guitar.

The factory set up on mine was good. I do plan to have the action lowered just a bit to make it more comfortable but it is not to high by any standard. In other words it plays really nice as is out of the box and is fairly comfortable which is why I am in no hurry to have the action lowered (I'll get to it when I get to it). The finish is nicely done and has a cool vintage vibe to it. Close inspection reveals some minor finsh flaws around the sound hole but nothing bad. Like I said above it is a a very honest looking guitar, no frills, just cool sound.

So far so good. The Fishman is reliable and the guitar is like most fine acoustics, that is, generally fragile. You need to be careful to not bang it around too much. The finish is puposely thin to allow it to breath so be kind to it.

I emailed once and got a response the next day. Pretty cool for a huge corporation, in my opinion.

I have been playing for over 25 years. I have been lucky to have owned some fine guitars. Martin D-28, D-35, Taylor 614, 712ce. This guitar represents a very good overall value. The d-28 was very nice overall sounding guitar but was not as comfortable as this and didn't have the fullness of this J45. The D-35 was horribly bassy and boomy, the mids and highs were lost on that one. The Taylors had great necks and good sound but lacked the fullness of the J-45 and when you play them hard they get awefully trebly sounding. The only gutar I like in comparison to the J45 was a Martin "Golden Era" D-18 but that guitar is over $1K more than the J-45 and has no pickup. Everyones taste is a bit different but usually all us guitar afficiandoes can agree on a good value in guitars and this is certainly worth you checking out. The vintage sunburst finish and Fishman tranducer elevates it out of the ordinary looks category and the sound (the most important thing) is anything but ordinary. Like I said above it is a unique sounding guiat and unlike its competitors it maintains an even balance between bass,mids, and treble no matter what you throw at it. At the end of the day, for the money it sounds full and rich with overtones...like um...a Gibson!

2003 solid top, fishman pick up, top sikta, body mahogony. No pick up EQ, so a small eq unit is needed for live use. Its an acoustic guitar, what features could you want!

The most important thing and the sole reason I bought this beast. I have tried all kinds of guitars over the last few days. Everyone kept saying the taylor is the best and so I was about to get one, till I picked this up. DONT believe anyone who tells you a taylor is better than a gibson!!! Theyre so different in sound, they cannot be compared like this!

The taylor (300, 400 series) has a beautiful tone when plucked or fingerpicked, and is very shimmery and trebly. However for rythm playing, especially hard playing it sounds harsh and too trebly. The j-45 has a much warmer sound suited to strumming/rythm playing of any kind, and responds really well when played hard. However, for me it also sounds wonderful fingerpicked and for lead work. It certainly has a unique sound that must be played to be appreciated.

Taylor's new ES system is awesome however and the sound coming out of an amp is much closer to the sound you hear from the guitar than any other pickup system available. Thats the only reason I found it hard choosing between the 2, since I will need it for live work a lot. However, there are new gizmos coming out that give a better plugged in sound from the gibson, so I chose the gibson.

And ps, dont assume a more expensive gibson has a better sound - i tried out the other higher priced models and none sounded as warm and rich as the j-454 to me.

Set up fine.

I hear gibsons last. So nothing to worry about here. Plus they get better with age, more so than other leading brands.

I've been playing 6 years, I own a 77 telecaster, vox ac15, yamaha apx-10 (currently on its way to the bin - a useless guitar, that sounds way too tinny to use live). This guitar sounds like no other, and just clicked with me the moment I tried it. If you try it and that happens, then its the one for you.

Would steal a new one if mine was stolen, for sure.

This is a Gibson J-45 2003 round shouldered acoustic manufactured in Bozeman, Montana. It?s a faithful re-issue of the classic 40?s workhorse model finished in stunning vintage sunburst with a tortoise tear drop shaped pickguard. The body style features a solid spruce back and side and a solid stitka top. A dark chunk of indian rosewood is used for the 20-fret fingerboard. The tuners are traditional style Gotoh with white oval buttons, which really help to establish the guitar?s vintage credentials. The guitar is also fitted with a very useful Fishman transducer pickup and comes with plush lined hardshell case.

This is a real strummers/songwriters guitar, which gives off a tight, vibrant sound with bags of deep bass and treble. For such a small guitar (short scale at 24 3/4 inches) it really projects (with amazing sustain) whether strumming hard or soft. The sound is very rich and raw and I?m sure the tone will only improve as the guitar ages and is broken in. The J-45 offers plenty of headroom and volume, and all the while remains naturally balanced enough to make a wonderful sound.

The guitar came set up with Gibson Phosphor Bronze wound strings which help to deliver a deep/crisp tone. Initially, the strings were set slightly high, which made it difficult for finger picking and certain open cords, but a professional set-up soon remedied the situation. The very thin nitro-cellulose finish was flawless as was the sombre deep sunburst finish. My only criticism was the rosewood neck, which was very dry, but this was soon remedied with an application of lemon oil.

The guitar is incredibly light and although extremely well made, I would imagine it would be prone to scratching if not handled correctly. Considering the reputation of these fine Gibson Montana flattops, I expect the J-45 to last a lifetime and would be disappointed if it didn?t.

The guitar has a lifetime warranty and so far I?ve had no reason to contact Gibson directly.

My decision to buy a Gibson J-45 was strongly influenced by some of the great guitarists who have used one over the years. From Buddy Holly, Neil Young and John Lennon to more contemporary artists like Richard Ashcroft, Jeff Tweedy, Paul Weller and Damon Gough.

Whether being used strictly for songwriting or performing live, for me, the J-45 just has it all. Amazing tone, precise attention to detail, effortless playability and fantastic looks. Gibson acoustics have been criticised in certain quarters for their high list price but when compared to similarly priced Martins and Taylors, the J-45 has that certain uniqueness that its rivals just don?t possess. I have longed for a Gibson made acoustic for quite some time and after testing both a J-185 and J-150, the less ornate J-45 won hands down. Unlike the bigger jumbo models it?s small enough to pick up and play at any time but also loud enough to hold its own in any live situation. Overall the Gibson J-45 is a timeless piece that defines modern elegance.

Made in Bozeman, Montana in 1990. The serial number indicates that it was the 2nd guitar completed that day. The standard features are available on the Gibson website. This particular guitar has a transducer integrated into the saddle and an endpin pickup.

I mention elsewhere that I was attracted to this guitar by it's great looks. The second thing that grabbed me was the feel of the neck. Gibson really got this right, in my opinion. The nut width is just shy of 1 3/4", which is larger than the common 1 11/16". The neck profile is really very nice. Not a skinny, so called "fast" neck, but a good shape with a slight V. Fits my hand perfectly. I have been told by other folks on the Internet that their Gibson J guitars have completely different neck profiles. I have no idea why they might be different, but I would caution readers to know that this is apparently a variable detail.

I do not amplify my guitar. I will likely never use the saddle transducer. And the endpin jack, BTW, is too wide for the holes in my guitar straps.

