After unveiling a next-gen acoustic guitar pickup setup last month, Gibson has integrated the system’s “studio-grade” tones into four new instruments.
The HiFi DNA system was built in collaboration with esteemed acoustic pickup manufacturer Baggs. Gibson reckons its dual sensor approach has produced its “most natural” acoustic tones, and could potentially revolutionize the way we amplify acoustics.
The firm is now putting its money where its mouth is by installing it into four new models.
The new range is one first chances for players to see what all the fuss is about. It comprises two J-45 models – a J-45 Original and J-45 60s Original Fixed Bridge – as well as a Country Western 60s Original, and Southern Jumbo 40s Original.
The system’s two sensors run through their own custom-voiced preamp before the signals are blended. The result, it claims, is high-fidelity sound, and “unprecedented realism”. But what of the guitars that now house it?
The J-45 Original ($3,299) returns to its Jumbo roots. With 1930s-styled appointments, alongside a round-shoulder dreadnought bod, it pairs mahogany back and sides with a solid Sitka spruce top.
Its neck is mahogany and features a speed-friendly SlimTaper profile. Capped with a 20-fret rosewood fingerboard, it also features nickel-plated Grover open-back tuners, a flat-top rosewood bridge, and a bone nut with TUSQ bridge pins.
It’s available in Autumn Burst and Vintage Sunburst gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finishes
The Fixed Bridge variant ($3,199) has 1960s cues, and a fixed belly-up bridge, while sticking pretty faithful to the rest of the recipe. It comes in two finishes: Vintage Sunburst with a tortoise pickguard and Vintage Cherry Sunburst with a white pickguard.
As for the Southern Jumbo 40s Original ($3,99), rosewood back and sides pair with a solid Sitka spruce top with multi-ply binding. It too rocks a SlimTaper mahogany neck with 20-fret rosewood fingerboard, and the same bone nut, TUSQ bridge pins combo.
Away from that, it has a closed-slot, belly-down rosewood bridge, and a tortoise-colored teardrop pickguard. It is exclusively available in a Vintage Sunburst finish.
Last but not least, the Country Western 60s Original returns to Gibson’s core lineup, revving “one of the most celebrated versions of this historic design.”
Like its new stablemates, it’s also 24,75” scale, with Gibson opting for the J-45-adjacent mahogany and Sitka spruce body wood pairing. Its mahogany neck has a Round profile this time, while its rosewood 'board mirrors the Southern Jumbo with mother-of-pearl split parallelogram inlays.
A bone nut and saddle partner with a rosewood belly-up bridge, more TUSQ pins, and Gotoh tuners. Available in Antique Natural, it’s rounded out with a single-ply tortoiseshell pickguard.
The four models help usher in a new era of Gibson acoustics, and are available now.
See Gibson for more.
It isn’t just the acoustics getting some pickup love from the Nashville-based gear giants. It has embraced Alnico 8 magnets for its future-focused and high-powered ELEV8 humbuckers.
