Gibson J-45 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1954), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # X7339-25, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
Gibson's slope-shouldered Jumbo guitars have remained popular since their introduction in the early 1930s with folk, blues, and pop players, and picking this one up it's easy to see why. This 1954 J-45 is a superb player with a comfortable round-backed neck, much sleeker than the chunky wartime spec that was continued up through the late 1940s. These early 1950s Gibson jumbos are generally great-sounding instruments, with a big, warm sound that can still cut through the mix when pushed; this one is no exception.
This example shows some wear and repair but remains in original and good playing shape, with typical 1954 features including the "top belly" rosewood bridge, small tortoise celluloid pickguard, non-tapered headstock fitted with Kluson Deluxe strip tuners, and gold decal "modern" Gibson script logo on the face. The top is nicely even-grained spruce, triple bound and finished in the classic warm dark Gibson sunburst. The braces are the hand-scalloped version found around this time, somewhat more crudely done than the pre-war Martin style but equally effective!
We love J-45s from this period. They are true classics in both looks and sound and really exemplify the best of Gibson's "workingman's jumbo" with no frills but plenty of splendid tone. There were 1481 of these shipped in 1954; this one has seen some use over the decades but remains a very friendly guitar to play with a huge but still well-defined sound.
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.).
Overall this is a good-playing and great sounding example of this 1950s Gibson stalwart, with some play wear and old repair work evident but nothing that affects function or vibe! The finish shows typical wear overall with fairly heavy checking and a mostly smaller dings, dents, and scrapes over much of the instrument. The top has a finely checked patina and some typical pickwear, dings, and scratches, most notable as usual around the soundhole rim. The back of the neck has finish rubbed away in the first position but none of the heavy capo marks often encountered just some checking with small dings and dents.
There are a number of crack repairs to the instrument. The top has sealed grain splits on either side of the fingerboard extending to the soundhole rim; these have been sealed with small "shoe" cleats fitted under the soundhole rim as reinforcement. There is also some noticeable touch up to these, continuing along the bass side of the fingerboard. Another small sealed grain crack extends about 2" back from the front edge of the top on the turn of the upper bout. There is also a typical grain split along the top edge of the pickguard, sealed and cleated. The back has two oddly symmetrical grain splits coming off the bottom edge, probably a weak spot in the bookmatched wood. There are sealed with neat strip cleats installed.
The neck has been reset and appears neatly refretted sometime back with period correct wire, or the original frets have survived better than we would expect; they have been recrowned a bit and there is divoting to the fingerboard in the first position. The rosewood bridge and small maple bridge plate remain original; the bridge has been reglued, lowered a bit and the string slots in front of the pins deepened especially on the treble side. Internally all the bracing remains original showing a LOT of regluing over the decades, all is solid but some of the old work was pretty sloppy with errant hide glue in evidence in multiple areas. The tuners are the correct style but appear more recent. There was never a strap button added to the heel.
While not the cleanest old J-45 we have seen this one is a great gigger or recording guitar, playing perfectly with sound to spare. It has plenty of character and a great friendly vibe, living in a '70s era purple-lined Gibson HSC. Overall Very Good + Condition.