I have owned several Gibson J-45/50 guitars. The 1950's models have sounded crisp and bright with plenty of "bark" for lead playing. The 1960's models have all had a mellower, warmer tone. I sold a '65 J-50 last year that sounded fantastic... for some songs, but didn't work in a stringband setting. The opposite is true of my '50's J-50. This Bozeman J-45 fits right between the two sounds. With Alaska Piks, I can fingerpick this guitar and get a warm, woody tone for vocal accompaniment. With a 1mm Dunlop Nylon flatpick, I can get a fully homogenized chord with a string bass note for stringband accompaniment. With a .8 mm plastic Dunlop, I can pull a strong, clear single string tone for bluegrass lead style picking.

Note: String brands and gauges, types of picks and picking styles make a HUGE difference in how a guitar sounds. It's always the case that YMMV.

Really nice sunburst finish. I was initially attracted to the guitar in the store by it's eye catching good looks. I have yet to see an acoustic guitar manufacturer, new or old, big or small, create a sunburst finish as lovely as those done by Gibson. Setup was poor - strings too low with fret buzz on the first few frets. I shimmed the nut a tiny bit and all is well now. The nut, interestingly, was not glued in place. When I removed all the strings the nut fell off! Odd, but made for an easy shim job. Cheap tuners - Kluson with Keystone buttons. I will most likely replace these with white oval button tuners.

Seems well made. Not nearly as light weight as my 1950's J-50. Solid wood construction, and I noticed that Gibson didn't use side reinforcements like I have seen in other guitars. Martin uses fabric strips, Santa Cruz uses small pieces of basswood, etc.

Mentioned above: endpin button doesn't look trustworthy. No heel button.

Tuner are cheap.

Finish seems durable.

Don't know, never contacted Gibson.

I have been playing the acoustic guitar for over 30 years. I own several guitars, including vintage Martins and Gibsons (and three Guilds, now that I think about it). I think the slope shoulder, short scale is one of the great innovations in guitar design, and I have spent the last couple of years searching for the "right" guitar of this body style. I have bought and sold 8 Gibson J guitars in the past two years and played several copies by other makers (Santa Cruz, Huss & Dalton, imports). I am most pleased with this particular J-45. It looks great, has a fabulous easy playing neck and sounds like a Gibson. The expensive boutique guitars I played sounded OK, but they didn't have The Sound I expect from one of these guitars. Warm, full and powerful - at a price that is a fraction of the cost of a boutique model! I think this guitar represents a very good value.

Regarding short scale, slope shoulder dreadnought sized guitars, in my opinion the motto "Only A Gibson" is spot on.

1994 model. solid sitka spruce top in vintage sunburst finish, solid mahogany back and sides, white binding on body, kluson vintage tuners, round shoulder design dreadnought made in bozeman, montana. mahogany neck, indian rosewood fretboard and bridge, 20 frets, 24 3/4" scale leangth. included vintage brown gibson hardshell case.

ok, this is where the j-45 gets perfect marks from my point of view. i began my "high end" acoustic guitar search about two years ago when i traded my duties as lead guitarist to begin to focus seriously on songwriting and singing. before then, i'd always owned acoustics in the low to mid level, the $300 to $400 range. for frame of refference, my idea of high end is over $1000.... obviously, there are acoustics that are far greater in cost than that, but you get the point. so, i started with a taylor 310 then on to a guild f4ce, to a taylor 312ce to my last guitar, a taylor 314ce. they were all fine guitars, the taylor's in particular. but, none seemed to fit me just right. the taylor's neck design (which the are praised for) is slim and fast, which is what most people are after... but not me. i preffer a bit more meat which feels comfortible to me. i'm using my acoustic to strum chords, not play solos, so i like a beefier neck myself. even though, oddly enough, i've got smaller hands. ok, so all this to preface my "opinion" on the sound of the J-45 because some background might help a player with simillar likes / dislikes and playing style make an informed decision based on my comments. here we go then. the J-45 is a rounded shoulder dreadnought design which does take some mass out of the upper bout not having square shoulders. this makes the guitar a tad smaller than the typical dreadnought and, for me, more comfortible to play. as i mentioned, i'm mostly a strummer, not a lot of fingetstyle. this guitar produces a generous amount of bass which exceptional clarity. when chords are arpegiated, the bass pops out nicely with the balance of tone being mostly in the mid range to my ear. the highs are clear but understated in just the right amount. not tinny or shrill. the guitar has super projection and no one frequency seems to overpower another. for my folk rock / americana style of playing, it's perfect. this guitar could cover a lot of bases.... bluegrass, folk, country, blues, pop, ect. again, i can only comment on how the guitar sounds in relation to what i'm doing with it. if you are looking for a guitar for strumming big, full, rich, vibrant chords on, this guitar will get that job done brilliantly. i added an L.R. Baggs passive I beam system to the guitar as well as replacing the stock saddle with a bone saddle which brightens up the sound some. the Baggs I beam is about the most faithfull recreation of acoustic tone from a pickup i've found, so i'll say my guitar sounds awesome plugged in as well.

hard to comment on factory set-up as i purchased it used. the set-up it has now is wonderfull. nice low action without buzz. nicely crowned frets, very smooth. sunburst is typical of Gibson, awesome as always. no finish flaws i could find, no excess glue, no bracing issues. seems to be a superbly made instrument.

the guitar is 10 years old and still tight and solid. finish id great and hardware functioning like new i'd think. seems very dependible and i'd not have any worries playing coffee house gigs without a backup.

haven't delt with Gibson customer service. they do have a really slick web-site, but nowhere near as informative about "tech" stuff as Taylor.

i've played guitar 13 years and owned LOTS of guitars in that time. i've had a real tough time finding those "magic" guitars you sometimes hear about. this J-45 is about the closest i've found. i really don't like setting it down. it makes me REALLY want to play. it's brought out some new and inspired songwriting in me as well. i think this guitar has a lot of songs in it. if lost or stolen, i'd have to have another one right away. in fact, i'm planning on buying another one soon as a second guitar. i'm not sure how the piezo they install under the saddle from the factory on the new ones sounds, but i'll try and get one without it so i can have the L.R. baggs I beam installed. i couldn't ask for a guitar better suited to my style. it just plain sings....

This guitar sounds just the way I'd hoped it would. Lot's of bass, warm mids, sweet top end. Loud when played hard and lot in between

I purchased the guitar used for a low price so I can blame gibson entirely, but there is what I consider to be excessive bellying with medium strings. This must be due to the very light bridge plate used in the construction. On the other hand I play with a higher action so I'm comfortable with it as is. I have a friend who has an original 53 J-45 and his is the same... So I'm not sure what to rate it here. You make your own call

I've been play 30 years. On this guitar I play blues ala Mississippi John Hurt, Rev Gary Davis, etc. This is the right guitar for me and I highly recomend it for finger style blues.

A Gibson round shoulder, J45 VS (Vintage Sunburst), Nov 2003 model, Made in USA, (Bozeman, Montana) with Spruce for the top, mahogany on the back and sides, and rosewood for the fretboard and bridge. This horse is black and wears an orange sunburst with short scale 24-3/4. It has an active transducer, either a Fishman or Schertler Blue (no tone & volume controls) runs by a supplied 9V battery, hold by a metalplate holder, secure by Masking Tape! (Guess to preserve the vintage look)

There are Soundhole humidifier (a ?Gibson Logo? Sound Cap with a spongy Flexibke tube), a Gibson pick, a Lifetime Gold warranty booklets and some instruction notes on the humidifier. The entire items are inside the pocket in the TKL Hardcase, with blue interior of soft cushion. Gibson Logo printed on the Hardcase and all the latches are gold plated. Lastly, a free packet of Acoustic strings from the above retailer.

