Gibson Limited Edition J-45 Special Acoustic-Electric Guitar (with Gig Bag)

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Gibson Limited Edition J-45 Special Acoustic-Electric Guitar (with Gig Bag), Ebony, Full Straight Front

Gibson Limited Edition J-45 Special Acoustic-Electric Guitar (with Gig Bag), Ebony, Full Left Front

Gibson Limited Edition J-45 Special Acoustic-Electric Guitar (with Gig Bag), Ebony, Full Straight Back

Gibson Limited Edition J-45 Special Acoustic-Electric Guitar (with Gig Bag), Ebony, Headstock Left Front

Gibson Limited Edition J-45 Special Acoustic-Electric Guitar (with Gig Bag), Ebony, Body Straight Front

Gibson Limited Edition J-45 Special Acoustic-Electric Guitar (with Gig Bag), Ebony, Body Left Front

Gibson Limited Edition J-45 Special Acoustic-Electric Guitar (with Gig Bag), Ebony, Body Straight Back

Gibson Limited Edition J-45 Special Acoustic-Electric Guitar (with Gig Bag), Ebony, Headstock Straight Back

zZounds Gear Experts Say...

Crafted in Bozeman, Montana, this Gibson J-45 Special sports a solid Sitka spruce top with a slim taper neck for shimmering tones and inspiring playability.

What's special about this item?

Feature:	What it does:
Rosewood fretboard	Open, warm tone and smooth playing feel
Solid mahogany body	Clear, present midrange; long-lasting sustain
Solid Sitka spruce top	Projects rich, crisp and responsive tone
Utile neck wood	Warm tone, reliable performance

Overview

First introduced in 1942, the Gibson J-45(TM) has remained a mainstay Gibson acoustic model. It has earned its name as "The Workhorse" due to its wide acceptance, no-nonsense simplicity, and understated elegance. It's one of the most recorded acoustic guitars in history and Gibson's best-selling acoustic model of all time. Handcrafted with care in Bozeman, Montana, by Gibson's expert acoustic luthiers, the Gibson J-45 Special offers players a USA-built Gibson acoustic guitar at a very attractive price.

The J-45 Special has a round shoulder body constructed using genuine solid mahogany for the back and sides and a solid Sitka spruce top. The top is reinforced with Gibson's traditional scalloped X-bracing. This combination of tonewoods delivers a warm, balanced tone with excellent dynamic range that is great for any musical genre. The "concert depth" body is slightly thinner than on a J-45 Standard, giving the J-45 Special a leaner and tighter bass response that sits perfectly in the mix and also makes it easier to hold. The utile neck is attached to the body with a compound dovetail neck-to-body joint, and like all Gibson acoustic guitars, it is affixed with hot hide glue. The neck has a comfortable and fast-playing SlimTaper profile, and the rosewood fretboard has a 12" radius and is adorned with simple mother-of-pearl dot inlays and is fitted with 20 standard frets. The traditional belly-up rosewood bridge is equipped with a TUSQ(R) saddle, and the nut and bridge pins are… read more also TUSQ. High-quality Grover(R) Rotomatic(R) tuners ensure solid tuning stability.

The J-45 Special is finished in satin nitrocellulose lacquer. It comes with an L.R. Baggs Element Bronze under-saddle piezo pickup with active electronics and an easily accessible soundhole-mounted volume control pre-installed for studio-quality plug-and-play anywhere. The J-45 Special also comes with a premium soft shell case.

Features:

- Gibson J-45 Special with Round Shoulder Body Construction
- Solid Mahogany Body with Solid Sitka Spruce Top
- Single Ply Cream Binding on Body
- Utile Neck with SlimTaper Profile
- Rosewood Fingerboard with Mother-of-Pearl Dot Inlay
- L.R. Baggs Element Bronze Under Saddle Pickup
- Premium Soft Shell Case Included

Specs

Body Shape: J-45
Body Material: Solid Mahogany
Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
Back: Solid Mahogany
Body Binding: Single Ply Cream, Top and Back
Neck Material: Utile
Neck Profile: SlimTaper
Nut width: 1.725" / 43.815mm
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Scale length: 24.75" / 628.65mm
Number of Frets: 20
Nut: TUSQ
Inlay: Mother-of-Pearl Dot
Bridge: Traditional Belly Up; Rosewood
Tuners: Grover Rotomatic
Plating: Nickel
Under Saddle Pickup: L.R. Baggs Element Bronze
Controls: Soundhole Mounted Volume
Case Type: Premium Soft Shell

