Mr.Woody Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 I know the J-45 is ubiquitous, but I didn't become a real Gibson fan until 3 years ago, so I'm not familiar with artists who are known for their use of a J-45 acoustic. More specifically, are there well-know artists who ONLY use J-45's and not other model acoustics? For instance, I'm aware that Paul Simon used J-45s for a long time before moving on to something else (Martins?), and James Taylor used his J-50 (close enough) before moving onto Olson. Thanks so much!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 Dylan used a lot of 45's from the early years to now. Donovan had the cherryburst one with ceramic saddle. Ralph McTell (not sure if you know him) would be another Brit. There were plenty of J-45/50 people over the decades, yet not that many in the 70s and 80s. But you ask for artists only using them !? - not often. Paul Simon 😵 , , , never seen him with much 45 - an LG1/2/3 something, yes, but, , , please post pictures. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 Woody Guthrie would be in the Top Ten - if you want to go back that far. But, based on your nom de plume, I'm guessing you knew that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 Kris Kristofferson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 (edited) Buddy Holly. Guys like Guthrie and Kristofferson are associated with SJ and not the J45. But while the number of musicians who have spent time with a J45 in their hands is endless, offhand I cannot think of one other than maybe Buddy who is as intimately associated with that model as say Willie Nelson is with his Martin N-20. Edited March 7, 2021 by zombywoof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 The Gibson offering I most associate with individual players would be the SJ/J200. It has become intimately connected with the likes of a Rev. Gary Davis, Townes Van Zandt and the early Everly Brothers (until 1963 when their namesake version of the J-180 came about.) to name a few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 (edited) 9 hours ago, E-minor7 said: Dylan used a lot of 45's from the early years to now. Donovan had the cherryburst one with ceramic saddle. Ralph McTell (not sure if you know him) would be another Brit. There were plenty of J-45/50 people over the decades, yet not that many in the 70s and 80s. But you ask for artists only using them !? - not often. Paul Simon 😵 , , , never seen him with much 45 - an LG1/2/3 something, yes, but, , , please post pictures. . Not sure what this is or if its a Gibson. He usually has a Martin. I think Jackson Browne uses a J-45's. Saw him once and I can't remember what he played other than the piano. Edited March 7, 2021 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 45 minutes ago, zombywoof said: Buddy Holly. Guys like Guthrie and Kristofferson are associated with SJ and not the J45. But while the number of musicians who have spent time with a J45 in their hands is endless, offhand I cannot think of one other than maybe Buddy who is as intimately associated with that model as say Willie Nelson is with his Martin N-20. Even Dr. Pepper knows the SJ (Southern Jumbo) is a J45. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbpicker Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 Ryan Bingham uses one, a standard I think. Jeff Bridges used a vintage one in his role as Bad Blake in the movie Crazy Heart. Greg Isakov uses a J50 (The Stable Song). rb 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Pike Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 (edited) Paul played a Guild F30. Not sure what the black guitar is. Edited March 7, 2021 by Al Pike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 1 hour ago, Sgt. Pepper said: I think Jackson Browne uses a J-45's. Saw him once and I can't remember what he played other than the piano. More often than not, Browne has been associated with a deep-bodied Roy Smeck, but I've seen him use several other guitars as well, including a well-worn old D-28. Gibson even did a JB re-issue of a Smeck model, but with walnut back and sides. Here is Browne playing the old D-28, one of his 1930s Roy Smecks, and a vintage mahogany small-bodied Martin. Like many artists, he has favorite guitars, but will often play the guitar he feels is best-suited to the setting or the song. Jackson Browne Tiny Desk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 Lucinda Williams comes to mind. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jchabalk Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 (edited) Check out Tim Easton Edit: also BJ Barham Edited March 7, 2021 by jchabalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 Vince Gill uses everything but I've seen him quite often with a J 45 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 Sean Watkins is best known for using a J-45--a well-worn early 50's model, and more recently a 1946--but like most other artists, his taste in guitars is fairly eclectic. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 Everyone should have 1 of each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 (edited) Again, for me Buddy Holly's Banner J45 with the leather cover remains the most iconic J45 of all time. I would say though when it comes to artists who have been around for decades and whom you seem to never see without a J45 in their hands Lucinda Williams is a good call. Russ Barenberg has been associated with a maple body Banner J45 for quite a while. There was also a time when Joe Ely was tearing up the stage with a J45. This is the guitar which was on display a while back in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Joe Ely "The Road Goes on Forever" - Bing video Edited March 7, 2021 by zombywoof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 Wade Bowman with a custom. Rosewood, buy hey, still a J-45. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 31 minutes ago, Paul14 said: Everyone should have 1 of each. We do - a 1942 J50 and a 1960 J200. I credit the J200 for the J50. Many years back I had decided to sell the J200 mainly because I did not cotton to the skinny neck. My wife stepped in and told me in no uncertain terms that if I wanted to stay married the J200 also stayed. That, however, provided me with a great excuse to get another guitar. That guitar just happened to be the J50. It was not planned out or anything but was one of those being in the right place at the right time things. Lets just say neither of them is going anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 (edited) 24 minutes ago, zombywoof said: We do - a 1942 J50 and a 1960 J200. I credit the J200 for the J50. Many years back I had decided to sell the J200 mainly because I did not cotton to the skinny neck. My wife stepped in and told me in no uncertain terms that if I wanted to stay married the J200 also stayed. That, however, provided me with a great excuse to get another guitar. That guitar just happened to be the J50. It was not planned out or anything but was one of those being in the right place at the right time things. Lets just say neither of them is going anywhere. To me the J50 is one of the coolest guitars ever made. If I’m not playing mine, I enjoy just gazing upon it. A work of art. Mine is a 2001, & my favorite J-45. Edited March 7, 2021 by Paul14 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 1 hour ago, Paul14 said: Lucinda Williams comes to mind. Yeah I saw her play one live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 1 hour ago, Dave F said: Vince Gill uses everything but I've seen him quite often with a J 45 That is because Vince Gill has everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Woody Posted March 7, 2021 Author Share Posted March 7, 2021 (edited) OP here: Wow, thanks for these replies!!! I'll check some of these out for sure. Yeah, i'm looking for artist who pretty much ONLY use J-45's the way Willie uses Trigger. And more specifically, I'm looking for modern artists more so than "vintage" artists 😉 On the flip side, i'm looking for people who mainly use Banners lol but that seems to be a small crowd. Paul Simon: I guess i'm completely wrong about that one. Not sure where I heard that. Sean Watkins: I knew he used to use the 50's J-45, but hasn't he been using the LG-2 that Jackson Browne (e?) gave him (see video about 5:30 in)? I haven't seen him with a Banner yet. And of course the J-50 and the SJ both count 🙂 Also, David Crowder has 2 old Gibsons. One is a 1948 SJ and one is a 1946 J-45. Edited March 7, 2021 by Mr.Woody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 (edited) 12 minutes ago, Mr.Woody said: OP here: Wow, thanks for these replies!!! I'll check some of these out for sure. Yeah, i'm looking for artist who pretty much ONLY use J-45's the way Willie uses Trigger. And more specifically, I'm looking for modern artists more so than "vintage" artists 😉 On the flip side, i'm looking for people who mainly use Banners lol but that seems to be a small crowd. Paul Simon: I guess i'm completely wrong about that one. Not sure where I heard that. Sean Watkins: I knew he used to use the 50's J-45, but hasn't he been using the LG-2 that Jackson Browne (e?) gave him (see video about 5:30 in)? I haven't seen him with a Banner yet. And of course the J-50 and the SJ both count 🙂 The one on his lap there is his 1946 LG-2, I guess. He played that early 50s J-45 to death, I think. Last time I saw it the thing was starting to look like Trigger. Edited March 7, 2021 by j45nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 The Milk Carton Kids 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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