I like playing alone in my room especially during the dawn, this horse seems to lead you to the peaceful garden. When you strum or pluck the bass lines, the rich tones produce and trap within the hole, block by the braces, and it vibrate the body way up to the head-stock, you can feel the steady vibration when you hold the ?Gibson? wordings laminated in the head-stock. When your fingers start plucking the lower strings, the sounds turn melody and sing as respond to your calling. The tones are well blended when strumming. J45 shy looking image may be for bluegrass, see how the horse reacts when you play Rock and wack power chords on it.

I have plug-in through my acoustic amp it rings out the mellow metallic voice. With a chorus effect, you have a totally new expression. I am sure that in years to come, when the nitro cellulose lacquer gets thinner, the sound will be even better.

The default setup looks like a medium action. I do more fingerstyles, the action is just perfect for me. I prefer low to medium action, with light gauge strings. I feel that it?s very responsive to fingerstyles and finger bending. In addition, I like the 2003 model base construction, there?s no joining gap (Unlike the 2001) where the plug-in button is installed. The whole base area is smooth. For the finishing, I like the corner binding of the guitar body are white in colour, together with the tuner pegs, I see it as a good combinations.

I am sure that this workhorse will not fall sick and lead througth the Journey of Musics. I don?t need a backup.

Gibson offers lifetime warranty, and the staffs are helpful, they replied my query through email. The rating under C.S., I like to credit the sole distributor Swee Lee Music Coy. & the authorised retailer The Guitar Gallery Pte Ltd, Singapore. We are outside, U.S., so they are my sole support. These people are helpful and well versed in knowledge & settings on Guitars, especially Terry & Derek from The Guitar Gallery. They spend time with you, explain the models & specifications. Best of all, you are free to play all Great guitars available, you never hear anything like ?Sorry, dude, this piece is a collectable or special Custom Edition.?

I have been playing for 15 years. To own a J45 is my childhood dream. In those days, I can only longing for it behind that displayed glass. I am so crazy about this model that I got a miniature item (Brand: Pickup) of this J45. I read a lot on the J45 in the publications like ?Gibson's Fabulous Flat-Top Guitars: An Illustrated History & Guide
by Eldon Whitford, David Vinopal (Contributor), Dan Erlewine?, and the ?Gibson Guitars 100 Years of an American Icon by Walter Carter.? I heard from many, that Gibson guitars are overpriced. It may be due to the rich historical values and of course the experience of making quality flat-tops of the most popular four, i.e. J200, J45, Hummingbird & Dove. That?s what I think. Well, the wishing item had finally removed from my lists. Handmade guitar like J45 gives me a sense of authentic feel every time I play, get one and you know exactly what I mean by ?Tone, Feel & Appearance?. If this baby was stolen or damaged, I will be very upset. ?Touch the Wood!? I own many other guitars, however, I believe, ?Only a Gibson is Good Enough.?

2001 J-45 from Bozeman Montana. It has 20 frets. All solid woods, mahogany back, sides and neck. Spruce top. The built in pick up is crap, and i put it thru a very good mic pre and tried my damnest to get it to sound good. Sounds like crap. The guitar, on the other hand, sounds fantastic. Woody and dry, mmmm, just the way it should! I played on so many and never was satisfied. I guess owning many high end guitars, including a great J-200 Gibson, i was spoiled. But i like the look of the slope shoulder, and i was determined to get me one. As luck would have it, one went on sale at a store i do business with, and i bought it over the phone!!! turned out to be the best sounding one i ever played!!! Go figure... I have immediately replaced the cheap tuners with gold Kluson tulips, ala J-200, not so much for aesthetics, but for the tuning ratio. The tuning ratio sucks on the cheap ones. Now they are great. Changed the cheapie bridge pins too. When i get a chance, i will change the nut too. No more plastic on this baby. This is a great sounding guitar!! The case is nice too. It gets a 7 rating only because i had to replace alot of plastic crap on it. For $1900.00CDN, it should be better.

Did i mention that it sounds great?? Well, it does. I have friends that are in the business who make mention of the fact that this particular piece sounds mighty fine indeed. And they know their stuff! I love it.

Factory set up was a little off. Buzz here and there. Action a little low. All is well. Top is not the best bookmatch i have ever seen, in fact it is probably the worst matched top i have ever owned, and the worse of all the ones i tried out, but guess what? It is the best sounding of the bunch!!! Not a trace of glue to be found, very nicely finished. Did i say i love the sound of this guitar??

I own 40 year old Gibsons, and the good ones are built for the long haul, that is why they are all still out there! The finish does not seem to me to be as thick as they used to be, but i cant be sure of that. You can depend on this guitar. Take care of it, and it will take care of you. You could use it without a back up if you wanted to, although i dont really trust or like the cheap pick up.

Nope. I did email Gibson a couple of times on a couple of things, and have never ever heard back. I hope their service isnt as awful as there contact software and whoever is supposed to be replying.

If lost or stolen, i would have to go thru the whole process again. I only buy what sounds good. Compared to my J-200, it has a thinner bass to it, but still very acceptable. It has a sweet and woody midrange, well pronounced and intricate. The highs dont bite your ass off either. They are quite pleasing. It is a workhorse. It records really well, really , really well!!! I use a combination of a Neumann KM105, i think the number is, and a Groove Tube tube mic. One is small diaphram, the other large. Fantastic combination. I also use a sound hole pick up, a Fishman Rare Earth, which is fun too.
What i love about it is the sound, and i love the shape. What i did not like about it, i have mentioned and done something about!

This is a brand new '68 Reissue J45 in cherry red - same specs as the others with spruce top and mahogony back and sides. My understanding is it's a very limited edition but it cost me the same UK price as a regular J45.

The main difference between this and the standard model is the lack of a pickup, which I guess is kind of disappointing from a convienience point of view but I hate the sound of a plugged-in acoustic anyway.

I intend to buy a separate pickup if I ever need to use this guitar for live work.

This particular J45 has the famous Gibson pearloid tuning pegs which I am very happy about because I'm not a huge fan of the plasticy button ones. I think if you're going to spend this much on a guitar none of it should feel cheap and I have heard bad things about the regular tuning pegs.

I'm giving it a 6 for features because there's no pickup and a strap button around the bottom of the neck would have been nice but it's a small price to pay for owning a pretty unusual J45. And anyway, you don't buy this particular model for features.

My favourite bands are The Beatles, Teenage Fanclub, Grandaddy - that kind of thing, so hopefully that gives you some idea as to my style.

I play mostly rhythm - strumming to back up singing. Before I bought this guitar I tested Martins, Takamines, Ovations, a Lowden, a Taylor and a few others. Many of these were more expensive guitars but the J45 smoked every one of them when it came to playing my style.

The first thing that struck me is how quiet the guitar initially seems but that's not to say it is in any way weak-sounding.

It definitely is refined compared to a lot of other acoustics but in my opinion this is because it's just built for a singer/songwriter. For these purposes the sound level is perfect.

