Shop Keyboard Deals, Financing, and More

Gibson Acoustic 50s J-45 Original - Vintage Sunburst Demo

6-string Acoustic-electric Guitar, with Mahogany Back/Sides, Sitka Spruce Top, Mahogany Neck, and Rosewood Fretboard - Vintage Sunburst
Building your custom Guitar Gallery

Demo Savings!

Save $319.90 when you buy this demo! What is a demo?

The price below reflects your savings.

$2,879.10
Demo Savings: $319.90

New for $3,199.00

Condition Notes:

There is a finish burn on the treble fretboard side at the 11th fret. There are other fine scratches and blemishes on various parts of the instrument that do not show up well in our Guitar Gallery images. Accessories include a truss rod tool, keychain, strap button, polish cloth, and Humidipak.

This item was thoroughly inspected by our factory-authorized service team and is backed by Sweetwater's exclusive 2-year warranty. These images are of the exact item advertised, and provide as accurate a representation of its condition as possible. If you need further information, please call your Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700.

! 4 people have this demo item in their cart. Order now before it's gone!

2 more demos available starting at $2,699.10 !

Earn $144 back in Bonus Bucks OR pay $120/month with 24 month financing*

In Stock!

Add to Cart
Notify me about deals

Ask An Expert

Our expertly trained Sales Engineers are ready to help!

What is a Sales Engineer?
Sweetwater Gear Exchange

Have one to sell?
Check out Sweetwater's Gear Exchange!
Learn More

Most Popular Accessories & Related Items

Gibson Acoustic 50s J-45 Original - Vintage Sunburst
In Stock!
$2,879.10
Add to Cart
Add to list
Back to navigation

This article was Written By

Our Product Research Team

Get to know them!

Gibson's Acoustic Workhorse

Gibson's J-45 is one of the best-known acoustic guitars out there. Dubbed "The Workhorse," this round-shoulder dreadnought gives your music full, balanced expression, warm bass, and excellent projection. The '50s J-45 Original features all that rich tone, thanks to its solid Sitka spruce top and a solid mahogany body. And, for a vintage correct look, the multi-ply top and single-ply back binding are slightly antiqued to create a well-seasoned appearance. Whether you're a singer/songwriter or an onstage acoustic rocker, the Gibson Acoustic '50s J-45 Original is for you.

Choice tonewoods for incredible tone

Known as "The Workhorse," the Gibson J-45 body style is among Gibson's most beloved. This particular workhorse features a superb blend of tonewoods, giving you rich, strong sound with well-balanced tonality. The '50s J-45 Original features a solid Sitka spruce top for presence, while premium mahogany adorns its back and sides. Other touches include traditional hand-scalloped X-bracing, a compound dovetail neck joint, and multi-ply top and single-ply back body binding.

Eminently playable neck and fretboard

The Gibson '50s J-45 Original's fretboard comprises high-grade rosewood, which is personally inspected and qualified by Gibson experts before it enters the Gibson factories. It's a resilient and durable wood, making way for a balanced and stable fretboard, and giving each chord and note enhanced clarity and bite. The dot inlays on the J-45 are made of genuine mother-of-pearl and are added to the fretboard using a special Gibson process that eliminates gaps and doesn't require fillers. What's more, the '50s J-45 Original's fretboard boasts a rolled edge that's lightly beveled, which enhances the instrument's smooth playability.

Amazing sound onstage

The Gibson Acoustic '50s J-45 Original comes with LR Baggs's popular VTC acoustic pickup system, a popular choice among acoustic guitarists at Sweetwater. This system features a low-profile under-saddle transducer that enhances the coupling between the pickup and the guitar for a robust, lively, and natural acoustic sound with excellent dynamics and delicate high end. Combined with an onboard preamplifier with an unobtrusive and removable volume control, mounted just inside the soundhole, the VTC gives your '50s J-45 Original the amplification you need, with zero compromises for tone or convenience.

Gibson Acoustic '50s J-45 Original Acoustic-electric Guitar Features:

  • The classic acoustic workhorse, primed for live performance
  • Solid Sitka spruce top offers great projection and tone
  • Solid mahogany back and sides offer warm, round sound
  • LR Baggs VTC electronics transfer every nuance of your tone to your PA or amp
  • Softened fingerboard edge adds increased playing comfort

Why Buy Your Guitar from Sweetwater?

See how Sweetwater goes to great lengths to give you the very best online guitar buying experience. From our online Guitar Gallery that allows you to see and select the exact instrument you want to our 55-point Inspection process and our in-house guitar techs, we take the guesswork out of buying your next guitar online.

What is Demo Gear?

At Sweetwater, we're so picky that what we call a "demo" is actually better than what most music retailers sell as "new" gear! Our gear hasn't endured hundreds of people a week plunking away at all the keyboards, fumbling through Stairway to Heaven on every guitar or playing with every fader and knob on a mixer or control surface.

What demo means to us is that we've had it out of the box, or maybe it was in a customer's hands for a few days and isn't "factory fresh" as a result. Every demo item we sell has Sweetwater's 2-year Total Confidence Coverage™ warranty, and has been tested and verified up to "new" specs by our factory-authorized technicians to make sure it's in perfect working order before we ship it to you.

When you buy a Demo item at Sweetwater, you get:
  • 2-year Total Confidence Coverage Warranty™!
  • Products inspected and tested by our factory-authorized techs, guaranteed to function like new (or better)!
  • FREE shipping on most items
  • Equipment that will MEET or EXCEED your expectations!

