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SPECS Assistance for 2007 J-45 True Vintage (TV) acoustic


bluezguy

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Hey folks,

Looking to buy a 2007  J-45 True Vintage acoustic.  Gibson customer service validated the serial number but could not guide me to books or anything that gives me all the SPECS as though I bought the guitar new.  Are saddles bone/plastic,  body woods (adirondack/sitka spruce etc.), neck woods (rosewood / mahogany, ebony etc).

Az  the late great James Brown would scream .... "HEPPP MEEE"!!!

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Not sure how the 2007 "True Vintage" model spec'd out, but a J-45 is usually a mahogany body, Sitka spruce top, mahogany neck (24.75" scale), rosewood fingerboard, bone nut and saddle.  That would be how a standard J-45 comes - as I said I don't know what if any differences the 2007 True Vintage had.

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The main difference between the TV and say the Standard would be the bracing footprint.  The TV would have forward shifted  bracing and the Standard rear shifted.   Other than that the TV will also have a high gloss finish (the VOS finish did not start appearing until a year or two later).  I would expect the nut and the saddle to be bone and the pins to be plastic.  But as all that kind of stuff can be swapped out who cares.  I do not have a clue about the neck carve though.

Edited by zombywoof
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10 hours ago, philfish said:

I was trying to find a Gibson catalog for my 2011 45tv today, I had no luck with my searches ether.

I think the early true vintage models  45 and SJ had Sitka tops  

I owned a 2007, and now own a 2012 J45-TV. The 2007 was sitka. The 2012 I have now is ADI. I can’t compare them, as too much time separation has occurred. All I can say is I loved that guitar, and I love the one I have now as well.

I also had a 2012 SJ-TV... specs said ADI. It was sitka though...

generally I  prefer sitka to adi.

 

Here is a thread where this forum discusses the 2007 True Vintage.  I wasn't the only one who had a sitka top on mine...

 

 

Edited by Salfromchatham
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If memory serves, when the True Vintage line was introduced in 2007, the J-45 had a sitka top as a standard feature. They also released a special run that year with adirondack tops tops, however, so your 2007 could have either. In 2008, Adirondack tops became standard (while the Southern Jumbo retained Sitka as the standard).

Besides the bracing. other features that distinguish the J-45 TV from  the J-45 Standard of that era include the script logo and Banner decal on the True Vintage; the Standard had a peal inlay modern block logo.

The True Vintage had strip or single white button tuners; the J-45 Standard  had  Grovers .

The True Vintage had an orange label (some said True Vintage, some TV, and some simply J45); the J-45 Standard has a white label.

The True Vintage had no serial number or "Made In The USA" impressed on the back of the headstock; the J-45 Standard did.  The serial number is on the orange label and the neck block on the TV.

The True Vintage may have had a Custom Shop decal on the back of the neck.

The True Vintage headstock is the more slender vintage shape; The J-45 Standard had the modern shape.

The True Vintage had bone nut and saddle; the J-45 Standard had Tusq.

I  believe both The True Vintage and Standard of that era had Honduran Mahogany sides and back. The neck profiles were both slim taper.

Red 333

 

 

 

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19 hours ago, Red 333 said:

If memory serves, when the True Vintage line was introduced in 2007, the J-45 had a sitka top as a standard feature. They also released a special run that year with adirondack tops tops, however, so your 2007 could have either. In 2008, Adirondack tops became standard (while the Southern Jumbo retained Sitka as the standard).

Besides the bracing. other features that distinguish the J-45 TV from  the J-45 Standard of that era include the script logo and Banner decal on the True Vintage; the Standard had a peal inlay modern block logo.

The True Vintage had strip or single white button tuners; the J-45 Standard  had  Grovers .

The True Vintage had an orange label (some said True Vintage, some TV, and some simply J45); the J-45 Standard has a white label.

The True Vintage had no serial number or "Made In The USA" impressed on the back of the headstock; the J-45 Standard did.  The serial number is on the orange label and the neck block on the TV.

The True Vintage may have had a Custom Shop decal on the back of the neck.

The True Vintage headstock is the more slender vintage shape; The J-45 Standard had the modern shape.

The True Vintage had bone nut and saddle; the J-45 Standard had Tusq.

I  believe both The True Vintage and Standard of that era had Honduran Mahogany sides and back. The neck profiles were both slim taper.

Red 333

 

 

 

Interesting... I am the original owner of a 2007 J-45 I purchased at CME in July of '08.  The orange label says STYLE: J-45, next line GIBSON: SPECIAL.  I believe it was a limited reissue of a late '50's J-45 with adjustable bridge, batwing pickguard, 3-on-plate-tuners with white buttons, gold silk screen block headstock logo, bone nut, fret dots only up to 14th fret, 20 fret neck, no stamp (or CS logo) on back of headstock, serial number on neck block and sound hole label, Tri-burst finish.  It also has the Banner logo.  I was always curious if this guitar was a 'True Vintage' ADJ model since it has pretty much all the aesthetics.  Perhaps this was a one-off from a Japanese run.  I believe the ADJ is popular there.  

