An updated full-bodied walnut Workhorse with a gloss lacquer top that’s ready for the studio and stage
The J-45™ was first released in 1942. It became widely known as “The Workhorse” due to its no-nonsense simplicity and understated elegance. It is Gibson’s best-selling acoustic guitar model of all time and one of the most recorded acoustic guitars in history, and it has graced countless recordings and concert stages in the hands of artists across a wide range of genres. Now, Gibson is proud to introduce the updated J-45 Studio Walnut. The J-45 Studio Walnut is handcrafted in Bozeman, Montana, using all-solid tonewoods, including a gloss nitrocellulose lacquer-finished Sitka spruce top for wide dynamic range, playing responsiveness, and balanced tone. The satin nitrocellulose lacquer-finished walnut used for crafting the back and sides delivers a balanced tonal response that is warm and rich-sounding with a bit more bass and treble than the traditional mahogany-bodied J-45 models but not quite as much as the rosewood-bodied versions. The J-45 Studio Walnut’s full-depth, round shoulder body ensures rich, deep tone and outstanding volume and projection. The J-45 Studio Walnut is equipped with an Advanced Response profile and satin nitrocellulose lacquer-finished utile neck for smooth, easy playability. The Advanced Response neck profile sits in between some of the other Gibson neck profiles and is not too large or too thin but fits “just right” in the hand for many players. The walnut fretboard has 20 standard-sized frets and is adorned with the simple mother-of-pearl dot inlays, one of the visual hallmarks of the iconic J-45. The fretboard’s 16” radius makes playing fast note runs easy and efficient, contributing further to the model’s excellent playability. You’ll find yourself reaching for this guitar again and again since playing it is so much fun. The headstock is equipped with smooth-turning Grover® Rotomatic® tuning machines and a Graph Tech® TUSQ® nut for rock-solid tuning stability so you can spend more time playing and less time tuning. The saddle and bridge pins installed on the belly-up bridge plate are also TUSQ. The J-45 Studio Walnut has an L.R. Baggs™ Element Bronze active under-saddle piezo pickup with a quick-to-access soundhole-mounted volume control for easy studio-quality plug-and-play anywhere. Packaged in a modern hardshell case for portability and protection, the J-45 Studio Walnut is ready to join you wherever your muse takes you.
Highlights
- Gibson Hardshell Case
- Grover Rotomatics Tuners
- Sitka Spruce Top
- Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer-Finished Top
- Advanced Response Neck Profile
- Satin Nitrocellulose Lacquer-Finished Back, Sides, and Neck
- Walnut Fretboard
- Walnut Back and Sides
Specifications
Body Specs
Body Specs
Back Walnut
Binding Multi-ply Top, Single-ply Back
Body Finish Gloss Nitro Lacquer (Top), Satin Nitro Lacquer (Back, Neck, & Sides)
Body Material Walnut
Body Shape J-45
Body Styles Round Shoulder
Bracing Traditional Hand-scalloped X-bracking
Side Walnut
Top Sitka Spruce
Neck Specs
Neck Specs
Fingerboard Material Walnut
Fingerboard Radius 406.4mm / 16.0in
Fret Count 20
Frets Standard
Inlays Mother-of-pearl Dot
Joint Compound Dovetail Neck-to-body, Hot Hide Glue
Neck Material Utile
Nut Material Tusq
Nut Width 43.82mm / 1.73in
Profile Advanced Response
Scale Length 628.65mm / 24.75in
Electronics Specs
Electronics Specs
Controls Soundhole-mounted Volume
Output Jack 1/4" Endpin
Preamp L.R. Baggs Element Bronze
Under Saddle Pickup L.R. Baggs Element Bronze
Hardware Specs
Hardware Specs
Bridge Belly-up, Walnut
Bridge Pins Tusq
Pickguard Tear Drop with Beveled Edge, Tortoise
Saddle Material Tusq
Truss Rod Adjustable
Truss Rod Cover Black Bell, Studio
Tuner Plating Nickel
Tuning Machines Grover Rotomatic
Misc Specs
Misc Specs
Case Modern Hardshell
Model: MCRS4SWSWBG
Headstock Inlay Gold Gibson Logo Decal
Strings Gauge .012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053
Gibson J-45 Studio Walnut, Walnut Burst
Gibson J-45 Studio Walnut, Walnut Burst
Lifetime Warranty
Lifetime Warranty
Shop and play with confidence knowing that your instrument is protected by our limited lifetime warranty. Learn more about warranties and exclusions here .
Case Included
Case Included
Your instrument ships with a factory-supplied hard- or soft-shell case for safe storage and transportation. Please refer to the product specifications for details.
