There's workhorses and then there's "The Workhorse" with the Epiphone 1942 Banner J-45 Reissue. Following in the example set so many years ago by the 1942's Gibson J-45, today's Epiphone 1942 Banner Reissue J-45 captures the essence of one of the acoustic guitar world's most celebrated and coveted models. A no-nonsense, no-frills, musical machine, the J-45 inspired countless players over the years and this Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom model is surely no different.

The 1942 Banner J-45 Reissue is a spiritual descendent of the original J-45. Assembling with reverent and authentic specifications, the Epiphone 1942 Banner J-45 Reissue captures so much of what makes the original J-45 a classic. This all starts with the J-45 dreadnought-style body brought together with a thermally aged solid spruce top. A careful and considered process, the heat treatment this spruce top is subjected to imparts some welcomed age to the look and tone of the guitar usually reserved for much older models. The aged spruce is matched with a solid mahogany back and sides and a scalloped X-Brace bracing pattern. Altogether, this J-45 plays with that same inspirational tone you've come to expect from it.

Sound is not the only thing Epiphone has authentically captured with this Inspired by Gibson Custom model. Playability is brought on by the model's one-piece mahogany neck. This neck, assuming a classic V profile shape, gives a full yet highly playable feel in hand. An Indian rosewood fingerboard joins in at this juncture with nineteen frets and Mother-of-Pearl dot inlays. Ensuring a fluid and responsive playing experience at every register, this Epiphone J-45 is a dream to play with every feature added on.

Moving on from here, the 1942 Banner J-45 Reissue compounds upon the experience with several features for playability and intonation. At the world-famous Gibson "open book"-style headstock, a bone nut and a set of open-back tuning machines align for easy stringing and stability at one end of the scale. Following the scale to its opposite end, a rosewood Rectangle bridge with a compensated bone saddle lands to lock strings in stably with improved intonation. An L.R. Baggs Element Bronze VTC electronics system lands on this model for easily translating its classic tones to the stage or studio. Finally, a Red Line-inspired hardshell case comes included for safe storage and easy travels.

A classic Gibson model as much as any electric, the J-45 receives an honorable and authentic revival from Epiphone. All these years and "The Workhorse" still has more to do.

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• Gibson J-45 dreadnought body shape
• Thermally aged solid spruce top with scalloped X-Bracing pattern
• Solid mahogany back and sides
• Single-ply ivory top and back binding
• One-piece mahogany neck in V-shaped profile
• Indian rosewood fingerboard with Mother of Pearl dot inlays
• Gibson-style "open book" headstock with double diamond back etch
• Bone nut with open back three-on-a-plate tuning machines and cream buttons
• Rosewood Rectangle bridge
• L.R. Baggs Element Bronze VTC preamp system
• Red Line-inspired hardshell case with Inspired by Gibson Custom graphics included