slimt Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 Im aware of the sj200 and j200s. Im sittin on 70 of those from 1937 to 1960 and 1990 to 2012 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 I wonder what you mean by "Cowboy" Guitar I have three acoustics, and I find that fact it's a very versatile guitar and you can do anything you want to do with it. There's a lot to these guitars don't cut em short.. aint just fer cowboy chordin... I tend to agree with slimt here. We own a 1960 J-200 with the wide angle double X bracing (the second brace is above the soundhole), two ladder style tone bars and long bridge plate. The J-200 does seem to find its voice when strummed. They have plenty of low end and just a warm sound. But every J-200 I have ever played just sounds dead when you capo it. It needs to be able to ring out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 I would say at this point, the only thing "cowboy" about the SJ200 would be its roots. And that was as much marketing at the time "speakies" became popular and Westerns became the most popular theme. Singing Cowboys wanted guitars that were a little fancier - to go with their rhinestones and pearl handled 44s I suppose. Gibson, was in the right place at be right time and concerned that market. But there have been way too many successful players since then who have shown the "King of the Flat Tops" is good at more than just "cowboy cords". JCV in an earlier post described what I hear - the quick decay of the maple VS the overtones of the H'Bird. The former seems to make fast strumming more clear, or in a different style, with a slower strum - vocals to come through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWG4927 Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 Im aware of the sj200 and j200s. Im sittin on 70 of those from 1937 to 1960 and 1990 to 2012 . That sounds painful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 You mentioned bluegrass? You might want to be looking at a D18/28. Or a banner reissue Southern Jumbo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 Im aware of the sj200 and j200s. Im sittin on 70 of those from 1937 to 1960 and 1990 to 2012 . Whaaaaat? 70?!? That's quite a collection!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 Whaaaaat? 70?!? That's quite a collection!! thats just the j200s.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 This thread is getting pretty serious (not snarky serious, just serious), so here's my shot at a serious comment.... If I wanted versatility, I'd start auditioning every Southern Jumbo I could get my hands on - vintage, used, and new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 thats just the j200s.. My hat is entirely off to you!! That's an amazing stash. Would love to see some pics at some point 😍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 This thread is getting pretty serious (not snarky serious, just serious), so here's my shot at a serious comment.... If I wanted versatility, I'd start auditioning every Southern Jumbo I could get my hands on - vintage, used, and new. That's a great suggestion...I've always found Southern Jumbos and J45s the most versatile beasts of all, certainly would be a great choice for a "do all". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 That's a great suggestion...I've always found Southern Jumbos and J45s the most versatile beasts of all, certainly would be a great choice for a "do all". They don't call the J-45 "The Workhorse" for nuthin'. They are versatile, but there's a lot of difference between specific examples. I've got two slope J's--my 1948-'50 J-45, and a '43 Re-issue SJ (done for Fuller's Vintage). They are clearly close relatives, but quite different from each other, sort of like fraternal twins rather than identical twins. Not necessarily the best at any particular style (although for "Americana" there is probably no better or more versatile guitar), but very good to excellent at almost anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 They don't call the J-45 "The Workhorse" for nuthin'. They are versatile, but there's a lot of difference between specific examples. I've got two slope J's--my 1948-'50 J-45, and a '43 Re-issue SJ (done for Fuller's Vintage). They are clearly close relatives, but quite different from each other, sort of like fraternal twins rather than identical twins. Not necessarily the best at any particular style (although for "Americana" there is probably no better or more versatile guitar), but very good to excellent at almost anything. Yep! That's what I had in mind with the 'audition' notion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
generaldreedle Posted September 30, 2017 Author Share Posted September 30, 2017 Here's my problem, I'm sure none of you have had this problem before (😂😂😂😂😂😂),. My j45 custom and Martin HD 28 sound very similar to me, although both are fantastic, I want something that sounds different, and because the local GC is trying to unload these both the hummingbird and vintage j200 are a grand below the usual price (the real usual price, not the inflated list price), so I have a nice opportunity. Finally, the j200 really speaks to me as people often say around here in a way the hummingbird didn't, as nice as it was. It may be just a question of which guitar gets traded in for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 Here's my problem, I'm sure none of you have had this problem before (😂😂😂😂😂😂),. My j45 custom and Martin HD 28 sound very similar to me, although both are fantastic, I want something that sounds different, and because the local GC is trying to unload these both the hummingbird and vintage j200 are a grand below the usual price (the real usual price, not the inflated list price), so I have a nice opportunity. Finally, the j200 really speaks to me as people often say around here in a way the hummingbird didn't, as nice as it was. It may be just a question of which guitar gets traded in for it. I'm assuming the models are standard and the HB is mahogany and the J200 is maple. I'm guessing your J45 Custom is RW? Probably why it's similar to the HD28. It's all about preference and what you're using it for. My preference between the two models would be the J200. I've had both of them. I do not miss the HB but question myself about moving the J200 Std. J-45's are versatile. I've moved a few of them along but still have 4 of the models. Have fun deciding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
