12 String Guitar Gibson For Sale (Jan 2023 Update)

Love the J-45 but also have historically owned Rosewood guitars so this combination was a perfect fit for me. It's got a big full sound, good lows, nice highs. The onboard pickup is better than I expected and when played through an acoustic amp, the low end and fullness of the sound was insanely good. The guitar has a beautiful finish and some nice added touches above the standard J-45. You can't go wrong with a J-45 regardless but if you want something a little different from the standard in terms of sound and looks, I would take a serious look at this one. I couldn't be happier with this one.Randall K

I really wanted an electric J-45. The G 45 seemed to fit the bill. I've owned many Gibsons since the 70's, including a '63 J45 adjustable bridge and a '64 L5 CES. But they've gotten so expensive that new ones are basically out of my reach. I know Gibson fit, finish and quality and I have to say this guitar falls a little short, even at a grand. I own several acoustic electrics that I use as gigging workhorses. I ran across 3 major issues with the G45 Studio. The G string tuning key responded poorly and required nearly 1/2 a turn in either direction to change string pitch. The offset bridge for high E and B strings raised a flag for me since all my other acoustic electrics have a straight bridge. I could not get the guitar to be reasonably tuned no matter how many cents I tried to compensate either way. If I played an E it would be in, then a D, the D would be noticeably out. I am very experienced in compromised tuning, but it was irreconcilable with this guitar. Lastly, the sound. When I plugged the guitar in to the P.A. there was barely any sound coming out. My other acoustics are consistent in volume when plugged in. I loosened the strings, lifted the bridge and found small pieces of wood left that had pinched and left dents in the pickup wire compromising the contact of pressure of the bridge downward. So the sound was uneven,even after I blew out the wood chips. I would consider buying the guitar again if I could test play it through an amplifier before purchasing, but I won't pay full price for a demonstrator model that has already been played by numerous people and the guitar stores I have visited had no new ones out of the box. The included case makes this a steal. But with the quality control for this model you take a chance. I played the guitar for approximately 30 hours before returning.Rikenrocker

Picked up a 2019, same exact model about a month ago. Quality and build is superb, the carved top has even more flame than I expected. I wanted an "understated" look, and it's perfect. Flame changes with light. The nitro finish is buffed like new, unlike the VOS models, and the natural dye on the back and neck is rich and deep. Instrument is plek'd, action and intonation are flawless. The CustomBucker pickups are all the rage, you can only get them on a new instrument, and are supposed to be the best PAF repro so far. I'm still trying to decide if I like them, my ears say that the 60s have more natural midrange than 59s, but I can eq it out on my amps. They also seem to be unpotted. I'm really inspired by the sound and feel of the '60 LP, the looks and quality are just icing.Ron

I had a great experience with Musiciansfriend. I called my gear advisor, Scott, and he went the extra mile to answer all of my questions over about a two week period. My guitar weighs just under 10 pounds. The set up was superb with a low action and near perfect intonation. Phenomenal sound. Just amazing. Each string rings out clear and balanced. This is my first Gibson. I am a Fender player ('69 Jaguar, '97 Strat) so I was afraid I wouldn't like the warm tones of the humbuckers (nearly went with P90 because of this), but I can't compliment this guitar enough. It's a legend for a reason. The only bad thing is the case. It's obvious that Gibson doesn't take as much care in quality control for their cases. Pea sized bubble on the exterior and lining already coming unglued. However, musiciansfriend is working to right this for me.Jonathan

Overall: Ordered my 60's Les Paul in Unburst on Thursday February 10th. I paid for overnight shipping cause I couldn't wait & zZounds didn't disappoint. Guitar arrived on Friday the 11th before noon!!! Thank you zZounds. Now onto the review……amazing guitar. The figured top is beautiful. zZounds lets you pick the Les Paul you want by serial number & the top looks even better in person, I couldn't be happier. The fit & finish is excellent. Setup is perfect out of the box, plays like a dream. Sustain for days & the '61 Burstbucker R & T pickups just scream!!! Gibson's quality control is on point now!!! Just a beautiful guitar.James

