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Review and Essay: 2024 Gibson G45 Six String Acoustic / The Art of Interpreting Online Reviews

Review and Commentary: The Gibson G-45 six-string acoustic and the Art of interpreting online guitar reviews 

One of the first things a savvy guitar buyer does when considering any model is to research it on the Internet. In some cases, the person may have a friend who already owns the model, and he can get a first-hand look at it or check it out at a nearby Guitar store. 

A good way to develop a preliminary judgment on a guitar is to see how many good comments it gets in user review sections. However, that can be confusing because there'll sometimes be experts or vocal guitarists in comment sections who claim those are superficial impressions from people who love the guitar they just bought.

In other words, the implication is many of these happy new customers don't know better. That can be a valid point when discussing technical specifications or judging the build quality of a particular guitar. However, it sometimes creates the dichotomy of users liking a specific model while many experts consider it mediocre or a poor buy/investment. 

The investment angle is an essential factor to consider not only for the possible future sale of the guitar but also for the type of bias it can introduce into a review. Whether or not a guitar will increase or even hold its value is a factor that can mean everything or nothing in terms of the actual pleasure and utility of a guitar. 

…contradiction…

This contradiction between consumers and experts was clear to me when I was considering the purchase of a Gibson G-45, an economy model that costs around a thousand dollars new and has received quite a few mixed or negative reviews (with many seconding opinions in the comment sections).

The reviews and commentary were particularly negative on YouTube, with some experts openly contemptuous. The main objection seemed to be the price; many commentators didn't think it was worth $1,000 and didn't really "sound like a Gibson." 

I have to admit that when I looked at the various YouTube reviews, the sound of the G45 struck me as similar to a Taylor or Guilds that I've heard, but it did have a bit of the Gibson flavor.

I wasn't looking for a traditional Gibson sound anyway. I have a vintage parlor with the old Gibson LG0 sound, so I was looking for something more "modern” in sound. There was a G45 that only cost $600, so I was only checking the reviews to see if it was a good deal.

…video reviews…

Checking out video reviews isn’t an ideal way to evaluate a guitar; it's always better to play it, but it's a good way to get a feel for a possible online purchase. It's also a good idea to check both bad and good opinions. Sometimes, a negative comment can highlight a serious flaw in an instrument.

However, checking out bad reviews is more about being thorough and open-minded because those often reflect that particular reviewer's taste or criteria, which doesn't necessarily match mine.

I remember watching a review of this particular Gibson. From the start, the reviewer showed his distaste for the guitar and played it in a public and noisy environment, which I would never do with an acoustic instrument. There's a reason why most guitar stores have a quiet room where acoustic instruments can be tested. Ambient noise can make it difficult to judge the acoustic tone, which is a complex blend of sound from different guitar parts and your technique.

The person didn't like the guitar, and that's okay, but it was clear that the guitar wasn't fairly tested. The negative opinions in agreement in the comment section were mainly from people who hadn't even personally seen or played the guitar.

I quit watching the person's reviews after that (there were other borderline reviews of his). There's a difference between being opinionated (which is okay) and being peevish or dismissive. 

Most online reviews are a single person's experience with a particular guitar. While it can't possibly be a definitive analysis of the entire line, it can be a valuable opinion from someone who has had an experience with the instrument. A reasonably careful evaluation is helpful even if you disagree with the conclusion.

If the person is opinionated, like I said, that's okay because someone with a passion for guitars will take the time to look at it (in most cases), and one can always take any bias into account when judging the content of the review. However, when a reviewer simply blows off an instrument, I consider it a waste of time to watch (or read) such a review. 

…good reviews…

It's just as important to be careful about the good reviews, too, because if those are featured on a commercial website, certain biases are always going to be there. For example, no matter how good an economy brand might be, most reviewers who work for a site will always add that it's a “beginner guitar” or similar classification that makes sure that you know it's not as good as a more expensive model.

That informal caste system is there because these sites depend on advertising from manufacturers. The reviews will be carefully worded to ensure that the advertiser's entry-level line is seen as a logical step toward the future purchase of professional-level instruments. A reviewer might note that a particular high-end model is expensive, but he or she will rarely tell people to go buy a cheaper model instead.