In terms of volume, a jumbo or a J45 rosewood would almost certainly outshine this guitar but if you're after a booming instrument I guess you would be going for a different model anyway.

Also, if you play hard on it, the J45 definitely responds, not losing any of that characteristic tone and it's definitely loud enough to make itself heard in a good jamming session.

Although I don't do that much fingerpicking, the J45 seems to handle it quite well. Compared to, say, a Martin D28 I think it sounds very ordinary in this department but there's still quite a lot of character there - single notes tend to 'jump' out of the soundhole making it pretty distinctive.

If you're into fingerpicking, I would say a rosewood guitar or a jumbo would definitely be the way to go - you just need that bit more bass.

Having said that, the J45 is definitely the guitar for me because of the rhythm sound. The balance is sensational - no other guitar I've played comes close. Booming (but not overbearing) bass, sweet, sweet middle and ringing trebles are evident right up the neck.

Before I played this guitar I actually thought I'd be buying a J45 Rosewood - I thought the upgrades, including the rosewood back and sides would make for a better guitar.

I couldn't have been more wrong. Playing them side by side I found this to be the far superior guitar when it comes to strumming. The rosie's bass was just a bit too strong for my liking; something I've found with a lot of rosewood guitars. I know some people swear by them but for my playing style the regular J45 fits like a glove.

If you think you're into a similar style of music as me, my advice is to test one out by playing an open G chord on one. I did and it took my breath away which is why I'm giving this guitar 10 for sound.

There seems to have been quite a few criticisms of Gibson's set-up recently and I've read about many people complaining that they've played guitars with minor cosmetic flaws, poor setup and action etc.

I've played quite a few Gibsons and I've noticed a few things here and there (I have a Les Paul with a couple of minor issues but the sound is the best I've ever heard from any instrument - guitar or otherwise!) but this J45 is set-up to perfection.

Action is wonderfully low with absolutely no buzz - low end of the neck is actually kind of like playing an electric. Bridge is totally spot-on, neck angle is perfect and I've checked the whole body and as much as I can see inside the soundhole - it's all immaculate.

The wine red finish is a little brighter than you would usually see but I can't really call this a complaint - I suspect as this guitar ages it will gradually become an even more fabulous colour.

I don't know if Gibson take extra-special care with limited editions but I honestly can't find a single flaw on this guitar - another 10 (and I'm trying to be harsh here!)

The guitar seems absolutely solid but as I have only just bought it I guess only time will tell how it gigs (that's if I decide to gig it).

They do call it 'The Workhorse' though so that can only be good.

Emailed Gibson once before purchase and got a prompt and helpful reply. I'm givig them 6 out of 10 as I find their website to be geared shamelessly towards the US market and therefore of limited value to anyone who is a customer elsewhere.

I've been playing for around 12 years and as I've played more and more guitars I keep coming back to Gibson.

I'm sure a large part of this has to do with the fact that many bands I like use Gibsons and if you want that sound nothing else is going to do it for you.

This is the first high-end acoustic I've bought and a major investment for me - there's a good chance that I won't spend this much on an acoustic again so I take this very seriously.

I played as many guitars as I could and for my money this was my only choice. I went in with a completely open mind and played a wide variety of guitars. Before I knew I wanted a Gibson I was pretty much decided on a dreadnought as I preferred the rhythm sound I was getting. Many jumbos seemed too bassy for me.

After narrowing it down to Martin, Gibson and Fylde (all just about in my price range) I went for the Gibson because of it's character and tone. I simply love the sound.

At the minute there's not much I hate. Probably my biggest gripe is the lack of a strap button on the neck as I'm not too comfortable with the old shoelace around the head of a guitar.

If this guitar were stolen I am pretty sure I'd go for a normal J45 as I don't think I'd be able to find another one of this limited edition. I'd maybe change the tuning pegs to pearloid though.

One guitar mag has said of the Gibson J-45: "You can stick your Collingses and Santa Cruzes; this is the best acoustic you've had in for years".

I know how he feels.

The J 45 is the standard Gibson round shoulder style acoustic guitar made in 2001 from all solid woods, with a spruce top and mahogany back, sides, and neck. The body has white binding and a traditional sunburst finished top with black lacquer coloured back, sides and neck. The wood grain only shows through in the sunburst area. There is an active under saddle pickup with internal battery, but no onboard controls. ( good choice). A detailed description is available on the Gibson Montana web site.

The D 45 has a well balanced tone. The trebles are slightly bright, with a woody midrange, and a clear mellow bass. It sounds best after the strings are allowed to age for a few days. I get the best results with medium gauge strings. I have only owned this guitar for a few months and am waiting for the tone to mature with age. I bought this model to replace a Gibson J 185 which I traded two years ago. The J 45 has a more mellow tone than the crisper tone of the maple bodied J 185. It is not quite as bright as my Larrivee D 05 ( see review recently posted ). Plugged in, the pickup sounds OK, reasonably balanced, with almost no ?pizzo quack?, but I intend to use it mostly acoustically.

There was a slight ripple in the surface of the fingerboard. This would only effect the playability if the action was lowered to the extreme limit, which I don?t require. Proper adjustment of the truss rod corrects this problem when the action is set to Gibson standards. ( Due to this imperfection the price was further discounted about $300 Canadian. ) The tuners are stiff, with small buttons, and the bridge pins are cheap plastic, but the nut and saddle are well fitted. The lacquer finish on the neck does not allow the left hand to slide smoothly as compared to my Larrivee. The sunburst is nicely applied on the straight grained top. The rest of the instrument appears to be fault free. The tuning / intonation of the 24.75 inch scale is more critical to maintain than a longer 25.5 inch scale.

I always maintain my guitars in near new condition, and I do not foresee any problems. I usually detune the strings to relieve tension on the neck when they are stored. The dark lacquer finish tends to show all wear and scratches more than a clear see through finish.

I have dealt with the store owner for a few years and have always received good service, so I don?t expect any future problems.

I am quite satisfied, and the guitar has so far lived up to my expectations. This has been my hobby and I have owned several guitars over the last 40 years and now also have a Larrivee D 05, Fender US Strat, Yamaha AES 1500B. Norman B 20 Folk, early 60?s Supro Coronado, and 1965 Harmony Sovereign, - all bought new!. My Gibson J 45 shares many of the same traits as the Larrivee, the main difference being the scale length and factory installed pickup in the J 45.

woo hoo! Finally got my very own vintage Gibson acoustic. Checked the serial number and it was made in 1969; best bargain of my life. I think it's mahogany back and sides, but I could be wrong. Nevertheless this guitar is awesome. Someone stained the top - goodbye beautiful sunburst - and re-finished the heck out of it. A couple of cracks on the top, a hairline crack in back of headstock, both very solidly repaired (waddya know? the guy on ebay was telling the truth). Bracing is solid and guitar is in great shape. Neck was sanded, thinned a little, but as it works out it's cake for me to play on the lower strings when I'm standing now. Grover tuners. Not a collector's piece, but definitely a player and that's what I wanted. Gotta' do something about the intonation. No biggie.