Wow, does this guitar growl. These pickups are so hot, I was startled when I turned up the amp. On clean, every note in a chord is articulated brilliantly. And the sustain is strikingly long and full. I thought the fit and finish was exceptional, and appreciate the quality considering the price. It makes my other guitars feel like I'm riding a bike with a flat tire. It's just not a fair comparison. I am afraid I will have to upgrade my entire fleet now – it has spoiled me. I am more gratified with the purchase than I anticipated.Howard

This one showed up in my favorite Guitar Center in the beautiful cherry red. Besides the looks I was enamored with the feel and playability as well as the sound when plugged into a proper tube amp. Gibson has definitely improved their quality. If you're a Junior fan- this is the one.Greg

Love the J-45 but also have historically owned Rosewood guitars so this combination was a perfect fit for me. It's got a big full sound, good lows, nice highs. The onboard pickup is better than I expected and when played through an acoustic amp, the low end and fullness of the sound was insanely good. The guitar has a beautiful finish and some nice added touches above the standard J-45. You can't go wrong with a J-45 regardless but if you want something a little different from the standard in terms of sound and looks, I would take a serious look at this one. I couldn't be happier with this one.Randall K

I really wanted an electric J-45. The G 45 seemed to fit the bill. I've owned many Gibsons since the 70's, including a '63 J45 adjustable bridge and a '64 L5 CES. But they've gotten so expensive that new ones are basically out of my reach. I know Gibson fit, finish and quality and I have to say this guitar falls a little short, even at a grand. I own several acoustic electrics that I use as gigging workhorses. I ran across 3 major issues with the G45 Studio. The G string tuning key responded poorly and required nearly 1/2 a turn in either direction to change string pitch. The offset bridge for high E and B strings raised a flag for me since all my other acoustic electrics have a straight bridge. I could not get the guitar to be reasonably tuned no matter how many cents I tried to compensate either way. If I played an E it would be in, then a D, the D would be noticeably out. I am very experienced in compromised tuning, but it was irreconcilable with this guitar. Lastly, the sound. When I plugged the guitar in to the P.A. there was barely any sound coming out. My other acoustics are consistent in volume when plugged in. I loosened the strings, lifted the bridge and found small pieces of wood left that had pinched and left dents in the pickup wire compromising the contact of pressure of the bridge downward. So the sound was uneven,even after I blew out the wood chips. I would consider buying the guitar again if I could test play it through an amplifier before purchasing, but I won't pay full price for a demonstrator model that has already been played by numerous people and the guitar stores I have visited had no new ones out of the box. The included case makes this a steal. But with the quality control for this model you take a chance. I played the guitar for approximately 30 hours before returning.Rikenrocker

Looks great, sounds great, plays great. One of the nicest gig bags I've ever seen. Came out of the box at the store set up and tuned! Fit and finish were perfect and the wine red just pops under stage lighting…unlike the one that was on display…and this is why I don't buy guitars online! Got it home, changed the strings to the gauge I prefer, lowered the string height a smidge, and checked the intonation which was spot on. Took it to a pro jam out in the valley where it got lots of compliments from the other players for it's sound and looks…it's as nice a Les Paul as I've ever played. If you get one like mine you won't regret it! But go to the GC and pick yours out and save yourself some possible grief. You won't regret that either!Stephen

I bought my first Les Paul in 1974. I was a little concerened about the new "lightend and improved" version but it turned out to be great. Pickups are better. Feels great, plays great and all around great guitar at a good price. Required minimal set up to play really good. I liked it so much, I bought another one 3 weeks later. I love my Strats but right out of the box, they require a lot of work to make them play and stay in tune. Got my first Strat in 72. If I was a kid (I'm in my 60's), I would choose this Les Paul Studio first. Because it is easier to set up and play right out of the box. I love my Strats, but this is a really good guitar.Stephen C

