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SJ-200 In Da House!!!


BoSoxBiker

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Pics forth-coming tomorrow. She needs strings (end of November build) and some polishing up. Maybe just a teensy bit of set up, too. I'm switching to HD's. (Must remember fresh new battery for the 'Baggs while strings are off....)

 

OK, so I lucked into an incredible deal and now have me a brand spankin' new 2018 Gibson SJ-200 Standard. This was gonna be next year's big purchase, but luck and timing are what they are. If I had not read a thread here about the Bluegrass festival last week, this would have not happened.

 

A couple early observations.

#1: She loves to be ridden hard.

#2: The Hummingbird, SJ-200 and the 2015 Taylor 614 are three distinct beasts, each with their own favorable characteristics.

#3: My aging fingers and 25-1/2" scales do not get along. That said, this is very playable right out of the box.

#4: It sure is nice to own a new guitar that has not been bashed around, dinged, nicked or otherwise thunked around some retail store wall.

#5: The local Sam Ash Guitar Department Manager and his boss really hooked me up well. Waiting 5 days was well worth it.

 

Aaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!

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#4: It sure is nice to own a new guitar that has not been bashed around, dinged, nicked or otherwise thunked around some retail store wall.....

 

Major congrats on a holy grail guitar! I felt the same way about my 2018 Gibson Songwriter 12-string sold by Chicago Music Exchange - also a screaming great deal.

 

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Hey PatriotsBiker, glad I had a small part in helping relieve you of some of that excess cash! I'm thinking that maybe I should get to keep her one week out of each month? Just kidding, I feel guilty now about not having time to play mine. Enjoy.

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They're addictive if you get a good one.

One thing I've noticed is that humidity seems to kill the sound of maple more so than other tonewoods so take care of it. Could just be my imagination.

I've had four and currently have two. I think Slim has over 70 of them.

Enjoy it and get them pictures loaded.

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They're addictive if you get a good one.

One thing I've noticed is that humidity seems to kill the sound of maple more so than other tonewoods so take care of it. Could just be my imagination.

I've had four and currently have two. I think Slim has over 70 of them.

Enjoy it and get them pictures loaded.

This is what my limited experience tells me, too. I had a 6-week battle with my 614 this Summer. She's mostly back. Just needs some natural dry air time.

 

The SJ arrived via FedEx Rental Box truck on a mid-upper 80's day. The box was warm. Gave it some time. Opened. Guitar still warm. should have staged it better. Regardless, it does have some of the effects of humidity working against it. A little bit in the feel and some in the tone, almost like waiting for the top to age a bit. It's in humidity removal mode. It's not as bad as the one in the store I test drove last week.

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Hey PatriotsBiker, glad I had a small part in helping relieve you of some of that excess cash! I'm thinking that maybe I should get to keep her one week out of each month? Just kidding, I feel guilty now about not having time to play mine. Enjoy.

:lol:

So your Username - does that mean you have a 185? I had been looking at a pre-order 2019 model from MF, which is now in stock. 2019 J-185

The 24-3/4 sure did look appetizing and I like a baked-top. I think I was in a hold out for this one mode until I saw the price tag at GC on the 200.

 

And now that I've had the 200 in my knee and felt it's energy, it's not going anywhere. [love]

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Major congrats on a holy grail guitar! I felt the same way about my 2018 Gibson Songwriter 12-string sold by Chicago Music Exchange - also a screaming great deal.

Thanks!

 

I remember that thread. It was as pretty a set of NGD guitar pics as I'd seen. I trust it's still going well. [thumbup]

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Thanks, everyone, for the well wishes, congrats, attaboys and otherwise nice words. It still hasn't set in that I have an SJ-200.

 

A couple other notes so far. It's still suffering some shipping and maybe some warehouse heat/humidity effects, though obviously was somewhat climate controlled. I've got a few days of dehumidifying to do. She's holding back a little bit on the top end. I'll get some as it dries a bit and then some more with the coming dryer months in and out of the case/stand.

 

The low end and the very low-mids are simply wonderful. You hear about it, read about it and watch all the videos and you get a sense of it. However, it is nothing like having it in your own turf and playing it for yourself. The powerful warm burst of sound is indescribable. Until I played one, I had thought of this as a show-piece first type of instrument. I was wrong. This is serious mojo.

 

It's gonna be fun watching/hearing this one open up and learning how to make her sing.

 

Oh, and going from an SJ-200 to a Taylor 614 is almost disconcerting. The size difference, I mean, and that tonal center and where that tone is coming from in front of you. Such a massive difference just in the size/significance between the two. Wow! (and yes, I still love my 614)

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Guess I am going to have to change my screen name so as not to confuse people. I did own a J185 but sold it a couple of years ago. I custom ordered it from Harry's Guitars here in Raleigh in 2001 when they were still a Gibson dealer and you could custom order. I ordered one with Koa b/s and ebony fretboard and bridge. It was a thing of beauty and had a wonderful yet delicate sound. The later part, delicate sound is why I sold it. Finger picked that guitar sounded fantastic but alas I realized that I am just an old chord brasher and this guitar was not suited for that. I always gravitate to my J45's and AJ. I loved hearing others play this guitar but we never bonded. After holding onto it for 15 years I decided it was too nice to not be played. I have only played one maple J185 and liked it for the short amount of time I played it but wonder if it would no end up the same way for me.

