Custom J-45 Vintage conundrum

DrJamie · #1 02-03-2018, 08:45 PM

Having fun at a local shop today, when I pulled down a Gibson Custom Shop J-45 Vintage model. Has an addi top, hog back and sides, hide glue addi braces, and supposedly an aged finish. This guitar was a powerhouse, dry, cutting tone, like a great old D-18. Great neck shape, perfect setup. BUT, the finish has a funky orange peel everywhere except the top. It's like they didn't polish the clear coat to a smooth surface. Even the black headstock is orange peeled, which can't be smoothed out. I believe the rest of the finish, (thin as it may be) can be smoothed out by my talented tech, but the funky finish bugs me. I play my guitars, but the bumpy finish is giving me pause. It is the one of the best sounding, most powerful dreads I've played. Shocked that it's a Gibson. Not shocked the finish is sub-par for an expensive guitar. Do I go for the stuff that matters, feel, tone, power? Or pass? Just had to get this off my chest. I have the guitar for a few days. The owner is a friend. It's pricey, even at a great price. My buddy, and band mate will play it tomorrow. He knows acoustics. The only thing close to this was a Santa Cruz Vintage Jumbo, at a considerably higher point. Can't believe I'm even torn over a Gibson dread to begin with.

scriv58 · #2 02-03-2018, 08:59 PM

i bought a j45 vintage in july 2016, one of the first things i did was rub that foggy finish off- problem solved.

DrJamie · #3 02-03-2018, 11:03 PM

I don't mind a matte finish. This is like a true orange peel that needs to be polished down, or rubbed out. A dull finish is fine with me. My tech will know what to do. I sure like the sound. Hope you're enjoying yours. Thank you for the response. Maybe it's what Gibson intended, but I doubt it. Wish they copied the finish on my '55 es 140. Shiny, but slightly crazed. The Tom Murphy Les Pauls looked pretty authentic.

WiseAxe · #4 02-04-2018, 12:34 AM

Any chance of a photo, Dr J?

DrJamie · #5 02-04-2018, 05:48 AM

First thing to come to mind, but it's near impossible to get the detail in a photo. I think the shop just didn't do their job. I'll try some pics, and see if I can get the surface to show. Might borrow my daughter's camera, and try. It's worth a thousand words!