1965 Gibson SJN Country Western Dreadnought Guitar

Overview: This guitar is a gem! Jose and Jacobi and I were jamming at the end of Saturday's work and I played this one while we were. It's got that big, warm, chunky Gibson thing going on with the plainspoken, even sound and that "thwicky" pick-attack response that makes these such good, chord-backup guitars for singers to lead a band with. The neck is pretty thin front to back and a little narrower at the nut, so you have to enjoy an electric-like feel to be into it, however. I mean, I am...!

These SJN/Country Western models are essentially Hummingbirds with a less-fancy pickguard and a natural top finish. While the older Country Westerns were more like a gussied-up J-50, this era uses the square shoulders body shape of the Hummingbird but, unlike later models in the '70s, it still has the shorter, familiar Gibson scale length and lighter bracing so it still sounds a heck of a lot like a J-45/J-50 and handles like one as well.

This guitar is only a 2-owner instrument and the current owner has had it since 1967. He's brought it all over the world with him and played it regularly for the duration. It's in pretty dang-good shape despite that and only needed minor work to get playing at its best.

Repairs included: Jose leveled and dressed the frets, cleaned it up, and set it up. At the same time he swapped-out the original adjustable ceramic saddle for a same-period, Gibson, rosewood adjustable saddle that he modified to have proper compensation added to its top edge. I tend to think this is a must for these old guitars as one can't easily modify the ceramic saddles to compensate correctly. It's lucky we had a '66 saddle on hand. It's playing spot-on and ready to go!

• Weight: 4 lbs 5 oz
• Scale length: 24 5/8"
• Nut width: 1 9/16"
• Neck shape: slim C
• Board radius: 10"
• Depth at first fret: 0.78"
• Depth at seventh fret: 0.82"
• Body width: 15 7/8"
• Body depth: 4 7/8"
• Top wood: solid spruce
• Back & sides wood: solid mahogany back, likely ply hog sides
• Bracing type: x
• Bridge: rosewood
• Fretboard: rosewood
• Neck wood: mahogany
• Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 54w-12 lights
• Truss rod: adjustable
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: wider/medium-lower

Condition notes: It has weather-checking (light) throughout the finish. The saddle is swapped (but Gibson). The tuners are more-modern replacements. There's pickwear around the soundhole edge and under the pickguard's bottom. There are light scuffs and scratches and a few small dings here and there. I'm finding no cracks. The headstock has some rubbing at its edges. It has a strap button added at the heel.

It comes with: It has an older hard case.

Consignor tag: CHAS