The Gibson J-45 50s Original celebrates the golden-era styling and feel of Gibson’s legendary “Workhorse.” First introduced in 1942, the J-45 has become one of the most recognizable acoustic guitars ever made, known for its warm, balanced voice, strong projection, and unmistakable round-shoulder design. The 50s Original brings vintage-inspired appointments to the classic J-45 formula, pairing traditional construction with stage-ready electronics.
The round-shoulder body features a solid Sitka spruce top with solid mahogany back and sides. Traditional hand-scalloped X-bracing gives the guitar the open, responsive character associated with the J-45, while multi-ply top binding and single-ply back binding are subtly antiqued for a broken-in, vintage-inspired appearance. A gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish completes the classic look.
The mahogany neck features a comfortable Rounded profile inspired by 1950s Gibson acoustics rather than the slimmer profile found on the J-45 Standard. It is joined to the body with a compound dovetail neck joint and topped with a rosewood fretboard featuring 20 standard frets and mother-of-pearl dot inlays. A 1.72" bone nut and 24.75" scale length provide the familiar feel and response that have helped make the J-45 a favorite for generations.
Vintage-inspired appointments continue with Grover chrome open gear tuners, a traditional rosewood belly-up bridge, bone saddle, TUSQ bridge pins, and a 50s-style tortoise pickguard. Together, these details give the J-45 50s Original a look and feel that pays tribute to Gibson acoustics from one of the company’s most celebrated eras.
The J-45 Original is equipped with an LR Baggs HiFi DNA pickup system with discreet volume and tone controls, allowing the natural character of the guitar to translate easily to the stage or studio. A Gibson hardshell case and accessory kit are included.
Round-shoulder J-45 body
Solid Sitka spruce top
Solid mahogany back and sides
Traditional hand-scalloped X-bracing
Gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish
Multi-ply top and single-ply back binding
Mahogany neck with Rounded profile
Compound dovetail neck-to-body joint
Rosewood fretboard with mother-of-pearl dot inlays
24.75" scale length
12" fretboard radius
20 standard frets
1.72" bone nut
Traditional rosewood belly-up bridge
Bone saddle
TUSQ bridge pins
50s-style tortoise pickguard
Grover chrome tuning machines
Nickel hardware
LR Baggs HiFi DNA pickup system
Volume and tone controls
Includes Gibson hardshell case