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.