Best years of the "modern" J45?

Originally Posted by colder

I never felt like Gibson Montana was affected by the QC issues that affected the Memphis and Nashville electrics. I've always been impressed by Gibson Acoustics.

+1,000.

[Wade Hampton]

My own experience with playing and comparing as many modern Gibsons as I can get my hands on is that their acoustic guitars built since 2000 are quite a bit more consistent than many of the guitars they built during the 1990’s. This isn’t to say that there weren’t great examples of J-45’s built during the 1990’s, but in terms of tone they were definitely more hit or miss back then than they are now.

Something else that rarely gets mentioned on guitar forums but probably should be is that even though Ren Ferguson was an outstanding figure in Gibson company history, so far as I’m aware he was never the overall plant manager. There was one guy over Ren during the mid-1990’s who had never worked in the guitar industry before, but who seemed to have been hired by Gibson CEO Henry Juskiewicz to kick butts, take names and - above all else - goose the production numbers higher.

So a lot of genuinely mediocre Gibson acoustic guitars with serious quality control problems were built in the mid-90’s. That later came back to haunt Gibson as warranty returns started piling up. The plant manager was given his walking papers, but the fact remains that there were some defective guitars built during the period Ren Ferguson was working there.

It wasn’t his fault, and he tried his best to turn the situation around, but it was quite literally out of his hands for a few years there.

While I respect Ren Ferguson and his many real talents and accomplishments, I think there’s a tendency on these online forums to exaggerate how profound his influence on the day to day production at the GibsonMontana plant really was, or even could have been. He didn’t have the authority to overrule the plant manager Henry the J hired to pump up production numbers, and if he’d tried to it probably would have cost him his own job.

So while Ren Ferguson was unquestionably a good influence and someone who tried to keep standards as high as possible, he didn’t have a magic wand that he could wave that would keep the quality as high as it might have been. Not when he was working under a plant manager whose only priority was increase production numbers.

Short version: some truly great guitars were built at the GibsonMontana plant during the mid- to late-1990’s, but there were also a lot of complete dogs and just plain mediocre instruments that left the factory in that same period.

So don’t assume that - just because a Gibson acoustic guitar was built while Ren Ferguson was working at the Bozeman plant - it automatically follows that that individual guitar is superior to other Gibsons built since. Because that is simply not true.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller

[tippy5]

Over the last decade I have bought 4 J 45's and regret selling a 2013 TV that was super.

My only one that has remained over the years is my old faithful. 1999 J 45 Natural rosewood. It has the best Sitka that I have ever bought (also ebony board). The guitar is my most likely my best. Easy to play too.

That being said I am looking for a recent Adi/Honduran mahogany TV or Vintage.

[Triumph1050]

I think current Bozeman J-45s are among the best Gibson has ever produced.
They are light and play great and just have that Gibson "tone".
I'm curious to watch what the new management does.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by BluesKing777

I have a room full of Gibson acoustics, only recent one is my 2007 Blues King..nice...and the others are from the 30s and 50s, but I thought someone should mention the rough spots seeing as the question asked was:
'Best years of the "modern" J45?'

I am sure a laminated fretboard and bridge is fine and nobody would even notice, but I don't want one.

BluesKing777.

I'm overly sensitive to Gibson criticism that sometimes seems pervasive on the forum. You have every right to inform others of the "rough spots."

[BluesKing777]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

I'm overly sensitive to Gibson criticism that sometimes seems pervasive on the forum. You have every right to inform others of the "rough spots."

I had a rough spot and sold my 2010 J45 to get some cash at a fire sale price a couple of years ago. I liked it but preferred smaller bodies with more balanced sound. But my intention is to soon replace it with a ...gulp....50s J45/50 and I have been scanning the skies for something like a 50, a 51 but I also have a soft spot for something like a 57 with straight bracing..... So, no, not a Gibson hater at all.....

BluesKing777.

[Rexsblues]

Originally Posted by ghostnote

It's getting a bit odd at this point, but - I'm another guy with a 2016 J45 that sounds just great. I got very lucky; I bought it new, sight unseen online. Well, that's not quite true - there were pics of it online, but I always thought I'd never buy before I try. I like it a lot.

I actually have a buddy who's selling a 2016 J-45. I hadn't considered it too much since I've had mixed experiences with Gibson acoustics made in the last couple of years, but after all of these reviews I might have to check it out...

[saullacoursiere]

My first "good" guitar was a 2016 J45 purchased as new from a forum member. He had sound clips and it sounded good to my ear, so I went for it, despite all the reading I had done about inconsistency in Gibson guitars. I'm so happy I did, because it rekindled my enthusiasm for playing in a major way and I still love playing it almost three years later. A fellow guitarist at a local jam loves its tone. I've gotten good feedback on its tone from family members as well. I do about 50% fingerpicking and 50% strumming, which it has been great for. For the minimal flatpicking that I do, I would like a little more power. Maybe an AJ someday...

SO, another vote for 2016, however I'm not convinced there are any golden years in recent history. I'm continually curious about the reported variability, so I will pick up J45s to play in the store whenever I see them. I don't notice much difference from mine for the most part. The one that I played that I thought sounded "dead" was in bad need of a string change. My guitar gets the same way when I leave 80/20 strings on it for an extended period of time.

Enjoy the search!

[Hank Linderman]

Originally Posted by usb_chord

Sonically? Now. Torrified Adirondack tops, pretty light construction. When you find a good one, it'll compete with anything.

This.

I have a 2016 Vintage with the torrified top. Very dry sound, not quite like an actual old instrument but pretty **** good.

Best...H

[Rexsblues]

Originally Posted by Hank Linderman

This.

I have a 2016 Vintage with the torrified top. Very dry sound, not quite like an actual old instrument but pretty **** good.

Best...H

Would really love one of these but they're usually priced pretty high even used.

[Dwight]

They did a great job with my 2018

[Gomers]

My departed 2016 J45 was ace, sounded like a J45 should. My current 2018 LG2 was a punt, it's equally fantastic in the tone department.

Internally, the fit and finish is very good but, predictably, not in the same stratosphere as my Bourgeois.

[Russ C]

I'll give a vote for recent too.
As a player who thought for many years that Gibson acoustics were only good for looking at (I now acknowledge the unfairness of that), I was forced to change my opinion when I played a couple of 2016 J45Vs and bought one of them.
I also think that the new standards sound pretty impressive to.

[RILEY31]

I currently own a 2017 j200 western classic,2018 J45,2018 J15 and a 1971 Southern Jumbo I used to own a 1954 J45 and a 1966 J50 personally the newer guitars coming out of Bozeman are my favorites.Go play a few I think you will be impressed.

[The Kid!]

Originally Posted by Rexsblues

Appreciate your thoughts! I’m thinking about grabbing a J45 “early”. Because I’ve heard such stellar things.

I have a buddy with an early J-45. Great guitar. They only made them for one year, I believe.
Another buddy has a 1993 which is also stellar, but different.
I own a 2016 J-45 Standard which is fantastic, and I played a bunch before I settled on the one.
I find the 2016's-present to be very consistent and they sound great.
Nothing comes close to my '52.
I played it beside a Fairbanks F-35, and a Bourgeois Slope D. Wouldn't trade the '52 for anything.

Back to the OP. Try as many from 1990-the present and see what you think! Have fun on the journey and be ready to pull the trigger when you find the one.