Still a novice player, but decided that I had stuck with it long enough to justify spending a bit more than I had spent on my used Squier Strat. After reading a ton of reviews and watching a bunch of YouTube videos, I chose the LP Studio in Smokehouse Burst. Wow! What an incredible difference. I find it easier to play with a wider fretboard and the sound is just amazing. I'm not sure if I just got a good one or if Gibson has stepped up their QA game as mine does not display the defects described by other reviews here. I have not found any cosmetic or fit/finish flaws. The color also closely resembles the photos with just a slightly darker shade on the burst. It is an absolutely gorgeous instrument and I couldn't be more satisfied with it. I know that Gibson switched over to the soft case rather than the hard one to save costs, but quite frankly, I don't see that they could have saved too much. The soft case is very high quality and with the exception of shipping or air travel, I feel that my guitar is well protected when put away. Although, I doubt that I'll ever be traveling to perform in this lifetime. Thanks Gibson. Great job on a beautiful instrument.ArmchairAstro

Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhkkkkk The new Standard 60s that I received was was being waited for like a scene in a movie when parents are waiting for a stork to bless them with a bundle of joy. Well the stork for me was gruff lookin FedEx driver that was delivering my new Gibson Les Paul Standard 60s. After it was delivered I placed it gently before me and began to unwrap the newest member of the family. So, you know those movies when you expect to see elation on the face of the actor after they open something up but instead it turns to the face of horror, well, that was me. As I opened up the the lid of the case I saw bits of gold flakes and plastic. It was the volume knob that had been smashed. I then looked at the case and the bottom of the case appeared to be damaged. After pulling picking up the pieces and placing them in a bag i played the LP and it was amazing but had obviously been knocked around too much for me to keep. It was tough though, the low end on this guitar was hypnotizing and the highs were like blissful chimes that rang clean yet without shrillness. The weight is amazing and the thus the sustain is like the Energizer Bunny. Anyway, I called AMS, they offered a replacement but I wouldn't be able to choose the serial number for the replacement, so I would have no idea what it looked like; I want to choose what guitar I am buying. So now I have a prepaid return shipping label in my email and a trip to the "stork" in my future. It's very unfortunate that this guitar was not packaged better because it is an amazing sounding guitar. I am buying another one.Mike

Overall: I've had 4 other gibsons and this one is the prettiest of them all. The color, how it fades from a dark red, to bright red then amber. The flame is just right on both sides. It has nearly every different kind of flame in certain spots but consistently has horizontal flame from top to bottom. It's a killer top. It's set up well but the action does need to be lowered and some relief put on the neck but overall not bad. The slim 60s neck is very nice. Its not chunky but not thin either, its right in the sweet spot. It sounds amazing, alnico Vs are hotter than a firecracker. Now the cons- It had about a 4 inch surface scratch on the top where your right arm rests when I inspected it after opening the case. The Grover tuners are nice and keep it in tune but I wish this exact guitar was offered with Kluson deluxe tuners. I prefer the green tulip look. Then there's the graph tech nut. I wish it had a bone nut but ill take care of that later. All in all it's a keeper, for life. Thank yoy zZoundsRyan

I've had the guitar for a couple weeks now and it's been the main guitar I've played during that time and it's incredibly hard to put down. The neck is thin but not too thin. It's a good medium profile. This is also one of the lightest Les Pauls I've ever played. The guitar is extremely resonate and loud acoustically. This could just be luck of the draw finding this specific Les Paul, because I've played a few 60's standards and not all of them were like this one. This one was definitely the best one I tried of this model. I have yet to gig with it yet, but I can't wait to. I've tried it in Standard, Eb Standard, Drop D, and Drop C# and it sounded and reacted great in all four tunings with little need for adjustments. The only con I've found is occasionally the higher strings seem to choke out slightly, but that should be easily remedied with some minor adjustments, and they don't choke out enough to really hurt playability.Eric

