Emmylou Harris New L-200 reviews and specs?

[CHRISRE]

I m' interesting for this pretty guitar but i can't find one to play in my country.

Can anyone descript the sound of this guitar?

In Gibson site they dont write if its short or long scale?

Is it enough bass for small body maple guitar?

Can be suit for man voice accompaniment?

Is it better for strumming or fingerstyle?

 

Thanks.

[Space Pup]

Chrisre,

 

I've played a couple of L-200s and they are very nice all round guitars. The body size and style is kind of like a shrunk down J-200. It is a long scale (25-1/2") and has a very rich tone, fairly close to a J-200 but with a little less bass. It does however have more bass and a better balanced tone than the C-165 Maple.

 

I mainly flat pick but I think it does equaly well for strumming and finger picking.

 

Like all guitars, the accompaniment value of the guitar depends on your own voice. So I can't help much there but the ones I played seemed fine for me.

 

I hope this helps.

[CHRISRE]

Thanks Space pup for you reply.i suprise that is long scale!i thought that is short scale like cj-165.

Maybe this is one of the reasons for more bass and a better balanced tone than the C-165 Maple.

i suppose that you mean the newest version model after 2007?

Only you have this guitar in this forum?why they dont reply and others?

[Space Pup]

I do not own a L-200 but have played a couple and several CJ-165's with both Maple and Rosewood bodies, but I do own a J-200.

 

I believe you are correct in the smaller scale chaging the sound but also that the CJ-165 has a much smaller body than the J-220 or the L-200. I have no idea why Gibson classifies the L-200 as a small body guitar, the body of the L-200 is only slightly smaller then a J-200.

 

I'm not sure if anyone on the forum has one or not. I have not seen many L-200s in shops.

 

If you are looking for a Maple body guitar with a fuller tone, I would recomend the L-200, Dove, J-200 Studio, or the J-200 Standard over the CJ-165.

[bkharmony]

I grabbed one very briefly at the guitar show this weekend, and I would swear it was the same size as a CJ-165.

 

Not saying it is, just that it felt the same.

[J185-4Me]

I grabbed one very briefly at the guitar show this weekend' date=' and I would swear it was the same size as a CJ-165.

 

Not saying it is, just that it felt the same.[/quote']

 

I am pretty sure that the 'new' L-200 shares the body shape (and probably depth too?) with the J-165/CJ-165.

 

L-200:

 

J-165 (cutaway version):

 

 

FWIW, the original L-200 had a slightly different shape:

 

 

That version was phased out maybe 3 years or so ago; I actually preferred it over the new one.

 

Fred

[Space Pup]

If my memory serves correctly the size differences are as follows.

 

The J-200 has a 25 1/2" scale with a 17" lower bout.

 

The L-200 has a 25 1/2" sclae with a 15" lower bout

 

The CJ-165 has a 24 3/4"scale with a 14" lower bout.

 

These measurements were from a comparason when the CJ-165 was first introduced.

 

Maybe its the combination of the smaller scale and lower bout that makes the CJ-165 feel so much smaller to me. In 2007 Gibson redesigned the body on the L-200 to give it a shape like the J-200. I'm not sure if that changed the size of the body too.

[Hummingbird2000]

I am pretty sure that the 'new' L-200 shares the body shape (and probably depth too?) with the J-165/CJ-165.

 

That version was phased out maybe 3 years or so ago; I actually preferred it over the new one.

 

Fred

 

 

Fred,

 

I'm curious about your preference for the older L-200 body style vs the newer one. Did the older body style sound better, or was it a difference in feel?

 

Thanks,

 

Scott

[J185-4Me]

Fred' date='

 

I'm curious about your preference for the older L-200 body style vs the newer one. Did the older body style sound better, or was it a difference in feel?

 

Thanks,

 

Scott

 

[/quote']

 

 

Sounds better (to me).

 

We liked it so much, that we ordered the 'old style' Emmylou body for my wife's custom shop version:

 

 

 

Fred

[Jack6849]

How does this guitar compare in size to a J-200 Jr. ?

 

Jack6849

[J185-4Me]

How does this guitar compare in size to a J-200 Jr. ?

 

Jack6849

 

J200Jr is about an inch bigger across the lower bout, 16" fertility goddess shape.

 

Fred

[Jack6849]

Thanks Fred,

 

I haven't heard the "fertility goddess" reference, but I think I get your implication. So does having the 16" lower bout mean that the J-200 Jr. would probably be a little larger, louder, and bassier than the L-200? Do you know how the upper bouts (and body thicknesses) compare in size for the J-200, the J-200 Jr. and the L-200? Thanks for being so helpful.

 

Thanks, too, to others who posted comparison dimensions. I know Fred has a J-200 Jr. How would you say its overall sound matches up to these other Gibson models, Fred? That 3-piece back with the blue quilted Maple is strikingly beautiful, and as observed, very unusual.

 

Thanks again,

Jack6849

[jgwoods]

Don't forget the J-185- 16" lower bout, same voluptuous figure as the J-200. Maple body with a mahogany neck which gives it a slightly different sound.

[Jack6849]

Right on, jgwoods.

 

Just how does the J-185 compare in size and tone to these other models? In the photos, it appears that the waist of the L-200 is slightly less "pinched-in" than the J-200 Jr. but that could be an illusion caused by the difference in lower-bout sizes. Is the waist measurement a known statistic on these models?