Click HERE to browse our current inventory of Demo equipment. Purchasing demo gear from Sweetwater is a smart and safe way to save!

Additional Media

Warranty Info

Sweetwater's FREE 2-Year Total Confidence Coverage Warranty

Extra peace of mind at no extra cost.

  • Save money with FREE parts and labor
  • Get back to making music with the industry's fastest turnaround time
  • Fix it the first time with our award-winning, factory-certified Service Department
Learn More about Total Confidence Coverage

Free 2-year Warranty

Sweetwater's 2-year Total Confidence Coverage™ Warranty gives you extra peace of mind at no extra cost.

Learn More about Total Confidence Coverage
Tools Icon

Save money with free parts & labor!

Fast Icon

Get back to making music with the industry's fastest turnaround time.

Award Icon

Fix it the first time with our award-winning, factory-certified Service Department.

Back to navigation

Tech Specs

  • String Type: Steel
  • Number of Strings: 6
  • Left-/Right-handed: Right-handed
  • Body Shape: Round Shoulder Dreadnought
  • Back & Sides Wood: Mahogany
  • Top Wood: Sitka Spruce
  • Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
  • Color: Vintage Sunburst
  • Body Bracing: Scalloped X-bracing
  • Binding: Multi-ply top/back
  • Neck Wood: Mahogany
  • Neck Shape: Rounded
  • Radius: 12"
  • Fingerboard Material: Rosewood
  • Fingerboard Inlay: Mother-of-Pearl Dots
  • Number of Frets: 20, Standard
  • Scale Length: 24.75"
  • Nut Width: 1.725"
  • Nut/Saddle Material: Bone/Bone
  • Bridge Material: Rosewood
  • Tuning Machines: Grover Strap with Cream buttons
  • Electronics: LR Baggs VTC Under Saddle Pickup
  • Strings: Gibson, .012-.053
  • Case Included: Hardshell Case
  • Manufacturer Part Number: OCRS4550VS

What Makes Our Sales Engineers Great?

Sweetwater Sales Engineers are a world-class team of experts dedicated to you. Hand selected from across the globe, each brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the world of music gear to provide you with unparalleled service completely free of charge. Friendly relationships, real trust, and the right gear are only a call or a click away!

Back to navigation

Customer Reviews

Write your review
Rated 5/5

Always have been a Martin guy, but this J45-50’s is incredible!!!

Big thank you to Andrew Plassman, my Sweetwater rep for over six years. I wasn't sure about the Gibson 50's J45, especially coming off my two Martins, 000-28EC and CEO-7. But Andrew walked me through the J45 and helped me determine the 50's series would probably feel at home with me. And he was so right. Was thinking I'd sell one of my Martins once I let the J45 breathe and open up. But who am I kidding… I'll keep all three.

The build quality is exceptional on the J45. Fit and finish, bracing, tone wood quality, and setup top notch. Gibson has without a doubt has entered a new era of building great instruments over the last five years. And the acoustics coming out of the Bozeman plant are right up there with Martin and Taylor, if not a little better.

Glad I made the purchase. And always glad I shop at Sweetwater.
Rated 5/5

Amazing Guitar! Gibson knocked this one out of the park!

Straight out of the box my J45 was perfect, I will not have to have this guitar set up! I`m most impressed with the vintage C shape neck, its more comfortable than any Taylor or Martin I`ve played lately. This guitar is more than beautiful and sounds like a cannon and other than making simple adjustments (locking Machine Heads, Bone Nut And Saddle) this acoustic is amazing and perfect for me and my playing style. Do Not Sleep On This Amazing 50`s reissue!
Rated 5/5

Gotta love it

This is my "Holy grail". Everything about this guitar is what I've always wanted
I was 13 when my buddy's Dad let me mess around with his for an hour or so. I was amazed at the playability and tone. The tone really got me. I wish I had more time to play. It makes you want to play. As most Gibson's do. The only change I made was putting Grover rotomatics on it. The strap tuners had the vintage look but wouldn't stay in tune. No good to me if they don't stay in tune. Other than that ...... Its practically flawless.im looking forward to many beautiful sounding hours with this beautiful guitar.
Rated 4.5/5

A Change of Heart

When I first purchased the Gibson 50's J-45, I wasn't crazy about it. That has all changed now. If you purchase this guitar, give it some time, at least a couple of months. I'd also suggest pulling the pickguard. If you have to have a pickguard, go with something much smaller. The one that comes with it takes up way too much real estate and dampens the soundboard. It was very well built. Also, the orange label is simply there to let you know it's a special release, not necessarily a custom shop build. It is probably one of the most balanced Gibsons that I've ever played. I did a video comparing it with the Epiphone IBG J-45 and have included it in this review.
Music background: Experienced
Rated 4/5

Electronics are a bummer

Love this guitar, after I took out the electronics and cut a new bone saddle for it. I definitely heard the sound open up after taking the piezo out. More importantly than that: the wiring harness BUZZED inside the guitar. Super annoying! Not how I want a new guitar to behave. I very much wish Gibson would offer more acoustics without pickups, especially on the original series stuff... like they were ~originally~!
Music background: Semi-pro
Close Close $2,000 Pick Your PRS Giveaway -- input your email address below to enter or click here to learn more.

See giveaway details & rules or check out our past winners!

Success!

Your email, has been entered to win this giveaway. Good Luck!