BeHappy Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 Hello everyone, I'm new here 😄 I can't find any info about the tone of the 50s J-45. I'm wondering if it is just a J-45 Standard with a 50s aesthetic, or if it has also a different tone. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 Were there electronics in them in the 50's? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuanCarlosVejar Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, BeHappy said: Hello everyone, I'm new here 😄 I can't find any info about the tone of the 50s J-45. I'm wondering if it is just a J-45 Standard with a 50s aesthetic, or if it has also a different tone. Thanks! I can answer this one for you. The guts in both guitars are the same. Some people complain about Grover tuners ... So with the Original series Gibson now basically gives you a Standard with vintage tuners. It’s not really a 50’s true to spec replica. It only has certain vintage aesthetics in case you don’t like the Grover tuners . More on the series in general here: JC Edited March 17, 2020 by JuanCarlosVejar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeHappy Posted March 18, 2020 Author Share Posted March 18, 2020 14 hours ago, JuanCarlosVejar said: I can answer this one for you. The guts in both guitars are the same. Some people complain about Grover tuners ... So with the Original series Gibson now basically gives you a Standard with vintage tuners. It’s not really a 50’s true to spec replica. It only has certain vintage aesthetics in case you don’t like the Grover tuners . More on the series in general here: JC Thank you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 (edited) 16 hours ago, JuanCarlosVejar said: The guts in both guitars are the same. Some people complain about Grover tuners ... So with the Original series Gibson now basically gives you a Standard with vintage tuners. It’s not really a 50’s true to spec replica. It only has certain vintage aesthetics in case you don’t like the Grover tuners . Grovers must cost $50 more cause if as you say they sre basically the same guitar, the Standard is $2749 and the 50's model is $2699 as per Gibson's site. Edited March 18, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 Good answer JC. Same guitar guts. different tuners and pickguard. If i were shopping new, Id love one of them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 That's weird about the prices. Haven't looked at the 50's J-45, but the 60's version looks very interesting to me. I have a 2008 J-50 and a real 1965 J-50, but always thought that a marriage of the two would be great. I'm sure there are internal differences, but the 60's re-issue does have the narrow neck and adjustable bridge like the old one. So, in this case, it really isn't just the same guitar with different tuners. The odd thing there is that Guitar Center calls it a J-45 and Sweetwater calls it a J-50, which is correct, IMO. A J-45 with a batwing pickguard and natural finish just seems wrong to me. 🙂 https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/OCRS5060ANN--gibson-acoustic-60s-j-50-original-antique-natural https://www.guitarcenter.com/Gibson/60s-J-45-Original-Acoustic-Guitar-Antique-Natural-1500000317140.gc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 A 60's J-45 is $2499, but has no electronics, and only comes in 2 colors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 Look at the Guitar Center link I posted above. According to them, there are actually three different colors of the 60's J-45. One of them is natural, which is what Sweetwater calls a 60's J-50. Go figure, Guitar Center may just have the name wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 BTW, if you really want the 50's J-45, Sweetwater has a demo version for $2429. 🙂 https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/OCRS4550VS--gibson-acoustic-50s-j-45-original-vintage-sunburst?cond=OCRS4550VSd2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 (edited) 4 hours ago, Boyd said: Look at the Guitar Center link I posted above. According to them, there are actually three different colors of the 60's J-45. One of them is natural, which is what Sweetwater calls a 60's J-50. Go figure, Guitar Center may just have the name wrong? Gibson's website has the 50's and 60's J-45 original models in 2 colors and a 50's J-50 original in natty. We all know how much attention to detail Gibson takes. That is a lot of 50's in one sentence. Edited March 18, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 “Some people complain about Grover tuners ... So with the Original series Gibson now basically gives you a Standard with vintage tuners.“ I only changed the tuner buttons on my Dove to Nickel Tulips. Though I don’t care for the look of Grover tuners, especially on my J-45’s. The Grover’s are the smoothest tuners I have, out of a dozen different guitars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 57 minutes ago, Paul14 said: “Some people complain about Grover tuners ... So with the Original series Gibson now basically gives you a Standard with vintage tuners.