I am offering here a Gibson 125th Anniversary J-45 Autumn Burst from 2019, a crafted in the Custom Shop in Bozeman, Montana (USA), all solid timber acoustic guitar to commemorate the company’s 125th anniversary, produced in a limited edition of 125 pieces, featuring the legendary Slope Shoulder Dreadnought design, resonant Lutz spruce top, back and sides made of spectacularl quilted mahogany, set mahogany neck with SlimTaper neck profile and 43.8mm TUSQ nut, bound rosewood fingerboard with shimmering mother-of-pearl dot inlays, high-quality gold Grover Open Gear tuners, and L.R. Baggs VTC pickup system in a beautifully executed Autumn Burst high-gloss nitrocellulose finish with tortoise pickguard and cream bindings in excellent collector's condition with brown Gibson deluxe hardshell case, manufacturer’s papers and professional setup with 12-53 Elixir 80/20 strings.

Since its introduction in 1942, the Gibson J-45 has been considered the epitome of the American slope-shoulder dreadnought and fully deserves its nickname, “The Workhorse.” Hardly any other acoustic guitar model has had such a lasting impact on music history or found its way into the hands of countless musicians across folk, country, blues, and rock. To mark Gibson’s 125th anniversary, this extraordinary special edition was created in 2019. Crafted at the Gibson Acoustic Custom Shop in Bozeman, it is limited to just 125 numbered instruments. Featuring select premium woods, a Lutz spruce top, and exceptionally high-quality components, it ranks among the most exclusive modern interpretations of the legendary J-45.

Sonically, the Anniversary Edition combines the familiar, warm character of a classic J-45 with added transparency and dynamics. The solid Lutz spruce top—a natural hybrid of Sitka and white spruce—combines the quick response of Engelmann spruce with the resilience and projection of Sitka spruce, producing an exceptionally open, balanced tone. Together with the back and sides made of solid, spectacularly figured quilted mahogany, this produces powerful mids, crisp, precise bass, and pleasantly silky highs. The traditional scalloped X-bracing ensures excellent resonance and enables both delicate fingerpicking and powerful strumming with impressive dynamics.

A sound sample of the model can be found above at the end of the photo gallery.

The factory-installed L.R. Baggs VTC pickup system captures the guitar’s natural sound with exceptional authenticity and reliability, making the J-45 an ideal companion for the stage, studio, and recording.

The slim SlimTaper mahogany neck offers modern, comfortable playability and harmonizes perfectly with the high-quality bound rosewood fingerboard. The nut width of 43.8mm allows for both precise flatpicking and comfortable fingerstyle playing, while the short Gibson scale length of 628.6mm ensures pleasantly soft string tension.

Visually, too, this limited special edition impresses down to the smallest detail. The special Autumn Burst nitro finish perfectly highlights the fine grain of the Lutz spruce top and harmonizes aesthetically with the tortoise pickguard, the multi-layered cream bindings, the elaborately designed headstock featuring the 125th Anniversary logo inlay, and the gold Grover Open Gear tuners.

Technical Specifications:

• Origin: Bozeman, MT, USA
• Year of Manufacture: 2019
• Series: 125th Anniversary Limited Edition (No. 87 of 125)
• Body Shape: Round Shoulder Dreadnought
• Top: Lutz spruce (solid)
• Bracing: Scalloped X-Bracing
• Back/Sides: Quilted Mahogany (solid)
• Neck: Mahogany, set-in
• Neck Profile: SlimTaper
• Fingerboard: Select rosewood with mother-of-pearl dot inlays, bound
• Nut: 43.8mm, TUSQ
• Headstock: Black Face with 125th Anniversary mother-of-pearl inlay and Limited Truss Rod Cover, bound
• Bridge: Reverse Belly rosewood bridge with compensated TUSQ saddle
• Tuners: Grover Open Gear Gold
• Pickup: L.R. Baggs TVC, active
• Body bindings: Cream, multi-ply
• Rosette: Concentric rings
• Pickguard: Tortoise
• Finish: Autumn Burst High-Gloss, Nitrocellulose
• Scale length: 628.6mm
• Serial No.: 11009016
• Includes brown Gibson deluxe hardshell case, manufacturer’s paperwork, and leather strap

The Gibson J-45 125th Anniversary was produced in a limited run of only 125 units and is correspondingly rare.

This guitar is in ecellent collector’s condition and technically flawless. Visually, it shows only finest superficial wear, if any (see photos). The frets are in impeccable condition.

The instrument has been professionally set up with 12-53 Elixir 80/20 strings, and I (a long-time guitar teacher) will ship it fully insured with DHL for €49.99 within Germany or for €99.99 within the EU. Worldwide shipping available—individual shipping costs upon request.

All photos shown are of the actual instrument for sale.