I play mostly americana, rock n'roll ala Neil Young, Steve Earle, The Band, Wilco, that lends itself to a lot of acoustic guitar. I mostly strum and finger pick, and this guitar is more than what I've been looking for. It's very resonant, bright as hell and it's got a nice warm bottom end. All the excess finish "dullified" the sound a little but at the same time making it crisp, like it's being palm muted, and I'm really enjoying the wooden bridge/saddle. Put a Fishman Rare Earth soundhole pickup in it, and it sounded good even coming out of a crappy Fender practice amp without touching the knobs.

Action's great; electronics are great (I got that job done myself); love that vintage J-45 bracing - that's the secret ingredient, isn't it?; like I said before, gotta work the intonation a little, and probably will have done in the next day or two. It stays in tune well, but if it goes out I can't tune it without a tuner because otherwise it just doesn't work. Nothing to do but minor adjustments.

Well, it's a 1969 and it is very structurally sound: bracing, binding, neck, all solid. One thing I've noticed is that bridge is starting to collapse to the front, which I need to reinforce. I always have a backup in case of broken string. I wouldn't be afraid to play it w/o backup in fear of the guitar falling apart. For some reason I tend not to play it as hard as the other ones, but I'm not trying. I think it's because it sounds the way it does without any effort on my part as opposed to strumming my heart out on my other ones.

have not needed

I've been playing for 14 yrs, and professionally for about 7. Currently own customized Jazzmaster (w/ humbuckers), Tele, Epiphone 12 string acoustic (love the sound - great for a laminate), 70's Hummingbird copy (which I like better than any real Hummingbird I've tried) and have owned many other acoustics, hollowbodies and solid bodies. For years I was searching for that vintage acoustic sound, be it Martin, Guild, Gibson, whatever, but leaning towards Gibson. All the new ones I've tried, including J-45's, were not impressive at all, until I ran into a 60's-70's J-50 Deluxe, which I thought was it for me. Didn't have the dough, so I found another online, bought it and it was shit. Got my money back (thank you God), thought I learned my lesson, but had to take a chance on a J-45 for that price, and I won. Like I said, not a collector's piece, but it could easily become one. I, however like mine because it's a little rough and I intend to gig the crap out of it. Its weaknesses are also its strengths. My new #1 guitar.

My J45 is a late 2002 model made in the montana factory. The usual stuff in a standard (modern) J45; solid spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides and mahogany short scale neck (joins the body at 14th fret).
Whilst there is a fishman piezo under the bridge, there is no shoulder-mounted preamp/eq - instead the pre set preamp is mounted in the end pin inside the body of the guitar (definitely a bonus for me as I can't stnd those ugly plastic boxes defacing the side of a cool guitar and negatively affecting the tone).
The finish is a wonderful deep burst on the top perfectly complementing the figuring of the spruce. On the back, sides and neck the finish is almost too dark to see the wood (very dark brown).
The Dots on the neck are Gibson's "pearloid", and there is no binding on the neck and the headstock is similarly minimalist with the traditional Gibson "tulip" shape sporting nothing more than a gold screened logo.
The tuners are the old style kluson type with white kidney shaped plastic pegs - the same colour as the body binding which almost loooks too white, but also matches the plain soundhole rosette which is finished with a tortoishell scratchplate.
The bridge is the "reverse bridge" rosewood type with cream plastic (crappy!) pins and two pearloid dots and the usual gibbo type nut is (unusual for gibbo acoustics) well cut.
A sexy black solid case was included.
Overall - pretty good; but BEWARE - DO NOT BUY ONE WITHOUT PLAYING THAT VERY ONE - I played on 11 before I found one which wasn't a piece of crap ina almost all departments.

This guitar really does sound wonderful. I play pretty much all styles both live and in studios - mostly flatpicking and hybrid but not too much fingerstyle, but with this guitar it really does not matter what you play; it's definitely a workhorse. I had a Taylor 712, but I am quite a heavy player and i just couldn't dig in without sounding harsh, so I decided on a bigger bodied guitar.
At the bottom, the sound is earthy warm and woody - think ROUND. The bass is not at all woolly, though and lead smoothly into some very sweet mids. All Slope shouldered dreadnoughts share this feature - dynamic and very expressive mids; and when you dig in or lay back you'll always be able to go that little bit further than other guitarists. The top end is also very sweet and singy with harmonics all over the place - never ever harsh!
This guitar has a warm wonderfully integrated and sweet sound - perfectly between the sound of a Martin OM and a D. If you play a lot of figerstyle as well as flatpicking, you may consider a different guitar in addition to this one; it tends to be quite quiet (but that could just be me) - but i cannot think of a single acoustic which does both as well as this one - and it will only get better.
I initially tried a J45 because I couldn't afford a J200, didn't like the J185 and couldn't find a nice D28. I played on an amazing Bourgeois Slope-D (and have since played on 2 more) and that really turned me on to the body shape (i could't justify #2,500) and so I looked to the J45.
Plugged in it sounds good too, but incredible with a nice condenser stuck in front of it!

Set up perfect for me "from the box", and whist the insides seemed perfectly in order and tidy and there was no glue showing anywhere, the frets on the treble side are still a little sharp.
Everything else was pretty damn good, but if i'm gonna be anal about it the finish (although well applied and and) has sunk slighly in the way that the finish has sunk into a vintage guitar - I like it but it's still a flaw.
So.........

It's a Gibson and if it starts good it stays good (with luck).
I've had it 2 months and have played a bunch of gigs and a load of sessions and it's fine.

No problems yet, but gibson USA are great and rossettti (uk distributors) are notoriously bad.

I love my J45 and so does everybody who hears it. I've been playing for 11 only years now but I do it for a living and I love tone! This guitar has it and is everything my Taylor 712 was not in tems of sound: There is bags of power there but not at the expense of sweetness or dynamics. It looks great too though, and is simple and elegant for a jumbo (I can't stand dripping with gold type acoustics).
Having said all this, what first turned me on to the body shape was the Bourgeois Slope-D acoustic guitar. If I could justify the extra #1,300, I would have got one, just because they are that little bit better in every way and are hand made (and where are all the Gibson Luthiers that are meant to be in the custom shop?). But that's over twice the price and if I can't justify the extra i can't say it's worth it.
If you're gonna think about buying one - MAKE SURE YOU FIND A NICE ONE BECAUSE THERE ARE TOO MANY DOGS OUT THERE.
When are Gibson and Martin gonna sort it out?
Overe

Gibson J45 (40s reissue), made in 2003 in Bozeman, Montana.
Solid Mahogany back and sides, sitka spruce top. 24 3/4 scale with Schertler Blue Stick transducer pickup. Round shoulder jumbo body style with indian rosewood fretboard/bridge and mother of pearl dot markers. Gotoh tuners with white buttons. Came with Gibson/TKL hardshell case, soundhole humidifier, warranty papers.

I play rock, blues and occasionally a bit of folk and jazz influenced pieces. Occasionally plug it into the solid state Channel 1 of a Vox Cambridge 30 for a nice acoustic amplified sound. Pick up sounds great and is very clean. Not a completely natural sound to my ears but very pleasing. Un amped the guitar sounds incredible. Excellent throaty bass response, balanced well with bright bell-like treble. Midrange is not particularly heavy but its there, and it fills out the sound well. Very well balanced and has that traditional woody, deep Gibson sound. Did I mention the throaty bass?? I love this sound, it could be a little stronger in the mids but only slightly... over all its almost EXACTLY what I what I think an acoustic should sound like. This is one of the main reasons this guitar is a classic.