“ I only changed the tuner buttons on my Dove to Nickel Tulips. Though I don’t care for the look of Grover tuners, especially on my J-45’s. The Grover’s are the smoothest tuners I have, out of a dozen different guitars. Grover's don't bother me, but I prefer their open back tuners. I replaced the closed back ones on my 000-28 to open back. Would have liked a set of Wavery's but at over $150 a pop for 6, I'll go with Grover for about $120 less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeHappy Posted March 18, 2020 Author Share Posted March 18, 2020 The funny thing is that the J-45 Original is definitely more expensive than the Standard. At least in European shops it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 Not here in the US. At Sweetwater, the J-45 original is $2699 and the J-45 Standard is $2749. Really a pretty trivial difference however - $50 on a $2700 guitar, which is less than 2%. https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/OCRS4550VS--gibson-acoustic-50s-j-45-original-vintage-sunburst https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RS45VSN19--gibson-acoustic-j-45-standard-vintage-sunburst Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 All of them would be OTD at $2300 or better just by asking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 (edited) The old 'marketing paint and paper'?..... Let me go back a bit - I always wanted a 55 - 56 J50, could be something to do with Lightnin' Hopkins, Youtube etc, but they are always so much money to import here and obviously there has never been one for sale here that I saw or....😥 I have the Mini Me 1959 Gibson LG3 in natural and owning that has made it worse probably. I want that 55!!!! So looking at the wares advertised online last year at a pawn shop. bingo !!!!! Is that a 55? Heart stopped a little bit. No it is a 2002 Gibson J50 in pretty bad condition, but I bought it with intentions of getting it repaired. It needs a new nut, saddle, frets, setup, neck repair...in the least. But it sounds so good I know it will be worth it. And I bought it for a 1/4 of the price the new ones will be here in a shop!😎 And someone aged my nut and saddle, look good but don't work so good. But it may just look older than the 59 shown at Elderly! But I was looking at my photo and thought what a good job they did in 2002 to make it look like a 1955 era model - finish, pickguard, tuners. When I bought it, I had no idea Gibson were going to bring out these new '50's' models, but they have done the same thing as in 2002 to the J50s - finish, pickguard, tuners. Here's mine: Here is a '59 at Elderly : https://www.elderly.com/collections/all/products/gibson-j-50-1959 BluesKing777. Edited March 18, 2020 by BluesKing777 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 5 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Grover's don't bother me, but I prefer their open back tuners. I replaced the closed back ones on my 000-28 to open back. Would have liked a set of Wavery's but at over $150 a pop for 6, I'll go with Grover for about $120 less. Those would be the Sta-Tite 97 series, and they are very good. I replaced the badly-worn Klusons on my original 1950 J-45 with a set of those back about 1970. They still work perfectly, 50 years later. Good tuners, and lightweight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted March 19, 2020 Share Posted March 19, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, Salfromchatham said: All of them would be OTD at $2300 or better just by asking. I'm thinking we might see some big sales on guitars (and everything else) in a few months.... if any of us still have the money to buy one. Hate to say it, but there could be a lot of used ones coming on the market. Then there's the ever-popular rumor that Guitar Center is broke, which really might come true this time. I know it's fun to joke about how it's better to have guitars than money, but at some point, many of us will need to get serious. Sorry to sound grim, but there could be some rough times ahead. I sure hope I'm wrong. Right now, money in the bank will make me happier than a new guitar. I already have 3 acoustics and can only play one at a time. 🙂 Edited March 19, 2020 by Boyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeHappy Posted March 19, 2020 Author Share Posted March 19, 2020 12 hours ago, Boyd said: Not here in the US. At Sweetwater, the J-45 original is $2699 and the J-45 Standard is $2749. Really a pretty trivial difference however - $50 on a $2700 guitar, which is less than 2%. https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/OCRS4550VS--gibson-acoustic-50s-j-45-original-vintage-sunburst https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RS45VSN19--gibson-acoustic-j-45-standard-vintage-sunburst https://www.thomann.de/it/gibson_j_45_standard_vs_2019.htm https://www.thomann.de/it/gibson_50s_j_45_vintage_sunburst.htm Here in Europe there's an evident price difference, that's why I was wondering about the sound of the J45 Original. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted March 19, 2020 Share Posted March 19, 2020 I agree Boyd. Hard rain is gonna fall. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted March 19, 2020 Share Posted March 19, 2020 1 hour ago, Salfromchatham said: Hard rain is gonna fall. But then. We'll put our boots on and come back. Even stronger. Let's roll ! 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted March 19, 2020 Share Posted March 19, 2020 13 hours ago, BeHappy said: Here in Europe there's an evident price difference, that's why I was wondering about the sound of the J45 Original. You can never take a general J-45 voice for granted. They are related, but like colours - red/green/purple etc - they come in different hues. As said many times here, my good pal fell in lOVE with my 2010 Std. and went out hunting. Soon found and long-distance bought a Historic Collection from approx 03. It turned out to be a completely different animal - milder, lesser bass, more lady-like (if you allow the expression). Nevertheless he liked it so much that it outshone his Santa Cruz D-28S and became his main guitar. So go out and try, try and try again. You'll see what I mean - then find out who you are. Good Luck @Pepper - there's also the logo variation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted March 19, 2020 Share Posted March 19, 2020 11 hours ago, Murph said: But then. We'll put our boots on and come back. Even stronger. Let's roll ! Sure - but this is heavy s... And how much it weighs no one yet knows. Stay strong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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