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1942 J-45 Legend with torrified top, back, and sides


Red 333

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I want, I want!

 

J45 Legend. Torrefied everything, 5 of the limited run already sold and that is about it for details....

 

Not a mention on Gibson.com and no mention of the special torrefied top J50 RI, so I guess they make and sell them by osmosis.

 

 

Don't matter, dentist wants my guitar fund....

 

 

BluesKing777.

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Errr... Play a legend. They are serious. I can imagine this one sounds a heck of a lot better than the Facebook video, which seems primitively recorded.

Fuller's is an awesome shop too.

 

I have, a couple times. They are very, very nice guitars. But not even remotely in the ballpark tone wise as a genuine '42 J-45.

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I have never played a 1942 Legend, but I do have an original 1942 J-45 Banner, which is my pride and joy. Buying that guitar, having it shipped and repaired were all very rewarding and overall a great experience, but in all honesty, it was quite a big gamble. Buying such an old instrument is always a risk, no matter the circumstances. I can easily see someone being more risk averse and going for the Legend. I'm sure it is a very, very fine guitar too.

 

I'm not really a good enough guitar player to be able to appreciate the finer nuances of either a Legend or the real deal, either would be more than my playing deserves. Instead, I bought my guitar for the history and legend surrounding a first year J-45. For me, being a music and guitar fanatic, there was more to the guitar than the music it could make. In such a case, there is no substitute for the vintage version, but that doesn't make opting for the safer route of the Legend any less valid. In fact, for some, I'm sure it makes perfect sense.

 

Lars

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I had the good fortune of playing all 17 of the 1st run of these guitars yesterday, I was somewhat taken aback by just how consistent these guitars were from one to the other. This is not what I have normally experienced with Gibson Acoustics.

 

I must admit these are VERY good sounding boxes. They are dry and have a strong fundamental but are able to maintain a nice level of sustain that pieces it all together. The neck shape was perfect for me. I enjoy necks on the larger size. These necks are substantial but are not too large. They did a really good job of not allowing the shoulder width becoming

so large that folks with smaller hands could not enjoy them, good job Gibson!

 

I have not purchased one yet??? If I were buying on tone and feel alone I would have purchased 1 yesterday! However, since I own a wonderful 1950 ~ J-45 I am not for sure I really need to add one of these guitars to my stash.

 

I will admit that I was disappointed with the finish of the guitars at their price point, but being a Collings/Martin owner I am always somewhat unhappy with Gibson's effort with their finishes. I was also surprised by their MSRP! Having owned a Cooked topped J-45 Vintage earlier in the year the pricing just took me aback a little. I read where someone posted the out the door price was $4999.00, while that's a substantial discount from the MSRP, its still a big chunk of change.

 

My final thought is how wonderful the folks at Fuller's really are. Its a large commitment to take on a special project like this. Mike has a lot of money tied up in this run, I do suspect they will sell pretty quickly because they are really fine guitars and I expect the Gibson lovers to snatch them up, quickly!

 

 

Randy

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I had the good fortune of playing all 17 of the 1st run of these guitars yesterday, I was somewhat taken aback by just how consistent these guitars were from one to the other. This is not what I have normally experienced with Gibson Acoustics.

 

I must admit these are VERY good sounding boxes. They are dry and have a strong fundamental but are able to maintain a nice level of sustain that pieces it all together. The neck shape was perfect for me. I enjoy necks on the larger size. These necks are substantial but are not too large. They did a really good job of not allowing the shoulder width becoming

so large that folks with smaller hands could not enjoy them, good job Gibson!

 

I have not purchased one yet??? If I were buying on tone and feel alone I would have purchased 1 yesterday! However, since I own a wonderful 1950 ~ J-45 I am not for sure I really need to add one of these guitars to my stash.

 

I will admit that I was disappointed with the finish of the guitars at their price point, but being a Collings/Martin owner I am always somewhat unhappy with Gibson's effort with their finishes. I was also surprised by their MSRP! Having owned a Cooked topped J-45 Vintage earlier in the year the pricing just took me aback a little. I read where someone posted the out the door price was $4999.00, while that's a substantial discount from the MSRP, its still a big chunk of change.

 

My final thought is how wonderful the folks at Fuller's really are. Its a large commitment to take on a special project like this. Mike has a lot of money tied up in this run, I do suspect they will sell pretty quickly because they are really fine guitars and I expect the Gibson lovers to snatch them up, quickly!

 

 

Randy

 

Randy--With the quality of the video it was hard for me to tell whether the bridge was the small historically accurate rectangular one or the belly bridge that came in some time around 1948. Just curious.

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Randy--With the quality of the video it was hard for me to tell whether the bridge was the small historically accurate rectangular one or the belly bridge that came in some time around 1948. Just curious.

 

If I remember correctly it was the small rectangular bridge, but I will check on that to make certain.

 

Randy

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Seriously ... just get a '42 original, the real thing ... the cost will be not that wide between the real thing and a modern reproduction.

 

Why fake it when you can make it ?

 

Well, I guess it comes down to each individual's idea what constitutes a difference in cost that is "not that wide". This baked new one goes for $5000. When I checked on reverb.com the lowest asking price I could find for a Banner J-45 (traditional Spruce/mahogany) was around &7500 (granted, that is the asking price). Now if you found that the tone of the new one does not measure up to Vintage then one could make an argument for ponying up another $2500.

 

If you find a Banner J-45 that doesn't need much work (less than $500) for $5000 point me in that direction! [biggrin]

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Randy--With the quality of the video it was hard for me to tell whether the bridge was the small historically accurate rectangular one or the belly bridge that came in some time around 1948. Just curious.

 

The bridge on the Legend is rectangular. The 1942 Legend J-45 is patterned after a specific J-45 that was carefully measured and x-ray-ed, and is as close to an exact reproduction as you will find. The construction reproduces the rough hewn braces, fabric side stays, and the tapered headstock depth, among other things. It's both a superb instrument and superb example of craftmanship.

 

Red 333

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Looks nice. I'd like to try one out.

 

I felt I was to overloaded on this style and moved a few of them earlier this year.

 

At one point I had a '53 J50, J45 STD, J45TV, '42 Legend and the Honky Tonk Deuce. I'm currently down to the Legend and Deuce. I will sell the Legend when I get the opportunity.

 

Of them all, I thought the J45TV and Deuce were the best overall guitars for me and could have stuck with either one.

 

 

 

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I was with him when he said, is this a country guitar, and when he said is this a blues guitar, but when he said bluegrass, and strummed a couple of G chords, and then said jazz, and played a blues progression, I began to wonder whether this run of Fuller J-45s was as full of hot smoke as the seller.

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