Gibson J-45 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1949)
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Item # 10229
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Gibson J-45 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1949), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 4524-23, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, original grey chipboard case.
Gibson's slope-shouldered Jumbo guitars have remained enduringly popular since their 1930's introduction with folk, blues, and pop players, and picking this one up it's easy to see why. This "genuine relic" 1949 J-45 shows a decent amount wear for its 70+ years on the planet but remains a superb player's instrument. The comfortable slim-profile neck is MUCH sleeker than the chunky wartime spec that continued up through the late 1940s, and this is a super friendly instrument to play.
This J-45 shows typical features specific to this exact post-war moment, including small tortoise celluloid pickguard and the "modern" gold decal Gibson script logo on the face, with a joined dot on the "i". The pre-war style small rectangular rosewood bridge on this guitar was replaced in 1950 with the "top belly" pattern, which endured for decades after. The headstock is still tapered in the pre-war pattern, fitted with openback Kluson strip tuners shortly replaced with the familiar Deluxe enclosed machines.
We always love J-45s from this just post-war period. Whether near mint or heavily worn, they are reliably excellent in both looks and sound. This model really exemplifies the best of Gibson's "workingman's Jumbo" with no frills but plenty of splendid tone. This 1949 example is an excellent player, showing its battle scars but offering a big, rich, but still well-defined sound that can really cut through the mix when pushed.
Overall length is 40 3/4 in. (103.5 cm.), 16 1/4 in. (41.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 7/8 in. (12.4 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This is a fine playing and sounding example of this Gibson stalwart, well used but unbowed, worn in but structurally excellent. It was definitely somebody's gigging guitar for some time. The finish shows typical wear everywhere with a generous helping of dings, dents, and scrapes. The heaviest is on the top is around the soundhole rim and just below the pickguard, with pick marks well into the wood. The remainder of the top shows a typically checked patina and numerous small dings and scratches, with some deeper scrapes on the lower quarter. The back and sides have similar wear, the back of the neck has a decent amount of finish missing but little in the way of the heavier dents or capo gouging these often accrue. There is a small chip off the bottom edge of the heel.
There is actually not a lot of repair work on this guitar, which is kind of surprising given its heavy use. The only top crack is a tiny split off the lower back edge of the pickguard, sealed but not touched up. There is one small repaired grain split on the lower back just off the center seam, almost lost among the finish checking lines. There is a small neatly patched jack hole in the typical spot on the lower rim, the souvenir of some long-ago DeArmond (or similar) soundhole pickup.
The neck has never been reset; the bridge was cut down somewhat long ago, not the neatest job but still solid and functional. The saddle is fairly low but still offers plenty of break angle and the action is very comfortable. The guitar has been refreted with the period appropriate wire; the fingerboard still shows some fairly light wear that does not affect play. Not for the "clean freak", this J-45 is a well-worn stage, songwriting or recording guitar for the artist who appreciate an instrument that has plenty of stories already, with many more still to tell. Amazingly enough the original tan heavy chipboard case is still with the guitar and functional; a newer hard shell can be provided if preferred. Overall Very Good + Condition.
Gibson's slope-shouldered Jumbo guitars have remained enduringly popular since their 1930's introduction with folk, blues, and pop players, and picking this one up it's easy to see why. This "genuine relic" 1949 J-45 shows a decent amount wear for its 70+ years on the planet but remains a superb player's instrument. The comfortable slim-profile neck is MUCH sleeker than the chunky wartime spec that continued up through the late 1940s, and this is a super friendly instrument to play.
This J-45 shows typical features specific to this exact post-war moment, including small tortoise celluloid pickguard and the "modern" gold decal Gibson script logo on the face, with a joined dot on the "i". The pre-war style small rectangular rosewood bridge on this guitar was replaced in 1950 with the "top belly" pattern, which endured for decades after. The headstock is still tapered in the pre-war pattern, fitted with openback Kluson strip tuners shortly replaced with the familiar Deluxe enclosed machines.
We always love J-45s from this just post-war period. Whether near mint or heavily worn, they are reliably excellent in both looks and sound. This model really exemplifies the best of Gibson's "workingman's Jumbo" with no frills but plenty of splendid tone. This 1949 example is an excellent player, showing its battle scars but offering a big, rich, but still well-defined sound that can really cut through the mix when pushed.
Overall length is 40 3/4 in. (103.5 cm.), 16 1/4 in. (41.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 7/8 in. (12.4 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This is a fine playing and sounding example of this Gibson stalwart, well used but unbowed, worn in but structurally excellent. It was definitely somebody's gigging guitar for some time. The finish shows typical wear everywhere with a generous helping of dings, dents, and scrapes. The heaviest is on the top is around the soundhole rim and just below the pickguard, with pick marks well into the wood. The remainder of the top shows a typically checked patina and numerous small dings and scratches, with some deeper scrapes on the lower quarter. The back and sides have similar wear, the back of the neck has a decent amount of finish missing but little in the way of the heavier dents or capo gouging these often accrue. There is a small chip off the bottom edge of the heel.
There is actually not a lot of repair work on this guitar, which is kind of surprising given its heavy use. The only top crack is a tiny split off the lower back edge of the pickguard, sealed but not touched up. There is one small repaired grain split on the lower back just off the center seam, almost lost among the finish checking lines. There is a small neatly patched jack hole in the typical spot on the lower rim, the souvenir of some long-ago DeArmond (or similar) soundhole pickup.
The neck has never been reset; the bridge was cut down somewhat long ago, not the neatest job but still solid and functional. The saddle is fairly low but still offers plenty of break angle and the action is very comfortable. The guitar has been refreted with the period appropriate wire; the fingerboard still shows some fairly light wear that does not affect play. Not for the "clean freak", this J-45 is a well-worn stage, songwriting or recording guitar for the artist who appreciate an instrument that has plenty of stories already, with many more still to tell. Amazingly enough the original tan heavy chipboard case is still with the guitar and functional; a newer hard shell can be provided if preferred. Overall Very Good + Condition.