J45 Custom Vine

[drathbun]

I was at my local Long & McQuade today (where I used to work) to renew the warranty on my Martin 000-28vs and played around with this awesome, used, 2001 J45 Custom Vine. The strings were old on it but even with old strings, OMG, that thing vibrated my chest. Such deep, growly bass and sparkling highs. Amazing instrument, with beautiful inlays and engraved Grover tuner buttons. It had a number of finish cracks but in excellent, neck, body, setup shape. I don't think I've ever played a J45 that sounded like that. Sounded more like my SJ200. I took a couple of pics.

 

 

Also, the cool thing about having children that work at the store, I get SWAG!

 

[jedzep]

Dude! that's what I call a ruined fretboard. That whole guitar is like a pimped out Cadillac. Great that it sounds so fine.

 

To each his own, of course.

[drathbun]

Dude! that's what I call a ruined fretboard. That whole guitar is like a pimped out Cadillac. Great that it sounds so fine.

 

To each his own, of course.

 

Yeah I've never been fond of the vine/squiggly inlay fretboards either, but this J45 with the abalone soundhole ring and top purfling is actually rather attractive and not as ostentatious as you might think.

[Bozz]

Looks like a decent price if it sounds good and doesn't need work. Someone put a lot of time into all those inlays. Has the bridge been moved? The finish on the north side of it looks a little wonky.

[Leonard McCoy]

2.2k for a Vine, is that for real?! That's laughably cheap. Where are the "finish cracks" located at?

[Slinky1]

I love it!

[62burst]

Looks like a decent price if it sounds good and doesn't need work. Someone put a lot of time into all those inlays. Has the bridge been moved? The finish on the north side of it looks a little wonky.

Yes, Bozz, the inlay did take some skilled effort, and the ebony board really makes it pop- sometimes it's nice to mark the occasion with some bling. As far as the lack of finish north o' the bridge; doesn't it's footprint get scraped before attaching the bridge? The factory video recently posted by 40Yrs just barely misses showing or not showing it at t = 10:35.

[Red 333]

That bridge does look wonky.

 

I have one of these. Mine has rosewood back and sides (as I presume this one does). It has a very rich, lush sound, almost as if two guitars are playing. A work of art that sounds wonderful.

 

Red 333

[Jinder]

My former bandmate’s 2001 J45 RW has rhe same finish wrinkle ahead of the bridge, which I’ve also seen on a couple of other RW J45s. I have no idea why it’s there but it didn’t affect the intonation or tone of Gav’s J45 at all...just a Gibson quirk from that era I guess.

 

I’d love a Vine, ideally a J185 Vine...stunning guitars.

[Leonard McCoy]

I’d love a Vine, ideally a J185 Vine...stunning guitars.

There is one from France on Reverb, priced accordingly.

[drathbun]

2.2k for a Vine, is that for real?! That's laughably cheap. Where are the "finish cracks" located at?

 

There is a small lacquer crack near the lower corner of the bridge, two or three leading up from the lower treble bout (parallel to grain but not wood cracks) and a couple on the back. There are a couple of good sized dings and some buckle rash.

[drathbun]

That bridge does look wonky.

 

I have one of these. Mine has rosewood back and sides (as I presume this one does). It has a very rich, lush sound, almost as if two guitars are playing. A work of art that sounds wonderful.

 

Red 333

 

It does look wonky in the photo but I examined it in person and saw nothing unusual. So I think it is just the lighting. It IS a rosewood b/s and VERY lush.

[Murph]

The Gibson Bling.

 

Not for me, but awesome just the same.

[zombywoof]

Dude! that's what I call a ruined fretboard. That whole guitar is like a pimped out Cadillac. Great that it sounds so fine.

 

To each his own, of course.

 

Glad I am not the only one who gets a mental picture of a Santa Fe pimp out for a night on the town. I have gotten to see one in the flesh as my favorite little local store got one of these decked out J-45s in just before I moved.

[drathbun]

It is an odd combination; a J45 and bling. It is like wearing a tuxedo with ripped jeans.

[Jinder]

There is one from France on Reverb, priced accordingly.

 

That’s beautiful...odd that it’s listed as a 180 and not 185, although the missing Maltese crosses probably explain that. Waaaay too much money but a very pretty guitar.

[zombywoof]

It is an odd combination; a J45 and bling. It is like wearing a tuxedo with ripped jeans.

 

Putting that guitar in my hands would be like putting silk undies on a a goat.

[OldCowboy]

I really like the vine fretboard (one sign of a high quality - plus the carved heel - vintage frailing banjo), but from there it seems a bit (?) EXtravagantly blinged. Grew up at the wrong time, I guess, to fully appreciate guitars that - back then - most 'real' musicians couldn't afford. A person who could afford something like that was often compensating for bad playing. 'Cept for the J-200/Dove/H-bird, of course😂

[fortyearspickn]

After decades of owning/playing a Plain Jane guitar - I now tend to prefer a little bling. More visually appealing = more likely to pick up and play.

[Hogeye]

This is an amazing guitar. Gibson made and shipped 9 of them in 2001. The hand engraved tuners make it very special indeed. Ren was responsible for the engraving. I'm not sure about the bridge as Gibson used Ebony for the fret board and it almost always used the same wood for the bridge. Very low number even for Gibson. I'm truly surprised to see it at all let alone at that price.

[Bozz]

I really like the vine fretboard (one sign of a high quality - plus the carved heel - vintage frailing banjo), but from there it seems a bit (?) EXtravagantly blinged. Grew up at the wrong time, I guess, to fully appreciate guitars that - back then - most 'real' musicians couldn't afford. A person who could afford something like that was often compensating for bad playing. 'Cept for the J-200/Dove/H-bird, of course😂

 

Thankfully times have changed for the better. People are free to play whatever guitar they desire and no decent person would even think of accusing someone of not being a real musician or a bad player based on their choice of guitars.