Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

Gibson J-2000


TWilson

Recommended Posts

Has anyone seen' date=' played or even heard of this guitar? I'm not much for cutaways, but I think this is a fine looking instrument. The seller mentions absolutely nothing about the sound of the guitar. [/size']

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/1993-GIBSON-J-2000-CUSTOM-SHOP-ACOUSTIC-FLAT-TOP-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ250232732939QQihZ015QQcategoryZ33025QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Yes, I have both seen a few examples of them and have played them. I also own this one:

 

96GibsonJ-2000_collage.jpg

 

This a 1996 model, which was begun in 1994, then sat unfinished on a shelf in the Custom Shop till 1996, when it was finished.

 

The J-2000 was introduced in 1992, one of Ren Ferguson's brainchild(ren), along with the less ornate J-1000 and the mid-way ornate J-1500. The J-2000 is the most blinged-out of the three. All three are made with spruce top and rosewood back and sides, although the J-2000, being a Custom Shop guitar, can be and has also been built with maple back and sides, koa (one of my favourites) and other woods. Mine has very lovely Indian r/w b&s, and a red spruce top.

 

The other two (J-1000 and J-1500) only managed a few dozen examples, and were discontinued in 1993, I believe, while the J-2000 ran through for a good dozen years, having been officially discontinued in 2005 or so.

 

For fun, here's a side-x-side comparison of the J-2000 and the J-1500 (sunburst). You'll note that the J-1500 lacks the abalone top purfling, and sports a different inlay set (essentially, the 'Nick Lucas' inlays).

 

92GibsonJ-150096J-2000.jpg

 

Mine's a pretty loud guitar, carries itself quite well, and is quite purty too. At first I wasn't too crazy about the abalone festival on it, but I've really come to like it over the years.

 

Hope that helps,

Fred

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Terry,

 

Given that you have a recent J-45, and that you "gas for" an SJ-200, my advice would be that you consider the SJ-200 over the J-2000. It is likely to have a fuller, bigger sound, although it is absolutely true that everyone "hears" these guitars differently.

 

But I'd rather be stuck on Gilligan's Island with an SJ-200 than a J-2000, based on my experience. Again, I'd suggest a "recent" SJ-200, say, 2006 and later is "safer", more consistent/predictable, etc.

 

YMMV,

 

Fred

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the opinion, Fred. I value it since you have both instruments so are in a position to make a valid comparison. It also keeps me on the straight and narrow road on the way to and SJ-200!

(YMMV? OK, I'm dumb, what's that mean? lol I hope it doesn't mean "you make me vomit" )

Link to comment
Share on other sites

(YMMV? OK' date=' I'm dumb, what's that mean? lol I hope it doesn't mean "you make me vomit" )[/size']

 

Sorry about the shorthand -- it means "your mileage may vary"..... in reference of course to the tests for fuel economy of various vehicles in days gone by.

 

Now adapted to mean, "you may get different results or have different experiences than those that *I* get".

 

Fred

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

Hi! I have owned a J-2000 for about 12 years. I love it, but recently it developed a stress crack in the top between the cutaway and the soundhole. I wrote to Gibson explaining the situation and asking if they could repair it. I recieved the following reply.

 

Hi sorry we do not currently accept international repairs due to high customs charges and shipping issues. We can only ship to US address at this time. We are currently working on setting up international repair facilities. We recomend finding a good local luthier to assist in your repair needs. Thank you for your inquiry.

 

They could not know this but I am a luthier and this was my return letter.

 

Hi! Well, an answer like that from a company of your size and nature really isn't good enough. I am myself one of the worlds leading luthiers (you can check this on my web site or just on the net). Consiquently I am well aware of the problems that can occour with inexperienced restorers. Everyone to their own speciality - and your company should be providing that service. I asked for your help in this matter at least hoping that you could direct me to a high class restorer. But your answer is rather disturbing. As you must be aware the J-2000 is not just any guitar. "A good local luthier" is cirtainly not the answer. I have worked with high quality violins for more than 40 years and I am also an internationally recognised expert with several books and many articles to my name. Because of this I know exactly how few persons across the world I would trust with good violins and there are no "good local luthiers" amongst them. Finally I send instruments back and forth across the Atlantic almost weekly with values far in excess of the

J-2000 and I am aware of the poblems involved, but for a company of your standing this cannot be a serious argument. If it were then I and millions of enthusiasts like me outside the United States would never own a Gibson. Thank you for your time.

 

Any advice?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi! I have owned a J-2000 for about 12 years. I love it' date=' but recently it developed a stress crack in the top between the cutaway and the soundhole. I wrote to Gibson explaining the situation and asking if they could repair it. I recieved the following reply.

