Gibson J-50 Adj. Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1964), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.
By the 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 with a sleek, round neck and a very warm sound. The J-50 is essentially the same instrument as the J-45 with a natural finish and an extra layer of top binding. Over the years they have proven are a bit rarer (they cost slightly more) than that familiar sunburst-top favorite. This one is marked J-50 Adj. bridge on the backstrip which indicates it was originally fitted with the company's slightly dubious adjustable saddle system saddle that has been replaced with a solid rosewood bridge. The J-50 of this period was favored notably by Texas blues legend Lightnin' Hopkins, among many others!
Overall length is 40 11/16 in. (103.3 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 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.). A very nice 1964 J-50, a clean 50+ year old instrument with some light checking overall and only some small dings and scrapes to the top. The largest area of loss to the finish is the lower lip of the soundhole, which is down to the wood on the rim. The back of the neck shows one fairly large ding on the bass side by the second fret and a small finish chip behind the nut, otherwise the finish is largely intact. The only alteration to the guitar is the original adjustable bridge has been replaced with a solid rosewood unit, which is generally considered a sound improvement, and the guitar is fitted with a K & K Pure Western pickup system with volume control in the soundhole. This is an excellent gigging guitar and a nice example of a mid-60's J-50, with the typically sweet midrange sound these are well known for. Excellent - Condition.
