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Product Details
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Gibson / 1964 J-45 Cherry Sunburst

[Comment from the person in charge: Inoue]

This is a vintage J-45 from the mid-1960s, featuring a faded cherry sunburst finish.

The pickguard is a thin, large celluloid pickguard.

The tuners are single-line Kluson Deluxe.

Both models were produced in 1964, the final year of production for this style, and this orange sunburst finish in an early 1960s specification is surprisingly rare.

The bridge plate has four places where screw holes have been filled, indicating that a bridge plate was originally installed. The use of plastic bridges on J-45s has been confirmed between 1962 and 1964. The timing matches, so it's almost certainly correct. The bridge is made of smoothly shaped ebony, extending smoothly from end to end. The seamless finish and adhesive, along with the meticulous filling of the bridge plate holes, suggest that a highly skilled craftsman performed the maintenance.

The sound is even tighter and more defined than that of guitars with plastic bridges.

Are vintage J-45s all solid wood or plywood? There's another interesting point about this particular instrument.

The question is whether a vintage J-45 is made of solid wood or plywood. The body top is clearly solid. However, determining the thickness of the sides and back is not so easy. While the presence or absence of crack reinforcement on the body sides can be a factor, and some vintage Gibsons did have this, it's not enough to definitively say "this is solid wood!" Current Gibsons often use solid wood without crack reinforcement, making vintage guitars particularly difficult to distinguish.

One indicator I use is the enlarged endpin hole.

Originally, the endpin is screw-fastened, but some guitars have enlarged holes due to pickup installation. This particular guitar also shows signs of such modification. Looking closely at the hole, you can see that two pieces of mahogany are glued together. Each piece is approximately 1.5mm thick, totaling about 3mm. Therefore, it's highly likely that the body sides of this J-45 are plywood.

You don't need to worry that plywood will result in a cheap sound.

When the body sides are laminated, the vibrations of the body sides are suppressed,
and a so-called "pump function" is activated, which is said to change how the sound resonates towards the soundhole.

Some high-end guitars in recent years intentionally incorporate this kind of acoustic design.

Therefore, it's true that plywood has its own unique characteristics and charms that cannot be simply described as inferior.

In fact, this J-45 has a tight sound,
and works well with the adjustable saddle, allowing you to enjoy a powerful, crisp tone.

The weather checking gives it a cool, vintage look.

It's very comfortable to play, and if you're captivated by its sound and looks, we hope you'll welcome it as a lifelong companion. It comes with the original chipboard case in excellent condition, with the Gibson logo clearly visible.

[Specifications/Included Case]
TOP: Spruce
BACK/SIDES: Mahogany
FINGERBOARD: Rosewood
BRIDGE: Ebony (replaced)
NECK: Mahogany
NUT WIDTH: 42.5mm
SCALE: 628mm
CASE: Original Chip Board Case

[Repair/Modification History/Replacement Parts/External Condition, etc.]
*This information is based on our inspection of this used/vintage item.
Please understand in advance.
-Bridge replaced
-Newly replaced with a Delrin nut.
-Four cracks repaired on the back of the body (two on the upper right, two on the upper left)
-Evidence of a pickup being previously installed (extension of the end pin area)
-The neck has been over-lacquered, possibly due to the lacquer having peeled off in the past.
It appears to have been quite some time ago, and the wood has aged well; currently, there is no stickiness, and it feels comfortable to hold.
The body has its original finish.
-Frets and bridge pins have also been replaced.

[Playing Condition]
-Due to age, there is slight sagging above the bridge on the top of the body plate and slight lifting below it.
This does not affect the string height or playability, and there are no problems with its use.
-String height at the 12th fret: 2.5mm on the 6th string side, 2.0mm on the 1st string side
-Adjustable saddle allows you to adjust the string height to your preference.
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Please note that all items are for sale in our Tokyo store.
There is a chance they might be sold out. All items are shipped tracked and insured. All import duties or customs fees are the buyers responsibility - please be aware of the requirements for your country. If you have any questions please ask.