Gibson J45 Delux

[fretplay]

Some time ago members were discussing the merits of the Gibson J45.

and there were questions asked as to whether a one piece back was ever made. Well I have one but as this was questioned I contacted Gibson and to my surprise was told that this was possible but there are no records.

 

So what do members think? It is a J45 Deluxe full length scale 25.4 not the usual Gibson 24.7 and a one piece mahogany back (no centre seam) made in 1975.

 

It seems the Deluxe were only made in the early seventies

 

I would be interested to here if any member has one.

[ballcorner]

I am fascinated by this post because in my collecting life I have always been told that wide plank wood was almost impossible to find in the 1970s, so the idea that an 18" piece could be found during that decade to make a 16" back would be a real interesting fact to gather.

 

There is certainly nothing in the manufacturing process that would prevent Gibson or any other major builder from using a one-piece back, because the book matched backs are set together as two rectangles and then cut as a solid piece. If Gibson says it is possible but not recorded (nothing new that they don't have records) there is no reason to doubt its originality.

 

Conversely, there was a time when I encountered a 1960s Gibson that had its back replaced. The work was so well done you would never know the back had been done but for the fact that the support strip had a C.F. Martin brand on it. It took a very long time to research this one (a j-160e) but we eventually learned that it was indeed repaired by Martin after getting a hole punched in its back. So, it isn't impossible that your guitar had a repair - I just think it is highly unlikely.

[ksdaddy]

I wonder if some J45s were made with laminated backs? That would make the appearance of a one piece back more likely. I know some Gibsons have been made with laminated sides at times but I can't quote chapter and verse as to which ones and when, and even if I could that wouldn't preclude Gibson from making a few that didn't get documemted or noted somehow. It seems in the 70s they were trying to standardize as much as they could, moving most of the guitars to a square shoulder design and 25"+ scale, so it wouldn't surprise me they also looked for ways to expedite the manufacturing process in other ways such as a laminated back.... they were already doing it in the 70s with the Gospel, so it's not crazy to say they could have done it with a flat back model as well.

 

But that's just a guess on my part. My time machine doesn't run so hot.

[Johnt]

You guys have me worried ( Ballcorner for the 2nd time today LOL)

 

I have a 79 J45 SS Deluxe. Maple neck etc etc. Standard 24.7inch scale and despite how i hold it up to the light, run a stanley knife over the back etc I can't see a join or anything like a join in it's back.

 

Is there a "knack" to confirm it one way or another? Except hit it with a mallet?

 

It doesn't matter to me the guitar is what it is.

 

I know that it is a factory second if that helps tie the problem down at all, on the rear of the headstock is a hole where some TW*T gouged out the "2" which Gibbonordin used to identify the stuff that was worse than the average.

[ksdaddy]

You could try comparing the grain on the inside of the back to the outside. It's not necessarily definitive but could be....