Slopeshoulder Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 Im thinking about getting one. I do need some info from you guys who have played a few or own one. Any thoughts will help.pictures too, id love to see the inside of the guitar. Bracing and side walls. How accurate are the to that era? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 I have a 53 J-45 and a 54 SJ. There is a major change in the bracing in 1955 -- no longer scalloped. IME, the earlier ones are better. The 40s are better yet. Best, -Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slopeshoulder Posted July 12, 2021 Author Share Posted July 12, 2021 Amazing collection tom!!!! I wish i could afford one. I should have said im looking at the "original series" j45 gibson put out receantly. I love to learn about the vintage guitars as well. Thanks for sharing🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slopeshoulder Posted July 12, 2021 Author Share Posted July 12, 2021 Amazing collection tom!!!! I wish i could afford one. I should have said im looking at the "original series" j45 gibson put out receantly. I love to learn about the vintage guitars as well. Thanks for sharing🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cunningham26 Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 anecdotally in the latest gibson tv collection episode with Cesar Gueikian they talk about how they took the same approach to this as they do the electric lines, which they then explain how they develop via 3d scans of dozens of originals. ain't nothing like the real thing but my guess is they are very close to an original spec- the 60s j45 has the adj bridge, narrow nut, and sonic boom pickguard while the 50s one is wide and has the normal bridge. it should feel the same but probably won't sound the same- they'll sound the way a 50s one did in the 50s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 10 hours ago, tpbiii said: I have a 53 J-45 and a 54 SJ. There is a major change in the bracing in 1955 -- no longer scalloped. IME, the earlier ones are better. The 40s are better yet. Best, -Tom FANTASTIC! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 There's an old thread here: I got a 1960's Original J-50 recently, which is part of that same series. Really like it, however I think this series is just the basic modern Gibson design with different details. I also have a real 1965 J-50, and it is a completely different guitar. But the new 1960's Original is much more similar to my 2008 J-50. The 50's version includes an under-saddle pickup and the 60's version does not. The 60's version has the adjustable bridge and a slightly more narrow neck. While the nut is more narrow, the carve is considerably fatter than the neck on my real 1965 J-50. Not sure what a "sonic boom" pickguard is. But on the 60's J-50, it's a standard modern batwing pickguard which is identical to my 2008 J-50. This is nothing like the thick plastic pickguard on my real 1965 J-50. Anyway, I'm very pleased with mine. However, don't assume this will be anything like a vintage Gibson. It's the modern Gibson design with (basically) some cosmetic differences. Here is the page on Gibson's site. https://www.gibson.com/Guitars/Collection/Original Acoustic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scriv58 Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 Expand https://forum.gibson.com/topic/161214-gibson-pickguard-art-what-is-it/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 (edited) 15 hours ago, tpbiii said: I have a 53 J-45 and a 54 SJ. There is a major change in the bracing in 1955 -- no longer scalloped. IME, the earlier ones are better. The 40s are better yet. Best, -Tom Every time I think I have reached that little happy place where I figure I am through guitar hunting you go and post one of these pictures and send me running for the drool bucket. Yeah, I have loved me some 1930s and 1940s Gibsons. But guitars from 1955 on (although I draw the line at 1959 just because I do not care for the neck carves which came later) can also get my juices flowing. The shorter non-scalloped bracing Gibson came up with was really well thought out. I owned a 1956 Southerner Jumbo which had acquired such a local reputation that music stores would call and ask me to bring it in to be part of a shoot out when they had gotten in something they wanted to compare it with. That SJ was about as punchy and quick as it got. I foolishly traded it off but that was back in the day when I had to let go of something to get something else. Edited July 12, 2021 by zombywoof 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slopeshoulder Posted July 12, 2021 Author Share Posted July 12, 2021 This is all great stuff guys thanks so much! Its between this and martin d18. The whole issue i have now with new martins is the "select hardwood" neck. Thats just not apealing to me. They really need to fix this on their spec sheet. Honestly if they want to use spanish cedar then just tell us. For the price we should know what we are getting. I know the j45 original is quite different compared to a d18 but this is my hog guitar shootout. Winner comes home 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 27 minutes ago, Slopeshoulder said: This is all great stuff guys thanks so much! Its between this and martin d18. The whole issue i have now with new martins is the "select hardwood" neck. Thats just not apealing to me. They really need to fix this on their spec sheet. Honestly if they want to use spanish cedar then just tell us. For the price we should know what we are getting. I know the j45 original is quite different compared to a d18 but this is my hog guitar shootout. Winner comes home The "Select Hardwood" listing in D18 specs has been going on for a number of years. Basically it was Martin leaving the door open to using Spanish Cedar depending on what wood they have in stock or possibly to a neck with wings. Martin has also used Spanish Cedar for the kerfing lining. If nothing else it smells terrific. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slopeshoulder Posted July 13, 2021 Author Share Posted July 13, 2021 I know martin has been doing this for sometime, it just really bothers me. Anyone know what was the last year they stated gen. Mahogany? Going used would prob be best in this case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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