Love the J-45 but also have historically owned Rosewood guitars so this combination was a perfect fit for me. It's got a big full sound, good lows, nice highs. The onboard pickup is better than I expected and when played through an acoustic amp, the low end and fullness of the sound was insanely good. The guitar has a beautiful finish and some nice added touches above the standard J-45. You can't go wrong with a J-45 regardless but if you want something a little different from the standard in terms of sound and looks, I would take a serious look at this one. I couldn't be happier with this one.Randall K

I really wanted an electric J-45. The G 45 seemed to fit the bill. I've owned many Gibsons since the 70's, including a '63 J45 adjustable bridge and a '64 L5 CES. But they've gotten so expensive that new ones are basically out of my reach. I know Gibson fit, finish and quality and I have to say this guitar falls a little short, even at a grand. I own several acoustic electrics that I use as gigging workhorses. I ran across 3 major issues with the G45 Studio. The G string tuning key responded poorly and required nearly 1/2 a turn in either direction to change string pitch. The offset bridge for high E and B strings raised a flag for me since all my other acoustic electrics have a straight bridge. I could not get the guitar to be reasonably tuned no matter how many cents I tried to compensate either way. If I played an E it would be in, then a D, the D would be noticeably out. I am very experienced in compromised tuning, but it was irreconcilable with this guitar. Lastly, the sound. When I plugged the guitar in to the P.A. there was barely any sound coming out. My other acoustics are consistent in volume when plugged in. I loosened the strings, lifted the bridge and found small pieces of wood left that had pinched and left dents in the pickup wire compromising the contact of pressure of the bridge downward. So the sound was uneven,even after I blew out the wood chips. I would consider buying the guitar again if I could test play it through an amplifier before purchasing, but I won't pay full price for a demonstrator model that has already been played by numerous people and the guitar stores I have visited had no new ones out of the box. The included case makes this a steal. But with the quality control for this model you take a chance. I played the guitar for approximately 30 hours before returning.Rikenrocker

Picked up a 2019, same exact model about a month ago. Quality and build is superb, the carved top has even more flame than I expected. I wanted an "understated" look, and it's perfect. Flame changes with light. The nitro finish is buffed like new, unlike the VOS models, and the natural dye on the back and neck is rich and deep. Instrument is plek'd, action and intonation are flawless. The CustomBucker pickups are all the rage, you can only get them on a new instrument, and are supposed to be the best PAF repro so far. I'm still trying to decide if I like them, my ears say that the 60s have more natural midrange than 59s, but I can eq it out on my amps. They also seem to be unpotted. I'm really inspired by the sound and feel of the '60 LP, the looks and quality are just icing.Ron

Love the J-45 but also have historically owned Rosewood guitars so this combination was a perfect fit for me. It's got a big full sound, good lows, nice highs. The onboard pickup is better than I expected and when played through an acoustic amp, the low end and fullness of the sound was insanely good. The guitar has a beautiful finish and some nice added touches above the standard J-45. You can't go wrong with a J-45 regardless but if you want something a little different from the standard in terms of sound and looks, I would take a serious look at this one. I couldn't be happier with this one.Randall K

I really wanted an electric J-45. The G 45 seemed to fit the bill. I've owned many Gibsons since the 70's, including a '63 J45 adjustable bridge and a '64 L5 CES. But they've gotten so expensive that new ones are basically out of my reach. I know Gibson fit, finish and quality and I have to say this guitar falls a little short, even at a grand. I own several acoustic electrics that I use as gigging workhorses. I ran across 3 major issues with the G45 Studio. The G string tuning key responded poorly and required nearly 1/2 a turn in either direction to change string pitch. The offset bridge for high E and B strings raised a flag for me since all my other acoustic electrics have a straight bridge. I could not get the guitar to be reasonably tuned no matter how many cents I tried to compensate either way. If I played an E it would be in, then a D, the D would be noticeably out. I am very experienced in compromised tuning, but it was irreconcilable with this guitar. Lastly, the sound. When I plugged the guitar in to the P.A. there was barely any sound coming out. My other acoustics are consistent in volume when plugged in. I loosened the strings, lifted the bridge and found small pieces of wood left that had pinched and left dents in the pickup wire compromising the contact of pressure of the bridge downward. So the sound was uneven,even after I blew out the wood chips. I would consider buying the guitar again if I could test play it through an amplifier before purchasing, but I won't pay full price for a demonstrator model that has already been played by numerous people and the guitar stores I have visited had no new ones out of the box. The included case makes this a steal. But with the quality control for this model you take a chance. I played the guitar for approximately 30 hours before returning.Rikenrocker

