About This Listing

This is a very cool 1942 Gibson J-45 “Banner” … it has this killer sound from the old time … spruce top and mahogany back and sides … all you need for a magical sound experience!

Banner Gibson J-45 are among the most sought after vintage guitars. During war time Gibson produced only a few instruments and took great care in building each instrument.
They used the best materials on this particular one. It has a very nice spruce top and beautiful mahogany back and sides. It has a very nice and chunky mahogany neck and a stunning sunburst finish.

This Gibson is very resonant, has a balanced sound with impressive basses, present mids and a characteristic trebles. The sound is deep and the guitar vibrates perfectly. It has this charming sound you can only find on a well played and beautifully matured vintage guitar.

The FON has faded away, but according the specs and the information from the former owner it can be dated to 1942. The bridge has been replaced, it has newer vintage style tuners and newer frets. The finish has light overspray. The guitar is in very nice shape, with some well done repairs and plays very well with a low action, a straight neck and comfortable frets.

The guitar comes with a newer case.

Please check:    vintage-guitar-world.com

Listed6 months ago
Condition
Brand
Model
  • J-45 "Banner Logo" with Mahogany Neck
Finish
  • Sunburst
Categories
Year
  • 1942
Made In
  • United States
Pickup
  • None
Fretboard Material
  • Rosewood
Color Family
  • Brown
String Type
  • Steel
Right / Left Handed
  • Right Handed
Number of Strings
  • 6-String
Neck Material
  • Mahogany
Body Shape
  • Dreadnought
Finish Pattern
  • Sunburst
Top Material
  • Spruce
Model Family
  • Gibson J-45
Series
  • Gibson Kalamazoo Factory Era
Back Material
  • Mahogany
Sides Material
  • Mahogany
Active Preamp
  • No
Number of Frets
  • 20

About the Seller

Vintage-Guitar-World

Michelstadt, Germany
(497)
Joined Reverb:2017
Items Sold:226
Product Overview
  • Wartime production occasionally meant material shortages; while the standard J-45 has mahogany back, sides, and neck, Gibson had to replace some mahogany parts with laminated maple ones. Banner logo J-45s can be found with maple back and sides as well as maple necks. Some others were made with mahogany tops rather than spruce. Spruce shortages meant that some came out of the factory without bookmatched tops, and others came out with four-piece tops rather than the standard two.
  • Beginning in 1943, some J-45s were made with a black "skunk stripe" painted down the top. It's speculated that these stripes were either used to hide poor bookmatching due to spruce shortages, while others feel it's simply decorative.
  • In order to save metal for the war effort, some J-45 runs were produced with an ebony reinforcement bar rather than a standard truss rod. This can have an effect on the stability of the neck, and also means that the neck tension is not adjustable.
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