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Old 02-17-2020, 09:08 AM
uriah1 uriah1 is offline
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Default J50 vs Natural J45

Always curious since there is not too much information out there.
I have a Gibson branded J45 natural (blonde) that is early 90s.

Most folks I talk to say it is a J50 but the label clearly states
J45.

Was that a production run issue in the 90s with non-burst J45s.
Is there a great difference?

I don't think they do any more.

Thanks for any info.
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Old 02-17-2020, 10:26 AM
rc3797 rc3797 is offline
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For some reason, Gibson decided to “go rogue” with their naming system and do away with the J-50 designation in favor of calling it a natural J-45 a couple times, including the 90’s. They stuck with this on and off through the years as it suited them, it seems. As always, though, a natural J-45 IS a J-50, and vice-versa. No structural differences between the two at all, just finish (or lack thereof).
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Old 02-17-2020, 11:43 AM
uriah1 uriah1 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rc3797 View Post
For some reason, Gibson decided to “go rogue” with their naming system and do away with the J-50 designation in favor of calling it a natural J-45 a couple times, including the 90’s. They stuck with this on and off through the years as it suited them, it seems. As always, though, a natural J-45 IS a J-50, and vice-versa. No structural differences between the two at all, just finish (or lack thereof).
Aah..

Thanks
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Old 02-17-2020, 03:35 PM
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Jim Owen Jim Owen is offline
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Hi Uriah,
You got the answer from rc3797, but I feel tempted at add that I’ve seen J 50s and J 45Ns both offered in the same years.

Gibson followers (such as me) refer to this as “Gibson being Gibson.” Even when I was a tadpole my buddies and I often scratched our heads over why Gibson model specs seemed so haphazard. Oh, it’s friday, let’s put on this funny pickguard I just found in the scrap box. Or, I wonder which bridge fits—or which side of it is up or down. Let’s call this guitar an LG 2 reissue even though it’s clearly an LG 3.

I play a mid 90s J 50. Structurally, it’s a J 45 with a natural top and a big, batwing pickguard. I think all the J 45Ns I’ve seen have tear drop guards?
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Old 02-17-2020, 06:24 PM
vw1300 vw1300 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Owen View Post
Hi Uriah,
I play a mid 90s J 50. Structurally, it’s a J 45 with a natural top and a big, batwing pickguard. I think all the J 45Ns I’ve seen have tear drop guards?
The J-45N I've seen had the teardrop pick guard, but from what I've seen J-50s have the batwing except for a few special issues.

Then again, before 1955(?) J-50s had a teardrop pick guard anyway.
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Old 02-17-2020, 06:46 PM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is online now
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Uriah, it’s actually quite simple: playing a J-50 makes you completely irresistible to members of the opposite sex.

Playing a J-45 Natural makes them shrug and say: “Okay, so that’s yet another person with an acoustic guitar.”

Hope that clears up the confusion for you...


Wade Hampton Miller
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Old 02-18-2020, 10:42 AM
uriah1 uriah1 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wade Hampton View Post
Uriah, it’s actually quite simple: playing a J-50 makes you completely irresistible to members of the opposite sex.

Playing a J-45 Natural makes them shrug and say: “Okay, so that’s yet another person with an acoustic guitar.”

Hope that clears up the confusion for you...


Wade Hampton Miller
Lol ..that is what I was thinking too
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Old 02-18-2020, 10:44 AM
uriah1 uriah1 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Owen View Post
Hi Uriah,
You got the answer from rc3797, but I feel tempted at add that I’ve seen J 50s and J 45Ns both offered in the same years.

Gibson followers (such as me) refer to this as “Gibson being Gibson.” Even when I was a tadpole my buddies and I often scratched our heads over why Gibson model specs seemed so haphazard. Oh, it’s friday, let’s put on this funny pickguard I just found in the scrap box. Or, I wonder which bridge fits—or which side of it is up or down. Let’s call this guitar an LG 2 reissue even though it’s clearly an LG 3.

I play a mid 90s J 50. Structurally, it’s a J 45 with a natural top and a big, batwing pickguard. I think all the J 45Ns I’ve seen have tear drop guards?
Thanks

ya
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  #9  
Old 03-20-2023, 07:09 PM
Bluejeannot Bluejeannot is offline
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Default My 2009 Mr Natural.

https://imgur.com/9yGw1o4

Last edited by Bluejeannot; 03-20-2023 at 07:17 PM.
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Old 03-20-2023, 07:15 PM
Black Squirrel Black Squirrel is offline
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J-45 is more marketable than the J-50. The J-45 has lots of history attached to the model name. J-50 has no real marketable history.
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Old 03-20-2023, 07:23 PM
Bluejeannot Bluejeannot is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Black Squirrel View Post
J-45 is more marketable than the J-50. The J-45 has lots of history attached to the model name. J-50 has no real marketable history.
There are a very distinguished list of users though.Dylan,James Taylor,Tom Rush,John Renbourn, Lightning Hopkins, Wizz Jones etc.
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Old 03-20-2023, 07:36 PM
lt20dbl lt20dbl is offline
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James Taylor burst onto the scene with his J50. You can hear it plainly on early recordings.
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Old 03-20-2023, 07:40 PM
Black Squirrel Black Squirrel is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluejeannot View Post
There are a very distinguished list of users though.Dylan,James Taylor,Tom Rush,John Renbourn, Lightning Hopkins, Wizz Jones etc.
Yes, but Dylan played so many different guitars over the years that he was not really associated with that particular model.

Last edited by Black Squirrel; 03-20-2023 at 07:49 PM.
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  #14  
Old 03-20-2023, 08:08 PM
Athens Athens is offline
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Default J45 vs J50

Wow, this debate never seems to go away, does it?

They are different guitars.

I had a ‘65 J45 Nat Adj. it was a J45 with a natural top and that tone killing adjustable mechanism with a ceramic bridge.

Best thing I ever did was to remove the adjustable hardware and make a hardwood insert to fill the slot and install a standard bone saddle.

But, again, they are different models.
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  #15  
Old 03-20-2023, 10:31 PM
BluesKing777 BluesKing777 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wade Hampton View Post
Uriah, it’s actually quite simple: playing a J-50 makes you completely irresistible to members of the opposite sex.

Playing a J-45 Natural makes them shrug and say: “Okay, so that’s yet another person with an acoustic guitar.”

Hope that clears up the confusion for you...


Wade Hampton Miller


Exactly!

Now we are making sense!

I better put a pic of my Gibson J50 up:




BluesKing777.
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