I've been looking for a particular sound from an acoustic to replace my Ibanez. I went into to the GC to get strings for my other axes and try out a white Tele they had. Tele wasn't quite what I was looking for so I went into the accoustic room and this just stood out and I had to tryit. I was sold after one strum of Dm-A-G. That was the sound I wanted. Mids somewhere between a J45 and a Taylor. Highs have just the right amount of brilliance without stealing the show. Exactly what I was looking for. It has a bone nut and saddle so this thing rings out so well. The only thing I can think of negative is the Epiphone Deluxe tuners feel cheap. I'm just going to order some Gibson Deluxe's, other than that this is a beaut!JR

This guitar is beautiful. I've played many guitars, but none are more pretty than this. I have the Cherry Burst, wow! The fretboard material is Laural Wood. It plays nicely with bended notes, nice and firm. This guitar has good "weight." It is one of the heavier acoustics I've played. I like that too, it feels like great quality. Mine is not made in China. It was manufactured in Indonesia. These Asian manufacturers are doing a great job and I like it that mine is from Indonesia, too. There is good balance in sound from string to string, too. It's nice that it came with a sound hole cover, but such a nice (and fairly pricey) guitar should come with a gig bag or case.Boomer

Overall: Ok let me first say that I have been playing guitar since 1964. I have so many guitars since then I can't even remember them.In my experience Epiphone guitars have always been a solid platform for someone who is first starting and novice and intermediate level players.After reading about these " Inspired By Gibson" series Masterbilt guitars I thought I'd give one a try to see how close to a real Hummingbird it is.It caught me off guard. The fit and finish is outstanding. The playability was absolutely perfect out of the box.The original 1960's Headstock makes it look really nice. Not that deeply scalloped extended swelled at the top one usually find on an Epiphone. Nice touch Epiphone !The tulip Keystone vintage tuners are excellent. Smooth and tight. Fret work was amazing for a guitar in this price point as well as getting a guitar with beautiful solid mahogany and Sitka spruce that is finished in an accurate vintage toner. The real Mother of Pearl inlays are a really nice touch.At this price point getting an instrument with a one piece mahogany neck with no seperate heel is almost unheard of. I am tempted to say this Epiphone is so close to the Gibson model it amazed me that Gibson would allow Epiphone to produce something this close to their high dollar Hummingbird.In conclusion…. BUY IT !! You will not be sorry. zZounds is the best out there for sales, service and amazing one day delivery.Ed

Love the J-45 but also have historically owned Rosewood guitars so this combination was a perfect fit for me. It's got a big full sound, good lows, nice highs. The onboard pickup is better than I expected and when played through an acoustic amp, the low end and fullness of the sound was insanely good. The guitar has a beautiful finish and some nice added touches above the standard J-45. You can't go wrong with a J-45 regardless but if you want something a little different from the standard in terms of sound and looks, I would take a serious look at this one. I couldn't be happier with this one.Randall K