Was the banner only used for TV in '07?  Are there any other characteristics that might determine True Vintage status?  I have checked with Gibson and CME before but they couldn't verify.  

Nonetheless, the guitar sounds wonderful.  I had all the ADJ hardware removed a few years back with a fixed bridge and bone saddle. Brothers Music in PA did a superb job.  I even compared mine side-by-side with a 1949 J-45 that I was considering and it held it's own.  The only thing is the neck carve is fairly shallow.  It's comfortable but not at all chunky.  

Any thoughts are appreciated.   

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1 hour ago, Salfromchatham said:

I’ve never heard of a J45 True Vintage with a stock batwing....  if I’m not mistaken the j45 TV bracing is also advanced... is yours?

 

ps Strunk and Rich are dynamite. They actually fixed my my 2012 J45 TV.

How can I tell if the bracing is advanced?  

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On my tv 2011 there is a stamp on the bridge plate it says AJ, I think it's for advanced jumbo type bracing.

There are other 45s made in the same time period that have almost identical features to the tvs, but have standard bracing.

I think you can tell by the distance the X brace is to sound hole  

 

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3 hours ago, philfish said:

On my tv 2011 there is a stamp on the bridge plate it says AJ, I think it's for advanced jumbo type bracing.

 

 

Yes. If you have an inspection mirror to look inside the guitar and under the top, you will see AJ (indicating Advanced Jumbo) on the bridge plate (with "short" for scale length). The bridge plate is a small piece of wood that reinforces the underside of the top where the ball ends of the string  rest.  AJ bracing was designed for the Advanced Jumbo reissue, and then much later employed on the True Vintage line (and is probably the defining feature). AJ bracing is wider than the other pattern of x bracing typically employed on other Bozeman made J-45s.

You might also find the AJ designation  on the two small popsicle stick braces on either side of the soundhole.

Red 333

Edited by Red 333
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  • 2 weeks later...

Somebody here correct me if I am wrong, but that bridgeplate appears to say "adj 45 50" on it. It also appears to be plugged in approximately the locations where you would find the adjustable saddle barrel bolts on an adj bridge.

While that doesn't make an particular difference as far as the guitar goes, it is a real curiosity.

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5 minutes ago, j45nick said:

Somebody here correct me if I am wrong, but that bridgeplate appears to say "adj 45 50" on it. It also appears to be plugged in approximately the locations where you would find the adjustable saddle barrel bolts on an adj bridge.

While that doesn't make an particular difference as far as the guitar goes, it is a real curiosity.

Yes...  This particular J-45 is a 2007 reissue with an adjustable saddle.  I had the adjustable bridge/saddle removed and replaced with a fixed bridge/saddle not too long ago since the guitar has sentimental value.  I did not want to part with it but I also now much prefer fixed saddles.  Brothers in Wind Gap, PA did the work (neck reset was also needed) and this J-45 is my number 1!.  I have a comment above that describes the guitar in more detail.  I appreciate the knowledge of this group.  

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Thanks for everybody's input!

I did not buy the 2007 as it was drilled out for a pickup under the saddle and end pin.  I'm a mic guy and gotta have an unmolested instrument.

I did purchase a MINT condition 2015 J-45 TV last week and that baby is here to stay! The specs I was looking for go only as far as the 'legacy gibson'
website where all the basics are posted.
Even though the nut, the saddle and the bridge pins are Bone, I'm gonna guess they're are a minimal quality bone.  Has anyone upgraded those particular parts with a higher quality Bone and achieved noticeable results? 

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1 hour ago, bluezguy said:

 Has anyone upgraded those particular parts with a higher quality Bone and achieved noticeable results? 

I have a Vintage I went with S. Mac  bone saddle and pins.    Saddle replacement for custom action as factory saddle was bone and nice sound.  Pins are bone replacing what may have been tusq.  I ended up with the factory bone saddle and Stew Mac bone pins for the sound I like on my Vintage.  If that is of any help!   Good luck and enjoy.

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My 1942 J50 has whatever kind of bone nut, saddle and pins  the guy who fixed it up for me many years ago used.  I do not really care as the sound of this guitar has more to do with the light build, knife edge thin back braces and such than what material the nut is made with .    If you think about it the nut is taken out of play once you fret a note.  I recently, however, bought a set of the hard plastic non-slotted Antique Acoustics pins which I will eventually get around to using.  I am really not expecting a noticeable change in sound.  I just like the way the pins look.     

Edited by zombywoof
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