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1966 or 1969 j45


spwhite

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According to several websites the serial number on my guitar comes up as either a 66 or 69 model. Is there a way to determine which year the guitar was actually made? Like is there a feature that was used only during 69 that was not used on the 66?

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It may be possible to help you nail it down (so to speak) if you provide some additional information, some photos (or a link to some photos), and a more detailed description.

 

Shape? -- square shoulders, or round

Colour? -- red, black, a cherryburst or a tobaccoburst

Tuners?

Bridge?

Neck width at nut?

Etc. etc.

 

These could help in offering an opinion as to '66 or '69.

 

Fred

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Thanks for the quick reply!! Any idea on how to add a picture here? I've got a pretty decent picture but cant find out how to uplaod it to this forum. By the way round shouldered, somewhere between cherryburst and tobacco I guess, adjustable bridge.

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Thanks for the quick reply!! Any idea on how to add a picture here? I've got a pretty decent picture but cant find out how to uplaod it to this forum. By the way round shouldered' date=' somewhere between cherryburst and tobacco I guess, adjustable bridge.[/quote']

 

For photos, just insert the photo's location on the web in between the two"" thingies, which appear when you click on the "image" icon when you are preparing a post.

 

I think round shouldered sounds more like a '66 than a '69.

 

Fred

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A '66 will have a very narrow -- about 1-9/16 -- nut. The '69 will be wider, probably around what it is on new ones.

 

Now for an opinion: the '66, because of the way it was built, will sound wonderful. The '69, by contrast, might sound good, but the odds are against it. The normal "opening up" of a guitar that old could have done wonders for it, but the aging process was working against the heavier bracing used during that period.

 

I'd buy a '66 J-45 on spec; a '69 I'd have to play first.

 

David

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