I really wanted an electric J-45. The G 45 seemed to fit the bill. I've owned many Gibsons since the 70's, including a '63 J45 adjustable bridge and a '64 L5 CES. But they've gotten so expensive that new ones are basically out of my reach. I know Gibson fit, finish and quality and I have to say this guitar falls a little short, even at a grand. I own several acoustic electrics that I use as gigging workhorses. I ran across 3 major issues with the G45 Studio. The G string tuning key responded poorly and required nearly 1/2 a turn in either direction to change string pitch. The offset bridge for high E and B strings raised a flag for me since all my other acoustic electrics have a straight bridge. I could not get the guitar to be reasonably tuned no matter how many cents I tried to compensate either way. If I played an E it would be in, then a D, the D would be noticeably out. I am very experienced in compromised tuning, but it was irreconcilable with this guitar. Lastly, the sound. When I plugged the guitar in to the P.A. there was barely any sound coming out. My other acoustics are consistent in volume when plugged in. I loosened the strings, lifted the bridge and found small pieces of wood left that had pinched and left dents in the pickup wire compromising the contact of pressure of the bridge downward. So the sound was uneven,even after I blew out the wood chips. I would consider buying the guitar again if I could test play it through an amplifier before purchasing, but I won't pay full price for a demonstrator model that has already been played by numerous people and the guitar stores I have visited had no new ones out of the box. The included case makes this a steal. But with the quality control for this model you take a chance. I played the guitar for approximately 30 hours before returning.Rikenrocker

Picked up a 2019, same exact model about a month ago. Quality and build is superb, the carved top has even more flame than I expected. I wanted an "understated" look, and it's perfect. Flame changes with light. The nitro finish is buffed like new, unlike the VOS models, and the natural dye on the back and neck is rich and deep. Instrument is plek'd, action and intonation are flawless. The CustomBucker pickups are all the rage, you can only get them on a new instrument, and are supposed to be the best PAF repro so far. I'm still trying to decide if I like them, my ears say that the 60s have more natural midrange than 59s, but I can eq it out on my amps. They also seem to be unpotted. I'm really inspired by the sound and feel of the '60 LP, the looks and quality are just icing.Ron

First of all, why I waited so long to add a Les Paul to the collection is beyond me. This thing is so comfortable to play, between the weight balance and the neck feel. I mostly play slim taper as I've smaller hands, but theres just something about this 50s neck. The feel is something I'd describe as substantial, like you're not just playing something that's super light and borderline weightless, but instead an extension of yourself. The range on the P90s is absolutely bonkers. The lows actually give you some great clarity, while the higher you go, the more it pushes and begins to punch. The neck pickup (and middle position as well) sound wonderfully warm and comfortable, especially through my Orange TH30. I do not understand why I waited so long to get my first Les Paul, and I can safely say this guitar will not leave my side for a long long time. Bonus points for how quick this shipped…ordered on a Friday, delivered on a Saturday! Freaking fast, and faster than I anticipated, but not complaining at all. Thank you so much AMS for helping me be the rock star I know I am!Matt

So I have several guitars and have come to enjoy the sound of p 90 pickups. Wow. This thing does not disappoint. The quality of build is outstanding. The Tv yellow is beautiful. Being mostly a Fender player, I was very unsure of the neck size. Wow, I actually love it. Being a bit older, this guitar neck is actually a little easier for me to dig into. The frets are amazing. I can do thinks on this neck that I can no longer do on my thinner necked guitars. It's an awesome guitar. I never owned a Gibson but wow.. the Case itself is worth the purchase. Holy moly every guitar should automatically come with a case like this. Awesome purchase.Dorje Champa

