What makes the Historic Collection "historic"

[ajsc]

Have been eyeballing a J-45 "Historic Collection".

I have been unable to find anything out about this J-45.

Does anyone know what makes this model different, from a J-45 MC.

I like it a lot, & will probably buy it, but am curious about what makes it different.

The only thing obvious , are the tuners. (At least to me)

[littlejohnny]

Hi,

 

is the j-45 from 2005? I have a j-45 and this has the label historic collection too.

From what I understand in 2005 most of gibsons classic acoustics (hummingbird, j-45, j-185) were historic collections.Somewhere on this board I have read, that these guitares are similar to the MC-line. But on the other hand, someone said, the MC's have thick back braces, which my j-45 does not have.

I think, that the j-45 historic collection is somewhere between MC and TV. But I never played a MC or TV. So its just an baseless statement. I guess in the end its just a 2005 historic collection, nothing more and nothing less, whatever that's supposed to mean.

 

Bottom line:

I love my j-45 HC.

So if you like it, buy it!

[ajsc]

Thanks,,,yes it's a 2005, from the model #. I really like it too. I'm going to get it today sometime. From what I've been told there were a limited amount of these made. I've played a few mc models, but not side by side with this one. I like the mc model too.

In fact I don't think I ever played a J-45, that I didn't like.

Just wondering what the difference might be.

I've done a google search, & found a HB historic, & a dove historic, but they don't really explain what "historic" means.

Thanks again for the reply.

[J-200 Koa]

No difference except for the decal on the back of the headstock. I had a 2005 SJ-200

and it was the "Historic Collection" as well. I think the SJ-200, Hummingbird, J-45 and

Dove were the only ones with the Historic Collection decal.

 

Hopefully, Gibson will release the "Hystrerical Collection" soon so I can feel justified in

buying another guitar.

[ajsc]

No difference except for the decal on the back of the headstock. I had a 2005 SJ-200

and it was the "Historic Collection" as well. I think the SJ-200' date=' Hummingbird, J-45 and

Dove were the only ones with the Historic Collection decal.

 

Hopefully, Gibson will release the "Hystrerical Collection" soon so I can feel justified in

buying another guitar.[/quote']

 

 

The tuner's are different...maybe that's all?

[littlejohnny]

the 2005 models also had another pick-up. i think it was a fishman matrix. I forgot about that since I've replaced it.

[ajsc]

the 2005 models also had another pick-up. i think it was a fishman matrix. I forgot about that since I've replaced it.

 

I noticed that also. I plan to remove the pick-up. I have an over sized end pin made by "Bob Colossi" to plug the hole.

[Rambler]

"what makes this model different, from a J-45 MC"

 

Marketing. Grover Rotomatics.

[rustystrings]

My take on the Historic Collection J-45 is it's a reproduction of an early '50s J-45, but with a 20-fret fingerboard like the ones from c.1955-on. They do split the difference between the TV and the MC. I suspect they're built lighter than the MC. The bracing is probably closer to what postwar J-45s had, instead of the AJ-style bracing the TV uses. The rosewood is East Indian instead of Madagascar, which saved a few bucks.

 

I adore mine. It's currently my only steel-string acoustic, and it's pretty much ended my desire to own vintage guitars. It simply NAILS the feel and vibe of the c.1950 J-45 I had several years ago, and the sound is so close to my memory of that guitar that I am content, and still enjoying the whole "playing-in" process. I look forward to how it'll sound in a decade or so. It has the EXACT same breathy quality I loved about my old J-45, but in a new guitar with a warranty, no repair issues AND a surprisingly good pickup.

 

The secret to getting a good sound out of the pickup, for me, is to use strings that have been on the guitar for a while. I'll let y'all know how it goes when I get around to trying nickel-wound John Pearse strings - so far all I've run are stock Gibson phosphor bronze sets. But honestly, I haven't heard any piezo quack worth mention with my guitar, which I really dig.

