J-45 case?

[DickB]

I bought a used (2006) J-45 a couple of weeks ago at a local vintage guitar store. I'm very happy with the guitar, but the case leaves a lot to be desired. It just doesn't fit the guitar. There is a lot of play for the body to go back and forth, and when I close the case and pick it up there is an audible "clunk" from the neck area. The case is a TKL with the Gibson logo on the outside and is well made. The store says it is the original case. They even brought out a couple of other J-45 cases when I took it back, thinking they had given me the wrong case. The same thing was true for all of them. I've had other guitars from Martins to Takamines, and never saw such a poor fitting case. Is this just the way it is with Gibson cases?

[zombywoof]

If you go back to the old Lifton cases, even though they had the Gibson plaque they were not built for a J-45 or any specific Gibson but rather were generic meant to fit a number of guitars. I would guess that TKL follows the same philosophy.

[dickie]

Just bought a J-45 myself a couple of weeks back, and mine fits very tight and snug in the Gibson case. The loose fit you describe does not sound right at all...

[duluthdan]

What color is the interior? Mine is blue = fit is fine.

[retrorod]

I bought a used (2006) J-45 a couple of weeks ago at a local vintage guitar store. I'm very happy with the guitar, but the case leaves a lot to be desired. It just doesn't fit the guitar. There is a lot of play for the body to go back and forth, and when I close the case and pick it up there is an audible "clunk" from the neck area. The case is a TKL with the Gibson logo on the outside and is well made. The store says it is the original case. They even brought out a couple of other J-45 cases when I took it back, thinking they had given me the wrong case. The same thing was true for all of them. I've had other guitars from Martins to Takamines, and never saw such a poor fitting case. Is this just the way it is with Gibson cases?

 

Should not be.....I think they are "sandbagging" you....

[j45nick]

What color is the interior? Mine is blue = fit is fine.

 

 

I have several of these modern TKL/Gibson cases with the blue lining, and they fit my slope-J's--both new and vintage--like a glove.

[DickB]

The interior of the case is dark, kind of a charcoal gray. There is about 3/4" of room on the side and end of the body, and it's about 4" too long at the headstock end. Apparently the height is also too large, resulting in the clunk I hear, which I guess is the headstock hitting the top.

 

 

[j45nick]

The interior of the case is dark, kind of a charcoal gray. There is about 3/4" of room on the side and end of the body, and it's about 4" too long at the headstock end. Apparently the height is also too large, resulting in the clunk I hear, which I guess is the headstock hitting the top.

 

 

 

 

That fit doesn't look/sound quite right to me. The guitar should not clunk around in the case with these modern case, unlike the vintage cases. as ZW points out.

 

All of these cases are about 4" long in the headstock area. There should be a foam pad (covered by the "cat fur" lining directly under the upper bout, so that the neck sits in the neck rest and the upper bout rests on the pad. The two vertical sides of the U of the neck rest should leave a slight mark in the lining in the top of the case, and the strings should leave full-length marks in the lining of the top. The bridge pins should also leave marks in the top lining, showing that the guitar is held firmly in place. The lower bout should be snug against the lower end of the case, and have maybe 1/4" or so of longitudinal play at most, when you try to slide the guitar towards the headstock end of the case with the top of the case open.

 

The cases I have of this type all have blue "cat fur" lining, not charcoal gray. None has the Gibson Acoustic plate on the side, either.

[DickB]

That fit doesn't look/sound quite right to me. The guitar should not clunk around in the case with these modern case, unlike the vintage cases. as ZW points out.

 

All of these cases are about 4" long in the headstock area. There should be a foam pad (covered by the "cat fur" lining directly under the upper bout, so that the neck sits in the neck rest and the upper bout rests on the pad. The two vertical sides of the U of the neck rest should leave a slight mark in the lining in the top of the case, and the strings should leave full-length marks in the lining of the top. The bridge pins should also leave marks in the top lining, showing that the guitar is held firmly in place. The lower bout should be snug against the lower end of the case, and have maybe 1/4" or so of longitudinal play at most, when you try to slide the guitar towards the headstock end of the case with the top of the case open.

 

The cases I have of this type all have blue "cat fur" lining, not charcoal gray. None has the Gibson Acoustic plate on the side, either.

 

Well, I think it's clear this case is not for a J-45. What's strange is that the marks you mentioned are visible on the lining of the top, but I'm beginning to think they were left by some other guitar. Maybe whoever traded the guitar brought it in the wrong case, or whatever. I guess I could stuff a towel in there to keep it from rattling around. I looked up "Gibson J-45 case" and both Musician's Friend and Amazon have them (with the blue lining) for $200, but not sure I want to spend that now. Thanks for the input from everyone.

[mking]

I bought a Gibson case for my J-45 TV off of EBay new and it was advertised that it was for a J-45. I didn't want to muck up the brown/pink interior case that came with the TV flying and traveling so I bought the black one with the blue interior like the other folks have talked about. It fits like a glove. They sold you a case that clearly does not fit a J-45.

[Allie]

I bought a 1993 J-45 off of ebay a few weeks ago and the case it came in was the brown/tan color (looks to be original) on the outside and sort of purple on the inside. I haven't found the manufactures name on the case but it does have the Gibson Montana logo in gold and it fits my guitar like a glove, even has an additional pad in the headstock area to support it in the event that it needs extra support there. I think you have the wrong case for your guitar.

[Allie]

The interior of the case is dark, kind of a charcoal gray. There is about 3/4" of room on the side and end of the body, and it's about 4" too long at the headstock end. Apparently the height is also too large, resulting in the clunk I hear, which I guess is the headstock hitting the top.

 

 

If I were a Gibson J-45 I wouldn't be caught dead in that case......the case I received my J-45 in fits the guitar so tightly the instrument needs to be level with the case before it will slide in, although yours does have the Gibson tag attached to the case it clearly is a generic fit.

[onewilyfool]

Could it be that you have a hummingbird case with a J-45 guitar?

[DickB]

Could it be that you have a hummingbird case with a J-45 guitar?

 

Wouldn't surprise me. Being new to Gibsons, I was a pushover.

[Doug the Old Geezer]

I think you have a case for a different Gibby. My J-35 fits tight and is as snug as a bug in a rug.

[mking]

I think onewilyfool has the answer. That case was made for a square shoulder Gibson, not a slope shoulder.

[The G]

I think onewilyfool has the answer. That case was made for a square shoulder Gibson, not a slope shoulder.

 

 

Yup,sounds like you got a square shoulder case to me as well.

[modoc_333]

doesn't even look like a real Gibson case. certainly not from that time period. i think they are getting one over on you.

[father_of_pearl]

I also own a 2006 J45, bought it new. It came with the TKL case, black outside/ blue inside, and I don't have such issues.

I guess yours should look like mine :

 

 

 

[lovemyj45]

where can you get a road cace for a j45.. the cace that came with it is very soft ..