Setup Included
Setup Included
Our craftory-trained technicians perform a final thorough inspection and detailed setup moments before your instrument is packed and shipped to you.
Three Free Months of the Gibson App

Three Free Months of the Gibson App
For a limited time only, receive a three-month subscription to the Gibson App for free with the purchase of this product. Click here to learn more about the Gibson App.
An updated full-bodied walnut Workhorse with a gloss lacquer top that’s ready for the studio and stage
The J-45™ was first released in 1942. It became widely known as “The Workhorse” due to its no-nonsense simplicity and understated elegance. It is Gibson’s best-selling acoustic guitar model of all time and one of the most recorded acoustic guitars in history, and it has graced countless recordings and concert stages in the hands of artists across a wide range of genres. Now, Gibson is proud to introduce the updated J-45 Studio Walnut. The J-45 Studio Walnut is handcrafted in Bozeman, Montana, using all-solid tonewoods, including a gloss nitrocellulose lacquer-finished Sitka spruce top for wide dynamic range, playing responsiveness, and balanced tone. The satin nitrocellulose lacquer-finished walnut used for crafting the back and sides delivers a balanced tonal response that is warm and rich-sounding with a bit more bass and treble than the traditional mahogany-bodied J-45 models but not quite as much as the rosewood-bodied versions. The J-45 Studio Walnut’s full-depth, round shoulder body ensures rich, deep tone and outstanding volume and projection. The J-45 Studio Walnut is equipped with an Advanced Response profile and satin nitrocellulose lacquer-finished utile neck for smooth, easy playability. The Advanced Response neck profile sits in between some of the other Gibson neck profiles and is not too large or too thin but fits “just right” in the hand for many players. The walnut fretboard has 20 standard-sized frets and is adorned with the simple mother-of-pearl dot inlays, one of the visual hallmarks of the iconic J-45. The fretboard’s 16” radius makes playing fast note runs easy and efficient, contributing further to the model’s excellent playability. You’ll find yourself reaching for this guitar again and again since playing it is so much fun. The headstock is equipped with smooth-turning Grover® Rotomatic® tuning machines and a Graph Tech® TUSQ® nut for rock-solid tuning stability so you can spend more time playing and less time tuning. The saddle and bridge pins installed on the belly-up bridge plate are also TUSQ. The J-45 Studio Walnut has an L.R. Baggs™ Element Bronze active under-saddle piezo pickup with a quick-to-access soundhole-mounted volume control for easy studio-quality plug-and-play anywhere. Packaged in a modern hardshell case for portability and protection, the J-45 Studio Walnut is ready to join you wherever your muse takes you.
Highlights
- Gibson Hardshell Case
- Grover Rotomatics Tuners
- Sitka Spruce Top
- Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer-Finished Top
- Advanced Response Neck Profile
- Satin Nitrocellulose Lacquer-Finished Back, Sides, and Neck
- Walnut Fretboard
- Walnut Back and Sides
Specifications
Body Specs
Body Specs
Back Walnut
Binding Multi-ply Top, Single-ply Back
Body Finish Gloss Nitro Lacquer (Top), Satin Nitro Lacquer (Back, Neck, & Sides)
Body Material Walnut
Body Shape J-45
Body Styles Round Shoulder
Bracing Traditional Hand-scalloped X-bracking
Side Walnut
Top Sitka Spruce
Neck Specs
Neck Specs
Fingerboard Material Walnut
Fingerboard Radius 406.4mm / 16.0in
Fret Count 20
Frets Standard
Inlays Mother-of-pearl Dot
Joint Compound Dovetail Neck-to-body, Hot Hide Glue
Neck Material Utile
Nut Material Tusq
Nut Width 43.82mm / 1.73in
Profile Advanced Response
Scale Length 628.65mm / 24.75in
Electronics Specs
Electronics Specs
Controls Soundhole-mounted Volume
Output Jack 1/4" Endpin
Preamp L.R. Baggs Element Bronze
Under Saddle Pickup L.R. Baggs Element Bronze
Hardware Specs
Hardware Specs
Bridge Belly-up, Walnut
Bridge Pins Tusq
Pickguard Tear Drop with Beveled Edge, Tortoise
Saddle Material Tusq
Truss Rod Adjustable
Truss Rod Cover Black Bell, Studio
Tuner Plating Nickel
Tuning Machines Grover Rotomatic
Misc Specs
Misc Specs
Case Modern Hardshell
Model: MCRS4SWSWBG
Headstock Inlay Gold Gibson Logo Decal
Strings Gauge .012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053






