Head to head
Epiphone IGC 1963 Dove Reissue, Left-Handed, Natural vs Gibson J-45 50s Original, Vintage Sunburst
The verdict
The Gibson J-45 50s Original, Vintage Sunburst comes out ahead overall — 74 to 69 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
Epiphone IGC 1963 Dove Reissue, Left-Handed, Natural wins on
- Better sound (68 vs 60)
- Lower price ($1,399 vs $3,199)
Gibson J-45 50s Original, Vintage Sunburst wins on
- Better build (91 vs 70)
Scorecard
| Metric | IGC 1963 Dove Reissue, Left-Handed, Natural | J-45 50s Original, Vintage Sunburst |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 69 | 74 |
| Build | 70 | 91 |
| Playability | 72 | 75 |
| Sound | 68 | 60 |
| Value | 67 | 63 |
Full specifications
| Spec | IGC 1963 Dove Reissue, Left-Handed, Natural | J-45 50s Original, Vintage Sunburst |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Epiphone | Gibson |
| Type | Acoustic | Acoustic |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | — | US |
| Body wood | Solid Figured Maple | Mahogany |
| Neck wood | One-Piece Mahogany; Thermally Aged | Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Indian Rosewood | Rosewood |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 20 | 20 |
| Scale | 25.5" | 24.75" |
| Pickups | LR Baggs Element Bronze VTC | LR Baggs VTC |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $1,399 | $3,199 |
| Accessories | Leather Strap Adapter | Includes Gibson Accessory Kit |
| Back | Solid Figured Maple | Mahogany |
| Binding | Multi-ply Top and Back, Single-ply Fretboard | Multi-ply top, single-ply back |
| Body Finish | Vintage Gloss | Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer |
| Body shape | Dove | J-45 |
| Body Styles | Square Shoulder | Round Shoulder |
| Bracing | Traditional Scalloped X-Brace; Quarter-Sawn, Solid Spruce | Traditional hand scalloped X-bracing |
| Bridge | Dove; Rosewood with Mother-of-Pearl Dove Inlays | Traditional belly up |
| Bridge Pins | Bone | Tusq |
| Case | Red Line-inspired Hardshell with Inspired by Gibson Custom Graphics | Hardshell Case |
| Controls | Soundhole-mounted Volume and Tone | Volume and Tone Controls |
| Fretboard inlay | Mother-of-Pearl Split Parallelogram | Mother-of-pearl dots |
| Fretboard radius | 304.8mm / 12.0in | 304.8mm / 12.0in |
| Fret Count | 20 | 20 |
| Headstock | Gibson Open Book with Inspired by Gibson Custom Logo on Rear | — |
| Headstock Inlay | Epiphone Logo and Gibson Crown in Aged Mother-of-Pearl | — |
| Joint | Dovetail | Compound Dovetail Neck-to-body |
| Model | ECDVR3NANH1L | OCRS4550VS |
| Nut | Bone | Bone |
| Nut width | 42.86mm / 1.69in | 43.81mm / 1.72in |
| Output Jack | 1/4" Endpin | — |
| Pickguard | Traditional Dove; Acrylic/Celluloid Sandwich with Mother-of-Pearl Dove | 50's, Tortoise |
| Preamp | LR Baggs Element Bronze VTC | — |
| Profile | Rounded | Rounded |
| Saddle Material | Compensated Bone | Bone |
| Scale length | 647.7mm / 25.5in | 628.65mm / 24.75in |
| Side | Solid Figured Maple | Mahogany |
| Strap Buttons | Endpin Jack | — |
| String gauges | .012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053 | 0.053, 0.042, 0.032, 0.024, 0.016, 0.012 |
| Top wood | Thermally Aged Solid Spruce | Sitka Spruce |
| Truss rod | Dual Action | — |
| Truss Rod Cover | Two-Ply, Vintage Wide Black Trim, White and Black, Engraved DOVE | Black |
| Tuner Plating | Nickel | Nickel |
| Tuners | Kluson Waffleback with Metal Keystone Button | Grover Strap Cream Button |
| Under Saddle Pickup | LR Baggs Element Bronze VTC | LR Baggs VTC |
| Finish | — | Nickel |
More IGC 1963 Dove Reissue, Left-Handed, Natural comparisons
- IGC 1963 Dove Reissue, Left-Handed, Natural vs SJ-200 Standard, Tri Burst
- IGC 1963 Dove Reissue, Left-Handed, Natural vs 1960 Hummingbird Reissue, Heavy Aged, Washed Cherry Sunburst
- IGC 1963 Dove Reissue, Left-Handed, Natural vs J-45 EC Studio, Vintage Sunburst
- IGC 1963 Dove Reissue, Left-Handed, Natural vs J-200, Aged Vintage Sunburst Gloss