Gibson J-45 Banner Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1943)
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Item # 11315
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Gibson J-45 Banner Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1943), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 2681-40 (FON), sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, mahogany back, sides and top; laminated maple neck, Ameritage hard shell case.
This is a cool veteran example of a "Banner" Gibson J-45 -- so called for the decal on the headstock reading "Only a Gibson Is Good Enough" used during WWII. The guitar was personalized with added letters on the top but otherwise remains pretty much as Gibson intended, well-used but still a superb performer.
The J-45 was one of the few Gibson models in full production during the Second World War when the company's instrument output was severely limited. In this period the specifications of individual instruments often vary greatly from published standards; Gibson ran short of many materials and struggled under wartime restrictions. The widely variant features were dictated by the materials available; this particular guitar has the unusual combination of a mahogany back and sides with a sunburst-finished mahogany top (instead of the normal spruce) and a 3-piece laminated maple neck. These latter two give the guitar a noticeable different feel and sound from the "standard" J-45.
This guitar is also somewhat unusual in retaining the standard adjustable truss rod, a feature often deleted from wartime models as metal was then severely rationed. The tuners are the slim flat-plate riveted Klusons of the period, specifically designed to use the minimum of metal possible. The top and back are single bound with a 7-ply soundhole ring and tortoise Celluloid pickguard. The Factory Order Number (FON) 2681-40 on the heelblock identifies this guitar as a 1943 (or possibly 1944) model, based on recent research.
The neck profile is round and chunky, quite thick as are many wartime Gibsons despite the truss rod being installed. The individual features are typical of other guitars built in this period, but the specific combination of a mahogany top, maple neck AND the adjustable truss rod is a fairly rare find. This is a great-sounding guitar with a huge tone despite, or more likely because of, its unusual combination of woods. This particular "Banner" is well-used but in better condition than many structurally; cosmetically it has some wear and tear (and mailbox letters!) but remains an excellent players' example of this interesting J-45 variant.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 16 1/8 in. (41 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 15/16 in. (12.5 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This guitar is in excellent-playing condition, showing a lot of finish checking, some general wear and of course the added initials on the top. Overall the finish shows a decent amount of fairly bold checking, especially on the top. There are dings, scrapes and dents everywhere but no really large areas worn away. The top especially is unusually free of the common pick marks and scrapes, showing only a rather randomly distributed collection of dings and dents and of course the added initials. The back and sides of the body around the edges show the deepest dings and scrapes. There may be an ancient hand-rubbed overfinish to the sides, primarily, although this may simply be sloppy finish work from the factory.
The back of the neck shows some wear with feelable chips in the first couple of positions, but less capo wear than many. There is a decent amount of finish flaked off either side of the fingerboard just in front of the heel, probably from escaping steam during the neck re-set process. The heel shows some cosmetic patching from the same source. The neck set itself is otherwise very well done, with a good angle and sone light touch up along the heel edges. The wartime tuners are still intact and working, with the original buttons and some corrosion to the metal.
Amazingly enough for a well-worn 80-year-old Gibson there are no cracks visible anywhere, which is delightful. The only notable repair is the neck has been reset and the bridge reglued probably more than once with some attendant touch up, mostly along the front edge. The bridge itself looks to be a decent if slightly inexact repro; the original small maple bridgeplate is intact beneath is along with the original bridge mounting bolts under pearl dots. The fingerboard has been neatly refretted with period correct wire and shows minor divots in the first position. The guitar has been played since its origin the war years but not abused, remaining a fine player with a powerful sound. It resides in a high-grade Ameritage HSC. Overall Very Good + Condition.
This is a cool veteran example of a "Banner" Gibson J-45 -- so called for the decal on the headstock reading "Only a Gibson Is Good Enough" used during WWII. The guitar was personalized with added letters on the top but otherwise remains pretty much as Gibson intended, well-used but still a superb performer.
The J-45 was one of the few Gibson models in full production during the Second World War when the company's instrument output was severely limited. In this period the specifications of individual instruments often vary greatly from published standards; Gibson ran short of many materials and struggled under wartime restrictions. The widely variant features were dictated by the materials available; this particular guitar has the unusual combination of a mahogany back and sides with a sunburst-finished mahogany top (instead of the normal spruce) and a 3-piece laminated maple neck. These latter two give the guitar a noticeable different feel and sound from the "standard" J-45.
This guitar is also somewhat unusual in retaining the standard adjustable truss rod, a feature often deleted from wartime models as metal was then severely rationed. The tuners are the slim flat-plate riveted Klusons of the period, specifically designed to use the minimum of metal possible. The top and back are single bound with a 7-ply soundhole ring and tortoise Celluloid pickguard. The Factory Order Number (FON) 2681-40 on the heelblock identifies this guitar as a 1943 (or possibly 1944) model, based on recent research.
The neck profile is round and chunky, quite thick as are many wartime Gibsons despite the truss rod being installed. The individual features are typical of other guitars built in this period, but the specific combination of a mahogany top, maple neck AND the adjustable truss rod is a fairly rare find. This is a great-sounding guitar with a huge tone despite, or more likely because of, its unusual combination of woods. This particular "Banner" is well-used but in better condition than many structurally; cosmetically it has some wear and tear (and mailbox letters!) but remains an excellent players' example of this interesting J-45 variant.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 16 1/8 in. (41 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 15/16 in. (12.5 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This guitar is in excellent-playing condition, showing a lot of finish checking, some general wear and of course the added initials on the top. Overall the finish shows a decent amount of fairly bold checking, especially on the top. There are dings, scrapes and dents everywhere but no really large areas worn away. The top especially is unusually free of the common pick marks and scrapes, showing only a rather randomly distributed collection of dings and dents and of course the added initials. The back and sides of the body around the edges show the deepest dings and scrapes. There may be an ancient hand-rubbed overfinish to the sides, primarily, although this may simply be sloppy finish work from the factory.
The back of the neck shows some wear with feelable chips in the first couple of positions, but less capo wear than many. There is a decent amount of finish flaked off either side of the fingerboard just in front of the heel, probably from escaping steam during the neck re-set process. The heel shows some cosmetic patching from the same source. The neck set itself is otherwise very well done, with a good angle and sone light touch up along the heel edges. The wartime tuners are still intact and working, with the original buttons and some corrosion to the metal.
Amazingly enough for a well-worn 80-year-old Gibson there are no cracks visible anywhere, which is delightful. The only notable repair is the neck has been reset and the bridge reglued probably more than once with some attendant touch up, mostly along the front edge. The bridge itself looks to be a decent if slightly inexact repro; the original small maple bridgeplate is intact beneath is along with the original bridge mounting bolts under pearl dots. The fingerboard has been neatly refretted with period correct wire and shows minor divots in the first position. The guitar has been played since its origin the war years but not abused, remaining a fine player with a powerful sound. It resides in a high-grade Ameritage HSC. Overall Very Good + Condition.