This guitar has an amazing vibe to it. The P90s are awesome. They have that midrange snarl that we all know and love. The 50s neck is very chunky, but in a good way. The feel of this guitar literally throws be back in time to the 50s. Combine that with the retro look and the classic TV yellow finish, it just makes me want to jam to some good old school rock and roll. Being a couple pounds lighter than my Standard, I can play this one all night without any shoulder issues. There is so much to love about the look and feel, but let's not overlook that fact that this is a tone monster! I will definitely be using it in some upcoming recordings. That being said, there are some not so awesome issues that need to be mentioned. A very minor issue is the intonation. All the strings were slightly sharp at the 12th fret. This was even across all the strings, so it has nothing to do with the wrap around bridge. This could have been set properly before leaving the factory with a small turn of the set screws in the bridge. No biggie though. A couple minutes with a screwdriver and a tuner and I have that issue fixed. The bigger issue is the condition of the binding and the fretboard. It looks to me like they were both damaged by the Plek machine during the factory setup. There are compression dings in both, the binding and fretboard. There is also a section that looks like a file carved into the fretboard. There is a similar compression ding in the binding right behind the nut. If that wasn't enough, the binding on the low E side is uneven and looks like a groove is carved into it lengthwise. You can see these in the attached photos. I don't know how these defects made it past quality control. If I was doing the final setup at the factory I would have flagged this one as a factory second. I guess the rumors about the improved quality at Gibson is a matter of the luck of the draw, because the fit and finish in the areas I mentioned are quite poor on mine. Yes, these flaws are cosmetic and won't affect the playability in any way, but I still expect better from Gibson. I guess some things will never change over there and this is what we have to expect if we want their name on the headstock. I give this guitar an A+ for tone and feel, a D for quality control and defects. All things considered it gets an overall C+. At the end of the day it is still a keeper because I love playing it, defects and all.Mike

Love the J-45 but also have historically owned Rosewood guitars so this combination was a perfect fit for me. It's got a big full sound, good lows, nice highs. The onboard pickup is better than I expected and when played through an acoustic amp, the low end and fullness of the sound was insanely good. The guitar has a beautiful finish and some nice added touches above the standard J-45. You can't go wrong with a J-45 regardless but if you want something a little different from the standard in terms of sound and looks, I would take a serious look at this one. I couldn't be happier with this one.Randall K

I really wanted an electric J-45. The G 45 seemed to fit the bill. I've owned many Gibsons since the 70's, including a '63 J45 adjustable bridge and a '64 L5 CES. But they've gotten so expensive that new ones are basically out of my reach. I know Gibson fit, finish and quality and I have to say this guitar falls a little short, even at a grand. I own several acoustic electrics that I use as gigging workhorses. I ran across 3 major issues with the G45 Studio. The G string tuning key responded poorly and required nearly 1/2 a turn in either direction to change string pitch. The offset bridge for high E and B strings raised a flag for me since all my other acoustic electrics have a straight bridge. I could not get the guitar to be reasonably tuned no matter how many cents I tried to compensate either way. If I played an E it would be in, then a D, the D would be noticeably out. I am very experienced in compromised tuning, but it was irreconcilable with this guitar. Lastly, the sound. When I plugged the guitar in to the P.A. there was barely any sound coming out. My other acoustics are consistent in volume when plugged in. I loosened the strings, lifted the bridge and found small pieces of wood left that had pinched and left dents in the pickup wire compromising the contact of pressure of the bridge downward. So the sound was uneven,even after I blew out the wood chips. I would consider buying the guitar again if I could test play it through an amplifier before purchasing, but I won't pay full price for a demonstrator model that has already been played by numerous people and the guitar stores I have visited had no new ones out of the box. The included case makes this a steal. But with the quality control for this model you take a chance. I played the guitar for approximately 30 hours before returning.Rikenrocker

I'm a collector and player of the unique and unusual of the big brand and some off brand stuff. Never been a huge Gibby fan, even though in a classic rock guy. The flying v crescent moon is wonderful though, and has a vibe and feel all its own. When you think that legends from Hendrix to king played them, and had a style all they're own, the V just has its own place in the guitar world. I swapped the hot ceramic Gibby pups for some Seymour Duncan's with chrome covers, as I wanted a more dressed look and blues warmth from this lightweight but oh so solid beast. I did the graphitec saddles as well, again for a warm vibe. The result is amazing, period. I'll put her against anything from anybody in tone, weight, style, playability and feel. Even before the mods, still best of the best. All welds perfect, fret work perfect, finish accomplished the look of a vintage road warrior. Nickle hardware, true Ebony fretboard, feels like one gorgeous piece of mahogany in your arms as the neck and body are so perfectly set together.golfn64