I ordered this through Wichita Band in Kansas. They do set ups on all their guitars that come in and inspect each one so there arent going to be any sloppy ones laying around. Set up was just what I asked for. The guitars finish is almost flawless, one small imperfection in the lacquer on the edge of the fretboard but its about the size of a grain of rice. The rest of the finish is near perfect. The sunburst is beautiful and has a nice fade to it. Nice sunbursts are an art and Gibson does them well, Ive rarely seen an ugly Gibson burst. The insides of the guitar are also quite clean. Braces are nicely shaved, purfling is set well and there are no traces of excess glue. The mahogany used (honduras) is very nice and has beautiful grain that has a nice ripple to it down the back. The tuners are often referred to as looking 'cheap' since they have the white plastic buttons but they are meant to replicate the WW II model and they are made by Gotoh, so they are definitely decent quality. Ive expereinced no problems so far. The only real problem I had with the guitar was that someone in QC had apparently misread the serial number on the headstock and the result was that the soundhole label had a serial that differed by one digit. I contacted Wichita and supposedly there is a new label on the way with instructions. Not a huge problem.

Hardware seems solid and I am sure the J is up to live playing...Ive seen more than one handle that :)

Finish is nitrocellulose lacqer and is designed to age with the wood, ultimately making it sound better in the future. Strap button is solid and Id gig without a backup no problem.

Dealt through Wichita Band over the serial number. They have a rep at Gibson who responded the same day they sent the complaint in. Seems solid, but Ive never dealt with Gibson directly.

Ive been playing for about 5 years with bands and for my own enjoyment. I own a Gibson SG, Laney VC30 2x12, Vox Cambridge and my previous acoustics included an Epiphone J200, '66 Caballero and 64 LGO. The J45 is my first 'serious' acoustic and I settled on it after playing a few taylors (5-600 series) and martins (D16, 28) and realizing that none of them could replicate that J45 sound and feel. I love almost everything about this guitar except that I do wish it had the parallelogram inlays that are found on the southern jumbo. I like the mostly understated looks though, and the traditional feel and vintage vibe (slope shoulders) this thing has. The sound is what really does it though.

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.

1947 sloped shouldered dreadnought.Fat neck.

Rich full sound. Great country guitar. I love this Guitar.

This guitar is old. The finish is still very good but has crack lines in lacqer.Action is low the way i like for my style.In my opinion this guitar is flawless.

This quitar has been used and abused for years. It has not changed except to get better. I have used it for all types of gigs for years . It never fails to attract its own fans.

Unkown

I have owned this guitar since I was 13 years old, now 56.If it were lost or stolen I would cry very loud.It has always had an exceptional sound.I presently have a 1974 Martin D35, 1996 Taylor 810, 1996 American Telecaster, 1974 Gretch Country Gentlemen, 1955 Solid body Silvertone.The J45 is my Favorite with the D35 a close second. Unfortunatly the new J45,s are not even close in sound to this old one.

1996 model, made in Bozeman,Montana, USA.
Sloped shoulder dreadnaught
20 frets,attachs to body at 14th.
Solid spruce top with a beautiful sunburst
Back and sides are solid Honduran Mahogany
Neck is one piece mahogany
Fingerboard and bridge are rosewood,bridge is top belly,non-adjustable saddle
Tuners are Gibson Deluxe Klusons with tulip buttons
24 3/4 scale length
1 3/4 nut width,jumbo frets
neck is hand filling nad very comforable,string spacing in my opinion si perfect.

This guitar sounds fabulous.
The lows rumble and the highs sing,midrange is mellow

The guitar came set up perfectly from Elderly Instruments in Lansing
Mich.
Everything about this guitar is perfect with respect to action,fit and finish.

One of the tuners got broken in a fall (ouch)and had to be replaced.
I have a 1962 Gibson acoustic that has held up well so I expect this one to as well.

Had to order said tuner and Dealer was helpful and got me one.

I have been playing for 8 years and have owned this guitar for 4 1/2
years and it has been my very favourite giutar since I've owned it.
I have bought and sold over 20 guitars in the last 8 years and none can come up to this J-45. I have owned 4 Gibson acoustics and this is by far the best.They talk about vintage guitars but in my opinion the Gibsons being made now are the vintage guitars of the future.

This J-45 is a 2001 model, fresh off the assembly line in Montana. Normal modern features; Fishman bridge pickup, spruce top, mahagony back and sides, sunburst top, basically balls to the wall plainess. The frets are thinner than my J-180 and thus makes playing a little harder (you have to press down farther). The case is TKB and equally as plain, aside from the logo on the front lid. Plugged in it sounds true. I'm waiting on a Marshall AS50R acoustic amplifier to try. I only have a Hartke B30 to play it through right now. It's light, vibrant, and right now plays like a dream. If it had an additional strap button for the neck and a EQ/volume control for the preamp I'd give it a 10. It's as basic as basic gets.

You can accomplish any style of play with this guitar. It can be flat picked, strummed, beat, lightly finger picked, or jam away like an electric solid body guitar. It has one sound plugged in depending on the amp settings. The electronics are very quiet and feedback is controllable.

I specifically asked the dealer to send me this piece as is, right from the factory with the factory settings. The guitar was NOT set up per the factory guarantee! I had to set the nut grooves and lower the action to specifications, then I was able to play it. I don't know what gorilla this one was made for. It was impossible to play right out of the box. There are some minor flaws like laquer sags and drips, but I'm the type that copes with things like that. If I paid $2000 for the piece I'd be complaining. It plays like a dream now, maybe even too good. I can't put the damn thing down. The neck seems a little fatter than the J-180.

It's be labeled "the workhorse". That says it all.

I NEVER deal with guitar companies. They make you wait too long, and normally think it's an imposition to deal with you at all. I will do my own repairs.

I've been playing for 35 years, have about 35 guitars and basses. I wanted to get a feel for the quality that Gibson was pumping out lately. Of the 35 guitars and basses, 5 of them are Gibsons. I was disapointed in the initial quality of this purchase because of set up, and the finger is being pointed at the quality control set up person. Maybe, guitars, like cars have better days of the week to be made in. This one might have been completed on a Friday, the set up person probably had a cold beer waiting for him or her.

New American made spruce top n beautiful sounding and looking rosewood
sides n back-14/20 fretboard made of ebony wood-Tobacco burst finish-
Exact shape n feel of the standard mahogany j45-but the rosewood makes a huge differnce sound wise-A Les Paul feel kind of feel neck wise-Has a a built-in pick up(tranducer I think)-gold Kidney tuners.

