A new Workhorse with a 12-fret neck
Since the 1930s, the full-sized, round shoulder acoustics from Gibson have become the most recorded acoustic guitars in American music history, delivering expressive tone, superior warmth, and note-to-note balance that makes them stand apart from other acoustic guitars. One of the most famous of the Gibson round shoulder models is the J-45™—the famous “Workhorse,” which was first introduced in 1942 and has gone on to become the best-selling Gibson acoustic model of all time. The nickname comes from its no-nonsense simplicity, understated elegance, and widespread use on stages and in recording studios worldwide.
Now, Gibson is proud to introduce a new version of this legendary model: the J-45 Century 12-Fret. It retains many of the classic features that players love about the J-45, but features a 12-fret neck-to-body joint instead of the standard 14-fret joint. Why is this important? With a 12-fret neck joint, the neck is shorter and the position of the bridge plate is relocated, which places it further from the body’s waist and closer to the center of the widest area of the body, where it can drive the top more efficiently, making the guitar more comfortable to hold and play and resulting in a tone that is warm, punchy, and resonant and that responds ideally to the dynamics of fingerstyle players and players with a lighter picking attack.
While this is not the first J-45 to feature a 12-fret neck, such models have previously been limited to artist signature models and limited-run releases from Gibson Custom, making them relatively rare and somewhat difficult to find. Now, the beautiful tone of a 12-fret neck is available to all in the form of the Gibson J-45 Century 12-Fret. Part of the new Century Collection celebrating 100 Years of Gibson Flat-Tops, it features a mahogany body with a Sitka spruce top, with single ply cream top and back binding framing the body’s perimeter.
The mahogany neck has a fast-playing SlimTaper™ 12-Fret profile and attaches to the body at the 12th fret with a compound dovetail neck-to-body joint that is fastened with hot hide glue, just like all of the Gibson acoustic models. The rosewood fretboard is equipped with 19 standard frets and adorned with simple mother-of-pearl dot inlays.
The headstock is outfitted with open-back Golden Age strap tuners with cream buttons and features an early-1900s Gibson script logo decal for a vintage-inspired touch. Another vintage-inspired detail is the sloped rectangle closed-slot rosewood bridge, similar to those found on the earliest J-45 models. The nut and saddle of the J-45 Century 12-Fret are bone, while the bridge pins are TUSQ®. The J-45 Century 12-Fret has a classic Gibson L-00-style pickguard and features a hand-sprayed satin nitrocellulose lacquer finish. It comes packed in a premium Century Collection tweed hardshell case and is available in both right and left-handed versions. Pick up a J-45 Century 12-Fret today and experience the sweet tone of a 12-fret neck Gibson acoustic for yourself.
Highlights
- Mahogany body
- Sitka spruce top
- Mahogany neck with a 12-fret neck-to-body joint
- 19-fret rosewood fretboard with mother-of-pearl dot inlays
- Golden Age open back strap tuners with cream buttons
- Premium Century Collection tweed hardshell case
Specifications
Body Specs
Body Specs
Back Mahogany
Binding Single-ply top and back
Body Finish Thin satin nitrocellulose lacquer
Body Shape J-45
Side Mahogany
Top Sitka spruce
Neck Specs
Neck Specs
Fingerboard Material Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius 12 in. | 304.8 mm
Frets Standard
Inlays Mother of pearl dot
Joint Dovetail, 12th fret
Neck Material Mahogany
Nut Material Bone
Profile SlimTaper 12-Fret
Scale Length 628.7mm / 24.75in
Hardware Specs
Hardware Specs
Bridge Rectangle rosewood
Bridge Pins TUSQ
finish Nickel
Pickguard L-00 style
Saddle Material Bone
Tuning Machines 3 on a plate with cream buttons
Misc Specs
Misc Specs
Case Century Series tweed hardshell case
Model: OCRS4C12VS
Strings Gauge .012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053
Gibson J-45 Century 12-Fret, Vintage Sunburst
Gibson J-45 Century 12-Fret, Vintage Sunburst
Free & Fast Shipping
Free & Fast Shipping
Orders placed by noon CST Monday-Friday (excluding holidays) will ship the same day. Orders placed after this cutoff will ship the next business day. All orders over $100 receive free ground shipping within the United States.
