The Gibson J-45 is famous as being the quintessential singer-songwriter folk guitar. Here’s a couple of user comments (more of those later!) . . .
“There is something about the tone from that style guitar that seems to be just perfect for singing along with.” (Ricks, on AcousticGuitarForum).
“folks just like the way they play and sound.” (ZombieWoof on AcousticGuitarForum).
The features of this classic acoustic guitar are what you’d expect for something that’s been the top choice for certain music styles since the 60′s, such as the AA-grade Sitka spruce top , pattern-grade Indian rosewood back and sides, the ebony bridge and fingerboard and the hand-scalloped top bracing.
The J-45 has been Gibson’s top-selling acoustic guitar for many years. Nicknamed “The Workhorse” and initially introduced in 1942, Gibson’s most popular acoustic guitar is now the icon of its round-shoulder, dreadnought line, well known for its full, balanced expression, warm bass, and great projection.
Gibson’s current J-45 comes with the popular “Element Active Acoustic Pickup System” from L.R. Baggs, which features a low-profile undersaddle element (transducer) that’s proven more stable and durable than many standard ribbon-type pickups. Combined with an onboard preamp with an unobtrusive volume control mounted just inside the soundhole, the Element delivers performance not previously attainable from an undersaddle pickup.
Another important feature of this great guitar is the nitrocellulose finish, which is one of the most labor-intensive elements of the guitar-making process. Unlike the polyurethane finishes used by many guitar manufacturers a nitrocellulose lacquer finish is porous, allowing the wood to naturally breathe and mature, and also enabling far better repairability.
A user (HHP) on AcousticGuitarForum makes the important point that you do of course need to buy whichever guitar suits your style best. As he says, the J-45′s were common during the folk-music boom and favoured by singer-guitarists using a pattern-based fingerstyle. Although Martinc guitars are more suitable to the bluegrass hot flatpicking and more complex instrumental fingerstyles, the J45 is still the most highly-regarded guitar for what it’s designed for, which is folk-music singer-guitarists.
Here’s some more user feedback from those who’ve used this great Gibson acoustic . . .
“the guitar’s tone is what really sold me!” (SpruceTop on AcousticGuitarForum).
“the J-45 is louder, more versatile and has more quality in its tone, it beats all the other brands I’ve tried.” (Jonzzon on HarmonyCentral)
“the J-45 just has it all. Amazing tone, precise attention to detail, effortless playability and fantastic looks. {snip} . . . the J-45 has that certain uniqueness that its rivals just don’t possess.” (Pete Zelewski on AcousticGuitarForum).
“The J-45 has that classic Gibson tone heard on countless recordings from Bob Dylan to The Beatles” (SpruceTop on AcousticGuitarForum).
“Great tone, short scale, most recorded guitar in rock history. What’s not to like?” (Aaron Smith on AcousticGuitarForum).
“a J-45 is hard to beat. They have a unique sound, look great, and the short scale makes them nice to play.” (fix3890–ByNx on HarmonyCentral)
“the best acoustic guitar for playbility, sound and vibe.” (Anonymous Reviewer on HarmonyCentral).
“I just think the J45 model is the business. Great sound and great aesthetics.” (Anonymous Reviewer on HarmonyCentral).
“nothing has sounded as beautiful to my ear as this J-45.” (Travis MacRae on HarmonyCentral).
“the looks and sounds of the J45 make me sound like a million bucks.” (Matthew Rust-4Y0kR on HarmonyCentral).
“the tone of the Gibson makes it the overall favorite.” (JYN on HarmonyCentral).
Summary . . . the Gibson J 45 is the best guitar for many styles of folk music (as well as having its uses in other genres), particularly for singer-guitarists. With Amazon 0% interest 2-year financing, it’s an even better deal right now . . .
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Tags: acoustic guitar, best acoustic guitar, gibson acoustic, gibson acoustic guitar, Gibson J-45, J 45, singer songwriter acoustic guitar, singer songwriter guitar