 

Jack6849

[jgwoods]

Right on' date=' jgwoods.

 

Just how does the J-185 compare in size and tone to these other models? In the photos, it appears that the waist of the L-200 is slightly less "pinched-in" than the J-200 Jr. but that could be an illusion caused by the difference in lower-bout sizes. Is the waist measurement a known statistic on these models?

 

Jack6849[/quote']

 

I can tell you my J-185 measurements:)

16" lower bout

9" waist

11.5" upper bout.

24 3/4" scale

body depth at lower bout 4 and 3/4"

body depth at upper bout 4"

[Jack6849]

jgwoods,

 

Thank you for the stats. I'm starting a comparison chart.

 

Jack6849

[J185-4Me]

Right on' date=' jgwoods.

 

Just how does the J-185 compare in size and tone to these other models? In the photos, it appears that the waist of the L-200 is slightly less "pinched-in" than the J-200 Jr. but that could be an illusion caused by the difference in lower-bout sizes. Is the waist measurement a known statistic on these models?

 

Jack6849[/quote']

 

Jack,

 

The J-185 and J-200Jr share body dimensions in plan -- section might be a bit different, as I am not certain that body depths were always consistent for the two models. (I can check mine later, tonight.)

 

Those two guitars sound more similar to each other than either do to the L-200. They have a more open sound.

Technically, the J200Jr has more power -- not entirely surprising, considering its longer scale. Mine has a red spruce scalloped bracing top, and was personally blessed by Ren Ferguson during a midnight ceremony, during which people drank a special elixir and howled at ... ----- NO! Wait a minute -- that was just a DREAM!! Sorry. There WAS no elixir!

 

Anyway, these guitars sort of occupy different tonal rooms, if I can put it that way. They certainly don't sound like each other, but you can tell that they are from the same family, they "share tonal DNA".

 

I have to go sit down now.

 

Fred

[Jack6849]

Hey Fred,

 

I didn't really understand this first sentence referring to plan and section.....

 

"The J-185 and J-200Jr share body dimensions in plan -- section might be a bit different, as I am not certain that body depths were always consistent for the two models."

 

Are their shapes identical, or just similar? Enquiring minds want to know. I thought Elixir just referred to a brand of strings.

 

Jack6849

[J185-4Me]

Hey Fred' date='

 

I didn't really understand this first sentence referring to plan and section.....

 

 

 

Are their shapes identical, or just similar? Enquiring minds want to know. I thought Elixir just referred to a brand of strings.

 

Jack6849

 

Sorry -- "plan" and "section" are terms to describe how to illustrate things from above and in cross section; I guess I should have turned off the geologist!

 

Their shapes are identical, but I cannot attest that the depth is consistent for all examples of those two guitars.

 

"Elixir" can be a LOT of different things. (I think I'll go have some right now....)

 

Fred

[Jack6849]

Fred,

 

Thanks for the clarification of terminology. Geology references, eh? Well, learning is an activity in which I am always happy to engage, and I've done a lot of it since joining these Gibson Forum discussions.

 

If you do get around to doing some section measurements on those different Gibson acoustic models, let us know. I would be interested to learn how the J-200, J-200 Jr., L-200, and J-185 all compare on that front. Thanks.

 

Jack6849

Enjoy your Elixir in whatever form you choose

[TommyK]

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to play an ELH 200.

 

It was a down-sized SJ200, to fit her down-sized frame.

 

Sounded every bit as loud as my FT145SB.

 

eh?

[2blue]

OK all you gurus. This is my first post and I have a couple of questions about the L-200.

 

Gibsons website specs the scale at 24-3/4". Has the scale changed or is this a mistake on the website?

 

For those that have had the opportunity to play, can you describe the neck size and profile?

 

Thanks

[Hogeye]

OK all you gurus. This is my first post and I have a couple of questions about the L-200.

 

Gibsons website specs the scale at 24-3/4". Has the scale changed or is this a mistake on the website?

 

For those that have had the opportunity to play, can you describe the neck size and profile?

 

Thanks

You are correct. The L-200 spec calls for a two piece AAA maple SHORT scale neck.The neck profile is a round "D". The neck has a Marado or walnut stringer. The heel is capped and it is round.The fretboard is Rosewood and it is bound. The side dots are tortoise and the inlay is MOP graduated crowns. The fret nut is bone. It is the exact same size and shape as the J-165. They share the same body mold.

[Jerry K]

Did the Emmy Lou model ever have long scale? I thought it did. Perhaps I'm confusing it with J-200 Junior?

[J-1854Me]

Did the Emmy Lou model ever have long scale? I thought it did. Perhaps I'm confusing it with J-200 Junior?

 

Don't know if it was long scale in its initial body shape, Jerry -- the L-200 EmmyLou did have a less rounded shape when it was initially produced, and then they went and changed it to match the J-165 body outline.

 

I've always liked the earlier version better than the later one, for tone/sound, so when I ordered up a Custom guitar for my wife (her 20 years of teaching music coincided with Gibson's first 20 years of building in Bozeman), I specified the "older" L-200 body.

 

 

 

This one was built largely by Val Bolitho in the Custom Shop.

Fred