Help me date this 60's Gibson acoustic?

[DeterOblix]

I'm a newbie to Gibson acoustics.   But just purchased this Gibson guitar off of craigslist for $1,650.    It's an original lefty.  I own a lot of Gibson electrics, but never owned a Gibson acoustic.  There is no paper label inside the guitar to know what model it is or any way to know what year it is ?    I was told it's a 1969.   Serial number is 850257.     Any expert out there that can help me out?    Thanks.

 Due to file size upload limitations, here is the link to my Gdrive for all the photos:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Hmksq_juS3Zq005z_ti_JUqVOjRhSTW9?usp=sharing

Let me know if you are unable to access it.

Edited April 2, 2022 by DeterOblix

[egoidealmusic]

can't access.

[E-minor7]

No entré. 

[DeterOblix]

Just changed the setting to allow all.  Please let me know if you still have no access to the photos.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Hmksq_juS3Zq005z_ti_JUqVOjRhSTW9?usp=sharing

Edited April 3, 2022 by DeterOblix

[slimt]

Looks 1970s.    Could be wrong though. 

Edited April 3, 2022 by slimt

[E-minor7]

Looks fine to me. Could be interesting to check if the bracing is mirrored as well. 

[QuestionMark]

3 minutes ago, slimt said:

Looks 70s to me.   The face of the headstock is the clue. 

The headstock’s back has no volute.  The volute didn’t appear until 1970 IMHO.  That would make it a 1969 model.  It’s a square shouldered J-45 from what I can tell.  Those began appearing in 1969  I believe.  I recall the non-veneered headstock also occurred around 1969.

That’s my take on it.

QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff

 

[slimt]

12 minutes ago, QuestionMark said:

The headstock’s back has no volute.  The volute didn’t appear until 1970 IMHO.  That would make it a 1969 model.  It’s a square shouldered J-45 from what I can tell.  Those began appearing in 1969  I believe.  I recall the non-veneered headstock also occurred around 1969.

That’s my take on it.

QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff

 

I think your right.    

[DeterOblix]

Thanks for the insightful info about this guitar.   A tremendous help in understanding what it truly is.    Another question, in 1969, what would be the difference between a J-45 and J-50?

 

[E-minor7]

1 hour ago, DeterOblix said:

Thanks for the insightful info about this guitar.   A tremendous help in understanding what it truly is.    Another question, in 1969, what would be the difference between a J-45 and J-50?

 

In 1968/69 when the big changes sat in, the new square J-45s often were cherry burst, also in a previously unseen darker 'serious' version.                                                                                                                                                                                                           The guitar above would probably still have followed the original logic and be called a J-50. 

[QuestionMark]

58 minutes ago, E-minor7 said:

In 1968/69 when the big changes sat in, the new square J-45s often were cherry burst, also in a previously unseen darker 'serious' version.                                                                                                                                                                                                           The guitar above would probably still have followed the original logic and be called a J-50. 

Agreed.  It is a J-50 as it has  a natural finish.

 

QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff

Edited April 3, 2022 by QuestionMark

[zombywoof]

13 hours ago, QuestionMark said:

The headstock’s back has no volute.  The volute didn’t appear until 1970 IMHO.  That would make it a 1969 model.  It’s a square shouldered J-45 from what I can tell.  Those began appearing in 1969  I believe.  I recall the non-veneered headstock also occurred around 1969.

That’s my take on it.

QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff

 

While I do not know about the J50, the first square shoulder J45 appeared in late-1968 so co-existed with their round shoulder short scale kin into early-1969.  In this case though, I think you nailed it as the serial number and features do point to 1969.

Edited April 3, 2022 by zombywoof

[DanvillRob]

I have a Jubilee, was only made in 1969-1970…..serial number is 886088, so I’d guess a 1969 J-50.