Head to head
Gibson J-45 Special, Satin Vintage Sunburst vs Taylor T5z Pro, Harbor Blue
The verdict
The Gibson J-45 Special, Satin Vintage Sunburst comes out ahead overall — 80 to 61 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
Gibson J-45 Special, Satin Vintage Sunburst wins on
- Better build (96 vs 61)
- Better sound (68 vs 60)
- Better value (77 vs 52)
- Lower price ($1,999 vs $3,299)
Taylor T5z Pro, Harbor Blue wins on
No standout advantage.
Scorecard
| Metric | J-45 Special, Satin Vintage Sunburst | T5z Pro, Harbor Blue |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 80 | 61 |
| Build | 96 | 61 |
| Playability | 75 | 71 |
| Sound | 68 | 60 |
| Value | 77 | 52 |
Full specifications
| Spec | J-45 Special, Satin Vintage Sunburst | T5z Pro, Harbor Blue |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Gibson | Taylor |
| Type | Acoustic | Acoustic |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | US | — |
| Body wood | Solid Mahogany | Shamel Ash |
| Neck wood | Utile | Neo-Tropical Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Rosewood | West African Crelicam Ebony |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 20 | — |
| Scale | 24.75" | 24.88" |
| Pickups | LR Baggs Element Bronze | — |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $1,999 | $3,299 |
| Back | Solid Mahogany | — |
| Binding | Single-ply Cream, Top and Back | — |
| Body Finish | Satin Nitrocellulose Lacquer | — |
| Body shape | J-45 | — |
| Body Styles | Round Shoulder | — |
| Bracing | Traditional Scalloped X-bracing | — |
| Bridge | Traditional Belly Up; Rosewood | West African Crelicam Ebony |
| Bridge Pins | TUSQ | West African Crelicam Ebony |
| Case | Premium Soft Shell | — |
| Controls | Soundhole Mounted Volume | — |
| Fretboard inlay | Mother-of-Pearl Dot | Faux Pearl / Silver Spires |
| Fretboard radius | 304.8mm / 12.0in | — |
| Fret Count | 20 | — |
| Headstock Inlay | Gibson Logo in Gold Silkscreen | — |
| Joint | Compound Dovetail Neck-to-body Joint; Hot Hide Glue | — |
| Model | MCRS45SPCVS | — |
| Nut | TUSQ | — |
| Nut width | 43.82mm / 1.73in | 1-11/16" |
| Output Jack | 1/4" Endpin | — |
| Pickguard | Teardrop; Tortoise | None |
| Preamp | LR Baggs Element Bronze | — |
| Profile | SlimTaper | — |
| Saddle Material | TUSQ | — |
| Scale length | 628.65mm / 24.75in | 24-7/8" |
| Side | Solid Mahogany | — |
| String gauges | .012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053 | — |
| Top wood | Solid Sitka Spruce | Big Leaf Maple |
| Truss rod | Adjustable | — |
| Truss Rod Cover | 2-ply Black | — |
| Tuner Plating | Nickel | — |
| Tuners | Grover Rotomatic | Taylor Nickel with Nickel Buttons |
| Under Saddle Pickup | LR Baggs Element Bronze | — |
| Armrest | — | Integral Armrest |
| Back And Sides | — | Shamel Ash |
| Back Configuration | — | Multipiece |
| Back Side Finish | — | Gloss |
| Body Binding | — | Rounded Edges |
| Bracing System | — | T5z Bracing |
| Cutaway | — | Venetian Cutaway |
| End Pin | — | Nickel |
| Finish | — | Black Back/Sides/Neck, Harbor Blue Shaded Edgeburst Top |
| Fretboard Binding | — | Black |
| Neck Finish | — | Gloss |
| Neck profile | — | T5 Carve |
| Nut Saddle | — | White TUSQ Nut, White Micarta Saddle |
| Orientation | — | Right Handed |
| Peghead Binding | — | None |
| Peghead Finish | — | Gloss |
| Peghead Inlay | — | None |
| Peghead Type | — | Paddle |
| Peghead Veneer Wood | — | West African Crelicam Ebony |
| Rosette | — | F-Holes |
| Strap Pin | — | Nickel |
| Top Finish | — | Gloss |
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