Another reason such reviews may not be useful is that reviewers often use language that doesn't tell you what the instrument is like. When one thinks about it, what does it really mean when someone says a guitar has "a vintage sound," "best for classic rock," or "is too quiet? " There are a lot of standard review phrases that really don't mean anything except maybe in a subjective sense.

Also, to assume that anyone or even a group of reviewers can tell you a lot about a particular product line isn't a given. In any scientific study, the researchers always want a sample size that is as large as possible. No one would ever approve a new medication based on a test on a dozen people; for such products, it can take years and tests on thousands of case subjects before anyone can conclude a new product. 

In terms of the entire product line of a guitar, it's already understood that some guitars within that line will be better than others due to construction and other factors, so it's not necessarily a good idea to base any purchase on any review or any group of reviews unless you actually can try out the instrument yourself. Or, at the least, buy it from an online site or brick-and-mortar store that has a good return policy.

That's why the recent spate of negative reviews on the new Fender Standard line, which most people haven’t seen yet, shouldn’t be taken seriously. Until a large enough group of people have real-world experience with the guitar, at least in a store or through online purchases, there's no way to know how good those guitars are.

…back to the G45…

But, getting back to the Gibson G45, I noticed that purchaser reviews were generally good. A lot of people who actually bought the guitar liked it, so the large number of reviewers who didn't like the guitar wasn't that relevant to me. 

If that group of users were mainly people who tried it out in the store and said they liked it, then that would have to be taken into account, but if people who buy it like it and want to keep the guitar, that does mean something.

One reason I looked into buying this particular model was that it was a stripped-down Walnut body version of the very popular J45 model (which uses mahogany). I should note that both have spruce tops. However, I wasn't interested in it at the new price of 1,000. In fact, I wasn't that interested in any new guitar, for that matter.

If that's what I wanted, I would have the money to buy an actual J45, but I wasn't looking for that "classic Gibson sound." I was looking for a more modern tone that would fit the instruments I've been recording with. Until I ran across the possible deal on the G45, I was looking at various used Taylors and Guilds.

Now, running across a used G45 at 600.00 was a different story. It was only a year old, and it was cheaper because the top had a repaired crack. That's a deal breaker for quite a few people, though in my case, after over 50 years of playing guitar, I don't personally treat any crack in the body of an acoustic guitar as that big a deal as long as it's been properly repaired and the price reflects it.

To make a long story short, I liked it better than the various other guitars I was looking at, so I purchased it.

…a closer look…

I held off writing a review of the instrument for a couple of months until I played it for a while. So far, it's been an excellent value, and I like the sound. I should add that the J45-size body makes it extremely comfortable to play.

One feature that was liked by many users but received mixed reviews online and in comment sections was the "Player Port" on the side of the guitar, which is intended to project more sound upwards towards the player.

The sound hole makes a lot of sense when one plays it in a room instead of watching it on a video. Most of your playing will be alone in a room, and having more mids and highs project upwards adds to the experience. One can always plug the hole up for recording if that makes a difference

I saw some comments that claim it reduces the amount of bass, but it really doesn't do that; it projects a more balanced sound that’s more like what's coming out of the front of the guitar. If a player has spent most of their time playing the guitar without a Player Port, they will hear what could be described as a deeper sound because you're not directly in front of the guitar. That can certainly give the impression that there's less Bass. 

The neck has what Gibson calls an "advanced response neck profile," which in technical terms means a soft V-neck that becomes a modern C profile by the 9th fret. It does have a slightly thicker feel in the first and second positions than some modern acoustics, but it feels easier to play as you move up the neck.

In terms of sound, it has a Gibson-like tone. The G45 has a sweet tone all the way up the neck but gets a bit quieter up there compared to a Martin or Taylor. That tonality isn’t apparent in videos because of the relatively poor sound quality in the recording and from the device, which is generally a phone or tablet.

…an honest guitar…

The G45 reminds me of a Fender Telecaster, an "honest" guitar. If you play it indifferently, it'll sound mediocre, and you'll hear every mistake. However, like a Tele, if you play it, it does certain things you usually wouldn't see from an old Gibson. 

In other words, you can get a lot of different tones, particularly when playing fingerstyle. You can make it sound like a Taylor or the kind of sharper tone you hear on many recordings these days, or you can get more of the old Gibson sound, which is very sweet and rich. The notes can be sharp or round or a little of both; it's a guitar that responds to touch and phrasing. That makes it an excellent guitar for recording.