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.
A new Workhorse with a 12-fret neck
Since the 1930s, the full-sized, round shoulder acoustics from Gibson have become the most recorded acoustic guitars in American music history, delivering expressive tone, superior warmth, and note-to-note balance that makes them stand apart from other acoustic guitars. One of the most famous of the Gibson round shoulder models is the J-45™—the famous “Workhorse,” which was first introduced in 1942 and has gone on to become the best-selling Gibson acoustic model of all time. The nickname comes from its no-nonsense simplicity, understated elegance, and widespread use on stages and in recording studios worldwide.
Now, Gibson is proud to introduce a new version of this legendary model: the J-45 Century 12-Fret. It retains many of the classic features that players love about the J-45, but features a 12-fret neck-to-body joint instead of the standard 14-fret joint. Why is this important? With a 12-fret neck joint, the neck is shorter and the position of the bridge plate is relocated, which places it further from the body’s waist and closer to the center of the widest area of the body, where it can drive the top more efficiently, making the guitar more comfortable to hold and play and resulting in a tone that is warm, punchy, and resonant and that responds ideally to the dynamics of fingerstyle players and players with a lighter picking attack.
While this is not the first J-45 to feature a 12-fret neck, such models have previously been limited to artist signature models and limited-run releases from Gibson Custom, making them relatively rare and somewhat difficult to find. Now, the beautiful tone of a 12-fret neck is available to all in the form of the Gibson J-45 Century 12-Fret. Part of the new Century Collection celebrating 100 Years of Gibson Flat-Tops, it features a mahogany body with a Sitka spruce top, with single ply cream top and back binding framing the body’s perimeter.
The mahogany neck has a fast-playing SlimTaper™ 12-Fret profile and attaches to the body at the 12th fret with a compound dovetail neck-to-body joint that is fastened with hot hide glue, just like all of the Gibson acoustic models. The rosewood fretboard is equipped with 19 standard frets and adorned with simple mother-of-pearl dot inlays.
The headstock is outfitted with open-back Golden Age strap tuners with cream buttons and features an early-1900s Gibson script logo decal for a vintage-inspired touch. Another vintage-inspired detail is the sloped rectangle closed-slot rosewood bridge, similar to those found on the earliest J-45 models. The nut and saddle of the J-45 Century 12-Fret are bone, while the bridge pins are TUSQ®. The J-45 Century 12-Fret has a classic Gibson L-00-style pickguard and features a hand-sprayed satin nitrocellulose lacquer finish. It comes packed in a premium Century Collection tweed hardshell case and is available in both right and left-handed versions. Pick up a J-45 Century 12-Fret today and experience the sweet tone of a 12-fret neck Gibson acoustic for yourself.
Highlights
- Mahogany body
- Sitka spruce top
- Mahogany neck with a 12-fret neck-to-body joint
- 19-fret rosewood fretboard with mother-of-pearl dot inlays
- Golden Age open back strap tuners with cream buttons
- Premium Century Collection tweed hardshell case
Specifications
Body Specs
Body Specs
Back Mahogany
Binding Single-ply top and back
Body Finish Thin satin nitrocellulose lacquer
Body Shape J-45
Side Mahogany
Top Sitka spruce
Neck Specs
Neck Specs
Fingerboard Material Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius 12 in. | 304.8 mm
Frets Standard
Inlays Mother of pearl dot
Joint Dovetail, 12th fret
Neck Material Mahogany
Nut Material Bone
Profile SlimTaper 12-Fret
Scale Length 628.7mm / 24.75in
Hardware Specs
Hardware Specs
Bridge Rectangle rosewood
Bridge Pins TUSQ
finish Nickel
Pickguard L-00 style
Saddle Material Bone
Tuning Machines 3 on a plate with cream buttons
Misc Specs
Misc Specs
Case Century Series tweed hardshell case
Model: OCRS4C12VS
Strings Gauge .012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053
