Gibson J-45 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar, c. 1944, made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, mahogany body, laminated maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.
Overall length is 40 3/16 in. (102.1 cm.), 16 1/16 in. (40.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 13/16 in. (46 mm.). This is a well-played guitar with an exceptionally fine sound, a great representative of the "Banner' era at Gibson. There is a lot of wear overall, but the top is cleaner than many of these. Some fairly heavy finish loss to the bass side, which has a clear overspray. The back is heavily checked but not as seriously worn. The back of the neck has a fairly heavy dark overspray; it appears most of the original finish was lost from the heel to the bottom of the headstock. There are 2 long sealed top cracks behind the bridge, a small pickguard edge crack and a separation near the end of the fingerboard on the soundhole rim cleated to the edge. Original wartime tuners restored-there are signs of other installations past. The bridge is a nice repro but slightly oversize. A very big sounding guitar, an excellent player.
