First introduced in 1942, the Gibson J-45 has remained a mainstay Gibson acoustic model. It has earned its name as The Workhorse due to its wide acceptance, no-nonsense simplicity, and understated elegance. Itâs one of the most recorded acoustic guitars in history and Gibsonâs best-selling acoustic model of all time.

Gibson are proud to release a fresh take on this legendary design, the J-45 Century 12-Fret. This model keeps many of the key features of the J-45, but moves to a 12-fret neck joint instead of the more familiar 14-fret layout. With the 12-fret design, the neck is slightly shorter, and the bridge sits deeper into the body, positioning it closer to the widest part of the top. It might seem like a small change, but it has a noticeable impact on the tone and feel. This guitar has a warm, punchy, and resonant voice. It works well with fingerstyle techniques, and of course with a plectrum.

Gibson has built J-45 12-fret guitars in the past, but they are very rare and difficult to get your hands on. With this Century edition J-45, you can experience the unique tone and feel of a J-45 12-fret once again.

The J-45 Century 12-fret features a solid Sitka Spruce top, alongside Mahogany back & sides. This tone wood pairing has been used for decades and results in a balanced tone thatâs super sweet and full. The satin nitrocellulose lacquer is incredibly thin, which allows the whole guitar to resonate much more effectively when compared to other finish types.

The Mahogany neck uses a compound dovetail joint, which is secured to the body with hot hide glue. This is a traditional build technique which Gibson has used throughout their history, itâs great to see these vintage techniques still being used today. It features a SlimTaper neck profile, which feels great in your hands, itâs the perfect choice for a guitar like this. The Rosewood fingerboard is dark in colour, and features a 12â radius, 24.75â scale length, standard size frets, and mother of pearl dot inlays.

Across this model youâve got a bunch of vintage inspired appointments that really make this guitar standout. The headstock features open-back Golden Age strap tuners, alongside an early 1900s-style Gibson script logo. The body also features a sloped-rectangle closed-slot bridge crafted from Rosewood.

Each instrument ships in a premium Century Collection tweed hardshell case