The Gibson J-45 and Hummingbird are two of the most iconic acoustic guitars ever made. They’re both dreadnoughts but they look, sound and feel different.
In this article I’ll take you through all the differences between the Hummingbird and J-45 so you can decide which guitar is best for you.
Quick Comparison
The Gibson J-45 is a sloped-shoulder dreadnought whereas the Gibson Hummingbird is a square-shoulder dreadnought. The larger-shaped body of the Hummingbird means it is louder and has more bass-emphasis causing it to sound warmer and louder than the J-45 which sounds brighter.
Comparing Specifications
There are three main variations of the Gibson J-45 and Hummingbird:
- Standard
- Studio
- Original
Each version has some model-specific differences aside from just the body shape.
Standard Hummingbird and J-45
The Gibson Hummingbird Standard has a round neck profile and is over $1000 more expensive than the J-45 standard which has a Slim Taper Neck. Both guitars are available in Vintage Sunburst, however only the J-45 is also available in Cherry and with a left-handed version.
| Feature | J-45 Standard | Hummingbird Standard |
| Neck Profile | Slim Taper | Round |
| Binding | Multi-Ply Top, Single-Ply Back | 5-Ply Top, 3-Ply Back |
| Pickguard | Teardrop | 0.06” Hummingbird |
| Color | Cherry Vintage Sunburst | Vintage Sunburst |
| Left-Hand Available | Yes | No |
| Average Price | $2850 | $4000 |
Similarities:
- Sitka Spruce Top
- Mahogany Back and Sides
- Mahogany Neck
- Indian Rosewood Fretboard
- Traditional Hand-Scalloped X-Bracing
- 24.75″ Scale
- 12″ Fingerboard Radius
- 20 Standard-Size Frets
- TUSQ Nut and Saddle
- 1.73″ Nut Width
- Mother of Pearl Dot Inlays
- Compound Dovetail Neck Joint
- Nickel Hardware
- Grover Rotomatic Tuners
- Adjustable Truss Rod
- LR Baggs VTC Under-Saddle Pickup
- Soundhole Mounted Volume and Tone Control
- 0.012″ String-Gauge
- Hardshell Case Included
- Gloss Nitrocellulose Finish
Studio Hummingbird and J-45
There are two versions of the Studio Hummingbird and J-45: walnut and rosewood.
Both models are available in the same color options but have two cosmetic variations. The J-45 has dot inlays whereas the Hummingbird has Parallelogram inlays and the pickguard is more decorate on the Hummingbird as well. The J-45 Studio is approximately $100 cheaper than the Hummingbird Studio.
| Feature | J-45 Studio | Hummingbird Studio |
| Inlays | Mother of Pearl Dot | Mother of Pearl Parallelograms |
| Pickguard | Teardrop | Hummingbird |
| Average Price | $2250 | $2350 |
Similarities:
- Sitka Spruce Top
- Walnut or Rosewood Back and Sides
- Walnut or Rosewood Neck
- Walnut or Rosewood Fretboard
- Traditional Hand-Scalloped X-Bracing
- Advanced Response Neck Profile
- 24.75″ Scale
- 16″ Fingerboard Radius
- 20 Standard-Size Frets
- TUSQ Nut and Saddle
- 1.72″ Nut Width
- Multi-Ply Top, Single-Ply Back
- Compound Dovetail Neck Joint
- Nickel Hardware
- Grover Rotomatic Tuners
- Adjustable Truss Rod
- Active Under-saddle Piezo Pickup
- Soundhole Mounted Volume and Tone Control
- 0.012″ String-Gauge
- Hardshell Case Included
- Nitrocellulose Finish
- Color Options: Antique Natural, Walnut Burst, Rosewood Burst
- Left-Handed Version Available
Original Hummingbird and J-45
There are three versions to consider here:
- 50’s Original J-45
- ’60s Original J-45
- Hummingbird Original
The ’50s Original J-45 and Hummingbird Original have the same nut width, bone nut and saddle, pickup and controls but different inlays, finishes, binding, pickguards and tuning machines.
The ’60s Original J-45 differs from the Hummingbird Original in terms of nut-width, inlays, binding, finish, tuning machines and pickguards. The Hummingbird also has a pickup unlike the ’60s Original J-45.
