Custom J45 Just came in!

Check this out, got it from Fullers in Texas. Has a Adi top, Madagascar Bridge, Advanced Jumbo bracing, belly up bridge and old time logo and banner. This thing is very loud and sustains really nice, has sort of a Martin like bark to it, light as a feather, big old style neck fits like a custom golf club. Had to splurge, this was everything I was looking for in a J-45.
Workmanship is great, as good as any Martin, no glue spills and finish is pretty much flawless. Seems a tad stiff now but will be awesome when that top breaks in.
Jeremy Fuller is a great guy to deal with, I guess he has these custom built to his specs, got a great deal

Beautiful instrument Johnny. To say I'm envious is an understatement. Enjoy!

Beautiful guitar - congratulations! :smile:

Looks like they've put the best of Gibson's features into this model, both cosmetically and structurally. The Adv. Jumbo bracing produces one of the best dreadnought sounds ever heard. It'll sound awesome when it "opens up" ...

May we see some pics of the back & sides please?

That is the first thing on my 'won the lottery' list. Beautiful guitar.

Were you in Texas to buy it or did you order it without playing it?

I used to live down the street from Fuller's. Great folks and guitars. I was on the direct deposit plan. I would deposit my pay checks directly to Fuller's and they would give me a small living allowance. I figure they are going to get all my money so I may as well make it simple...
I had a 1999 Gibson J-35 RI I got from them before they started doing so many custom guitars. The adi top was quite stiff at first. Took a couple of years to open up. Whoa... NICE now. Sigh... Sold it in time of need.

Mark

Beautiful guitar, congratulations.

I pick up my new J45 from Wildwood tomorrow. It is one of the Custom Shop Zebrawoods.

Enjoy your new Gibson. Gibson Montana makes some great guitars. Nice folks, too.

A good J45 is a thing of beauty. A friend has 1943 Southern Jumbo which is a close relative.

Hey Fenderix, here are some of the back and sides. I bought it without seeing at as they have a good return policy and the specs sounded so delicious. The action is low and the saddle is high. I had a j-45 modern classic rosewood, this one is much nicer. The workmanship is way better than my 1991 J60 or the recent j45 Modern Classic I had. Probably cause it's a custom order.

One of these days I'll have to find a J45 to try out ... never had the pleasure. That's sure a beautiful guitar!

For this one I paid pretty much the same amount as if I were to buy a regular j45 Modern Classic with standard top and bracing, and no banner from one of the big places on line, was a no brainer. Fullers is great to deal with, they even set it up the way I wanted it.

I am glad we started a J-45 thread. I like your custom a lot. I bought my Rosy J-45 in 2002. It took a year or so to open up if I remember.

I think each of the Gibby J-45 designs have a different sound. I wanted a Rosy J-45 because one of my favorite artists plays one, and I love the U shaped neck vs. the V shape of the Southern Jumbo. I have become fond of the licorisce look of the ebony fretboard.

By the way, I spent pretty much an entire Saturday at Fuller's and hand picked mine over his entire stock of guitars. Fuller's is pretty much the best store in the southern US when it comes to Gibson acoustics...in my opinion.

By the way, my J-45 made me a better singer. It is so loud, that I have to sing loud. And when I sing loud, I sing better. It was that simple.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f332/darrella/DSC03767.jpg

Beautiful guitar,Dude.I have a 1943 J-45 and it's one of a very few I will never sell.Just amazing tone,tons of bottom end. Best of luck with yours,I know you will enjoy it.

I've got one of those myself but it's the Woody Guthrie model. Gotta say, the thing played like hell when it showed up. But once the nut was replaced it was a work of art. I use it for my fingerstyle country blues and ragtime mostly. I love it. The bracing, belly down bridge, color, fretboard inlays, and pick guard are about the only differences I think.
http://www.kurosawagakki.com/sh_g_club/pix/j45/gib_wg_sj.jpg

I don't think I ever played a J-45 I didn't like, a local shop had a used Woody SJ like Scuttlebutts that was fantastic. The Rosewood ones sound great, seem to have a bit more volume. I figured if I didn't like this one with the AJ bracing I could send it back, but it's a keeper for sure.
They are kind if like what a Tele is, plain,simple, no frills, just all out tone. The shorter scale may give up a bit of volume but they feel great to play

Humbuster, now it's your turn, lets see some pics of that Zebrawood J45 you just got from wildwood guitars.

Been traveling on biz and will post pic shortly.

Check this out, got it from Fullers in Texas. Has a Adi top, Madagascar Bridge, Advanced Jumbo bracing, belly up bridge and old time logo and banner. This thing is very loud and sustains really nice, has sort of a Martin like bark to it, light as a feather, big old style neck fits like a custom golf club. Had to splurge, this was everything I was looking for in a J-45.
Workmanship is great, as good as any Martin, no glue spills and finish is pretty much flawless. Seems a tad stiff now but will be awesome when that top breaks in.
Jeremy Fuller is a great guy to deal with, I guess he has these custom built to his specs, got a great deal



I'd sleep with JOAN RIVERS...for that Guitar !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:lol:

Rjes, as much as I love this guitar I don't think I could go that far for it!!
I noticed that the fingerboard is harder and denser than most other rosewood boards, must be Madagascar like the bridge. This thing is already starting to break in! The fit and finish is much better than stock Gibby's you see in other shops, Fullers must be fussy about what they take in. I don't think I'd buy another Gibby anywhere else.