Dimensions and Weight in Packaging

Ebony

Shipping Weight: 13.75 lbs
Shipping Dimensions: 50 x 20 x 8 in
Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): MCRS45SPCEB

Wine Red

Shipping Weight: 13.25 lbs
Shipping Dimensions: 50 x 20 x 8 in
Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): MCRS45SPCWR

Vintage Sunburst

Shipping Weight: 13.5 lbs
Shipping Dimensions: 50 x 20 x 8 in
Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): MCRS45SPCVS

Documents and Manuals

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 800-444-2766
Email: service@gibson.com
Web: https://www.gibson.com/pages/contact-support

Reviews

(2 ratings)

Submitted October 2, 2026 by Robert H in Virginia Beach, VA

"The "Black Sheep" That Stole the Show: Real-World Gibson J-45 Studio/Special Review"

Overall:

(see rating details)

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

A lot of purists look at the shallower concert-depth body on this guitar—especially when stacked next to a traditional J-45 or J-35 Standard—and treat it like the black sheep of the family. If you’re judging it solely on spec sheets, you’re missing the point entirely. In reality, it looks, feels, and sounds like a laser-focused J-45 built for working players.Mine is finished in Honeyburst, weighs in at an effortless 4 lbs 7 oz, and has already clocked around 40 live shows. It’s settling in, developing some beautiful natural road wear and patina, and we’re honestly just getting started.The Acoustic Voice & The MixThe standout characteristic of the shallower body is that it doesn’t lack bass—it focuses the midrange.Acoustically: It’s balanced, pleasant, and room-filling without any hollow boominess.In a Band Mix: This is where it truly earns its keep. Sitting alongside electric guitars, bass, and drums, it slots right into the pocket. It delivers that driving acoustic "chug" and rhythmic presence without turning into an unruly, "whoofy" mud-fest in the low end. Sound engineers will thank you before you even hit the first chorus.Factory Quality & Setup: Built for Low-Action PlayersRight out of the box, the fretwork from Bozeman was spot-on—level, well-crowned, and clean on the edges. The factory nut slots were cut remarkably well, measuring .020" on the bass and .018" on the treble, giving me a killer baseline to dial in my personal setup.I like to push the boundaries… read more of how low an acoustic can go, and this neck geometry made it possible. My current setup:Relief: .004" at the 7th fret12th Fret Action: 3.5/64" (bass) / 2.5/64" (treble)For fingerstyle passages, this ultra-low action is an absolute dream—zero hand fatigue across long sets. For dynamic rhythm work, it gives me complete control over tactile rattle:Played cleanly, the notes ring true with zero unwanted fret noise.When I dig in for percussive strums, palm slaps, and body taps, that subtle, intentional acoustic bite and buzz adds fantastic percussive grit to the performance. It buzzes exactly when I ask it to, and stays quiet when I don’t.The Pickup Upgrade: LR Baggs HiFiWhile the stock LR Baggs Element is a standard OEM choice, replacing it with the LR Baggs HiFi system completely transformed this guitar for stage work:Because the HiFi uses bridge-plate transducers rather than an undersaddle strip, dynamic responsiveness skyrockets.Taps, string slaps, and percussive rhythm techniques come through crisp, clear, and woody, avoiding that harsh, quacky "plastic" piezo compression.The focused acoustic nature of the shallower body paired with the HiFi sensors yields exceptional feedback resistance at gig volumes without losing nuance.The VerdictAt under 4.5 pounds, this guitar is a stage weapon. It avoids the physical bulk and acoustic muddiness that can plague traditional dreadnoughts plugged in, while delivering classic slope-shoulder attitude and Gibson character. If you're a gigging musician who wants fast playability, clear percussive articulation, and a guitar that sits effortlessly in a live mix, don't sleep on this one.

Musical Background:
Working solo acoustic performer with a background in live performance, guitar setup, and audio production. Experienced in playin

Musical Style:
Heartland rock, Americana, and classic rock roots. My playing blends deep baritone vocals with dynamic, percussive acoustic guit

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