 

Hi sorry we do not currently accept international repairs due to high customs charges and shipping issues. We can only ship to US address at this time. We are currently working on setting up international repair facilities. We recomend [b']finding a good local luthier to assist in your repair needs.[/b] Thank you for your inquiry.

 

They could not know this but I am a luthier and this was my return letter.

 

Hi! Well, an answer like that from a company of your size and nature really isn't good enough. I am myself one of the worlds leading luthiers (you can check this on my web site or just on the net). Consiquently I am well aware of the problems that can occour with inexperienced restorers. Everyone to their own speciality - and your company should be providing that service. I asked for your help in this matter at least hoping that you could direct me to a high class restorer. But your answer is rather disturbing. As you must be aware the J-2000 is not just any guitar. "A good local luthier" is cirtainly not the answer. I have worked with high quality violins for more than 40 years and I am also an internationally recognised expert with several books and many articles to my name. Because of this I know exactly how few persons across the world I would trust with good violins and there are no "good local luthiers" amongst them. Finally I send instruments back and forth across the Atlantic almost weekly with values far in excess of the

J-2000 and I am aware of the poblems involved, but for a company of your standing this cannot be a serious argument. If it were then I and millions of enthusiasts like me outside the United States would never own a Gibson. Thank you for your time.

 

Any advice?

 

Sorry to hear about the crack in your J-2000 and your disappointment with Gibson's CS. Sounds like yours is about the same age as mine (see a few posts above), a '96.

 

To be fair, Gibson are really set up only to deal with US sales and repairs, as international sales and consequent warranty work is supposed to be handled by their international distributors.

 

Anyway..... based on all I have read and my own exchanges with him, I don't think you could do better than to call your countryman Willi Henkes who operates this shop in Tuebingen. Willi and his partner Rudy are eminently qualified -- again, according to my indirect experiences, but based on very favourable reviews of their abilities in repair and in building guitars.

 

That at least, would be my suggestion.

 

Regards,

Fred

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi! I have owned a J-2000 for about 12 years. I love it' date=' but recently it developed a stress crack in the top between the cutaway and the soundhole. I wrote to Gibson explaining the situation and asking if they could repair it. I recieved the following reply.

 

Hi sorry we do not currently accept international repairs due to high customs charges and shipping issues. We can only ship to US address at this time. We are currently working on setting up international repair facilities. We recomend [b']finding a good local luthier to assist in your repair needs.[/b] Thank you for your inquiry.

 

They could not know this but I am a luthier and this was my return letter.

 

Hi! Well, an answer like that from a company of your size and nature really isn't good enough. I am myself one of the worlds leading luthiers (you can check this on my web site or just on the net). Consiquently I am well aware of the problems that can occour with inexperienced restorers. Everyone to their own speciality - and your company should be providing that service. I asked for your help in this matter at least hoping that you could direct me to a high class restorer. But your answer is rather disturbing. As you must be aware the J-2000 is not just any guitar. "A good local luthier" is cirtainly not the answer. I have worked with high quality violins for more than 40 years and I am also an internationally recognised expert with several books and many articles to my name. Because of this I know exactly how few persons across the world I would trust with good violins and there are no "good local luthiers" amongst them. Finally I send instruments back and forth across the Atlantic almost weekly with values far in excess of the

J-2000 and I am aware of the poblems involved, but for a company of your standing this cannot be a serious argument. If it were then I and millions of enthusiasts like me outside the United States would never own a Gibson. Thank you for your time.

 

Any advice?

 

I'm not sure I can offer any advice here but this is a common issue.

 

The Gibson warranty is only effective in the USA and it's my understanding that it is only good for the original purchaser.

 

We all love Gibson's for all sorts of reasons but the fact is they are made of wood which is by its nature sometimes unpredictable.

 

Outside the USA any warranty will be the responsibility of the retailer. So we rely upon their fair play and at these times, their solvency. My view is that, for all intents and purposes, the warranty outside of the USA is weak and yours is good example.

 

I should add that I do have a problem with my SWD, the subject of a previous thead, and it is being attended to admirably by the vendor. I have no complaints with my own personal experience.

 

My point is that the US warranty is a completely different animal to the protection outside the US.

 

Compare the situation with a car. If I bought a Mustang for example (yeah right!) I'd expect a manufacturer's warranty. I wouldn't necessarily want to rely on the goodwill of the dealer.

 

NB. I'm assuming USA for these purposes does not include Her Majesty's Former Colony of Canada. I don't know how it works there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...