1970 Gibson J-45 Dlx.
The Gibson J-45 is—despite Martin’s claim—America’s guitar, the signature instrument of the serious player in jams, gigs, hoedowns, hootenannies, parties, and front porches since the 1940’s. The J-45 has a square-shouldered jumbo body (since 1969) with a solid spruce top and mahogany back, sides, and neck. As of 1974-75, it had a non-adjustable rosewood bridge similar to the replacement bridge on this guitar. This 1970 J-45 Deluxe model has a 14/20-fret rosewood finger board with pearl dot inlay and a 25.4” scale, and the original notorious disintegrating tortoise binding of the later 1970s. While the pick guard is missing and the finish is funky and cracked, it still has the huge sound for which vintage Jumbo Gibsons have been famous for decades.
This guitar has been extensively repaired and not very artistically re-finished. Among the several results of this process is the apparent sanding smooth of the back of the headstock, and the re-embossing of the presumed original serial number (A601113) and “USA” legible on the headstock, which if correct probably dates it as 1970—fifty-three years of making music. There were some structural issues which have been dealt with: several cracks have been glued, the bridge has been replaced or at least re-set, and the original Gibson Deluxe tuners have been replaced with modern Kluson replicas which work well. The cracking binding has been stabilized with acetone, but the original pick guard and truss rod cover are missing.
Thus, cosmetically this guitar is really funky, with cracks in the red finish on top, subtle dried drips on the back and sides, and of course the scratches, dings, and buckle rash one expects on a working 53-year-old guitar. The good news is that the cracked finish helps “to let the sound out,” as my luthier says, and the action is ideal at 3/32” at the 12th fret low E. In other words, despite the repairs it still is a great Gibson jumbo guitar which has been playing the hard-driving music for which it was made. And, of course, playing the music for over five decades has made that Gibson sound even better, more resonant, and more powerful. The bad news is that for a museum or collector it is no doubt less “collectible” because of the repairs, but this is a player’s guitar, dripping with mojo, and I sincerely hope that its next owner is someone who will play it hard, well, and often.
The hard shell case is obviously not the original Gibson case, but it is in very good shape. The hardware all works perfectly, the plush interior is soft and fuzzy, and it offers excellent protection to this veteran of the guitar wars. It is an excellent complement to this vintage Gibson guitar.
Buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower forty-eight states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashier’s checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.
I have tried to be perfectly clear and accurate in describing this vintage instrument. While it is clearly not in mint cosmetic condition, it is guaranteed structurally sound, and its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before offering to purchase it.
Thank you for your interest in this authentic vintage Gibson guitar.
Payments by Paypal, cashier’s checks, money orders, or personal checks are acceptable, but all payments must clear my bank before the guitar will be shipped. I will CONSIDER reasonable offers, even including installment payments and trade-ins, but generally since I already attempt to price my guitars very competitively, unusual deals must be unusually sweet.
From henceforth [that's how retired English teachers talk], insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states is $55 due to constantly rising shipping costs unless a specific listing says otherwise; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. I have sold guitars to Russia, Japan, Australia, and over 50 other countries, as well as almost every state in the USA. Since some of my guitars travel thousands of miles, I take care to use lots of packing materials, protect the neck inside the case, and of course de-tune the strings.
I make every effort to describe and illustrate each guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. However, many of my instruments are well-played vintage items which are many years old, and I am not a luthier. One should assume that any guitar will require some set-up to satisfy your personal requirements, and that not every flaw or ding will be seen/recognized/described in the listing. Thus the return of an instrument will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please read the listing carefully, check out the pictures, and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy.