1961 Gibson J45, Sitka Spruce, Mahogany, Ernie Hawkins Collection - USED - ON HOLD

ON HOLD, PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT PURCHASE!

ON CONSIGNMENT, NO TRADE OFFERS PLEASE!

(USED) It is good to be in the same town as blues royalty, and we have long been friends and admirers of the great Ernie Hawkins.  Ernie is still out there, teaching and performing blues, ragtime and gospel material my Reverend Gary Davis, Big Bill Broonzy, Skip James and many more.  Ernie looked around recently and decided he had too many guitars to take care of, so we're helping him with the sale of a couple old Gibsons. 

This J45 from 1961 is mostly original, though the adjustable saddle has been removed, the slot filled and a new compensated bone saddle fitted in.  The original tuners are gone and smooth-turning Schaller closed-gear machines have been installed.  A previous installed pickup has been removed and the endpin has been plugged, and it appears a control knob was once mounted to the pick guard, but has been removed and the hole filled.  The frets appear to have been replaced.  

It has a Sitka spruce top and braces, ramped with two tone bars.  The back and sides are good old mahogany.  Not as light as '30s and '40s builds, this one has a manageable weight of 4lbs 10oz, approximately.  The finish is all original, with 60 years of dings and finish checking all over the instrument.  Other than a split that runs from the top of the sound hole to the end of the fingerboard (leveled, cleated and stable) the guitar is crack-free.  There is a bit of body distortion with doming behind the bridge and slight sink in the sound hole area, but the neck angle is great and action of just a whisper over 3/32" on the bass side and 2/32" on the treble side, at the 12th fret.  Fret wear is minimal, with only light wear under the unwound strings in the first position.

The neck profile is a comfortable "C" shape, not nearly as small as the guitars being made a few years later.  There is significant finish wear on the back of the head stock and on the neck near the heel.  The nut width is 1 11/16" and the string spacing 2 3/16" at the saddle.  

A cool vintage piece that is waiting to go on its next journey!  Includes non-original hard case in fair condition, please call with any questions or to discuss case upgrades.  

Serial #U90032
AMW Price: $4,995 (Online checkout, ON CONSIGNMENT!)

For more information, email info@acousticmusicworks.com or call (412) 422-0710