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Gibson J-45 Standard, 2018 - my story


highvibrational

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Hello all,

In 2017, I went to the Guitar Center and played a J-45 for the first time. I was smitten, but the 2750 price tag was overwhelming to me. I thought to myself, how in the world am I going to be able to afford one of these? I convinced myself that the guitars that I had, which are good, would satisfy. But, something kept me searching. After waiting patiently, saving up and getting a day job, the stars aligned and I happened to see an ad on Craigslist.

Of course in this time of waiting, I also looked at other great guitars like the Martin D-28 and OM-28, but I came back to the J-45 for its balanced tone and how well it accompanies my singing.

Needless to say, this is a dream come true. When I play this guitar, I feel a sense of “Oh my God!” that doesn’t happen with every J-45. The look, sound and feel is like an elixir from the gods. I am so happy to have come across a special one and one that has such sentimental value (he proposed to his fiance with this). This is a lifetime guitar for me and I will love it, cherish it, and play it with joy – for myself and for the people.

I wanted to share this story to say that fairy tales can come true.

I'd love to hear your stories!
Cheers,
Paulina

p.s. If has to be love at first strum.

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Ahhh yes ...and a wonderful J-45 story it is! I also have a J-45 and adore it. Not because it's a Gibson, not because it's a J-45, not because it's beautiful, not because I got it at a good price, not because it plays so easy, and has action so low, notbecause it is an icon in the guitar world....No none of those! I love it because it just sounds so good. As you so aptly put it..an elixir from the Gods. That it is indeed.  My J-45 is one of a pair of such guitars...the other Guitar is a Gibson Hummingbird. No singer on earth should be without a pair of these two special Gibson guitars.  I've searched far and wide, over many decades to find the perfect guitar. Martins, Taylors, Guilds, carbon fiber, and a host of others. Fourty one guitars ago in all, bought and sold and traded in an endless effort to find that right guitar. Those guitars are all gone now. The J-45 and the Hummingbird are the two staples I have ended up with. I haven't found a better pair on earth that so fits my voice and feels so good, and which sits in my arms like an adored baby. Enjoy it.! You deserve it! You found the right guitar! You may find others that equal it, but you will never find one better. Best wishes!

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good for you.  I think i know the craigslist J45 you speak of too.

I actually have been surprised how little new dealers have been moving on price on the new guitars... there was more flexibility in the past i think. I think their corporate feel... and its probably smart... is that given a limited production... let the cheap guitars be the gateway and for those who dont have the scratch... but keep the higher margin product higher margin...

 

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2 hours ago, ALD323 said:

Ahhh yes ...and a wonderful J-45 story it is! I also have a J-45 and adore it. Not because it's a Gibson, not because it's a J-45, not because it's beautiful, not because I got it at a good price, not because it plays so easy, and has action so low, notbecause it is an icon in the guitar world....No none of those! I love it because it just sounds so good. As you so aptly put it..an elixir from the Gods. That it is indeed.  My J-45 is one of a pair of such guitars...the other Guitar is a Gibson Hummingbird. No singer on earth should be without a pair of these two special Gibson guitars.  I've searched far and wide, over many decades to find the perfect guitar. Martins, Taylors, Guilds, carbon fiber, and a host of others. Fourty one guitars ago in all, bought and sold and traded in an endless effort to find that right guitar. Those guitars are all gone now. The J-45 and the Hummingbird are the two staples I have ended up with. I haven't found a better pair on earth that so fits my voice and feels so good, and which sits in my arms like an adored baby. Enjoy it.! You deserve it! You found the right guitar! You may find others that equal it, but you will never find one better. Best wishes!

Thank you for your thoughts and wishes.  I am so very happy.  Though I still love my other guitars, I know that I've found the ultimate one.  Of course, I see myself getting a smaller body Gibson in the future.  We shall see...

I would love to hear your music.  Are you on YouTube or SoundCloud?

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Glad you found a J45 that fits you.  I hope you enjoy it for many years.  There's a reason that the J45 is one a legend. ...........J45s are easily among the most playable guitars in the world.  Guitars are a very personal thing and it's important (if you're really in to guitars) that the guitar feels like an extension of who you are as a person.   I suspect that most J45 owners consider their guitar to be just that: part of who they are.

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19 minutes ago, MissouriPicker said:

Glad you found a J45 that fits you.  I hope you enjoy it for many years.  There's a reason that the J45 is one a legend. ...........J45s are easily among the most playable guitars in the world.  Guitars are a very personal thing and it's important (if you're really in to guitars) that the guitar feels like an extension of who you are as a person.   I suspect that most J45 owners consider their guitar to be just that: part of who they are.

