Gibson J-45

The Gibson J-45 is an acoustic guitar model manufactured by the Gibson Guitar Corporation. It is part of Gibson's round-shoulder, dreadnought acoustic "jumbo" line, begun in 1934 with the Gibson Jumbo Flattop which was to compete with C.F. Martin & Company's "D" line.

History

The J-45 is generally regarded as Gibson's most famous and widely used acoustic guitar model. Introduced in 1942 with a list price of $45, it was conceived as a replacement for the earlier J-35 model, which was an inexpensive, Great Depression-era flattop guitar. The J-45 initially varied only slightly from the discontinued J-35. Some of the changes were internal, such as strengthened bracing, while exterior changes included the new teardrop-shaped pickguard, and a headstock decal with the Gibson logo replacing the old stark white 'Gibson' silkscreen logo of the thirties, and the slogan "Only a Gibson Is Good Enough." The J-45 also had a more rounded, "baseball bat" style neck, as opposed to the "V" shape of the J-35 neck. Introduced during World War II, the J-45 standardized Gibson's approach to the dreadnought guitar. The J-45 produced by Gibson today is substantially similar to the 1942 model.