This Gibson has a nice punchy sound when played with a pick, and players of all skill levels will find them excellent guitars for almost any genre of music. However, you might prefer a more traditional Gibson or Martin tone.

The best thing I can say about the G45 is you can make the tone as complex as you want, or you can back off, relax, and enjoy it as a leisure guitar. There are many beginner or intermediate guitars you can't say that about. Some sound quite pleasant, but they won't respond to intricate playing or give you a different sound.

One reason the tone is more versatile is that it has excellent balance across the strings. Many cheaper guitars tend to be bassier or booming because that appeals to many people who play chords or strum a lot, and that's frankly not a “bad” characteristic. It’s really just being optimized for a price range and potential.

For example, my Yamaha sounds great for relaxed playing, but the bass tends to overwhelm the mids and treble. The excellent balance of the G45 makes it a superb fingerstyle guitar, and if you flat-pick, all of your notes will come out as nice and clear as you want.

…mojo rising…

I do have to add that part of the enjoyment is mojo. In other words, I got it reasonably priced, so I can't necessarily say how I would feel about it if I paid $1,000. When you get up into that price range, even if it's considered an "economy" price for a Gibson (or other brands like Martin, Taylor, etc.), there are many excellent choices, and there were some Guilds in particular that I liked. That said, after playing the Gibson for a couple of months, I wouldn't sell it to get one of those Guilds. Also, given what I know about the guitar from experience, I would consider buying it new.

Honestly, even after a couple of months, I haven't noticed the exact specs and build quality other than looking up the data after purchase. I don't personally look at specs very closely when considering the purchase of a guitar except where they might affect the price. Those of you who've read many of my reviews will know that I assume that exact technical specs can be considered part of a thorough research on any guitar anyway.

I should note that my attention to technical detail is idiosyncratic.

…attention…

I pay attention to certain things, like whether the guitar has X or ladder bracing, etc. However, unlike some reviewers, I don't consider one or the other necessarily superior in terms of sound. Both have characteristics that make them ideal for different genres and guitar styles. X bracing is considered exceptional in terms of support, but if you're looking to get the old Blues sound, for example, you do have to consider getting a ladder-braced guitar (because that was the type with which most of the old classics were recorded).

I also can't help thinking that the mixed reviews from reviewers also helped drive the used price down, so perhaps the negative reviews ended up helping me.

In any case, my experience with the guitar just reinforces my feeling that online reviews are a helpful tool but hardly something on which I would base a decision. Your own instincts and how you feel about a guitar when you play it are always going to be more important.

It's always a good idea to review the reviewers when researching guitars online…

- Al Handa

  4/19/2025

G45 Specs:

Natural Finish

Sitka Spruce Top

Walnut Back and Sides

Scalloped X Bracing

Utile Neck Material

Richlite Fingerboard

Advanced Response Neck Profile

24.75" Scale Length

20 x Standard Fret

Tusq Nut Material

1.73" Nut Width

Richlite Bridge

Traditional Belly Up Bridge

Tusq Saddle Material

Tusq Bridge Pins

Mini Grover Rotomatic Tuners

G Series Padded Gig Bag

Review: 2024 Cozart Electric-Acoustic Single Cutaway Resonator

Cozart Electric-Acoustic Single Cutaway Resonator 6 string Guitar (Resonator-0917-U)

Resonator guitars with pickup(s) have always existed, though when researching on Google, it's not really clear when those first appeared. For the purposes of this particular review, it doesn't really matter anyway.

I believe in the '80s, or so, one of the things that came later was electric solid-body guitars with a resonator cone like the National Resophonic model, which became a cult item after famous musicians like Joe Perry (Aerosmith) started using one.

It isn't a complicated design. It is basically a solid-body electric that is routed out to hold a cone with some sort of a resophonic/acoustic scale neck. As you can see from the picture, the Cozart guitar is a single cutaway solid body with a resonator cone, a mini-humbucker at the neck, and a piezo in the bridge. It's similar in feel and weight to a Squier Sonic Telecaster (though the neck scale is shorter).