I'll say!  I was just thinking to myself that the J-45 is the perfect representation of who I am - strong, sturdy, fine, understated (no bling), amazing tone, classic, etc.  I am thrilled to have found my counterpart and hope we go places together. :)

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I am a new J-45 owner  as of three weeks ago. It’s the first used guitar I’ve purchased. The story goes that the guitar was won in a raffle at a music festival and the guy I purchased it from bought it at a good price from the winner. This is a 2019 J-45 on its third owner. The guy I bought it from owns very high end guitars with many being $5000 to $7000 new retail priced guitars. He said he bought it because it sounded so good but in the end he just didn’t play it.

I’m from Minneapolis and am spending some time in Phoenix when I came across this ad online for J-45 for $1500. I’m thinking this is too  good to be true.  I called Gibson customer service and the seller sent me pictures that Gibson had asked for and they authenticated  the guitar as a 2019 J-45 Standard made in May of 2019. There’s been no warranty work done. I go to look at the guitar and it’s basically new. A few very light pick marks .

I was looking for a second quality guitar and had been going to guitar shops in the Minneapolis metro area and played many fine guitars but kept going back to the J-45. I bought this fine example and believe it’s a great sounding, easy playing guitar that I like better every time I play it. I feel very fortunate to have found this guitar at such a good price and am looking forward to great times with it. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

 

Edited by jschmitz54
Grammar
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I was just thinking to myself that my hummingbird is the perfect representation of who I am - old, beat, worn out, dried out, not the best looking, amazing tone if I get off my arse and play it,  jurassic, etc.  I am thrilled to have found my counterpart and hope we last 'till next Thursday. :)

Edited by Holiday Hoser
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8 hours ago, jschmitz54 said:

I am a new J-45 owner  as of three weeks ago. It’s the first used guitar I’ve purchased. The story goes that the guitar was won in a raffle at a music festival and the guy I purchased it from bought it at a good price from the winner. This is a 2019 J-45 on its third owner. The guy I bought it from owns very high end guitars with many being $5000 to $7000 new retail priced guitars. He said he bought it because it sounded so good but in the end he just didn’t play it.

I’m from Minneapolis and am spending some time in Phoenix when I came across this ad online for J-45 for $1500. I’m thinking this is to good to be true.  I call Gibson customer service and the seller sends me pictures that Gibson had asked for and they authenticate the guitar as a 2019 J-45 Standard made in May of 2019. There’s been no warranty work done. I go look at the guitar and it’s basically new. A few very light pick marks .

I was looking for a second quality guitar and had been going to guitar shops in the Minneapolis metro area and played many fine guitars but kept going back to the J-45. I bought this fine example and believe it’s a great sounding, easy playing guitar that I like better every time I play it. I fell very fortunate to have found this guitar at such a good price and am looking forward to great times with it. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

 

You're really lucky to have found such a great deal.  It makes me think that maybe I paid too much.  Oh well, at least I knew what I was getting, which is why I wanted to shop local.

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Pretty typical story as  unrequited love for a certain guitar because of price tag  was often a part of a musical journey.  Back n the 1970s I stumbled on what was to say the least a  well played 1930s Gibson AJ I hanging on the wall of a  small Mom % Pop music shop wall.   I played it and the sound and feel hit me  like a lightning bolt.  But in those days even a price tag of under $1K,  it  might just as well  have been a million bucks..  But  patience does have its virtues.  has its virtues.   The 1942 J50 I eventually ended up with has remained my favorite J45/50 for a couple of decades now.

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1 hour ago, highvibrational said:

You're really lucky to have found such a great deal.  It makes me think that maybe I paid too much.  Oh well, at least I knew what I was getting, which is why I wanted to shop local.

I don’t think you paid too much but I think I just got lucky.  Sometimes luck happens. Enjoy your J-45.

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I bought my first J-45 in 1966. It was a beat-up 1950 with a rutted fretboard, worn frets, and as I later discovered, several loose braces. It had been gigged nearly to death.

As a 19-year-old college student, I couldn't even afford the $50 they wanted, but my older sister loaned the money to me. 

Still have that puppy more than 50 years later, as well as another one, in much better condition, with a FON just a month or so earlier. I have a thing for early  post-WW2 Gibson slope-J's. They feel and sound right.

My sister, alas, died about 25 years ago. She was the best sister a guy could ever have.

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22 minutes ago, j45nick said:

I bought my first J-45 in 1966. It was a beat-up 1950 with a rutted fretboard, worn frets, and as I later discovered, several loose braces. It had been gigged nearly to death.

