J-1854Me Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 Whoa. I figured it was a $3k number... Me too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bayoubengal1954 Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 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 craftsmanship. Red 333 Thanks for the clarification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 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! I suppose it depends if you have the lazy 5, played it in person, fell in love and you know the rest - as you are plucking going Wow! Oh Wow!, you are generally not thinking of the missing 5..... But later you might think about the 53 J50 with overspray on top at Elderly on consign for $3750, assume they add about 21% to $2962.50 and might come down 14% to $3225......rubbery, I know but.... Matter of fact, it would be great to play both in the same room. And BayouB's as well! BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bayoubengal1954 Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 I suppose it depends if you have the lazy 5, played it in person, fell in love and you know the rest - as you are plucking going Wow! Oh Wow!, you are generally not thinking of the missing 5..... But later you might think about the 53 J50 with overspray on top at Elderly on consign for $3750, assume they add about 21% to $2962.50 and might come down 14% to $3225......rubbery, I know but.... Matter of fact, it would be great to play both in the same room. And BayouB's as well! BluesKing777. That would be interesting, BK! The going prices for Banner models are so much higher than the Post War Models that I didn't dip my toe (wallet) into that pond. Like you say, if one were to play the current "cooked" Legend alongside a number of true Banners and Post War models it would be interesting to know which one each of us would want to take home. But $5000 wouldn't get you a True Banner unless there was much work to be done (thanks a lot JT...just kidding ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 That would be interesting, BK! The going prices for Banner models are so much higher than the Post War Models that I didn't dip my toe (wallet) into that pond. Like you say, if one were to play the current "cooked" Legend alongside a number of true Banners and Post War models it would be interesting to know which one each of us would want to take home. But $5000 wouldn't get you a True Banner unless there was much work to be done (thanks a lot JT...just kidding ) Just saw a prime example in Buy & Sell UMGF, maybe refinished: https://www.gbase.com/gear/gibson-j-45-banner-1943- BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fp Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 Just saw a prime example in Buy & Sell UMGF, maybe refinished: https://www.gbase.com/gear/gibson-j-45-banner-1943- BluesKing777. And incorrect bridge ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bayoubengal1954 Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 And incorrect bridge ! Yeah, puzzling. They had to replace the bridge because it had two large cracks. Okay. The you replace it with a historically inaccurate bridge. Why?? Then they want $9250. Hope it sounds good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 Yeah, puzzling. They had to replace the bridge because it had two large cracks. Okay. The you replace it with a historically inaccurate bridge. Why?? Then they want $9250. Hope it sounds good. I would not go near that guitar. Not mentioning the replaced and inaccurate bridge in the UMGF add would alone make me stear way clear. The guitar is now sold. Different strokes and all that... Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 5000.00 for a J45... Ouch.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motherofpearl Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 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. Let me know if you decide to sell I may be interested been looking for one for a long time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 I got to see a few of the torrified Legend J-45s at the Fuller's display in the Arlington Guitar Show this weekend. As it turns out, even the bracing is torrified on this model, not just the Adirondack top and mahogany back and sides. In making this version of this exclusive Fuller's version of the 1942 Legend J-45, all the pieces are cut and the sides are bent, and then sent to the University of Wisconson where the torrification occurs. This is because once the wood is torrified, it is extremely difficult to work with: the sides snap when being bent and the braces splinter when being shaped, due to how much moisture the torrification process removes, and how brittle the wood becomes. These Legends were light as a feather, despite their giant necks, and I suspect much of that is the result of the torrification. I didn't really play one, except to strum a couple of chords, since there wasn't a nearby place to sit, and I'm not comfortable playing standing without a strap (don't want to drop a spendy guitar on the concrete floor!). Plus, a giant guitar show is not the best place to audition an acoustic, as there are many blues players making the Les Pauls and Strats and amps they are auditioning wail and moan! Still, what I could hear sounded worthy of the Legend moniker. There was at least one vintage Banner J-45 at the show, with a pricetag of $15K. The 1950's J-45s (and there were a few of them) all seemed to be priced in the $7K ballpark. There were also a couple of vintage J-35s. One was thought to be a 1938 or '39. It had back braces like knife blades, tall and thin, thin, thin (similar to the banner J-45 I saw). The other was thought to be a 1936. It's back braces were very low, wide, and rounded. (I can't help myself--I look at the bracing as much as anything). Quite a few Gibson-made Kalamazos, Kel Kroydons. Cromwells, etc., too. These certainly seem to be gaining in recognition, probably due to their popularity with guys like Jeff tweedy, and their prices are rising as a result. Just a few years ago you could buy the diminutive Kalamazoo Sport for six or seven hundred dollars; I saw one for $1400 yesterday. The Arlington guitar Show is billed as America's oldest, biggest, and best guitar events. There are are hundreds of dealers filling two enormous convention halls, and they hail from all over the world. As usual, Fuller's had an ungodly number of new Gibson acoustics on display (despite this being more of a vintage-oriented show), including one of the new Nick Lucas reissues. They also had a number of the new Epiphone Masterbilt archtops. These looked pretty sharp. Of course, Gibson's own Don Rufalato was on hand in the Fuller's space, and as always was friendly, informed, and enthusiastic. I didn't buy anything (except a gin and tonic), but I had a great time fantasizing about what I'd do with a million dollars. If anyone has that much to spare, PM me. Good night! Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magictwanger Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 Thanks for the update Red! Aside from owning my Fuller's '39 J-35,I'd love one of these.My feelings are that with today's ultra competitive market Gibson really has to have some pressure to mfgr truly fine guitars....Past vintage J-35's are superb,but today Gibson "must" be really,"really" careful with quality/clean build,materials in use and overall tone,as there is a plethora of competition.....i remember "Red" providing a very good description of the tonal differences between his J-45 Legend and his '39 Fuller's J-35 R.I.....It was a while ago,but I'd assume this new torrified J-45 Legend must move the bar in the right direction......I picked up a H&D Thermo topped hog dread and after playing quite a few of the exact model w/o this baking process(only the top on mine) I've no doubt it is a superior tonality.....Looks cool too. My problem....Bought 3 guitars in the last year....Divorce court would be a bit pricey. ...hmm,maybe next year?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvi Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 some say the grass is allways greener, how much greener than a standard j45 that hits all the right buttons, is too much green? -- spoken by a man too poor to afford one thats greener - j Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegreatgumbino Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 I played one at Fuller's today. I couldn't believe how light it is! It was an all around great looking/sounding/playing guitar. The neck was old school baseball bat fat. I liked it a lot, but I'm very happy with my 2015 Sheryl Crow Southern Jumbo for the price. If I was in the market and had that kind of coin to drop, I would have been very tempted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin 1940D28 Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 I don't have a 1942 J 45, I was born in 1942 but do have a 1942 Gibson Southerner Jumbo and a 1944 Gibson J 45. Both great sounding. No doubt the new guitars sound great as my '90s "J's" do. It's too bad Gibson didn't build two or three times as many "J" models as they did, that way we wouldn't be at the mercy of the marketing genius these companies have us snowed into. All guitars sound good, even my Harmony Stella tuned to a? dropped "D". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 Doesn't the torrified top automatically make it nothing like a 1942 J45? ...... Sounds pretty good, like J45s are expected to sound. But five-grand? That's getting-up there in J200 range. I don't know. Seems like a few more words in the title and description and few hundred bucks for each word and we've got a new model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 Doesn't the torrified top automatically make it nothing like a 1942 J45? ...... Sounds pretty good, like J45s are expected to sound. But five-grand? That's getting-up there in J200 range. I don't know. Seems like a few more words in the title and description and few hundred bucks for each word and we've got a new model. Do I detect more than a hint of cynicism (not unlike the variety that afflicts me from time to time)?😈 All this carrying-on is bound to fetch up somewhere, eventually. The question, logically, is where might that be? The manufacturing/marketing seems nearly manic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 Not trying to be cynical, but just what are the differences in all these guitars that account for ever-increasing prices? Call it a reissue, etc. of whatever year and model, even though they are not historically alike, and market it as if it's "that" model made at a different time. I just don't see it, especially the prices. No doubt they are excellent guitars, but so is a Standard J45 and for less than half the price. Just my view. Doesn't make me right and someone else wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fullmental Alpinist Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 I guess I'm missing something here. Weren't the Legends $7500 when they came out a few years back? So why the fuss over a fully torrified model at $4995? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 Not trying to be cynical, but just what are the differences in all these guitars that account for ever-increasing prices? Call it a reissue, etc. of whatever year and model, even though they are not historically alike, and market it as if it's "that" model made at a different time. I just don't see it, especially the prices. No doubt they are excellent guitars, but so is a Standard J45 and for less than half the price. Just my view. Doesn't make me right and someone else wrong. Not suggesting that a degree of cynicism is unfounded or that there's necessarily a right or wrong involved with what I see happening currently. I rarely apologize for being cynical, though. It's not a point of view I choose to adopt or stay with most of the time. Now and then, however, it does kick in. It just seems to me that we're experiencing a seller's market on steroids, so to speak. Your initial reference to new models and prices rising dramatically with each addition to what's already an extremely varied line seems symptomatic of exactly that. Factor in the return of lots of our vintage instruments that emigrated to Japan decades ago, now for sale here at premium prices, and it seems even more credible. I just do not believe that this can continue indefinitely and wonder how much longer it can sustain at the current pace. Further, I wonder what will happen next. The cynical notion is that all the 'improvements' will reach saturation level at some point, as will the inclination of guitar buyers to keep laying down very serious cash to pay for them. To me, that equates with a 'bottom out' of the market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 I guess I'm missing something here. Weren't the Legends $7500 when they came out a few years back? So why the fuss over a fully torrified model at $4995? Likely just the matter of a moment's perspective, and my yesterday's perspective was unusually negative😖 Still, it is what it is😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegreatgumbino Posted October 14, 2017 Share Posted October 14, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted October 14, 2017 Share Posted October 14, 2017 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. If I had walked in there and seen it at that price, I might well have walked out with it. It's not that much more than I paid for my L-OO Legend a few years ago, and that one is a great little guitar. Mind you, I haven't played that big fat neck the J-45 Legend has, so couldn't say for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegreatgumbino Posted October 14, 2017 Share Posted October 14, 2017 If I had walked in there and seen it at that price, I might well have walked out with it. It's not that much more than I paid for my L-OO Legend a few years ago, and that one is a great little guitar. Mind you, I haven't played that big fat neck the J-45 Legend has, so couldn't say for sure. I would love to get it, but it's not going to happen after two insurance claims on the house this year. The beefy neck is surprisingly comfortable. I'm used to skinny necks, and I got used to it rather quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted October 14, 2017 Share Posted October 14, 2017 It does sound like a good deal for somebody. That is actually more than I paid for my 1942 J-50. Then again, it would be nice to have a guitar that did not require $900 worth of restoration. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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