1953 Gibson J45 J 45 National 1155 custom gold

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Eddie Dean died in 1999 at the age of 91, but beginning in the 1930's he was a cowboy actor and country singer. In 1955 he had a hit called I Dreamed a Hillbilly Heaven, which was later recorded by Tex Ritter. This is one of his personal custom made guitars, suitably flashy for a country music star. The model is the National 1155, and this model was made between 1948 and 1961 with bodies supplied by Gibson (J45) and necks supplied by National. The standard issue 1155 was a sunburst top with mahogany back sides and neck, a plain face plate with a plastic National insignia, and dot inlays. This guitar boasts a natural top with metallic gold sides, back and neck, abalone and bone fingerboard inlays, abalone faceplate insignia and shield, gold plated tuners and a built in pickup system (not working) similar to the Gibson style with poles projecting through the fingerboard and coil hidden beneath within the body. If you look closely at the second photograph you can see the ghost image of the name in script, "Eddie Dean" w I imagine it was painted on a clear pickguard no longer in place. This is truely a flashy guitar with an interesting history. I seem to remember determining the year 1953 from the FON# stamped on the neck block (see photo), but it's been so long I can't remember if it was a Gibson # or a National #. Own the coolest J-body read more

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