Gasman Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 (edited) In 1968 I was 11 years old - I was taking Drum lessons at my local small town music shop - I was naturally drawn to it. But the guitar was really what I wanted to play. So once a week I went in for my lessons and learned a lot - But as I left the store I always saw this 1968 Red Gibson J-45 with a white pickguard hanging high on the wall. It had to be the coolest Guitar I have ever seen - I asked the owner if I could play it - He said only if you bring your parents in - Well that was never going to happen... Well I never forgot that cool guitar. And now 54 years later the reissue of that model is hanging on my wall. It is kind of funny how life goes full circle some times. Edited May 8, 2022 by Gasman 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 In ‘68 I was 2. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 My father bought a new Southern Jumbo in 1963. I was three. He kept it until 1970. My first “good” acoustic was purchased in 1984…. A 1964 Southern Jumbo. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 (edited) Kids.... I was a 19 year-old college sophmore in 1968, started playing electric guitar in 1969. 🙂 Got my first acoustic - a Gibson J-50 Deluxe - in 1974. Still have it, but it's on permanent loan to my son in law because he just couldn't put it down whenever they visited. Congratulations on the new guitar! I have the J-50 version of your 60's J-45 and love it. Got a good deal on it just a year ago, it's a 2020 guitar that had been very lightly used. However, just a couple days ago I noticed that the bridge is coming unglued and lifting up on one side. Doesn't seem to be much of a problem (yet) since the bolts for the ADJ saddle are keeping it in place, but will have to eventually get it fixed. Edited May 8, 2022 by Boyd 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 5 hours ago, Gasman said: In 1968 I was 11 years old - I was taking Drum lessons at my local small town music shop - I was naturally drawn to it. But the guitar was really what I wanted to play. So once a week I went in for my lessons and learned a lot - But as I left the store I always saw this 1968 Red Gibson J-45 with a white pickguard hanging high on the wall. It had to be the coolest Guitar I have ever seen - I asked the owner if I could play it - He said only if you bring your parents in - Well that was never going to happen... Well I never forgot that cool guitar. And now 54 years later the reissue of that model is hanging on my wall. It is kind of funny how life goes full circle some times. It's good when your dreams come true, even if it's 54 years later. In 1966, I was a broke 19 year old college sophomore with a yearn for a better guitar than the cheap guitar I had . Saw a very beat-up 1950 J-45 hanging on the wall of a music store in Jackson Mississippi, and begged my sister for the $50 to buy it. Still have that guitar more than 55 years later, although it has changed a lot over the years. A couple of years ago I bought an identical but completely original 1950 J-45, made a month or so before that first one, from the first and only owner in Ohio, who was selling it to help his grandson finish paying for nursing school. It was my dream guitar in 1966, and its "new" sibling still is. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 In 68 I was 10 and a few months from my first guitar, a cheapo electric. However, I impressed my Dad enough that I had a Gibson twin pickup Melody Maker later the same year. And a Super Reverb. I played electric for the next 3 and a half decades, not getting a decent acoustic until I was 45, which was my 2003 J-45 RW/ebony. I still have the Melody Maker, and a Champ from the 60's. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 NGD ! Congrats !! In '68 I joined the Navy. Left my guitar and girl friend, Ann (she preferred to be called 'Mona'), behind for 4 years. Guitar waited for me. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 (edited) In 68, I was 12 and taking my first guitar lessons after playing bongos for 4 years on an acoustic that was given to me by my dad’s boss’s wife when she bought a new guitar! Guitar lessons were in a large class that dwindled weekly until it was only a a couple of serious ones and a babysitting job left. The teacher made us learn music as we learned the fretboard, tough, tough, tough at the time but I still thank him today.....this morning I played through one of the many music books I bought with a Christmas voucher - the ‘100 Most Beautiful Songs For Fingerpicking’ in music/guitar tab.......don’t have to learn the songs, just play the music! I also bought the ‘100 Most Popular Songs For Fingerpicking’, ‘Blues For Fingerpicking’, ‘Country For Fingerpicking’, the ‘Ultimate Fake Book’ with 1200 songs, the ‘Country Fake Book’ with 750 songs..... I have plenty of tunes to play!😁 Don’t have to do it, sometimes I just ....play.....but I am still thankful I can! (No idea what the teacher’s name was, but...THANKS!)..... BluesKing777. Edited May 8, 2022 by BluesKing777 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 (edited) Got my first acoustic in '64 at 12 years old. Still have it. Had a fret job done to it a few years ago. Very playable. My dream guitar was a '65 Gretsch Country Gentleman. I got a Gibson 2005 Country Gent that satisfied that urge. Later I did snag a vintage Gretsch Gent but didn't take to it. Edited May 8, 2022 by Dave F 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 (edited) My main take on at least the later-1960s and early-1970s is I got away with everything I did do and got busted for everything I did not do. In '68 I was 17 and spending a lot of time hanging around the East Village in NYC. The following year though around Christmas, I took off hitching my way to California. I had managed to get into a college but just as quickly managed to get kicked out when I failed to make it back to register for the next semester. I had gotten my first guitar in '61 or '62 which was an old archtop a friend of my grandfather had sitting in a closet and gave to me. I spent the rest of the decade with assorted used Kays and Harmonys. I played my first "gig" in 1967 but with a used Hagstrom bass I had bought at Manny's on 48th St. and a borrowed Ampeg