Im usually a vintage head guitar wise n prefer aged wood,however I must say that this is one guitar that made me make an exception,-Im going to hold on to this one an age it myself-The Rosewood sides n back make all the differnce in the world-You can easily hear the $500 differnce from its mahogany backed J45 cousin-This thing has BASS,BASS,BASS-and is very loud-It has a sound that jumps at you-Unbelievable presents to it-Im a folk n blues fingerpicker however Id recomend this guitar for any steelstring stlye regardless of flat or fingerpicking-Im beyond loving it-All Ive meantioned above is the guitar unpluged-Pluged in the tranducer does not do the guitar justice-Dont get me wrong,it doesnt sound bad,however Id recomend straight mic-ing this for recording-However the wiring doesnt affect the unpluged sound at all-Id of bought this with or without the tranducer feature,it was just an added bonus-On the treble side I think the guitar sounds best with medium to heavy strings,a touch to weak sounding with the lighter sets-But over all I must say the tone is super resonant and strong-its hard to describe sounds in to words
however all I can say WOW-It blows me a way-its a shame that alot of folks in forums gives out 9's and 10's like there nothing and to some really crappy sounding guitars,however Im EXTREMLY critical so Im giving a 9-however this is one of if not the best guitars Ive ever played!!!!

SUPERB Craftsmenship-The boys in Montana know there stuff-Only things I would of done differnt is the pic guard could of been placed on alittle better and Im probally going to replace the nut(I dont know what material it is)with a bone one-this is the only draw back-the set up is a dream,and the tobacco burst finish gorgeous.

This guitar feels super solid though Im not going to rough it up anytime soon-I would totally usethis without a back up-

Ive been playing about 12 years now and Im really selective about my guitars,and 9 times out of ten Ill recomend a vintage model over anything new due to the better crafstmenship of the times and the aged wood-However this guitar is that 1 out of 10th time-Ive tried alot of new gibsons and martins that did not deserve anywhere near their $2000+ asking price however this one did-I have to say again its presents is penetrating-Super Super Super guitar overall-If Could afford to I would buy it again and again-It has this magic to it that can only be heard and not described-Im in love-

I played this guitar, I had to have it. I was in the middle of recording my first solo album, I bought the guitar (wrote a bad check to a very large national guitar company chain) and re-recorded all of my acoustic tracks, then used it for my next solo album and a number of other recordings since.

This guitar sounds beautiful. I love hitting just an open g chord, it just rings true. I play solo gigs and also in a rock type band setting with it, works great for both. When plugged in (fishman under saddle transducer) I like to scoop out the mids, it gets kind of quacky otherwise.

One of the few I've bought new and it came with wimpy strings on it. Once I got some real strings on it it came to life even more. I'm not a stickler for pretty things, I know my guitar is pretty but I never checked for excess glue of bookmatching of wood. I know the neck is straight, only a couple of months ago did I actually have to give it a few turns on the truss rod and then it was fine again. I know that it now has a bunch of pick scratches on it.

They don't call it the workhorse for nothing. I travel with just this guitar.

N/A

I've been offered lots of things for this guitar, I will not part with it. EVER. I will hunt the person down who tries to steal this guitar, I will chop off their arms and beat them with their own hands!

I've had Takamine's, and some others, this one blows them all away.

Someday I think I'd like a Gibson Jumbo J-100 or a Gospel, but until my first top 10 single, I'll keep picking 'em out on my J-45

1999 USA made (Montana). Fishman Matrix pickup. Absolutely beautiful sunburst finish. Solid spruce top, solid mahogany back, neck and sides. Flawless Mirror gloss finish. The only hitch was some glue residue around the top of the soundhole that was easily rubbed off with a fingernail. Rosewood fingerboards and reverse-belly bridge with MOP inlays. Arch-top case. Wonderful neck. The short (24.75") scale is a wonderful thing. You simply have to give this one a 10 because of it's authentic vintage appointments - other than the pickup, this is an exact replica of the late 40's model.

Incredible sound. I play a wide range from Folk to Blues to Rock and this guitar handles it all well. Amazing balance, warmth and depth of sound from the high to low end and a bass response that puts most acoustics to shame. My friend just bought a $3000 Santa Cruz and when we jam he always wants to play my J-45! This guitar works especially well for drop-d blues. This is one of the best sounding guitars I have ever heard, and should only get better.

Action was medium/high from the factory, but a quick trip to the local guitar shop solved that problem. Fretwork is flawless. Perfectly bookmatched spruce. As I mentioned above, there was some glue-like residue around the top of the soundhole that came of easily.

Solid as a rock.

Quick email response to every question I have ever sent.

I've been playing for about 5 years and have tried everything from Santa Cruz to Ovation. This is hands down my favourite guitar. If stolen or lost I would immediately buy another, no questions asked. This guitar simply has unmatched vintage vibe and playability. If I had it to buy over again I would probably suck it up and buy one new from a music shop so I could check the action and get it adjusted to my liking before hand. But hey, I saved several hundred dollars, so I guess it was worth it.

1991 J-45 with Solid Spruce Top, Soldd Mahogany back and sides. This one has the Heritage Sunburst Finish (Brown, to Red, to Yellow). Slope shouldered dreadnought style, made in USA.

Sound is typical for many Gibson Acoustics, clean but thin. It came with light guage strings that I switched to Medium's (.012's). This improved the sound considerably but even with that this guitar sounds like a new guitar from another well known maker of acoustic guitars rather than one 10 years old.

The thing I really like about this guitar is the neck. It is one of the best/fastest necks of all my acoustic guitars (11) and reminds me of an 1965 Fender Jaguar I had back in 1965. The finish is OK but has some spots that are questionable as to how this will hold up over the next 10 years or longer.

So far so good.

Bought used.

The price I paid include UPS ground insured shipping and Gibson OHSC. Fun to play but a bit thin in acoustic volumen and sound. Still like it though. If you'd like to contact me about this guitar please write to me direct at: rmorris@jcc.mepcom.army.mil and/or include your e-mail address in the body of you message. Harmony Central adds some NO SPAM crap to the message headers and the return address is wiped out and I can't respond.

J45 Montana. The label in the guitar says "Gibson 100 years 1894-1994". It's a natural finish. it sounds like it's the same guitar as the last review. I'm not such an expert on wood etc. I swapped it for a Gold Top in The Guitar Shop in Berlin and they set the J45 up perfectly for me as part of the deal. I find it hard to fault this guitar. My ratty technique makes me rub my forefinger up against the nut a bit, but that's probably me.

The sound is wonderful. I'm sorry but it really is. It's difficult to tell with new acoustics how they'r going to be when they're played in but I have high hopes for this one. It really sings even now.

As I say, the shop I where I got the guitar did a great job on it so I can't say what it was like from the factory. I can't see anything wrong with it cosmetically

Gibsons are usually pretty solid so I wouldn't hesitate to play a gig without a backup.

Don't know and hoprefully I never will

I have been playing 100 years. I own a 1967 SG and a Bluesbreaker reissue amp, plus a George Dennis wah and a Sans Amp GT2. That's it. I checked out the vintage Gibson acoustic market pretty thoroughly but a decent ones that don't cost a fortune are rarer than hens' teeth. I just think the J45 model is the business. Great sound and great aesthetics. I played God knows how many guitars from all sorts of makers before I bought this one, but none of them really did it for me. If it got stolen I would make a voodoo doll of the thief and stick pins in it. Then I would buy another J45.

This J45 is of October 2000 manufacture... 20 frets, 14 clear, short scale (24 3/4"). The top is solid is solid Sitka spruce with a bit of "bearclaw" pattern. It includes a factory installed active transducer pickup (Fishman I'm told). The back and sides a solid mahogony finished with a dark walnut stain and that Gibson glass-like lacquer finish. The top is finished in a tobacco sunburst again with that glass-like lacquer.