 

Snap it up before someone else does. I think there's a LOT of bang for the buck with the Historic Collection guitars.

[ajsc]

"what makes this model different' date=' from a J-45 MC"

 

Marketing. Grover Rotomatics. [/quote']

 

Thanks, I like it a lot, & will be picking it up later today. It's used but in excellent condition,& much less than the MC, at GC. It has a very nice set up, with new med Elixir's. (Nanoweb)

The one at GC has very high action, with rusty strings!!

[jannusguy]

No difference except for the decal on the back of the headstock. I had a 2005 SJ-200

and it was the "Historic Collection" as well. I think the SJ-200' date=' Hummingbird, J-45 and

Dove were the only ones with the Historic Collection decal.

.[/quote']

 

my original jumbo is also an historic collection. i think it's an '06.

[ajsc]

"I suspect they're built lighter than the MC"

 

This guitar is very light!! It does have a really nice tone!! It was pretty much love at first sight. Of course the MC at GC is very nice too.

[Rambler]

my original jumbo is also an historic collection. i think it's an '06.

 

"Historic" was kind a generic banner that covered std models (J45), reissues (adv jumbo) and quasi custom shop offering like the OJ. Bozeman is great. Central marketing? Still working on its campaign narrative.

[diogo]

my first J-45 was a 2005 historic.

 

very very nice guitar. developed some sort of annoying rattling on one of the bridge pins after a while, but that's really the only complaint i have about it.

 

if anyone is curious about what these sound like, check out dylan's world gone wrong, it's all over it. in my opinion, modern (historic, i've never played a modern classic) J45s nail the sweetness of the gibson jumbo tone, but not the oldness of the wood, so to speak. they'll get there in time though, no doubt about it.

 

old strings do help a lot.

[ajsc]

Hey diogo

Do you still have the historic? I bought this one, & I'm very happy with it. The guy I got it from gigged with it. It has a couple minor scratches, but all in all it's in great shape. It was love at 1st site. Of course I could say that about a lot of guitars!! But I could actually afford this one.

I've wanted a J-45 for some time.

[diogo]

Hey diogo

Do you still have the historic? I bought this one' date=' & I'm very happy with it. The guy I got it from gigged with it. It has a couple minor scratches, but all in all it's in great shape. It was love at 1st site. Of course I could say that about a lot of guitars!! But I could actually afford this one.

I've wanted a J-45 for some time.

[/quote']

 

hi Paul!

 

no, actually i sold it more than a year ago (or was it 2? i can't remember). i made a mistake with it, besides that rattling thing (which wasn't my fault) i changed the pickguard to a batwing and regretted it almost immediately, so i put back the old one, but it was never the same, especially since the batwing's glue was so strong that the pickguard's lining made a soft mark on the finish...it never came out, no matter how much i rubbed it down with lighter fluid, etc. basically, it ended up being a teadrop with a batwing lining, very odd to look at as you may imagine.

 

it was hard to tell, but i knew it was there and it always bothered me.

 

after that ****** mistake, the bridge pin rattling was the only excuse i needed to let it go. i always thought i'd get another one down the line, since i was also in a bit of financial trouble at the time, but i never did. a few weeks ago i got a 1953 J-45 and, despite still thinking the historic models are very special and nail the tone, i've come to terms that there's really no substitute to what 50 years do to the woods. i can't tell the tone apart from dylan's, in all honesty and i shall post clips to prove it once i'm done moving into the new house.

 

in my humble opinion, the historics nail the tone, not the age, but that would be a miracle i guess. i'm also not a fan of the shinny/new nytro finish, i prefer the look of bare wood, but again, that will only come with time.

 

with all this said, if i hadn't scored the 1953 one, i'd own an historic model, without a doubt.

[onewilyfool]

I think the historic collection has Bob Colosi pins, nut and saddle....

[ajsc]

diogo

I thought it took a computer to mess things up that bad!!

Glad you said something, I too have been looking at the batwing pickguard, but thanks to your post, I'll pass on that one.