sooo... what do you guys think of this "score"???

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

1974 Gibson J 45 Deluxe.. Vintage 2 tone sunburst...Quite clean ,couple of top cracks that don't affect playability or sound, but really should [and will } be repaired...$300..... I grabbed it and ran... The woman knew exactly what it was and what it was worth, but wanted a good home for it, and someone that would play it again as it sat in her attic untouched for over 15 years... I have found some really nice deals last few years, but am pretty happy about this one... Older Gibson acoustics are getting into and above Martin range in price... It has a sweet sound, very complex and toneful.. warm and full with nice high end and rich bottom too . I wouldn't say this would be much of a bluegrass flat pickers guitar as it is not very loud it seems.....any thoughts on this guitar ???......bob

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

What could go wrong? Sounds like a good deal honestly arrived at to me. How big an issue is volume going to be for you or for any potential buyer? Even a guitar with weak volume has uses if the tone is good. Either as a rythm instrument or as part of a duet. It can also work any venue where amplification is acceptable. These days weak volume just isn't that limiting, is it?
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Amor vincit omnia

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

For $300, you scored, top cracks and all. But I'm not surprised this isn't a real cannon. By '74, Gibson had changed significantly, and that showed in the acoustics as well. The bracing was different, the slope-shouldered dreads were gone, everybody wanted to look like a Martin. But with a little work - maybe the right acoustic guitar specialist could shave the bracing and make some other adjustments to open it up - this could be a great guitar. It isn't all about volume, but a big dread that doesn't have good volume usually is stiff, to my ears, and needs to be opened up. I agree - I prefer Gibsons anymore, and was a by-God Martin player for a long time (that's what my Martin rep use to call people like me).

The only serious guitar accident I've ever had - yet at least - was dropping my '52 Gibson J50 about two feet, still in its original junk hard case. The wood shattered in several places - it was dry as a piece of desert sandstone and the wood was light as balsa. I had just gotten it, and just got it back from my crack luthier who had reglued some bracing and so on. It was the finest acoustic guitar I ever played - and then this. I was heartbroken. I got it all fixed, got it humidified properly, but it was never the same, and I couldn't bear to look at those repaired cracks anymore, so a friend bought it and still has it.

But the old 30s-50s Gibson acoustics are, IMHO, the finest acoustics ever made.

Hey Bob - good to see you back. Don't be a stranger.

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Thanks Dave.. I know a 70's J 45 isn't a 50's model by any stretch, but wow, for $300 it was just too tempting to pass up. Any Gibson acoustic in decent shape is worth double that much even the cheapest of the cheap.

I had been gassing for a Gibson flat top for a while, and this one fell into my lap., Even if I hate it, I can get it fixed and still sell it at a tidy profit..
Maybe its because the necks are so close in shape and feel to thier electric models, but I adore Gibson flat tops... Always liked them better than Martin... btw Dave I keep an eye on my friends here.. I'll stop in and say hello a bit more often... bob

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

I bought a '76 J-45 for 700.00 a couple of years ago, then traded it for a Twin Reverb and 200 bucks. Like Dave, I'm a Martin nut, and the J-45 had great tone, but no volume.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

"Book" price on that guitar is about a grand, but that's for one in excellent condition. One with a couple of cracks might be worth half that, or a little less - so you got an okay deal, not a steal.

Repairing will restore most of the value (if it's done by a pro luthier). As far as the sound, it is what it is. Any lightening to make it sound better might also weaken the guitar - and since it's already got problems, you don't want that.

Henry Nagle · From: Santa Rosa, California

Right on! The best sounding guitars are the ones that you feel good about paying for. Smile

I used to have a 70's J50. It was a good guitar. I sold it to a friend that I play with sometimes. He just came down from Washington for the weekend and we played a few shows. The guitar still sounds good.

One cool thing: he doesn't have to be afraid of the guitar. He can take it on an airplane or leave it in the car. Not so precious that it needs to be pampered or insured. It sounds good and it says "GIbson" on it.

Edit..... I know that prices vary from place to place but, I think Bob did get a steal. For $300 dollars he can afford to have a little work done and still come out ahead.

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Well Henry, you and Donny are both right. He's right on his pricing in theory, but in the real world there are few vintage excellent condition Gibson acoustics for sale at $1000 anywhere..

The reasonably priced ones usually have issues or have been repaired, and top cracks are at the top of the list.

ANY 33 year old Gibson acoustic is a steal at $300 IMHO... I checked with a good local luthier and he will cleat it and set it up for $75-100...

So for $400 I get a very nice, very lightly played J 45.... There is NO fret or fingerboard wear at all, and the finish is pretty clean indeed... I feel I can get $750 once its repaired if I chose to...

I have seen very few repaired Gibson acoustics under $500-600 anywhere at any time. They are really desirable guitars, and in practice nicely repaired specimens still sell at robust prices.

A steal??? well maybe not, but lets just say it was too sweet a deal to pass up. You just don't see any cheap vintage Gibson guitars anywhere, unless you just luck out and happen to stumble headlong into one..... bob

Bob Blair · From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

I like Henry's philosophy. You'll feel good about paying for it and feel good about playing it. And if you get tired of playing it, someone else will want it. Great deal Bob.

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

Bob - I rarely if ever see any decent 30+ year old Gibson dreadnoughts for anything like $300 these days. Top cracks are no big deal, lots of the best-sounding old guitars in the world have 'em. If they're repaired correctly, they should be structurally and tonally fine.

I disagree somewhat on the idea that it's necessarily dangerous to shave the bracing on 70s Gibson and Martin dreadnaughts. Of course, if you do that, you should take it to someone who really knows what he's doing, and I'm not talking about shaving these down a lot. But I've seen some amazing tonal improvements when a crack acoustic guitar specialist did this.

It is widely acknowledged that these 70s guitars tended to be way too heavily braced. I think the makers were trying to deal with bluegrass players, especially, who were stringing up ultra-heavy strings, like .014-.060 sets, and tuning them to pitch or even a half-tone sharp. It was wreaking havoc by pulling up bridges, pulling the top up from the braces, warping the necks, compromising the dovetail joints, and so on. So they went to heavy bracing and made other changes. But if one plays with reasonable string gauges, I still argue these guitars tend to be a bit flaccid.

Anyway, YMMV, and definitely see an expert if you do this. It is easy for a hack to mess up a nice guitar.

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

Those 70's J-45's actually have a double X-brace. There's the one we all know about, crossing near the soundhole, and another further down the lower bout. Big ol' braces, too! I'm not sure what the bridgeplate looks like, but I'm pretty sure it's overdone, too.
Bob, I was wondering about you the other day. Thought you'd dropped off the planet!

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Thanks Steve.. I pop in now and then. I drive a school bus and am up at 5 am and go to bed real early, so I don't get online as much these days,,

Thanks for the info about the bracing, you guys know a lot more about it than I do. I am not much into acoustics.

I am just going to get the top cracks fixed for now, and see what it sounds like. I don't use an acoustic that often, never on gigs, so I don't really need a "cannon"... From what I can see and hear the guitar does have a very sweet sound... Complex and rich in harmonics compared to my Seagull or Guild.... Just not a loud guitar..

I may get the bracings thinned, but it depends on what it will cost... thanks againfor the great info and comments to all you guys... bob

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