Glorbon Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Hi. I recently bought a Gibson J45 True Vintage from ebay. But now when i got it i just noticed there are no numbers printed on the back of the headstock. The serial number is 00937007. Does the J-45 True Vintage have a number printed in the back of the head?? Otherwise it looks like a true Gibson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rollie LeBay Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Looking at my latest acquisition from the Gibson Custom Shop in Bozeman, Montana, there is no serial number stamped into the back of the headstock. I don't think they stamp serial numbers into the wood on the back of the headstock anymore. Or else they're counterfeiting Gibsons out of the Gibson Custom Shop in Bozeman. Talk about inside jobs! Uncle Buck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorbon Posted May 21, 2008 Author Share Posted May 21, 2008 alrighty =) hum one more question, i'm quite new to Gibson guitars so i'm wondering what's the difference between a regular J-45 and a True Vintage? (how can the true vintage be more expensive without pickups?) Also here is a sound test of my J-45. I can't tell the difference between this one and a regular J-45 can you? J-45 Sound test. (played with fingers) And yes i know it is out of tune.. Just changed the strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarstrummer Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Welcome to the forum. You might want to search past posts on this forum for the differences between the regular models and the True Vintage models. It's been discussed many times before. But basically, the True Vintage models have different bracing. All of the TV models have thinner, vintage style back braces and the J45 and Southern Jumbo also have the AJ style top bracing. They also have aged toner, upgraded case, bone nut and saddle, just to name a few things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rollie LeBay Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Depending on how long ago you got it, it's probably going to be awhile before you're able to begin defining the guitar's tonal character. How long will be influenced by such factors as maintaining proper humidity, how much and how often you play it, etcetera. In my own experience, you should begin to hear changes and improvements in the tone of the guitar in anywhere from six months on out to three years and beyond, as the guitar "opens up". As that process unfolds, the difference between a True Vintage model and a Modern Classic should become apparent. And with the much lighter bracing in a True Vintage, the difference may eventually be quite startling. This close to new, though, they all tend to be pretty tight. Resonance, sustain and volume will all come with time. Play it a lot. Put it on a stand next to your stereo speakers when you're not playing it. And keep an eye on humidity, get a hygrometer and a humidifer or dehumidifer as needed - how's the weather in Sweden? Over here, it's too dry in winter and too humid in summer where I live. Check your area. Try to keep it at around fifty percent humidity. And be patient as your fine instrument ages. Legendary luthier John Greven has remarked that you won't even know for sure what you have until a guitar is ten years old. But as each day passes, it will just keep getting better. Uncle Buck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 It used to be that Gibson would, as a matter of routine, stamp ser #s in the back of the headstock. I believe that the practice of NOT stamping the ser #s in the back of the headstock was in homage to the vintage instruments, which also did not have serial numbers stamped on the headstock. Typically, in the original vintage-year Gibsons, the numbers (FON or serial) were stamped in ink and/or handwritten on the neck block and/or on the label (if there was a label). So, the lack of a serial number stamped into the headstock back face would simply be a "truer" aesthetic, in terms of the originals. Fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorbon Posted May 21, 2008 Author Share Posted May 21, 2008 alright thanks alot guys. I think the weather is pretty stabile in sweden i will keep an eye on the humidity. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Garrett Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 I have a 2007 CJ165 Vintage Burst that does have the serial number stamped on the back of the neck. As someone already mentioned, I'm sure Gibson in the spirit of being "True Vintage" left the number off the neck like they did way back in the day. I'm hoping someday soon to order a Gibson True Vintage 185 in vintage burst to go with my favorite guitar of all time. My J165, just incredible tone. It beat out several Martins, a few Taylors, and one Lowden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 I have a 2007 CJ165 Vintage Burst that does have the serial number stamped on the back of the neck. As someone already mentioned' date=' I'm sure Gibson in the spirit of being "True Vintage" left the number off the neck like they did way back in the day. I'm hoping someday soon to order a Gibson True Vintage 185 in vintage burst to go with my favorite guitar of all time. My J165, just incredible tone. It beat out several Martins, a few Taylors, and one Lowden. [/quote'] That makes sense, being as the J-165 has no "vintage" model that it is based upon. It was only introduced in 2006, IIRC. That it sports a "vintage" sunburst finish, of course, has nothing to do with any "vintage" connection, other than it's the Best Finish On Earth to get a guitar in!! Fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acousticat Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Glorbon, Welcome to the forum Does the J-45 True Vintage have a number printed in the back of the head?? No, the serial # is stamped on the neck block. According to your serial # 00937007 your guitar was finished on April,3 2007 production # 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amerkatz Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 Hello everyone, I have a 2008 true vintage J 45. For quite some time I was puzzled as to why my headstock does have, repeat it does have a stamp serial number. With that said it is barely visible. It does not match the inside orange sticker serial number. I have called Gibson & spoke to other Dealers in my area Either one can give me an explanation as to why this would be?. From my understanding I do have a true J 45 it is not a fake. The guitar was bought from a very reputable dealer and given to me as a gift. I pose this question, Has anyone ever seen this before I’d be happy to upload pictures. What is odd is the binding on this J 45 is yellowed an aged as a true vintage should be however the tuning pegs are whiter and the binding, In addition my understanding is that a true vintage has bone pins and although my bridge pins look yellow and aged they’re most definitely plastic. I am just curious if anyone has ever run across this before? As you can see the serial number on the headstock it’s barely visible but it’s definitely present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 Plastic is correct. All else looks ok to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 (edited) How long have you had this guitar? It definitely looks to be legit- I had an ‘07 with a similar burst. But someone really needs to keep their nails trimmed on their fretting hand, or risk the premature need for a serious planing of the fretboard &/or fret replacement. Maybe the previous owner was Catwoman. The back of the headstock might bear witness to the guitar once having a set of 3-on-plate tuners? And it also sports it’s pickguard covering the rosette, as was formerly the case. Edited August 17, 2020 by 62burst Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 (edited) 'Just an additional question, or 2, Amerkatz: the first digit on the headstock stamp appears to be a "0". . . can you make out the 5th digit? If so, hopefully it is an "8". My, what a dark, dark fretboard you have. Do you oil it? And, for anyone out there who looks at frets and nuts- . . . . . . here is a pic of the '07 J-45TV (photo on the right), stolen back from Photobucket, 'ranged next to Amerkatz' J-45- are these similar enough? : . . . and- did yours happen to make it to you with the case? Here's a pic showing the case, and aging on tuner buttons: Edited August 17, 2020 by 62burst Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 The individual tuners are correct for a 2008. I believe though that there was a Limited Edition which had a red spruce top and strip tuners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 Chiming in time agree with a coupla other posts. For some time now, with “vintage” models and/or vintage reissues, Gibson Acoustic applies the serial number in the original vintage fashion - wherever that was: headstock, neckblock, or inside label. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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