{"product_id":"gibson-j-45-banner-owned-and-used-by-jeff-tweedy-of-wilco-flat-top-acoustic-guitar-1945-12646","title":"Gibson J-45 Banner Owned and Used by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1945)","description":"Gibson J-45 Banner Owned and Used by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1945), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 2972-21, sunburst top, natural back and sides finish, mahogany back and sides; spruce top, laminated maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, brown tolex hard shell case. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis beautiful Gibson J-45 has a lot of history behind it; not only has it been on the planet since the end of the second world way but has been more recently employed in the touring arsenal of Wilco's Jeff Tweedy. Banner J-45's are consistently some of our favorite guitars even though they themselves are paragons of inconsistency. During the Second World War the company's production was severely limited; flat tops were the only product they shipped in real quantity. The specifications of individual instruments in this era often vary widely dictated by the materials available.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe body of this particular guitar has the standard combination of a sunburst-finished spruce top over the mahogany back and sides specified for the J-45. The neck is made from 5-piece laminated maple, with the Gibson adjustable truss rod fitted. Multi-ply laminated maple necks are a well-known \"Banner\" variation; the blanks had originally been made up for the \"catalog brand\" guitars Gibson was building just before the war, notably Montgomery Ward's \"Recording King\" line and were re-purposed later on. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis guitar IS fitted with the adjustable steel truss rod often deleted from production in 1943 and '44 as metal was severely rationed but still appears on some instruments, as is the case here. The maple neck is built to a substantial profile but not as thick as some with a comfortable round backed profile. Some banner necks approach \"Louisville slugger\" proportions; this one is not that big. The combination of the truss-rodded maple neck with the mahogany and spruce body makes for a particularly good playing and sounding J-45 variant. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Gibson Factory Order Number (FON) on the heelblock suggests the instrument was likely made in the 1944-5 period. The soundhole rosette is the later 3-ply style, while the top and back are single bound. The headstock bears the gold script Gibson logo over the \"Only a Gibson is Good Enough\" banner decal that gives this era's guitars their identifying nickname. The tuners are the wartime Kluson strips with very thin riveted gears using the absolute minimum of metal.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe sunburst top finish is deep and rich with a stately hue, accented by the tortoise celluloid pickguard. The original finish has some wear but overall is still very attractive. This is a big sounding guitar that has survived nearly 80 years in fine playing condition, showing some scars but still a fantastic instrument. It has \"come off the road\" for a while but is certainly still fit and ready for any performing or recording situation and you know it carries the best vibes possible!\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eOverall 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 3\/4 in. (44 mm.). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis guitar shows some typical wear and repair but remains not too heavily worn for a wartime J-45, particularly one that has been in touring use. The instrument shows finish wear and some typical maintenance repairs but no serious damage. The most obvious change is a replaced rosewood bridge, not in the original small rectangular format but the later (1940-50s) \"belly-up\" style. This looks to have been done a long time ago. The original small maple bridgeplate is still present, with a very thin small metal plate reinforcing the pin holes. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOverall the all-original finish is cleaner than some with typical checking and dings, dents and scratches overall. There are a few deeper dings and scrapes but overall the top has less pickwear than many, most notably spots down into the wood off the back edge of the pickguard and along the treble side of the soundhole. A couple of long scratches to the lower top have been touched up. The back has some deeper dings and scrapes but less belt buckle wear than many. The back of the neck has some feelable finish flaking and wear down to the wood along the treble side, conveniently exposing the white maple underneath the dark finish.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere are no visible cracks to the top or sides except one small sealed split to the side on the turn of the lower bout. The back has one long repaired crack sealed but not finished over. The later style bridge looks to have been cut down somewhat, or originally installed with a more rounded sloping top profile than the original pattern. There are no mounting bolts or pearl dots; the original bridgeplate has the patched holes for them still visible.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Internally the fairly delicate (if roughly finished) bracing remains original. The compensated saddle is fairly low; the neck does not appear to have been reset or if so it was an incredibly clean job. The original flat-plate wartime Kluson tuners still function well with their original white plastic buttons in place. The fingerboard was cleanly refretted (some old divoting remains in the first position) with a replaced bone nut and the guitar is an excellent player\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eModifications for Jeff's stage use include a strap button on the heel and a Sunrise soundhole pickup (removable) fitted with an endpin jack. This instrument has had some adventures along the road so far but has been well cared for. It is an excellent playing guitar, chunky sounding but smooth and even, equally at home as a strummed rhythm machine or fingerpicked. It remains as it has lately lived in the Wilco loft with light nickel strings; currently it is optimized as an amplified stage guitar but a re-stringing and pickup removal would give it more acoustic resonance. The 1990s Gibson hardshell case has the Loft's identifying labels intact; Jeff's heavy leather strap and a \"Wilco\" brand Herco style nylon pick (very clever that!) are included. Overall Very Good + Condition.","brand":"Gibson","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46853637111948,"sku":"12646","price":15000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/8702\/3756\/files\/01_af7eafce-3eba-4ee6-b7e9-b864c22bce23.jpg?v=1774341930","url":"https:\/\/retrofret.com\/products\/gibson-j-45-banner-owned-and-used-by-jeff-tweedy-of-wilco-flat-top-acoustic-guitar-1945-12646","provider":"RetroFret","version":"1.0","type":"link"}