Part 2: “Bob Dylan: The Fate of the J-50”
Introduction
Hello. I’m Inoue, the manager of Advance Guitars.
Lately, I’ve had more opportunities to write articles for music magazines.
As I’ve written more and more, I’ve gradually accumulated a list of topics that I’d like to explore in greater depth—things I couldn’t fully cover in my articles.
Also, as I interact with customers every day and observe guitars themselves,
I often find myself pausing to wonder, “How does this actually work?”
I wondered if there was a way to share the questions and insights I have in those moments in a more free-form way.
That’s how I started my “Solo Talk Series” on YouTube.
In this series, I cover a wide range of topics related to acoustic guitars, focusing primarily on things that I personally find “interesting.”
In this article, I’ve summarized the series while adding context to the parts that are difficult to convey through video alone.
I hope you’ll enjoy the world of acoustic guitars from a slightly new perspective.
Part 2: “The Whereabouts of Bob Dylan’s J-50”
Where Did Bob Dylan’s J-50 Disappear To? We Unravel the Mystery Through Eyewitness Accounts
In this installment, I’d like to talk about Bob Dylan’s J-50.
It is a legendary instrument among legendary instruments.
I think Bob Dylan is the first name that comes to mind when thinking of “iconic musicians who used the J-50.”
In some cases, he’s even cited as the representative musician for the J-45, simply because his J-50 was a natural-finish J-45.
The J-50 he used.
Its features include:
・Script logo
・Rectangular bridge
・Long saddle
・3-ply celluloid body binding
・Post-war Kluson octagonal tuners, open-back style (estimated)
That’s the general idea.
Given the combination of the Script logo and the rectangular bridge, the production year is narrowed down to 1946–1947.
1947 was a transitional period when the Script and Modern logos coexisted, but whether due to Dylan’s influence or the originally low production numbers, I rarely get the chance to see one.
That said, 1946 models aren’t particularly common either.
However, if I had to choose between the two, I’d have to say it’s more likely to be a 1946 model, which isn’t from the transitional period.
And the question often comes up: “Where did this J-50 go?” I’ve researched this as thoroughly as possible.
Here is the reference I used:
“BOB DYLAN On A Couch & Fifty Cents A Day *1”
*1 A book by Peter McKenzie, the son of Eve and Mac McKenzie, the owners of the apartment that Bob Dylan reportedly frequented starting around 1961.
“A Freewheelin’ Time ※2”
*2 An autobiography by Suze Rotolo, who was Bob Dylan’s girlfriend
She is the woman pictured on the cover of the *Freewheelin’* album.
Unfortunately, no firsthand accounts have surfaced.
Therefore, we have no choice but to rely on the writings of people who were around him at the time—essentially, their memoirs and recollections.
Regarding his J-50, Peter McKenzie notes in *BOB DYLAN On A Couch & Fifty Cents A Day ※1* that it was owned by Bob Dylan’s former girlfriend, Suze Rotolo, in 1964, and that Suze Rotolo later stated it was “stolen from her apartment in New York.”
Susie Rotolo’s own thoughts on this matter can be found in her autobiography, *A Freewheelin’ Time* (Note 2).
It is sometimes said that Bob Dylan’s J-50 was destroyed in a fire, but first, regarding why it is said to have been destroyed, it seems there really was a fire.
A fire broke out at her apartment in October 1965, and the situation at the time is described as follows:
"Bob’s old Gibson guitar was nowhere to be found. The green coat that I had bought in Italy and was wearing on the Freewheelin’ album cover was somewhere in the pile of black, stinking clothing in the bedroom."
While the coat she wore on the *Freewheelin’* album cover was charred black, Bob’s Gibson guitar was “nowhere to be found.”
(Bob’s old Gibson guitar was nowhere to be found.)
.
Given Bob’s history with guitars and Peter McKenzie’s account, it’s safe to say that the Gibson guitar she had at the time was undoubtedly a J-50.
So, “Why does Suze Rotolo believe Bob’s J-50 was stolen?”
The reason becomes clear when you read her autobiography.
She had met an eccentric actor around that time and had given him a key to her apartment. She harbored suspicions regarding a fire that occurred later, wondering, “While the cause is said to be faulty wiring—a common issue in old buildings—perhaps he was involved.”
Since the J-50 was never found after the fire, she speculates that the actor may have taken it.
Of course, this remains purely speculation on her part; there is no way to confirm whether the guitar was destroyed in the fire, stolen, or perhaps still exists somewhere for some other reason.
Finally, the punchline to this story is that Bob Dylan himself probably doesn’t care about any of this at all. Once he used it as a tool and handed it over to his girlfriend, he likely didn’t care what happened to it afterward. That, at least, is what I imagine his feelings might be.
Author: Inoue, Manager of Advance Guitars – Vintage Guitar Expert
An expert who has been involved with musical instruments since childhood and has appraised and sold over several thousand vintage guitars. He maintains strong connections with collectors and dealers overseas. Guided by the belief that “the history of a guitar can change with a single color or stamp,” he strives to provide detailed and passionate commentary.
Qualifications and Experience: 8 years as a musical instrument appraiser; contributor and supervisor for publications such as Guitar Magazine
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