What year is this J-45?

sunbgroove · #1 07-12-2016, 09:32 AM

.....first, a brief hello and introduction! I am relatively new to this forum, and acoustic guitars in general. I have been playing electric guitar (exclusively) in rock/funk bands and recording for over 30 years. A new un-plugged version of the band introduced me to acoustic guitars a little over a year ago and I was hooked..... with very sore fingers after the first few gigs! Since then I started building a guitar with the generous help of a luthier friend (posted in another thread) and recently pulled this old Gibson from under the bed. It was willed to me several years ago. I am embarrassed to admit that, at the time, I had little to no interest in the guitar, how it was made, why it was made the way it was etc. Shame on me!

Anyway, I have been digging through this site and the net looking for what I thought would be a quick easy answer by plugging in a serial number. It hasn't been that easy! I'd love to know what the exact year of manufacture this one is if possible.

Hopefully you all can help shed on light if this guitar is a late 60s, 70s, or other.

What I have found so far:

Serial: 962114
"Made in USA" on back of headstock

Original adjustable bridge (yuck?)

Bracing (see pictures) doesn't appear to be Double X type.

Scale (see picture of measurement at 12th fret).

The guitar plays well and sound very nice. Overall its in good condition with a few nicks but no cracks in the wood. Shame about the current tuners, but fortunately, the originals came with the guitar.

In the near future I plan to do a good setup on it, re-install the original tuners, replace the temporary pick guard (the original was shattered when I got the guitar) and take a real good look at the bridge... It is just starting to lift at the back...

Rmz76 · #2 07-12-2016, 09:40 AM

Based on the number on the backside of the head-stock it would have been built in 1970-1972

#3 07-12-2016, 09:44 AM

Dating Gibsons from certain periods is an inexact science. Based on features and the serial number, this one should be from 1970-1972.

Nice interior shots by the way. The enormous bridge plate, heavy bracing, big bridge and associated hardware demonstrate why earlier examples are much more sought after. Some of these sound decent in spite of that, and some of those things can be corrected if you're so inclined.

sunbgroove · #4 07-12-2016, 09:57 AM

Thank you - I appreciate your insight and comments! I was a bit confused because several sites state the introduction of double X bracing in 1970, which this guitar does not seem to have....

Rmz76 · #5 07-12-2016, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunbgroove

Thank you - I appreciate your insight and comments! I was a bit confused because several sites state the introduction of double X bracing in 1970, which this guitar does not seem to have....

There are a few different concepts of "double X" bracing. The late 60s to early 80's Gibson double X was like this

Source:
http://theunofficialmartinguitarforu...t#.V4UYxVdUfww

llew · #6 07-12-2016, 11:35 AM

The guitar in that picture is a "square shoulder" Gibson like a Songwriter or Hummingbird? It might say "J-45" on the truss rod cover but I don't think it is? Just an observation...

sunbgroove · #7 07-12-2016, 11:37 AM

Thank you for posting the diagram... I am attaching a video "tour" of the interior, lol. I'm still confused

This J-45 has just one large X brace, and not the long braces running alongside toward the back, as per your diagram. I know very little about the different types of bracing on the Gibsons am wondering at this point if this is the same bracing used on earlier guitars? https://youtu.be/ejWTdGECCL0

sunbgroove · #8 07-12-2016, 11:43 AM

Never thought about a Songwriter or others, llew. I AM definitely "wet behind the ears" in this department!

llew · #9 07-12-2016, 11:47 AM

I don't know what model it is but perhaps a call to Gibson with the serial number could render the correct answer? Looks like a nice old Gibby whatever model it is? I hope you enjoy it! Oh yeah...welcome to the forum!

cmd612 · #10 07-12-2016, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llew

The guitar in that picture is a "square shoulder" Gibson like a Songwriter or Hummingbird? It might say "J-45" on the truss rod cover but I don't think it is? Just an observation...

I think there were a few years in the early '70s where Gibson made a square-shouldered J-45. (Yes, really.)

llew · #11 07-12-2016, 11:53 AM

Well...I'm no Gibson historian and that may very well be true? I've just never seen any Gibson J-45 that wasn't a slope (or round as Gibson likes to say) shoulder dread? Now I really want to know! If that's the case I wonder why Gibson would do something like that? Doesn't make any sense?

#12 07-12-2016, 11:58 AM

J-45's were square shouldered from 1969 until the mid 1980's.

GibbyPrague · #13 07-12-2016, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llew

Well...I'm no Gibson historian and that may very well be true? I've just never seen any Gibson J-45 that wasn't a slope (or round as Gibson likes to say) shoulder dread? Now I really want to know! If that's the case I wonder why Gibson would do something like that? Doesn't make any sense?

There were many J-45's that became a square shoulder starting in the 60's and moving through the 80's, quite common.

Looks like an early 70's version, they normally look so bad that one wonders if its a fake, that one included.

llew · #14 07-12-2016, 12:02 PM

Thanks Todd...I had no clue. But I have too ask...why? Seems they would just confuse everyone...okay...maybe just me? Were they trying to compete directly with Martin's square shoulder standard dreads?

Rmz76 · #15 07-12-2016, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmd612

I think there were a few years in the early '70s where Gibson made a square-shouldered J-45. (Yes, really.)

The guitar posted by the OP is a 1970-1972 J-45... It's not just the early 70's. The J-45 was square shoulder from late 68 until 1982... The double X bracing began a the same time they went square shoulder. According to Gruhn's guide to vintage guitars there was no variation in the bracing with the square shoulder models. Same double X bracing from late 68 until 1984 when the round shoulder J-45 was reintroduced and they returned to the bracing design used in the early 60s.

Here's a late 68 for sale on Reverb for comparison
https://reverb.com/item/1645305-gibs...urst-1969-s063

If you're a fan of the J-45 there's a lot to dislike about the square shoulder era. Not only is it square shouldered, but it's 25.5 (long scale), the bridge is not reversed. The pick-guard lacks the J-45's signature bottom curve. It is in every way except wood choice and model label an entirely different guitar from the historic J-45. I played a 72 J-45 and didn't hate it. I'm not saying these are good or bad, but they don't sound, look or feel anything like the iconic J-45.