Gibson J-45 ADJ. Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar, c. 1967, made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 800003, cherry sunburst top, natural mahogany back and sides finish, mahogany back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.
By the mid-1960's Gibson's slope-shouldered Jumbo guitars had been very popular with Folk, Blues and Pop players for 30 years and picking this one up it's easy to see why. This is a very comfortable guitar to play with a sleek, slim round backed neck and a very warm sound. This J-45 is from the period where these were all the "ADJ" model, fitted with the company's adjustable bridge system with a ceramic saddle. The top finish is a bright cherry sunburst, a distinctive 1960s era change from the company's earlier dark and moody amber-brown 'bursts of the '40s and '50s.
This guitar's serial number is in an '"800XXX" series Gibson ran repeatedly between 1966 and 1969; based on the features we gauge this to be a '66-67 model. Like all J-45s this guitar is built with mahogany back, sides and neck with a spruce top and dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard. Typical features for the mid-'60s include the "belly up" rosewood bridge with the adjustable wooden saddle, large tortoise celluloid pickguard and "double line" Kluson Deluxe strip tuners, in this case replaced with 1970s "Gibson Deluxe" marked examples with the larger "Keystone" buttons. The major change from earlier '60s examples is the slimmer nut width; this one measuring 1 9/16".
A banner year for J-45 production, 1967 saw 5670 of these J-45 ADJ's ship out of Kalamazoo, the model's all-time peak. This survivor is relatively clean, very attractive and also a superb playing example; a super friendly, comfortable guitar you just don't want to put down.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 5 in. (12.7 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 21/32 in. (27 mm.).
This guitar remains in relatively clean condition overall, with a bright cherry finish that still shines like it did during the Summer of Love. There is typical moderate checking overall and wear scattered around, with a collection of dings, chips and scratches. The top has a few deeper "case lid bites" among the back edge and there are several very light "strap burn" areas to the top and back. The back of the neck has some small chips and dings with a deeper gouge behind the 9th fret.
There are no visible cracks to the top, back or sides; the only visible repair is a roughly plugged jack hole in the usual spot on the lower side; this is plainly visible but we have not cleaned it up as this would make a good performance guitar and it might be convenient if a pickup was to be added. Internally the guitar remains original and undisturbed, looking very clean and for an older Gibson was originally more neatly glued together than some! The rear strap button has been replaced with a fender style piece, with a second added at the heel. The tuners are vintage Kluson Deluxes but later, from the 1970s with the larger buttons more commonly seen on Gibson electrics.
The rosewood bridge is original including the bolts, bridgeplate and adjustable wooden saddle fitting that has often been removed in the decades since. Of late we have found many folks like the sound of these as Gibson built them, and converting them to a standard non-adjustable bridge is no longer de rigeur. The bridge was cleanly reglued at some point, with a repaired split along the back edge that has been solidly addressed.
The guitar has never had a neck reset (the idea of the adjustable bridge in the first place!) and is an excellent player with a nice chunky, midrangey sound, louder and punchier than many expect from these '60s adjustable bridge Gibsons. The original larger frets are quite clean but there is a bit of wear to the fingerboard in the lower positions. This is a nice find in a giggable '60s J-45, complete in an early 1970s purple-lined Gibson hardshell case. Excellent Condition.