The guitar is technically a resonator due to the use of the cone and Biscuit Bridge. Still, its sound characteristics are noticeably different from those of a traditional hollow-body guitar. The classic resophonic design's original intent was to increase the volume so a guitar could play in ensembles or two filler rooms or tents before the advent of amplifiers and PA systems. This also gave the instrument a sound that was very different from a traditional acoustic guitar.

In the case of the Cozart, you'll get the resonant tone from the cone but not the volume, which does change the characteristics of the sound. The acoustic sound is about as loud as a semi-solid electric guitar.

This type of electric generally has volume and tone controls but also a "blend" knob. In this case, the tone from the front pickup, a mini-humbucker, and the piezo at the bridge, which will be a more accurate amplifier of the sound, are noticeably different in sound. The ability to blend the sounds of both pickups will give you a wide range of tonal possibilities.

If you only use the mini humbucker, roughly speaking, it will sound like a kinda-sorta semi-solid electric. The cone's acoustic characteristics are detectable at clean and lower volumes but pretty much disappear once the volume and gain increase. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as this particular mini-humbucker has a nice retro tone that sounds great at any volume.

As I said earlier, the piezo pickup will be more accurate in amplifying this instrument's acoustic sound. That type of pickup is common with traditional acoustic guitars.

The piezo on this particular guitar isn't as effective because to prevent the biscuit Bridge from buzzing in a drop tuning, you'll have to add shims, which, depending on how you do that, will cut the volume a bit. On the whole, the electrified acoustic sound on this guitar is pretty good, although not as obviously resophonic as a traditional design.

The hardware is pretty good. It stays in tune, and the neck feels like a traditional dobro or resophonic neck and is quite easy to play. As far as "fit and finish," it looks pretty good for a $279 guitar, but as a matter of disclosure, I don't personally pay really close attention to anything that doesn't affect playability or tone. I might if the guitar costs a couple thousand dollars or something.

Unless you intend to play slide on it, it's not really a good guitar for beginners. The action will be quite high if you want to also use it as a finger-style instrument. It's relatively easy to sand the bottom of the Biscuit Bridge to lower the action. However, a beginner might find it daunting to remove the cone cover to work with the Biscuit Bridge assembly, which doesn't have a perfect tolerance. This will almost certainly require shimming the biscuit Bridge to keep it from buzzing. You also have to bring the action down at the nut, and that's not something a novice should be messing with.

When I say that the sound doesn't have all the qualities of a traditional resonator, you do have to know what one sounds like and why. However, it's not easy to find sound examples of this guitar on YouTube, though demos of an earlier version of this model by Jay Turser can be found.

If you're looking for a dobro or traditional resophonic guitar with pickups, this may not be ideal. The classic resophonic sound requires a hollow body, which is almost certainly the sound that will be in your head when you're shopping for an electric version. 

If you buy this particular model without playing it first, you might find it disappointing or the sound much different than you had imagined. In many ways, you're actually buying a semi-solid electric guitar with some amplified acoustic capabilities.

I have owned National Resophonics, both vintage and modern, old Regals, Deans, and various Dobros in the past, so I was familiar with what a solid body type would sound like. In other words, I had a pretty good idea of what I was getting. However, if you do a lot of research on models that had pickups, you'll find that this guitar doesn't really sound like those.

By the same token, it doesn't sound like an ES or Dot semi-solid type. It'll be something between that and a traditional resonator, which might be perfect for someone looking for something different. 

There is no doubt about one thing: If you're looking for a guitar that can do Rockabilly, Blues, or Rock and roll, this is as good as any. The mini-humbucker on this guitar can do the job.

As far as mojo goes, it definitely has looks that kill, and as we all know, that always magically improves the sound.

- Al Handa 

  March 2, 2025

Cozart Electric-Acoustic Single Cutaway Resonator 6 string Guitar (Resonator-0917-U)

White Finish

Set-Neck Construction Basswood Body

Hard Maple Neck

Poplar Laminated Fingerboard

Abalone Inlay

Grover Style Tuning Machines

648mm/25.5"

21 Frets

Knobs: Volume, Balance, Tone

Mini Humbucker Pickup

Piezo Bridge Pickup

Chrome Hardware

Biscuit Style Bridge

Approx. 6.3 lbs

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Review: 2024 Harley Benton RB-600CS

Review: 2024 Harley Benton RB-600CS

I believe most guitar players have already seen this guitar on YouTube, either in reviews or infomercial-type videos. What caught my eye was that it was one of those rare guitars with Rickenbacker-type styling that hadn't been forced off the market by that company, which is well-known for defending its trademark and design.

