The Gibson 1942 Banner J-45 VS is a particularly authentic replica of the legendary J-45 model that successfully revives the spirit of the 1940s in Gibson's new Banner series. As with the original from 1942, only the finest materials are used for this unique instrument. Thanks to a thermo treatment, the instrument sounds as if it had been played for decades. A "V" neck profile and a number of lovingly designed details take the player back to days long gone and demonstrate that the greatest craftsmanship and decades of know-how still go into the making of these instruments today. A sturdy moulded case and a Gibson Accessory Kit are included.

Since the early 20th century, North American Adirondack spruce (red spruce) has been used extensively for the construction of fine musical instruments, recognisable by its coarse but even grain, powerful sound and extremely fast attack. Enriched with expressive mid and high frequencies, the top produces a very punchy tone that can be elicited even from single notes without much effort, therefore making the instrument appealing to fingerstyle or blues guitarists. The wafer-thin nitro finish and thermo treatment of the wood favour the vibration behaviour of the top and enable a very long lasting sound that fades away softly in the overtones and flows into the next tone. The chic Vintage Sunburst finish gives the instrument an antiqued appearance and forms a perfect transition to the other materials used.

In order to round off the overall sound, the manufacturer constructs the back and sides of the guitar from high-quality mahogany wood, which in a very discreet way interacts with the large construction to introduce warm bass frequencies into the sound. These build up incredible dynamics and give the J-45 the fundamental substance that has always been particularly popular with guitarists and fully embodies the singer-songwriter image of the traditional manufacturer. Here, too, a light construction and the thin lacquer play a very important role, as they support the rich vibrational behaviour of the wood and thus enable a very differentiated sound. Visually, the wood harmonises perfectly with the other materials used and is clearly, but very aesthetically, separated from the individual components of the body by cream-coloured bindings.

Due to its robust construction, the handy mahogany neck can be played in all frets very easily and effortlessly. The strong V-profile forms a perfect combination of comfort and functionality and in combination with the generous 43.8 mm nut width allows the player to easily master even difficult fingerings on all 19 frets. A rather short 628.6 mm scale length ensures a rather low string tension, so that no great effort is required to produce a clean and perfectly intoned sound thanks to a bone nut and a corresponding saddle. Mother-of-pearl inlays are embedded in the fine rosewood fretboard, marking the frets for orientation and providing a perfect contrast to the coarse-grained wood, which is thus subtly emphasized in its preciousness.

Probably the guitar's most striking trademark is the timeless headstock with its open nickel tuners with butterbean knobs, which not only create a venerable overall impression but also allow extremely precise tuning. The old Gibson logo and the motto "only a Gibson is good enough" refer to the long history of the manufacturer and still fill guitarists all over the world with awe. On the back of the headstock, above the tuners, the production number of the instrument is encoded in a multi-digit numerical code.

To a treasure like this, of course one needs the best accessories to care for it properly. Therefore, not only a moulded case is included in the package, but a Gibson Accessory Kit as well. The J-45 comes equipped with a Gibson set of strings in 0.012" to 0.053" gauge, that are very soft to the touch and pleasant to grip due to the short scale length. Because of the thin nature of the varnish, it is recommended to maintain the instrument carefully with an "optionally" available Gibson polish.

• All solid acoustic guitar
• Custom Shop
• Round-shoulder design
• Adirondack spruce top (red spruce)
• Mahogany body
• 628.6 mm scale length
• Mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard
• "V" profile
• Mother of pearl inlays (dots)
• 43,8 mm nut width
• Nickel tuners with Butterbean buttons
• Including case and Accessory-Kit