Question for J-45 True Vintage (TV) owners.

[bluezguy]

Hey folks,

I just took possession of a 2015 J-45 TV in absolutely mint condition - except - it's my 3rd day with her and I decided to stop playing and inspect her carefully.  It is my first high end acoustic, sounds and feels like what I wanted,  but it's got me freakin' out.

It seems the glue job on the rosewood bridge to body squeezed out perfectly equal all the way around all 4 sides - looks like a zipper.  On first glance, it can't be seen but once your face is a couple feet away (cleaning distance and good lighting), it smacks ya in the face.  I grabbed my 14 year old Epiphone Masterbilt as well as my Epi 12 string to have a look only to see 2 perfectly mounted bridges with perfectly clean seems.

Does anybody else have this imperfection? OR do you think maybe the bridge was replaced in the instruments' short 6 year life?

Thanks in advance

[CAMELEYE]

So the glue runout is on the Top? All around the bridge?

That smacks of a repair. Maybe a bridge replacement. Also, possibly done by someone less that expert

in bridge work. 

[slimt]

47 minutes ago, CAMELEYE said:

So the glue runout is on the Top? All around the bridge?

That smacks of a repair. Maybe a bridge replacement. Also, possibly done by someone less that expert

in bridge work. 

I think so.     Gibson is not that sloppy.    

[bluezguy]

Yupp ... I'll try to get a pic to post when wife gets home with camera. Like I wrote, the seam is perfect/consistent all the way around the 4 sides - looking like one side of a zipper.  The finish on this body is absolutely perfect as is the intonation and all else. You would never suspect anything but maybe a factory glitch of some kind.  I've put in an email to the seller but I think I already know the answer.  Again, it is really hard to see unless you are inspecting components under bright light.
Further, I will see if Gibson customer service will have a look at the soon to have pic and give me some kind of answer.

[philfish]

Bluezguy I looked at my tv and I think I see what your describing. I also looked at my Epi , and didn't see it there.

Gibson and Epiphones have different finishes, Gibson= Nitro  Epi= Poly . Nitro being a thinner finish, I believe it's grain lines you see at the bridge. Look at the tv and notice how the grain on the top shows thru more on the tv than the Epi  

I would like to see photos of yours, not just the bridge but the  whole guitar  thanks

Edited April 26, 2021 by philfish

[MorrisrownSal]

 Mine looks clean...

 

https://imgur.com/WaAZMF0

[bluezguy]

Thanks Folks ... here we go wit da piks

j-45tv bridge3.jpg.lnk

 

j-45tv bridge.jpg.lnk j-45tv bridge2.jpg.lnk j-45tv bridge3.jpg.lnk

[bluezguy]

though the pictures don't show it due to lighting,  that 'zipper' effect goes all the way around all 4 sides equally.

[zombywoof]

I assume a black light would reveal glue on a nitro finish.

On another note, and while it is probably nitpicking, no guitar nor any fretted instrument has perfect intonation.  While it can be very close,  there is no subtle way to vary the pitch of a given note such as there is with a violin.  This is why they have come up with things such as compensated saddles to adjust the length of the strings  and zero frets.

[bluezguy]

25 minutes ago, zombywoof said:

I assume a black light would reveal glue on a nitro finish.

On another note, and while it is probably nitpicking, no guitar nor any fretted instrument has perfect intonation.  While it can be very close,  there is no subtle way to vary the pitch of a given note such as there is with a violin.  This is why they have come up with things such as compensated saddles to adjust the length of the strings  and zero frets.

Intonation is dead on. The guitar is absolutely mint except for this shabby glue job.  My concern is was it the factory OR was it a not-so-honest vendor when asked before purchase whether or not the instrument has had ANY repair work done at all.  It does not affect the tone I paid for and got. 

However, it is knowing if a guy messed with a 6 year old instrument in mom's bedroom, and, for what reason - or - did the big guys mess up a bit.  The big guys can give satisfaction; the bedroom guy can't. Thx ZW. 😎

[philfish]

That's different than what I see on my tv. To see what mine looks like I used an inspection light and look at a 45% angle at the bridge were it meets the top, and only saw grain lines, that look a bit like the zipper effect you mention. It may still be the finish being thicker between grain lines on yours. You did say it's on the ends also so may be not.

I see yours didn't come with the pick guard attached, did the seller include it. Gibson provided them lose so the owners could place them at there preference. A 45 dose not look right right to me with out one. and down the pick guard rabbit hole we go

On a side, I see your location is gulf coast, it brought to mind the song Gulf Coast Highway by Nanci Griffith. Gave it a spin on my tv  Hope it all works out for you

 

[bluezguy]

Hey Philfish,

Nope ... no pickguard in the case.  All my info says True Vintage is sans pickguard.  Here is the Gibson Legacy link ... have a look.

http://legacy.gibson.com/Products/Acoustic-Instruments/Round-Shoulder/Gibson-Acoustic/J-45-True-Vintage/Specs.aspx

I'll check out the tune and when Gibson contacts me shortly with their findings, I'll post them.  Thx.