Hello. This is Inoue, the store manager at
Advance Guitars.
I have an important announcement I’d like to share with you all...
In our store’s music magazine...
A feature article on vintage Gibson J-45s...
has been published!
Column: “The Workhorse: The History of the Gibson J-45”
I’ve been writing quite a bit over the past few months, and it finally feels like I’ve gotten to the J-45.
While there have been many articles and reference materials on the J-45 published over the years,
but why did I decide to delve into the J-45 now?
At Advance Guitars/TCGAKKI, we’ve handled countless vintage J-45s over the years, and from the 1940s through the 1960s, we’ve continued to handle them, listen to their sounds, and experience firsthand the individual variations and specification changes.
This column stems from that experience and our passion for the J-45. Driven by the desire to create a visual and systematic “J-45 Gallery” article—drawing not only on our in-store inventory at
but also on every available historical record, photograph, and data we could unearth—we’ve finally taken on this challenge.
Drawing on the experience I gained from publishing a reference book on the SJ-200, I’ve measured as many instruments as possible.
I’m compiling the historical evolution of the Gibson J-45—a model long cherished by acoustic guitarists—by examining each instrument individually.
Rather than simply accepting existing information at face value, I’ve reexamined the J-45 from the ground up. To ensure this isn’t just another catalog, I’ve included my own insights and personal reflections.
I hope you’ll be able to sense that difference, but another important point is that this article isn’t the final word on the subject.
Every time a new J-45 arrives at Advance, and as long as I’m here, this information will continue to be updated.
Since the content may change in the future, now is your only chance to see this current version.
I’ve poured everything I have into this, so it might be a bit of a read, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
Viewing is, of course, free.
Please be sure to check it out!
▶️ Click here for “'The Workhorse'—The History of the Gibson J-45”