Gibson 1942 Banner J-45 Light Aged Vintage Sunburst w/case

The Gibson Custom 1942 Banner J-45 Reissue, Light Aged, in Vintage Sunburst recreates one of the most celebrated wartime-era J-45 designs with historically inspired construction, thermally aged red spruce, and Murphy Lab aging. Built in Montana, it captures the stripped-down look and feel of a well-preserved early Banner-era example.

The round-shoulder mahogany body is topped with thermally aged red spruce and reinforced with traditional hand-scalloped X-bracing made from red spruce and secured with hide glue. The Vintage Sunburst is applied beneath a Murphy Lab Aged nitrocellulose lacquer finish, while single-ply binding and an aged teardrop tortoise pickguard keep the look appropriately understated.

A mahogany neck uses Gibson’s Historic profile with a 24.75" scale length and compound dovetail neck joint. The rosewood fingerboard features a 12" radius, 19 frets, mother-of-pearl dot inlays, and a 1.72" bone nut.

A rosewood rectangular open-slot bridge, bone saddle, bone bridge pins, and aged open-back tuners with cream buttons complete the period-inspired hardware package. Murphy Lab Light Aging is applied to both the finish and hardware to simulate decades of careful play rather than heavy wear.

A period-correct case, Gibson accessory kit, and Certificate of Authenticity are included.

Highlights

• Thermally aged red spruce top
• Mahogany back and sides
• Traditional hand-scalloped red spruce X-bracing with hide glue
• Murphy Lab Light Aged Vintage Sunburst finish
• Historic neck profile with period-inspired hardware

Specifications

Body

• Body Shape: J-45
• Body Style: Round Shoulder
• Top Wood: Thermally Aged Red Spruce
• Back and Side Wood: Mahogany
• Bracing: Traditional Hand-Scalloped X-Bracing
• Bracing Material: Red Spruce
• Bracing Adhesive: Hide Glue
• Binding: Single-Ply Top and Back
• Pickguard: Aged Tear Drop Tortoise
• Finish: Vintage Sunburst
• Finish Type: Murphy Lab Aged Nitrocellulose Lacquer

Neck

• Neck Material: Mahogany
• Neck Profile: Historic
• Neck Joint: Compound Dovetail
• Scale Length: 24.75"
• Fingerboard Material: Rosewood
• Fingerboard Radius: 12"
• Number of Frets: 19
• Fingerboard Inlays: Mother-of-Pearl Dots
• Nut Material: Bone
• Nut Width: 1.72"

Hardware

• Bridge: Rosewood Rectangle, Open Slot
• Saddle: Bone
• Bridge Pins: Bone
• Tuners: Strap Style Open Back with Cream Buttons
• Hardware Finish: Aged Nickel

Miscellaneous

• Strings: .012-.053
• Case: Period-Correct Case
• Accessories: Gibson Accessory Kit and Certificate of Authenticity

Why Buy from Tone Shop Guitars?

At Tone Shop Guitars, we specialize in hand-selected premium and Custom Shop instruments built for serious players and collectors. Every guitar we bring in is chosen for feel, resonance, visual character, and musical usefulness—not just specs on paper. When you buy from Tone Shop, you’re getting an instrument we genuinely believe in.