As a 19-year-old college student, I couldn't even afford the $50 they wanted, but my older sister loaned the money to me. 

Still have that puppy more than 50 years later, as well as another one, in much better condition, with a FON just a month or so earlier. I have a thing for early  post-WW2 Gibson slope-J's. They feel and sound right.

My sister, alas, died about 25 years ago. She was the best sister a guy could ever have.


A touching story in all regards, especially about your sister having loaned you the money and about her specialness and her passing.  That guitar is certainly a special one to keep.

QM aka “ Jazzman” Jeff

 

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16 hours ago, fortyearspickn said:

"When the student is ready - the teacher will appear."  Te Ching.

"When the guitarist is ready - the guitar will appear."   Me.

Congrats!  

Forty years I am a true believer in your wisdom as my guitar did appear. Your wisdom is only exceeded by your good looks.

 

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I've always believed that the J45 is the best all-rounder out there. You can throw ANY style at a J45 and it will lap it up and sound great. I have a 1967 which has had the heck played out of it for 52yrs, and has all the wear and battlescars to show for it. It got all that wear and love because guess what? It sounds fantastic! 

Enjoy yours and may you have a very happy journey through life together 🙂

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On 11/5/2019 at 11:44 AM, j45nick said:

I bought my first J-45 in 1966. It was a beat-up 1950 with a rutted fretboard, worn frets, and as I later discovered, several loose braces. It had been gigged nearly to death.

As a 19-year-old college student, I couldn't even afford the $50 they wanted, but my older sister loaned the money to me. 

Still have that puppy more than 50 years later, as well as another one, in much better condition, with a FON just a month or so earlier. I have a thing for early  post-WW2 Gibson slope-J's. They feel and sound right.

My sister, alas, died about 25 years ago. She was the best sister a guy could ever have.

 

Back in the mid-1960s,  $50 might just have well been a million bucks.  Funny though but for whatever reason I never really spent a lot of time with J45s.  Just luck of the draw I guess as I always seemed to end up with a J50 or an SJ.  

Edited by zombywoof
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37 minutes ago, zombywoof said:

 

Back in the mid-1960s,  $50 might just have well been a million bucks.  Funny though but for whatever reason I never really spent a lot of time with J45s.  Just luck of the draw I guess as I always seemed to end up with a J50 or an SJ.  

I was barely aware of what a J-45 was back then. All I knew for certain is that it said "Gibson" on the headstock. Given that the only guitar I had at that point was a Mexican guitar converted for steel strings, which was barely playable and cost me $5, the J-45 was a miracle. 

The loose braces did rattle a bit...

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Have you guys went through several before finding the right J45? in my case i've played 3 from recent years and none of it spoke to me 😞 i even thought the j45 studio sounded better than the j45 standard (both 2019 models)...maybe its just that its not the type of guitar for me, but its kinda sad cuz i think they are beautiful and when i've seen videos they sound great

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21 minutes ago, FemmeParallell said:

Have you guys went through several before finding the right J45? in my case i've played 3 from recent years and none of it spoke to me 😞 i even thought the j45 studio sounded better than the j45 standard (both 2019 models)...maybe its just that its not the type of guitar for me, but its kinda sad cuz i think they are beautiful and when i've seen videos they sound great

I've met a few mediocre ones and wasn't really impressed until I met my match.  Maybe you have to kiss a lot of frogs...  

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3 hours ago, FemmeParallell said:

Have you guys went through several before finding the right J45? in my case i've played 3 from recent years and none of it spoke to me 😞 i even thought the j45 studio sounded better than the j45 standard (both 2019 models)...maybe its just that its not the type of guitar for me, but its kinda sad cuz i think they are beautiful and when i've seen videos they sound great

I have 3 J-45 guitars.  The last one I bought was from Carter's Guitars in Nashville.  It was used and I figured it would make a good campfire guitar.  Wouldn't you know it?  It has the best sound of all three and is now the one that I usually play in concerts.

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Well, my J45 story isn’t so good......it is long gone.

I had a 2011 J45 and a Martin OM28 Marquis that I had to sell to get some cash when a dog we rescued tried to kill this other dog we walked towards on a path. The vet bill for the other dog was $12,500+ with $5000 payable immediately! The J45 sold straight away but the Martin, worth $6K+ took ages to sell. Anyway, it got me out of trouble.

So no J45 in this house of mine full of guitars ......I am currently looking at a few options, used, new....

 

BluesKing777.

 

Edited by BluesKing777
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