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Blowing smoke?


GlenBenGurian

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I have a dealer trying to interest me in a Custom Shop J-45.

 

It appears to be a Standard J-45' date=' but he says it was built in Bozeman's Custom shop.

 

Any light shed is appreciated!

 

G

 

[/quote']

 

I would think it would be labled as Custom somewhere...... Got photos?

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Don't custom shop models have an orange inner label? This one's white' date=' which says standard to me. Everything else looks standard to me also but there aren't any detailed pics that I saw.[/quote']

 

The orange label inside the sound hole was standard on all guitars up until a few years ago. They were changed to the white ones then. Most Custom Shop orders used to come with an insignia on the back of the headstock. But even then, some Custom Shop orders didn't have that! I guess the only sure fire way to tell is the paperwork on the guitar when it's purchased, or the label on the box it comes in.

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Bottom line: if it has the Gibson Custom Shop decal on the back of the headstock it is a Custom Shop piece. What's custom about it? Who knows. I think Gibson plays fast and loose with that decal. My old SJ200 Western Classic had the decal, but there was nothing different about it.....it was just like all the other SJ200 Western Classics.......a normal production model guitar.

 

In the end the Custom Shop decal means little or nothing to a player. Is the guitar up to snuff? If everything is good, the decal is insignificant. Don't be swayed by "custom this" or "custom that" monikers.........do you like the guitar? Does it work for you?

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the "custom shop" in Montana means nothing. There is only one production line. Special builds get the "Custom Shop" logo, but they are built on the same line as the other stuff. so, unless this guitar has some special specs (which i don't see) then there is nothing special or custom about it.

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I have recently seen two so-called custom shop guitars with orange labels stating Custom Shop' and decal at back of neck/headstock. I have also seen a reputed custom shop J-45 that just says J-45 TV on the orange label, and no decal. It was ordered as a custom shop guitar I believe. Gibson surely do create a lot of confusion on these matters, and I don't know if they appreciate how much it can irritate. Perhaps we should all send an ms to Henry..

 

Roger

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I have a custom J-45 and it has both the label and a decal. This is a 2009 model and might confirm something for you???

One would also think that the custom shop designation would mean more $$$ to buy...likely more $$$ than they are really worth. I just picked this up yesterday on a trade, not sure if it's really a custom other than the lack of a burst finish.

 

 

 

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I have a custom J-45 and it has both the label and a decal. ........not sure if it's really a custom other than the lack of a burst finish.

 

The "custom" part of that one is the mad mahogany, an upgrade from the standard back & sides mahogany. This is what the Custom Shop label should be about: deviations from standard construction in wood and/or appointments. The Waverly (or Gotoh) open back machine heads are non-standard hardware as well. The Custom Shop decal should not be applied to any instrument without such obvious differences in construction to avoid confusion. Good looking guitar, by the way!

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