The Harley Benton is one of two that I've seen; there is an even cheaper model by another company with the same Rickenbacker-type sunburst and pickguard and a similar headstock.

I hesitate to call this new wave of guitars in the 100-300 dollar bracket purely cheap; most are probably from Chinese companies left by the major guitar makers moving on to Indonesia or Vietnam. 

There was certainly a lot of attention on the inexpensive ones in the $100 range because a lot of guitar knowledge is actually word of mouth and not actual experience, but the generally rough fit and finish of those models are often seen as standard for even those guitars that are up in the  $300-400 range.

The 2024 Harley Benton RB-600CS is closer to the lower-line Gretsch or Squier entry-level guitar range. It is probably made by the same factory in some cases. 

One other feature common to the two Rickenbacker-influenced guitars, as they're not truly clones, is the use of mini-humbuckers, which resemble the pickups used on Rickenbacker. 

As I said earlier, that resemblance did attract my eye, and if that's all there was, I'd have just moved on because, in my entire life of GAS, I've never owned a Rickenbacker.

I've had close contact with one, as one of my guitar friends owned one for over a decade, and I heard it constantly during rehearsal. The main problem for me was that it had a particular sound I didn't use much, which could be duplicated by other guitars in my collection. I wasn't a big fan of the design, particularly the cutaway style.

If you were to remove the sunburst finish, then the primary resemblance would be the pickguard. There is some similarity with the pickups, but any close examination would see that they're not that similar. In fact, there's more of a similarity to a PRS SE or other guitar in that style than with the Traditional Rickenbacker.

I took a chance on the Harley Benton because I happened to be looking to add a few inexpensive guitars for some future recording projects. Due to my age and the condition of my hands, one requirement was a shorter-scale guitar that was light and, in terms of sound, one with mini-humbuckers.

In terms of sound, this isn't a guitar you should buy to get a Rickenbacker on the cheap. It sounds closer to some older Gibsons and Epiphones that had mini-humbuckers, though you can probably get some jangle with some fiddling with your amp.

What you do get, and this is based on my own experience with this particular guitar, and I certainly can't speak for the entire line in terms of quality, is a guitar that arrived without needing a major setup. The fit and finish were more than adequate, and the short scale and lightness make it an extremely easy and fun guitar to play. As far as an entry-level guitar, it's as good as any.

The stock pickups are pretty good, and I wouldn't recommend replacing them immediately until you've played the guitar for a month or two. You might decide to keep it in stock as the RB has a classic mini-humbucker sound, which could be described as being between a single coil and a humbucker. In terms of sound, one could say that it has a pleasant and clear, clean tone that a good player can dirty up without cranking up the amp. In other words, the mini-humbucker is a pickup that responds well to touch.

You can get a closer view of the actual sound in this day and age by going to YouTube and hearing one of the many demos. One of the things I always do when checking out demos on a particular model guitar on that site is to listen to both expert players and beginners. It gives me a better idea of what the guitar sounds like and what you can bring out through technique. You might find that the basic tone can be duplicated by a guitar that's already in your collection.

I would recommend the Harley Benton to beginners, intermediates, and those who want to add an extra guitar to their collection without spending a lot of money. I should note that there's also a 12-string version, though I have no personal experience with it.

The average price is in the $300+ range, which also includes taxes and shipping. You can take the remarks about guitars in this range as being too cheap to have any level of quality with a grain of salt because it's mainly in America and other Western countries that a $300 guitar can be considered beneath the level of an experienced musician (or cork sniffer).

You'll get a very decent level of quality with this guitar, easily as good as a Squier or a lower-line Epiphone. As I said earlier, I'm speaking from my own experience with this particular guitar. It arrived without needing anything more than a very slight adjustment of the neck and a partial lowering of the bridge. The frets were fine, and there was no buzzing when I dropped the action even lower.

The Harley Benton is a light, easy-to-play guitar that will be a fine first guitar or an additional one in any collection. Just remember: It may have some superficial resemblance to a Rickenbacker, but in terms of sound, that's not what you're going to get.

- Al Handa

  Jan 2025

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