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Congrats!

 

The Gibson that has been with us the longest now is a 1960 J-200. It was the first guitar I bought after selling off my 1958 Tele. If I recall I paid $3,250 for it with its original brown Lifton case. It was the most I had ever spent on a guitar.

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My NGD(2) bliss was interrupted by discovering which 3-pack of strings I was having issues with. Never seen anything like it. 3 guitars, 2 G's and a B or maybe all three were G's that broke and 2 Bs were stretchy. W/E. This one G broke while the B kept detuning. New set on now, though I did run out of HDs. The 12-53's feel better on this guitar, anyhow, and it's staying in tune already.

 

I found the playability sweetspot. That point right where it starts to play like butter. Backed it off about 1/32nd turn and put the truss rod cover back on for the pics tomorrow morning. It's a bit higher than the bird. The relief is about .007 and string height at 12th is 6.5/64 (13/132) and about 4/64ths on the high-E side.

 

Some might remember an Anthem issue on the first Hummingbird I had for a while. Well, the one in the SJ-200 is much better. I'm thinking bad install. Pairs up well with Myrtle, too, fwiw.

 

Guess I am going to have to change my screen name so as not to confuse people. I did own a J185 but sold it a couple of years ago. I custom ordered it from Harry's Guitars here in Raleigh in 2001 when they were still a Gibson dealer and you could custom order. I ordered one with Koa b/s and ebony fretboard and bridge. It was a thing of beauty and had a wonderful yet delicate sound. The later part, delicate sound is why I sold it. Finger picked that guitar sounded fantastic but alas I realized that I am just an old chord brasher and this guitar was not suited for that. I always gravitate to my J45's and AJ. I loved hearing others play this guitar but we never bonded. After holding onto it for 15 years I decided it was too nice to not be played. I have only played one maple J185 and liked it for the short amount of time I played it but wonder if it would no end up the same way for me.

I am a chord basher as well. Sounds like a sweet guitar, for sure, though.

 

I wish Harry;s was in the folder for new Gibson acoustics.

 

Congrats!

 

The Gibson that has been with us the longest now is a 1960 J-200. It was the first guitar I bought after selling off my 1958 Tele. If I recall I paid $3,250 for it with its original brown Lifton case. It was the most I had ever spent on a guitar.

Thanks! Man, $3,250 in 1960? That, my friend, is one expensive guitar. Now wonder you still have it. I bet it's beyond sweet, too. B)

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Man, $3,250 in 1960? That, my friend, is one expensive guitar. Now wonder you still have it. I bet it's beyond sweet, too. B)

 

No, 1960 was the year the guitar rolled out of Kalamazoo. They cost around $400 in 1960. The $3,250 was what I paid for it many years down the road. A 1960 would cost me more than double that these days.

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My NGD(2) bliss was interrupted by discovering which 3-pack of strings I was having issues with. Never seen anything like it. 3 guitars, 2 G's and a B or maybe all three were G's that broke and 2 Bs were stretchy. W/E. This one G broke while the B kept detuning. New set on now, though I did run out of HDs. The 12-53's feel better on this guitar, anyhow, and it's staying in tune already.

 

I found the playability sweetspot. That point right where it starts to play like butter. Backed it off about 1/32nd turn and put the truss rod cover back on for the pics tomorrow morning. It's a bit higher than the bird. The relief is about .007 and string height at 12th is 6.5/64 (13/132) and about 4/64ths on the high-E side.

 

Some might remember an Anthem issue on the first Hummingbird I had for a while. Well, the one in the SJ-200 is much better. I'm thinking bad install. Pairs up well with Myrtle, too, fwiw.

 

 

I am a chord basher as well. Sounds like a sweet guitar, for sure, though.

 

I wish Harry;s was in the folder for new Gibson acoustics.

 

 

Thanks! Man, $3,250 in 1960? That, my friend, is one expensive guitar. Now wonder you still have it. I bet it's beyond sweet, too. B)

 

Yep, I had a friend who paid $500. In 1972

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The SJ-200 has exceeded expectations. Heck, even exceeded anything I might have wished for. It plays so wonderfully and sounds even better. We are getting along great. And the whole it's going to just get better with age thing is mind-numbing.

 

Some long overdue pics.

 

Here She Is

IMG_8561_Edited.jpg

 

The Backside

IMG_8575_edited.jpg

 

The Big Three

IMG_8638_edited.jpg

 

Two Maples and a Hog

IMG_8657_edited.jpg

 

A Little Furniture Re-Use

IMG_8669_edited.jpg

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