Portaflex amp. Around '70 or '71 I went back to acoustic picking up a Guild D25. I found my first Gibson a few years later when I was in a local music shop and saw a glint of a sunburst sitting in the corner. It was a 1950s LG 2. What year it had been built, I had no clue as such things were virtually impossible to determine back then. Did not matter though I just knew I had to have that guitar. More Gibsons would come and go along with others such as NYC-made Epi FT110, early-1930s National Duolian, and Martin D18. Edited May 8, 2022 by zombywoof 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 10 hours ago, Gasman said: In 1968 I was 11 years old - I was taking Drum lessons at my local small town music shop - I was naturally drawn to it. But the guitar was really what I wanted to play. So once a week I went in for my lessons and learned a lot - But as I left the store I always saw this 1968 Red Gibson J-45 with a white pickguard hanging high on the wall. It had to be the coolest Guitar I have ever seen - I asked the owner if I could play it - He said only if you bring your parents in - Well that was never going to happen... Well I never forgot that cool guitar. And now 54 years later the reissue of that model is hanging on my wall. It is kind of funny how life goes full circle some times. Just how cool was that! And how cool IS that! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 (edited) Since we're going back in time.... in 1968 I was working nights in the Peterbilt factory, worrying every day I'd get a draft notice in the mail. I had 'quit' the music business by then, so was playing no guitars at all. I'd given my Fender Jag to my brother, and sold everything else that year. Didn't pick up the guitar until I was out of the Army in 1971, (yes....I played a little in 'Nam if someone had a guitar.....but not much.). I've told the story of 'lusting' after a Hummingbird that we had in the music store I worked at....but that was 1965 or 1966. Edited May 8, 2022 by DanvillRob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMELEYE Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 In '68 I got married the first time. Already owned a half dozen pretty good guitars. Well, that all came to a crashing halt. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 7 hours ago, fortyearspickn said: NGD ! Congrats !! In '68 I joined the Navy. Left my guitar and girl friend, Ann (she preferred to be called 'Mona'), behind for 4 years. Guitar waited for me. You were a sailor. A girl in every port. If you paid for them, well then, that’s another matter all together. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 It’s great when wishes & dreams come true… At least the Case is Red! LOL! Enjoy! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gasman Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 48 minutes ago, Larsongs said: It’s great when wishes & dreams come true… At least the Case is Red! LOL! Enjoy! Yeah I know... It is a deep Wine red - which I like - the original 68' was a much lighter red... LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holiday Hoser Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 I was 8 in '68 and HATED guitar lessons my mom forced me to take at the local Catholic school. I used to hide in the gully so I wouldn't have to go and learn Cumbya My Lord or some other stupid song. But they changed teachers mid-year and the long haired, brown eyed hippie chick who took over had me smitten. I was in love with her and later her Gibson Dove and I stuck it out and still can play a mean Cumbya. Thanks Mom! Just had her over for brunch today. 84 years young and still going to the same church were I took those lessons so long ago. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 1 hour ago, Holiday Hoser said: I was 8 in '68 and HATED guitar lessons my mom forced me to take at the local Catholic school. I used to hide in the gully so I wouldn't have to go and learn Cumbya My Lord or some other stupid song. But they changed teachers mid-year and the long haired, brown eyed hippie chick who took over had me smitten. I was in love with her and later her Gibson Dove and I stuck it out and still can play a mean Cumbya. Thanks Mom! Just had her over for brunch today. 84 years young and still going to the same church were I took those lessons so long ago. You were in love with a 30 year old at 8. You go, boy... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gasman Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 Thanks everyone for the kind words - It means a lot coming from a bunch of Gibson Lovers... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 6 hours ago, Murph said: You were in love with a 30 year old at 8. You go, boy... Who doesn’t love a cougar? Mackin’ at 8. Two thumbs way up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gasman Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 This is what they looked like when I was 11 ... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 (edited) 8 hours ago, Gasman said: This is what they looked like when I was 11 ... Why did Gibson put an etching of one b-oob on the pickguard? Edited May 10, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scriv58 Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbpicker Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 Congratulations Gasman…that’s a beauty. Love the wine red color on those. ah, those early days and J45s. My first one was a new 1962 cherry red sunburst that I bought in 63. My band mates thought I’d lost my mind, trading in a Rickenbacker for it, plus some cash. in 65 I entered the military and months later had to sell the Gibson so my new wife and I could eat something besides bologna. The guy at the pawn shop in Ft. Walton Beach, FL really saw me coming, as they say. He gave me a whopping $65 for it, and it was in great condition. Oh well, we enjoyed the step up to chicken for a while. Roger 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gasman Posted May 10, 2022 Author Share Posted May 10, 2022 6 hours ago, scriv58 said: Yes - At that time in the late sixties Gibson started a new Promo Logo - it was referred to as "Sound Wave" a Dot and a Wave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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