generaldreedle Posted September 30, 2017 Author Share Posted September 30, 2017 I'm assuming the models are standard and the HB is mahogany and the J200 is maple. I'm guessing your J45 Custom is RW? Probably why it's similar to the HD28. It's all about preference and what you're using it for. My preference between the two models would be the J200. I've had both of them. I do not miss the HB but question myself about moving the J200 Std. J-45's are versatile. I've moved a few of them along but still have 4 of the models. Have fun deciding. The j200 is a "vintage" so it has bone saddle and nut and red source spruce top, but is maple and the HB is mahogany, and you're right, the j45 custom is rosewood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 It's all about preference and what you're using it for. My preference between the two models would be the J200. I've had both of them. I do not miss the HB but question myself about moving the J200 Std. My J-200 was the one Gibson I figured I could live without. It may be the grand piano of acoustic guitars but I guess I am just more of a barrel house kinda guy. Many years ago I was planning to sell or trade it off until my wife fouled me up and claimed the guitar as her own. She just might dump me if I sold that guitar out from under her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 General- you’d mentioned you’d be trading either the J-45R or HD-28 to get the SJ-200. You also mention that you’ve been working on your bluegrass picking, which would be familiar ground for the Martin. If you lose the J-45, you’d have two long scale guitars. If you trade in the M get the ‘200, you’d lose the guitar that has a natural affinity to bluegrass. As Sean Watkins demonstrates, the J-45 has no problems with bluegrass; it's J-45-flavored BG however, but you also get it's versatility in the strum-based material, as well. Super Jumbos are rarely spotted doing bluegrass. If you trade in either guitar to GC, prepare to get beat up to the tune of 40->55% of going market price of your J-45 or ’28. Decisions, decisions. . . good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 .....If you trade in either guitar to GC, prepare to get beat up to the tune of 40->55% of going market price of your J-45 or ’28. Decisions, decisions. . . good luck. I traded a few to GC but they were guitars I would not sell to a friend because of issues that GC does not seem to notice. I also only traded when the trade gave you an additional 15% off your new purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 I traded a few to GC but they were guitars I would not sell to a friend because of issues that GC does not seem to notice. I also only traded when the trade gave you an additional 15% off your new purchase. Good move, that. It also sounds like OP General D is getting a good enough deal on either of the two guitars that the bottom line should still work out well for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 My J-200 was the one Gibson I figured I could live without. It may be the grand piano of acoustic guitars but I guess I am just more of a barrel house kinda guy. Many years ago I was planning to sell or trade it off until my wife fouled me up and claimed the guitar as her own. She just might dump me if I sold that guitar out from under her. It's so interesting how we players differ isn't it, ZW? The J200 is the one guitar that I've never really been able to live without. I spent three years from 2013 to 2016 without one, and listlessly bounced from AJs to J45s to Martins, but was never satisfied. The only guitar I have that is close to doing "that J200 thing" is my Dove, which of course is basically the same guitar but in Dread format. I love my Bird, '41 RI SJ100, '67 J45 etc, but a J/SJ200 is just home for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 Whaaaaat? 70?!? That's quite a collection!! Yeah. That is impressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 Im aware of the sj200 and j200s. Im sittin on 70 of those from 1937 to 1960 and 1990 to 2012 . Yes. I would say you would be expert on the matter. Apologies if my reply caused any bad feelings. I do a lot of different types of playing. I use the j200 for all of them. Love these guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 There ain’t no way a fella has 70 j200’s That’s just insanity My head has melted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 SEVENTY SJ200s - and I assume quite a few other makes and models. I'm guessing the music room is larger than my house, with a room over the garage for a full time luthier/string changer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 Yes. I would say you would be expert on the matter. Apologies if my reply caused any bad feelings. I do a lot of different types of playing. I use the j200 for all of them. Love these guitars. Im not no expert.. Im just a admirer of Gibson and Martin, and Franklin acoustics.. I have been since 40 plus years ago.. I love the deep Tones of a SJ200 Rosewoods.. it makes me feel warm inside.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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