This guitar is what Gibson referes to a s "slope shouldered" drednaught... it's somewhat smaller than say a Martin drednaught, particularly in the upper bout. For me this is a huge plus as I'm not a big guy and so am not really comfortable wrapping myself around a Martin D28.

The J45 has a rosewood "historic belly bridge" with kidney shaped invroid (read plastic) buttons on the enclosed (but not sealed) tuners. The tuners look a little chintzy when compared to Grovers or Schallers, but work smooth as silk so I guess I'm not complaining.

The neck is solid one piece mahogony finished to match the back and sides... It's that typical Gibson acoustic "chunky" neck which feels and plays exceptionally. The guitar came with a top of the line TKL hardshell case and included a snake style humidifier and on thin Gibson pick.

I play folk/bluegrass/old time country music so this guitar suits my stylistic/sonic need ideally. I have an SWR California Blond amp, Alesis NanoVerb for effects and a Boss AD-5 preamp. The J45 sounds great plugged into this system... very natural with all settings flat except for a little midrange cut.

The sound of this instrument (plugged or unplugged) is a delight. It's made to be strummed but also responds well to being fingerpicked. It can be balanced and quiet or wonderfully throaty depending on the player's pick attack.

The guitar was very well set up though I'll take it to my local luthier as the nut needs a little work. It also shipped with light guage strings and I'll switch to a "bluegrass" set of light/mediums. Fit, finish and general construction issues can only be termed flawless.

This guitar delivers the unmistakable feeling that it's a warhourse (Gibson referes to it as the "workhorse". You get the feeling that the instrument is rock solid and does not need to be babied. I wouldn't hesitate to use it without a backup.

I haven't dealt directly with Gibson so I don't have a good answer to the question of customer support. The guitar does carry a lifetime "limited" warrenty to the original owner so I'll imagine Gibson wii stand behind the J45.

I also think that Gibson is making a significant effort to reclaim their standing in the acoustic guitar market (and in the acoustic arena generally... mandolins, banjos, dobros)and are working hard to build the best instruments they can at each price point.

I played a J200, J50 and a Southern Jumbo in addition to the j45 and found all the instruments to be sonically exquisite and beautifully made. Gibson is making wonderful guitars right now and are worthy of any buyers consideration.

I've been a guitarist and mandolin player for 35 years (that doesn't mean I'm good... I still take lessons). I own a Taylor 612CE, a Taylor XXV-GA, Larrivee Parlor and a Flatiron mandolin.

I don't believe there's any such thing as one perfect guitar. The all have their virtues and deficiencies. I love the Taylors, but wanted a dreadnaught with a real 1930's/1940's sound/vibe. The J45 fit the bill perfectly both in terms of its thick woody tonality and it's perfect tobacco sunburst finish. If it were ripped off would I replace it? In a heartbeat. I love the way it feels, plays and sounds... wildly different than the Taylors.

I've given this instruments a lot of "9" ratings, not because I consider it flawed, but rather because, as stated previously, I don't think there's any such thing as that one perfect guitar that plays all types of music to such a degree of excellence that one would abandon all other instruments in its favor.

The J45 is a gas... vintage vibe, feel and tone. If you play bluegrass or old time country or love acoustic Dylan you owe it to yourself to try one out. Lots of folks think you can only play this style of music on a Martin, but I beg to differ. In the early days of bluegrass and old time music Gibson stood shoulder to shoulder with Martin as the premier U.S. manufacturer of acoustic instruments. I f you listen to original recordings of this music chances are you're hearing that Gibson tone as often as you're hearing a Martin. Hey, Charlie Monroe played a Gibson as did Maybelle Carter.

I did by the way try a Martin HD-28 prior to getting the J45. It was much more expensive and didn't sound nearly as good to my ears as the Gibson. I really think Martin needs to get their act together. Their energy seems to be scattered by introducing a half dozen new models a month and a focus on their lower end guitars. Yeah they still can build a good guitar, but it seems that they do that only at the very upper end of their line, leaving working stiffs like you and me out in the cold when shopping for a guitar that won't necessitate a second mortgage on the old homestead to acquire.

Boutique guitars (Santa Cruz, Collings, Huss & Dalton, Froggy Bottom, etc.)??? Yeah, they're sweet, but again, I ain't about to mortgage the farm for a guitar.

1999 model left handed "early" J-45. Solid spruce top, solid Mahogany back and sides, Dovetail neck joint. Vintage sunburst finish. Just beautiful. The finish is flawless. This is a classic round-shouldered Dreadnought. It has 1940's stlyle tuners with white buttons that are really smooth and add to the vintage look. Vintage "belly" bridge with MOP dots. MOP fingerboard dots are understated and elegant. Single "Lennon style" Rosette and orange Gibson label inside. Action is medium. I've heard that this thing will really sing with medium gauge strings, so I'll probably need to adjust the rod after going to a thicker gauge string. These are supposed to come with an active transducer pickup, but for some reason this one does not have it. Maybe because it is left handed? Short scale neck that is really thick, but it gives you a lot of room to work with. I prefer this to the thinner necks of Taylor, etc. There is a great vintage "vibe' that this thing gives off. It gets a 9 because there is no pickup. Otherwise I can't find a thing that I would change.

The tone is awesome. It sounds really full for a Mahogany guitar. Rich Bass and smooth treble without the harshness. Very "woody" tone. This guitar was born to be strummed, but it works well with fingers, too. The top has scalloped braces, which I think gives it that really rich tone. Actually sounds deeper than a Martin D-28. I could not possibly ask for a better sounding acoustic guitar.

The set up was good. I prefer the action a bit lower, but that is not the fault of the Gibson factory. I believe they all come with medium action. The top is bookmatched prefectly. The grain is nice and wide on the top and the dark finish on the back and sides is flawlewss. The body binding is perfect as well as the fret dressing. They use real laquer, so this guitar will mature well with the years, although I can not imagine it sounding any better than it does now. It is nice to know that Gibson spends as much time with the J-45 as the J-200, which costs almost 3 times as much. A 9 only because I have to lower the action a bit.

This guitar is built like a tank and I trust it for any live situation. It is always good to have a backup in case you break a string. The tuners seem cheap looking, but they really work well. The guts are the same as the more fancy tuners, so reliability is not an issue. There is no strap button by the neck, so I'm debating wheather or not to install one or go with the old style of strapping the end by the headstock. This guitar is way too pretty to start drilling holes in it.

I e-mailed Gibson with a few questions before I bought this, and I got replies within an hour! I was very impressed. A Gold lifetime warranty is included, but I hope to never need it.

This is the best acoustic I have ever played. I have been playing professionally on and off for 10 yrs. It is beautiful and does not look like everyone else's natural colored, square shouldered Dreadnought. It's nice to stand out a bit without being overt about it. There is something to be said for understatement. I tried several Martin and Taylor models, but this was far and away the best sounding of the lot. I still have a hard time believing that this is not a Rosewood guitar. The tone is really booming. I did not want to pay for fancy inlays, just craftsmanship and quality of wood. There is no better choice in my opinion. Much better value than a D-18 (or D-28 for that matter), as the braces are scalloped, yeilding a richer tone.