Actually Kat,

If you were to line up a whole buncha Gibsons (especially J45s) from that era, you'd find, without a doubt, that the tops have severe pickwear ABOVE the pickguard.

It was the fashion of the day to play up there. It was about tone and it was about swing style chords being strummed.

I'd bet if Rick chimed in here he'd back me up ('cause he likes the gibbys and epis from that era).