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sj-200 Elite custom

klip

By klip
in Gibson Acoustic

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klip

klip

Posted
Posted

Hi.

I new to gibson guitars, but have decided to finally buy one!

Can anyone tell med difference betwen the "normal" sj-200, and the sj-200 Elite custom? Cant find anywere on Gibsons homepage.

Best regards from Denmark.

Nikolaj Kofoed

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Posted
Posted
Hi.

I new to gibson guitars' date=' but have decided to finally buy one!

Can anyone tell med difference betwen the "normal" sj-200, and the sj-200 Elite custom? Cant find anywere on Gibsons homepage.

Best regards from Denmark.

Nikolaj Kofoed[/quote']

 

The SJ-200 Elite is -- assuming it's still available (since it is NOT listed on the indefatigable gibsondotcom website...) -- essentially an SJ-200 in fancier clothing.

 

Under the hood, it's the same guitar as a SJ-200 guitar -- bracing, scale length, body, etc.

 

The major differences are:

- ebony in place of rosewood for fingerboard and for bridge

- abalone for all inlays EXCEPT the 'Gibson' logo which is in Mother or Pearl

- different (unbordered) pickguard design, with abalone dots rather than the yellow flower dots used on the SJ-200

- Grover Imperial tuners

- ebony with abalone dot bridge pins

- abalone rosette

 

Other than that, the guitar is the same.

 

I have one, but ordered it Custom, so it does have different body woods, being koa under a red spruce top:

 

IMGP0714.jpg

 

From what I've seen, the J-200 Elites are made with no different grade of maple back and sides than the standard SJ-200 models.

 

If I were you, in Denmark, I guess I'd suggest you contact a US 5-star dealer to see about getting one of these guitars, as I have a feeling that they are rather rare over there.

 

Fred

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klip

klip

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Hi Fred.

Thanks for your reply, that helped me alot. I was affraid that it was some kind of copy of the sj-200, when i couldnt find any info on the gibson page. Ill contact one of the dealers you recommended.

Can anyone one give me advice on a amp. for that guitar?

Nikolaj Kofoed (Denmark)

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J-200 Koa

J-200 Koa

Posted
Posted
Hi.

I new to gibson guitars' date=' but have decided to finally buy one!

Can anyone tell med difference betwen the "normal" sj-200, and the sj-200 Elite custom? Cant find anywere on Gibsons homepage.

Best regards from Denmark.

Nikolaj Kofoed[/quote']

 

The Elite is an upgraded SJ-200....it is NOT Koa, unless you special order one. (Then it is REALLY expensive!) The fretboard and bridge are ebony, not madagascar rosewood. The inlays are upgraded to abalone in the fretboard, bridge, headstock and pickguard. Slightly nicer back and side wood. Custom Shop case. Imperial tuners. If it is a natural finish, it also has the black "stinger" on the back of the headstock. I have a natural version myself and it is nice!

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Hi Fred' date='

 

Would you be willing to re-post some of the info on the different woods, neck wood, etc. discussions that led to your custom's design?

 

I'm sure many folks would find it interesting!

 

Thx,

 

Dave in SLC[/quote']

 

Hey Dave.

 

I used to have a 1995 J-200 koa, one apparently made as part of (or perhaps leading up to?) a 'small run' of 36. Bought it brand new at Elderly Instruments in summer of 1995.

 

Pretty enough guitar, and sounded good, with a highly playable neck. I played out with that guitar for about 9-10 years or so. But I wanted a J-200 with a bit more 'body' and volume to the sound output. It had a little less volume than many of the maple-bodied J-200s I played (of which I own a nice 2001 model).

 

So I eventually sold it to a friend of mine, who is happy as can be with it.

 

But I had it in mind to think about a custom-ordered J-200 in koa again. Back in 2003, I visited another Gibsoniado in Houston, who had a lovely recent SJ-200 koa, which had gobs o' sound, a really big presence and volume -- very nice!!

 

That got me thinking again about ordering up a J-200 koa once more, but, by that time, the specs had changed somewhat from my 1995 model:

-- the "standard" J-200 in koa came with the maple neck (per the normal build sheet), which I distinctly do not like aesthetically next to the koa body

-- my '95 was essentially spec'd like the current (in 2003) J-200 Elite model, in that it had abalone in place of MoP, ebony in place of rosewood, Grover Imperial tuners, and an abalone rosette

 

See here, the '95:

IMGP0108.jpg

Back:

IMGP0111.jpg

 

So, I contacted Ren Ferguson to discuss a Custom Order, and we focused on a Custom J-200 Elite model.

 

I highlighted that I would prefer a three-piece mahogany-walnut-mahogany neck, as opposed to the maple-walnut-maple neck, and he concurred with that design -- provides mayybe a slightly mellower, warmer tone.

 

Other than that, I asked that Ren personally pick the woods, including a red spruce top, with light bracing.

 

He and Val Bolitho collaborated on its construction (Val did most of the building, as I understand from them), and the result was a very responsive and quite loud koa-bodied guitar.

 

I also asked for a three-colour sunburst that tends towards the red-brown end of the spectrum, as opposed to the straight vintage sunburst finish.

 

After some tweaking, the guitar is where I want it now:

 

IMGP0695.jpg

 

Hope that helps,

 

Fred

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Thanks' date=' Fred!

 

Hearing your thoughts on ordering this beauty has really helped me think about my own (future) custom..

 

Rgds,

 

Dave in SLC[/quote']

 

Dave,

 

Be sure to compare notes with others who have ordered custom guitars from Gibson. For example, Hoss has done the same sort of thing in getting his L-body guitar, and I'm guessing there are others here who have done this too.

 

If you've been or can visit at the plant sometime, speak to the folks who do the building, pick the woods, and so on, then the 'Custom Order project' can really come alive and be a memorable and meaningful process.

 

It enables you to get that something special that you have in mind, maybe based on something that you'd seen once, or just had as a concept in your mind, etc.

 

My latest one is a 'war-era' style SJ, with red spruce top, but with maple back and sides. I feel that the maple body on a well-built round shoulder guitar can provide a richness of tone that is unique from the rosewood and mahogany body versions of this guitar. And, there were some round shouldered war-era guitars built by Gibson, although from what I recall, they were mostly (if not all?) laminated maple backs. Quite rare, and while some really are fine-sounding guitars, not all were great.

 

Anyhow, that particular custom order is with quilted maple, rather than fiddleback/flamed maple.

 

So, "yes", it can be a fun and engaging process to do. But make sure to research your choices well. My single biggest piece of advice in a custom order: Get the red spruce top.

 

Fred

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