The main differences between the Gibson ’60s Original J-45 and ’50s Original J-45 are the nut widths, saddle materials, pickguard designs and the fact that only the ’50s Original has a pickup.
| Feature | ‘50s J-45 Original | ‘60s J-45 Original | Hummingbird Original |
| Nut Width | 1.72” | 1.69” | 1.72” |
| Inlays | Mother of Pearl Dot | Mother of Pearl Dot | Mother of Pearl Parallelograms |
| Binding | Multi-Ply Top, Single-Ply Back | Multi-Ply Top, Single-Ply Back | Multi-Ply Top, Multi-Ply Back |
| Hardware Finish | Nickel | Nickel | Gold |
| Saddle Material | Bone | TUSQ | Bone |
| Tuning Machines | Grover Strap | Grover Strap | Gotoh Keystone |
| Pickguard | ‘50s Tortoise | ‘60s White | 0.06” Hummingbird |
| Under Saddle Pickup | LR Baggs VTC | None | LR Baggs VTC |
| Controls | Volume and Tone | None | Volume and Tone |
| Color | Ebony Vintage Sunburst | Ebony Wine Red | Antique Natural HeritageCherrySunburst |
| Average Price | $2800 | $2600 | $4000 |
Similarities:
- Sitka Spruce Top
- Mahogany Back and Sides
- Mahogany Neck
- Indian Rosewood Fretboard
- Round Neck Profile
- Traditional Hand-Scalloped X-Bracing
- 24.75″ Scale
- 12″ Fingerboard Radius
- 20 Standard-Size Frets
- Bone Nut
- Compound Dovetail Neck Joint
- 0.012″ String Gauge
- Hardshell Case
- Nitrocellulose Finish
- Left-Handed Version Available
Hummingbird vs J-45: Tone
The Gibson Hummingbird produces a louder and warmer sound with more bass-emphasis compared to the J-45. This is because the J-45 has a smaller body due to its sloped-shoulders which means it tends to sound a bit brighter and more crisp.
The body shape causes the tonal differences between these guitars since they use the same woods and bracing pattern.
There are some different versions which use rosewood and walnut instead of mahogany but when comparing the models made from the same wood, you can expect the Hummingbird to sound warmer and fuller.
Both guitars sound great and can be used for strumming and fingerpicking. There isn’t a “better” sounding guitar out of the two, it’s all personal preference.
Check out this YouTube video to hear the Hummingbird and J-45 tones being compared back-to-back.
Hummingbird vs J-45: Feel
In terms of body dimensions, the J-45 and Hummingbird are fairly similar in terms of lower-bout width and body depth, however the Hummingbird has a slightly wider upper-bout and larger overall size due to the square shoulders.
There isn’t a huge difference between the two, but if you have a smaller frame then you might feel a bit more comfortable with the J-45 compared to the Hummingbird. It’s also worth noting that the Humming bird is slightly heavier than the Gibson J-45.
Check out this table comparing body dimensions of the J-45 and Hummingbird.
| Dimension | Gibson J-45 | Gibson Hummingbird |
| Upper-Bout | 11.44” | 11.88” |
| Lower-Bout | 15.97” | 16.02″ |
| Body Depth | 4.90” | 4.88” |
| Weight | 4.2 lbs | 4.8 lbs |
In terms of the necks, it really depends which model variant you’re looking at (Standard, Studio or Original).
- The Standard versions have different neck shapes. The J-45 Standard has a “Slim Taper” neck whereas the Hummingbird Standard has a “Round” neck profile which feels fuller.
- The Studio versions have the same “Advanced Response” neck profiles.
- The Original versions all have a “Round” neck profile.
I recommend trying these guitars out in the store in order to get a good idea of which kind of neck profile is most suitable for you.
Hummingbird vs J-45: Appearance
Aside from the body shape which means the guitars look different, the Hummingbird also has a more bold and lavish appearance compared to the more under-stated looking J-45.
Although there are some styling differences between versions (Original, Standard and Studio), the Hummingbird tends to look a bit more extravagant due to the pickguard and Mother of Pearl Parallelogram inlays as opposed to dots in the J-45.
On most J-45 models the pickguard is fairly small and simple looking, whereas on the Hummingbird models it is much more decorative.
The other thing we need to consider here is the color options. Here’s a list of available colors for each version.
Standard Models:
- J-45 Standard: Cherry and Vintage Sunburst
- Hummingbird Standard: Vintage Sunburst
Studio Models:
- Both the J-45 and Hummingbird Studio models are available in the same color options: Antique Natural, Walnut Burst, Rosewood Burst
Original Models:
- J-45 ’50s Original: Ebony and Vintage Sunburst
- J-45 ’60s Original: Ebony and Wine Red
- Hummingbird Original: Antique Natural, Heritage Cherry Sunburst
Price Comparison
The Gibson Hummingbird is more expensive than the Gibson J-45 however the exact price difference depends on the version (Studio, Original or Standard). Here is a table comparing the average prices of each guitar at the time of writing.
| Version | J-45 | Hummingbird |
| Studio | $2250 | $2350 |
| Standard | $2850 | $4000 |
| Original | $2600-$2800 | $4000 |
If you want check the current prices, here are links to each model on Guitar Center:
Check out my in-depth comparison between the Gibson Hummingbird and Gibson Dove.