j45nick

That link now goes to the wrong guitar. It originally linked to a conventional 'bird.

Tubes are the only way to go. I've got a little Fender Champ 600 that is pretty much all I need. It is easily hot-rodded with tube upgrades if you are so inclined.

That was not unusual for lower-end models like the L-48 in the early post-WW2 years. Post a photo of the entire front of the guitar, with a clear picture of the front of the headstock, and we can probably give you a reasonable idea of the date.

That finish is generally called the faded cherryburst, and it is a reasonable representation of what happened to the cherryburst on some mid-1960s Hummingbirds and J-45s over time. The guitar looks like the real deal to me.

That's a really nice Lester Lefty!

My experience with the longevity of Sunbeams is the exact opposite. I just replaced a set on one of my 1950 J-45s after two years. They still sounded pretty good to me. Not like new, but good. Very thumpy after the original brightness goes away after about 3-4 months. Some people think they are too bright to start with. I have them on three other Gibson flat tops right now, with strings of various ages and guitars that are in various tunings. I use them in large part because of their longevity. I don't know how you wind strings when you tune, but I have none of the problems you are talking about. When you open either end of a box of Sunbeams, there is a big note on the flap you pull out that says "prevent dead strings", and points to the more detailed instructions on the inside of the box. It ain't rocket science.

It warns you on the package not to cut the string ends until you tune them. These are round core strings. The ends of the wound strings are compressed so the windings can't separate while you tune the guitar. If you cut them before you wind them on the stringpost, nine time out of 10 you will destroy that string. Unlike a hex core string the windings do not bite into the core string. That is the reason the strings are so flexible.

That is the easiest solution. It will not yield exactly the same results as removing the exposed adjustment hardware and saddle, filling the resulting slot in the bridge, and re-slotting for a conventional bone saddle. In my adj saddle replacement job, we removed the adj bridge to allow access to all the adj hardware, removed that and filled all the holes, removed the 1968 oversize plywood bridgeplate and replaced it with a thin maple bridgeplate, and made a new belly-up conventional Gibson bridge with a slot-through saddle, as that 1950 J-45 had before re-topping by Gibson in 1968. Cost for that little operation was about $500 as part of a much bigger project on the guitar

Tom, looking at the "Class photo" which I assume is your fraternity, isn't that you on the far right, second row from the bottom?

You are correct, according to Fabulous Flat Tops. There was a square-shoulder J-35 brought to market in 1985, which was essentially a Dove without the bling. It was apparently only on the market for two years. The OP's guitar reminded me of that one, but the timeline is wrong in any case.

As you know, the construction details of your guitar are inconsistent with the standard Gospel. The body and neck construction--it looks like a one-piece maple neck--are similar to the J-35 in the same period. The J-35 in this period was much like a Dove without the bling. Does it have an ebony fretboard and bridge, or rosewood? It is possible that this guitar started out to be a J-35, but ended up as a Gospel for some reason. It is Gibson, after all. What is the pickguard like? I don't know very much about the square-shoulder Gibsons in the period other than the Dove and the Hummingbird.

I've never seen one exactly like that. The celluloid binding looks to be holding up perfectly, which is a bit of a miracle. The rectangular "Union Made" label was only used for a few years in the 1970s, I believe. If you are trying to determine when it was made, the serial number can help us do that.

I can't even hear the name Slim Whitman without thinking of the move "Mars Attacks!"

Nice looking, with a beautifully-faded cherryburst top. Can you check the width of the nut to tell us if it is 1 9/16", 1 5/8", or 1 11/16"? 1965 was a transition year for Gibson neck widths. Congratulations on a great find.

I've never seen a mid-60s cherryburst to fade to that particular color, or that evenly. They usually fade to something similar to the modern "ice tea" burst, sort of a faded tannish yellow, often showing slightly darker around the edges of the top. Having said that, a look inside at the edges of the soundhole with a mirror may tell a tale. Is the color the same on the sides? I usually associate that screwed-on pickguard with 1968, but being Gibson, anything is possible. Since the pickguard is just screwed on with tiny screws --no adhesive, as I recall from removing one many years ago--I would pop it off and have a look underneath. From the two small holes just outside the soundhole, it has had a D'Armond soundhole pickup, or something similar, at some point in time.

Could you elaborate on that a bit?

No cracks in any of mine, but I would not lose sleep over it if there were. If one falls out, just glue it back in. I suspect StewMac has videos on inlay work.

Not sure. I'll have to look again. Might have been the one at Carter's, since I get their listings regularly. They get some nice guitars.

I think I saw that one listed for sale. Good luck.

Oh, Sal, the humanity!! Nicely done, and Happy Thanksgiving

Nowhere near the same condition, however.

Just changed a set on one of my J-45s after 18 months. I love Sunbeams.

Welcome. For starters, a J-45 sounds nothing like a D-28. They are completely different guitars, so if that is your goal, you are almost bound to be disappointed with a J-45. You may want to play if for awhile, like weeks, to get a feel for what you like and don't like about your current setup. You don't necessarily need a luthier to do a setup. You need a good guitar tech. A professional setup is fairly cheap, and generally well worth the cost. Typically, they may ask you to play a few things in your normal style, so they can get a better feel for how to set the guitar up for that style of playing. As you have learned, extra-light strings are not a particularly good match for the J-45. Strings are a very personal choice. As you may have noticed, there is a pinned thread at the top of the Gibson acoustic forum dedicated to strings and the bits that go with them. Start your research there.

That's a very nice solution. Right now, my current office doubles as a music room which triples as a guest room. Fortunately, we don't get many guests. Plans for a dedicated music room have languished here for a number of years, but I live in hope.

I like that a lot, but what do you do with the stack of empty cases?