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Gibson 1955 J-45 Reissue, Light Aged, Vintage Sunburst
Gibson

1955 J-45 Reissue, Light Aged, Vintage Sunburst

AcousticJ-45US
No ratings yet$5,999

A remarkable recreation of the mid-50s era Workhorse The Gibson J-45™ was first introduced in 1942 and quickly earned its nickname, “The Workhorse,” due to its wide acceptance, no-nonsense simplicity, and understated elegance. It’s one of the most recorded acoustic guitars in history and Gibson’s best-selling acoustic model of all time. 1955 was a significant year in the history of the J-45 model. It was when Gibson lengthened the fretboard and added a 20th fret to the J-45. Around the same time, the teardrop pickguard used on the earlier models was dropped in favor of a larger 50-styled pickguard. Handcrafted with care in Bozeman, Montana, by Gibson Custom’s expert acoustic luthiers, the 1955 J-45 Light Aged is a stunning recreation of the 1955 J-45. It features vintage-accurate appointments and features. The round shoulder mahogany body has a thermally aged Sitka spruce top to give it the sweet tone of a long-cherished, well-seasoned vintage guitar. The X-bracing is fitted with hide glue, and the body is adorned with multi-ply top and single-ply back binding. The mahogany neck has a Round profile and is attached to the body with a compound dovetail neck-to-body joint that is also fitted with hide glue. The neck is capped with a rosewood fretboard that is equipped with 20 standard frets and decorated with simple mother-of-pearl dot inlays. Vintage-style Grover® strap tuners with cream buttons are installed on the headstock, and the nut, saddle, and bridge pins are all bone. The 1955 J-45 Light Aged features Light Aging by the skilled artisans of the Murphy Lab. The Murphy Lab Light Aged finish treatment, paired with lightly aged hardware, simulates decades of light play wear, giving it the unique character, vibe, and feel of an original example from the Gibson Golden Era. It comes packaged in a 50s-style Lifton™ hardshell case to complete the authentic vintage playing and ownership experience that only Gibson Custom and the Murphy Lab can deliver.

Best for

FolkCountrySinger-SongwriterBlues

Score

estimated from specs & owner reviews
74
Overall / 100
Playability
75
Sound
60
Build
91
Value
63

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Specifications

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Specifications for 1955 J-45 Reissue, Light Aged, Vintage Sunburst
BrandGibson
TypeAcoustic
CountryUS
Body woodMahogany
Neck woodMahogany
FretboardRosewood
Strings6
Frets20
Scale length24.75"
BackMahogany
BindingMulti-ply Top, Single-ply Back
Body FinishMurphy Lab Aged Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Body shapeJ-45
Body StylesRound Shoulder
BracingTraditional Scalloped X-bracing
BridgeTraditional Belly-up; Rosewood
Bridge PinsBone
CaseLifton Hardshell
Fretboard inlayMother of Pearl Dot
Fretboard radius304.8mm / 12.0in
Fret Count20
Headstock InlayGibson Logo Gold Silkscreen
JointCompound Dovetail Neck to Body Joint
ModelCSRS4555VSLA
NutBone
Nut width43.82mm / 1.73in
Pickguard50s-style J-45; Tortoise
ProfileRounded
Saddle MaterialBone
SideMahogany
Strap ButtonsCream Endpin
String gauges.012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053
Top woodThermally Aged Sitka Spruce
Truss rodAdjustable
Tuner PlatingNickel
TunersGrover Strap with Cream Button
Street price$5,999

Photos

7
Gibson 1955 J-45 Reissue, Light Aged, Vintage Sunburst — photo 1
Gibson 1955 J-45 Reissue, Light Aged, Vintage Sunburst — photo 2
Gibson 1955 J-45 Reissue, Light Aged, Vintage Sunburst — photo 3
Gibson 1955 J-45 Reissue, Light Aged, Vintage Sunburst — photo 4
Gibson 1955 J-45 Reissue, Light Aged, Vintage Sunburst — photo 5
Gibson 1955 J-45 Reissue, Light Aged, Vintage Sunburst — photo 6
Gibson 1955 J-45 Reissue, Light Aged, Vintage Sunburst — photo 7

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