j45nick Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 I am attempting to hold firm though when it comes to guitars. I want to be ready to spring when I find that opaque yellow J-35. Be prepared to part with a large chunk of money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy2 Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 I wonder what Tony P would think of this one? Audio wasn't very loud for me - either the altitude or this first generation I-Pad letting me down. Wonder what the specs are? Also wonder if the bridgeplate is large enough to accommodate a Trance. Wasn't your I-pad. Sounded like shxt on my laptop, too. Might try headphones. Might not. I'm sure they're nice guitars, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 Be prepared to part with a large chunk of money. Ain't that he truth. 7 or 8 years back I ran across one at an auction. It was listed as a refin. Also had a couple of cracks and needed a neck reset. There was one other guy in the room who knew what the guitar was. And he got it. Later he came up and apologized for beating me. He also told me how high he was willing to go which made me feel a lot better as there was no way I was going to outbid him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 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 Exact reason why I have a Legend. I could have bought a vintage Banner for the price but I had a bad run with vintages and opted the safe route. I've since acquired a vintage Banner at a decent price. It definitely sounds different. I'm still a novice with the vintage stuff. I'd like to one day get a few of my guitars in the hands of forum members Tom B or John T to get their opinion, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 Double post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 Triple post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scriv58 Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 if that baby were a lefty i'da done drove there to try and most likely buy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliasphobias Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 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 I missed this the first time it went around Lars. That puts it out there about as plain as it can be said! Don't be so rough on your playing though, it gets the job done. As for the Legends I wish I could play a few to make a decent comparison. The MSRP makes my mouth dry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 I missed this the first time it went around Lars. That puts it out there about as plain as it can be said! Don't be so rough on your playing though, it gets the job done. As for the Legends I wish I could play a few to make a decent comparison. The MSRP makes my mouth dry! I have been able to get my hands on more original Banners than the Legend versions. There certainly are things Gibson cannot recreate. If they, as example, shot the same nitro they did in 1942 the EPA would be all over them. I am guessing you would never hear a difference though. The one thing that has eluded the builders was how to duplicate the sound of those old tops. From everything I hear, they have overcome that. For me, if I wore a younger man's clothes, I would rather not go the terrified top route and let the guitar age the old fashioned way. But looking down the barrel at 70 I no longer have the time to wait a couple of decades for the top to ripen. The one thing Gibson cannot duplicate though is the individuality of the Banners. It was both their blessing and their curse. Some bracing had a deeper scallop than others, some had a longer end taper and so on. Then you throw in the screw ups in the build which can turn conventional wisdom about how to make a proper guitar upside down. You gotta love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 The one thing Gibson cannot duplicate though is the individuality of the Banners. It was both their blessing and their curse. Some bracing had a deeper scallop than others, some had a longer end taper and so on. Then you throw in the screw ups in the build which can turn conventional wisdom about how to make a proper guitar upside down. You gotta love it. Yes exactly! Like the old SJ that John Thomas owns, which sounds fabulous, but has the x-bracing off center (and by quite a bit too...) They ought to build a few Legends like that... I am a guitar playing hack, but a music and guitar enthusiast, and I can't think of any material object as cool as and old Banner Gibson! Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 Yes exactly! Like the old SJ that John Thomas owns, which sounds fabulous, but has the x-bracing off center (and by quite a bit too...) They ought to build a few Legends like that... I am a guitar playing hack, but a music and guitar enthusiast, and I can't think of any material object as cool as and old Banner Gibson! Lars These screw ups just endear the guitars to us more. One of the Gibson ladies accidentally flip flopped 1/2 of the book matched top pieces on my '42 J-50. Apparently somebody down the line caught the mistake and decided to shoot a burst on it to cover the mistake. We jokingly refer to it as a J-47 1/2. JT actually asked for a photo and permission to use it if he ever needs it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegreatgumbino Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 FYI, I was at Fuller's this morning and they still have one left. I was there about a month ago and they supposedly had "one" left, which sold to a gentleman while I was there. The salesman said this one is the one they used for pictures when they came in, and it had been in the office since and was forgotten about. $3,950 and it's yours. It sounds damn fine. I've played 3 or 4 of them in the past and was able to compare it to my SCSJ, a standard J45, and a Hummingbird (different animal) today. The Legend is amazing. Love the baseball bat neck. It's amazing how effortless it plays and how light it is. It is super responsive to the lightest touch and can really grown when pushed. The one that sold a month ago I was able to play against a true blue 1945 Banner J45 that a gentleman walked in with. The Legend sounds fantastic in comparison. If I had the money to spare, I'd have brought it home with me. I'd have to sell all my guitars and then some to be able to raise the money. I saw a post from two weeks ago on Fuller's Facebook page last night saying "This is one of the last of our Completely Torrefied 1942 legend J-45". I recognize they are in the business of making money, but they fact that they keep billing the one on the floor as the last drives me nuts. This is the third time I've heard it was the "last" one. I called to see if it was still available, but they said it sold. I'm curious to know if they dropped the price any more from the $3,950 back in October. Also curious to see how many more miraculously pop up for sale in their shop and touted as the "last one" over the next 6 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhythmdoctor Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Thanks, guys. I had settled on a Vintage, now I think I need to find a Legend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhythmdoctor Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 So I just put in a request with my local Gibson dealer to have a custom made J-45 Vintage. My request is basically to build the J-45 Legend (top, b/s & bracing all with thermally-aged wood) with the cherry sunburst finish and L.R. Baggs Lyric installed. I'm hoping they can do it. I just LOVE that cherry sunburst color like the J-45s from the mid-60s. I'll update this thread or start a new one if my request is successful and not TOO expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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