This guitar sounds so good, it's hard to say if it's the wood or pickups. Who cares? It sounds good. Good tone and sustain. I look forward to playing it. Tuning is easy, playing it is comfortable. It has the original good looks that the Flying V was made with. I have heard people with Gibsons say that they with the knobs were like on my V. They also liked the placement of the jack. Which, I want to say, are 2 solid reasons I wanted this guitar. The Through-the=body stop and the jack at the end of the wing tip. Very nice.David

Gibson Flying V. Antique natural. Low action and great playability from factory. Awesome fretboard even though multiple tool marks around fret ends. Good access. Pickups sound good clean and can get hot enough for metal with a boost. Nice grain in wood. Couple small sand marks under nitro. Neck feels great. Giving it 4 stars for cosmetic issues but played so well did not send it back or even pursue price reduction. Case is very nice. AMS great as always. Killer payment plans and fast shipping.Todd

I had this on my wish list for a couple of years and after finally getting to try it out at my local Sam Ash, it did not disappoint. Online reviews were consistently good with a few mentions of the strings being coated and how it gave an unusual feel and sound. According to the Michael Kelly website, the strings are D'Addario EXP16 Coated Phosphor Bronze, Light, 12-53, so they shouldn't be some off the wall knock offs but my experience over the last few weeks has been that after a few minutes of playing, the tips of my fingers on my fret hand and the palm of my strumming hand turned black. I've never had this happen on any other guitars I have. I tried rotating after 15 minutes between my Jackson, my Strat, my Martin Backpacker and then my Michael Kelly and, every time, after a few minutes of playing the Forte Port, my fingers turned black. I've played a lot of guitars since the 80's (not professionally) and this is a new one on me. Obviously, the strings can be changed but I feel it is worth mentioning because for someone's first guitar, it may be off putting if they are unaware. If I can edit a review, I'll try to add a pic of my fingers (there's no way to make that sound right…) when I get time. That's my two cents…Sean

Overall: I was reluctant to buy this Michael Kelly. I like to try it before I buy it . With that being said , The guitar come it flawless. It was packaged very good . I played for about an hour after opening the box. The action is spot on. It plays and feels more like an electric guitar. Hammer on pull offs pitch bends are perfect. The sustain goes on forever. The neck feels a touch wider than my Martin, but that's a good thing for me. There are no fret buzzes at. It's vert light and comfortable , light weight is a must , I have had shoulder surgery 3 times. The balance and weight are near perfect . Michael Kelly may not have the prestige of Martin. Gibson and such , but as far as the sound and quality build , it simply can not be beat in this price range.Mark

I'd been in the market for a new acoustic for a while but never really knew which one to go for. Luckily, PMT in Birmingham has a fantastic range of acoustics and their super helpful staff were extremely patient with me as I tried about a dozen different models, including various Taylors and Martins. For some reason, I had always thought that Taylor and Martin guitars would be the cream of the crop when it came to acoustics and, as such, had never considered Gibsons even though I own several Gibson electrics. However, the second I started playing the Gibson SJ200, it was obvious that this was the one. A really comfortable neck, a gloriously balanced sound that you can 'feel' wash through you when you play, great responsiveness to the attack of your pick… I could go on. Whilst it might be a strange thing to say, whilst it does have a great pickup in it, it feels more like a traditional acoustic guitar than any of the others that I played. Whatever your style – fingerpicking through to power chord rock – this one does it all. Granted, it ain't cheap. However, if you're only ever going to buy one acoustic to keep forever, I would heartily recommend trying a Gibson Montana SJ200. If it's good enough for the likes of Bob Dylan, George Harrison and Pete Townsend, then it's good enough for me!David C.

I use this guitar in regular performances in my group, the Ramblin' Rangers. It complements the rest of my Gibson guitars with its full sound and ease of playing.Ranger Brad