Here is my new J45 Zebrawood

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/humbuster/09%20Guitars/09guitars004.jpg

My Martin J40 next to the J45

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g7/humbuster/09%20Guitars/09guitars011.jpg

VERY unique and STUNNING guitars!!

Congrats

Sure is a looker.

Ren runs the place like an independent shop and has a lot of latitude in his designs. They use that AJ style bracing in alot of their guitars - the shape of the the bracing though is very Martin-like and different from what Gibson used up to 1955 (when they went to that tall and thin kinda triangular cut non-scallop bracing).

Have not owned a J-45 in alot of years but I still play its kissin' cousin - the SJ. This one remains my favorite. And yeah, I kinda like the extra bling.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g5/zombywoof51/56SJ-32.jpg

Wow Humbuster, that Zebra is cool, lighter burst finish looks great, darker binding with that inlay makes it look like a one-off. Zomby, that SJ looks great, especially with some genuine looking mileage on it. The honeymoon with mine is still going on, just starting to give me a hint of breaking in

Ain't easy to find a good Bozeman-made guitar but when ya do ya got yerself a real keeper.

Again, enjoy the heck of that geetar.

I am enjoying the hell out of the J45.

Wildwood had 3 of the Zebrawoods and they were all great. I noticed this morning they are now down to 1.

A close friend lent me her Martin D-28. I have a 2002 Gibby J-45 Rosewood.

I see comparisons between these two guitars given they are both budget representations of each others rosewood dreads.

Let me tell you, there is nothing similar between these two guitars. I have played the martin for about 2 weeks straight, and although I find it a nice guitar, my Gibby wins in ALMOST every category. I will say the Martin is a tad sweeter, but it is not nearly as bright.

The store owner where I purchased my Gibby said that Martins are brighter. I tried to tell him otherwise, but he wouldn't listen. IMO most Gibson's are brighter than Martins.

Just an update, this J45 is really starting to improve with some playing and leaving it out of it's case. Total tone monster, sounds like a Gibby with some Martin midrange bark to it, great volume. Really came alive after installing some new strings.
Has become my favorite out of 6 acoustics, surpassing the OM18v by a hair.
I still can't get over how I ended up paying less for this one that I would have if I got a stock model from any of the major retailers. Fullers is the way to go for sure.
Now I wonder what an AJ with an Adi top would sound like?

Just an update, this J45 is really starting to improve with some playing and leaving it out of it's case. Total tone monster, sounds like a Gibby with some Martin midrange bark to it, great volume. Really came alive after installing some new strings.
Has become my favorite out of 6 acoustics, surpassing the OM18v by a hair.
I still can't get over how I ended up paying less for this one that I would have if I got a stock model from any of the major retailers. Fullers is the way to go for sure.
Now I wonder what an AJ with an Adi top would sound like?

I'd be happy just to have that guitar as my only one !!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats:razz:

I still shocked over the deal I got. If you custom order anything from Martin or Gibson to your specs, count on 2 to 3x the price of a stock model. I paid less than MF is selling standard models for and got something I would have designed myself.

I've got one of those myself but it's the Woody Guthrie model.

I have mulled over buying one of those SJs myself The Woody SJs are one of the few non-Legend Series Guitars that has accurately reproduced bracing (something Gibson only seems to bother with in their signature guitars). Can't for the life of me though, fathom why they put electronics in the thing.

A close friend lent me her Martin D-28. I have a 2002 Gibby J-45 Rosewood.

I see comparisons between these two guitars given they are both budget representations of each others rosewood dreads.

Let me tell you, there is nothing similar between these two guitars. I have played the martin for about 2 weeks straight, and although I find it a nice guitar, my Gibby wins in ALMOST every category. I will say the Martin is a tad sweeter, but it is not nearly as bright.

The store owner where I purchased my Gibby said that Martins are brighter. I tried to tell him otherwise, but he wouldn't listen. IMO most Gibson's are brighter than Martins.


After some 45 years of playing Gibsons (I still own a 1960 J-200 as well as the 1956 SJ) I tend to agree with your music store friend. Unless there is a heck of alot more difference between old school and new school Gibson tone than I have heard (and there is a difference), Gibsons are characterized by fat or crisp highs but not a bright or shimmering high end. The best will have a crackling edge to them and alot of refined punch.

Like ZW I've played Gibsons forever, still do, and love 'em. Have posted pics & stuff here before one the one's I've kept ('52-53' J-45, AJRI, a couple of others). They ring my bell.

To the OP: that is one beautiful guitar, congratulations & hope ya enjoy it for a lifetime.

zomby, I think the Martin is brittle, or metalic. If it is brighter, then I don't think it is the same kind of bright that my Gibson produces. Either way, there isn't any comparison between the two guitars.