1957 was a good year for the folks at Gibson–and this J-50 is here to prove it. We’re looking at a dynamite Dreadnought here, with more dry, hearty Mahogany punch than you can shake a fist full of picks at. With an excellently opened-up Spruce top for projection, and a smooth C profile neck, this is one J-50 fit to bring the house down! And speaking of houses, when it came in ours we were (happily) surprised to find that it has an excellent neck angle, mimimal fret wear, lots of saddle–and it doesn’t appear to have ever had a neck reset! Considering this instrument is just shy 50 years old, that isn’t something you see every day. Moreover, the previous owner had an L.R. Baggs Lyric microphone pickup installed, so you can take this vintage gem on the road and on the stage as easily as plugging in a 1/4″ cable.

All the innovations of modern guitarbuilding can’t quite match the tone of a guitar which has seen decades and decades of play. Our J-50 from 1947, accordingly, makes new guitars sound like toys by comparison. Whoever was working on the line at Gibson when assembled the Mahogany-and-Spruce body had the magic touch–and whoever’s played it for the past 60 years has also had that magic touch. The trebles have that elusive bell-like quality, glassy and sweet, which you only find but rarely, and the low-end is warm, resounding, and broadcasts right into your face.

One strum, and you can tell that this is one guitar that’s been played for thousands and thousands of hours. As a result, the voice has enormous sustain, and a vigorous, ecstatic tonality. We’ve got some road rash here (but what vintage Gibson doesn’t?), but is in excellent playing condition, with lots of saddle to keep it that way for a long time to go, brand new frets, and a reslotted nut for perfect intonation. Complete with its vintage leather hardshell case, this guitar makes a statement with its looks alone, exuding confidence from decades of making music

Gibson has made many, many spectacular guitars in its lengthy career, and continues to do so today. But rewind the clocks back to 1956, and you find yourself in the company of a legendary model of this monolithic company: the J-50. The J-50 is considered by many to be Gibson’s most popular acoustic guitar of all time, and it’s obvious why–the J-50 is the perfect size guitar for pretty much any application, and it has a voice which is instantly recognizable for its strength and projection. Everyone at Dream Guitars is always excited when we get one in the shop, but this 1956 J-50 in Mahogany and Spruce has far exceeded our already high expectations. This particular J-50 is explosive! The vigorous, charged voice has an energetic warmth, and the middle register in particular pops off the strings. The completely opened up Spruce top gives the guitar a monstrous projection and responsiveness, and you can thank the decades of players who have lovingly strummed this guitar to help achieve that opened up sound. Of course, this J-50 has some play wear befitting its almost six decades of life, but the guitar is still in prime playing condition, and has a very confident vintage look to it. The neck has been reset, and the original adjustable bridge has been replaced with a fixed bridge, which means that this particular J-50 is in perfect fighting shape and should continue to play amazingly for many more decades to come! When we say this guitar is perfect for pretty much anything, we mean it: this J-50 glows when flatpicking American Traditional or even Irish music, but also has the balanced tone and string to string articulation that fingerstylists pine after. For any guitarist seeking an instrument which will shine in a variety of applications, this is the J-50 for you.

There really is nothing quite like that vintage Gibson tone and this 1946 J-45 is a prime representation of what all the commotion is about. Strong, woody basses and crisp, cutting trebles combine with bold, bawdy mids for that quintessential Gibson sound. It is impossible not to have your heart melted by this one. Something about the classic combination of Mahogany and Spruce just feels warm and invigorating as you sit down and play. Blues and bluegrass tunes are equally at home with this one and it has plenty of projection and volume to ensure that everyone in the crowd hears you. These are fewer and farther between these days, so be sure and try it out before it’s too late!