The Hunt Begins

[MissouriPicker]

Like many of you in this forum, I need another guitar like I need another hole in my head.  But, we all know that's there's always room for one more.  For several months I've spent a lot of time dwelling over AJs.  Then, over the last couple months I've spent a lot of my "thinking" time looking at videos and reading about J200's.  I think I've settled on looking for a J200.  I just love the big Gibsons.  Nothing small about an AJ, but the super jumbos are the biggest of the big.  My J100 is so damn easy-to-play.   I think a J200 is what I'm going to be looking for in the not-too-distant future.  Might be a Standard, maybe a TV.  So long as it's Maple and it calls my name, it'll work...........Anyway, been watching a lot videos of folks playing J200s.  Here's something easy-on-the-eyes and the ears.  Ain't that a sweet guitar?    

 

[fortyearspickn]

I read somewhere that Emmylou once said that she thought the most beautiful sound in the world was a Gibson SJ200 barred on the 5th fret for an A chord. 

[Joe M]

I had one a few years ago and foolishly sold it. I wasn't really looking for another but one popped up on my local CL. Seller was about 2 miles from my house. Pretty reasonable price, not great, but pretty good. The only hesitation I had was that it was a 1997 model and I wasn't really excited about a more than 20 year old guitar even though the seller described it as near mint. Since he was so close, went to check it out. Near mint was wrong, except for a very, very small wearing of the pickguard, it looked brand new. He tried to tell me there was some finish checking near the strap pin on the front of the guitar. Even when he pointed it out, I sure couldn't see it. First strum was all it took. Didn't even try to negotiate the price. It's now mine. In fact, here's a link to my NGD......tried to upload pics but I keep getting a message saying they're too big; don't know how to make them any smaller.

 

[Dave F]

I've had two standard maple J200's. The first was a dud and the second was stellar. I wish I had kept the 2nd one.  A couple years ago I thinned the herd and sold off  most of my standard currently in production models figuring if I ever regretted it bad enough I could always get another one. I currently have a J200 RW and a J200 Koa. 

[Jinder]

I've played SJ200s for a very long time. Everyone who appreciates fine guitars deserves the chance to try one, they're not everyone's cup of tea but I adore them. My 2015 Standard is exceptional, a great guitar for songwriting, recording, performance, everything. It's bright but with a huge bottom end and subtle, complex mids. In front of my SE Gemini II valve condenser it goes down to tape better than 99.9% of other guitars I've ever recorded with. 

I have an SJ100 too, a '41 reissue. Great guitar but entirely unlike a Maple SJ200. My 100 is Mahogany and sounds like a giant J45 (in a very good way!), Whereas the SJ200 has more of everything bar the lower mids.

[blindboygrunt]

25 minutes ago, Jinder said:

I've played SJ200s for a very long time. Everyone who appreciates fine guitars deserves the chance to try one, they're not everyone's cup of tea but I adore them. My 2015 Standard is exceptional, a great guitar for songwriting, recording, performance, everything. It's bright but with a huge bottom end and subtle, complex mids. In front of my SE Gemini II valve condenser it goes down to tape better than 99.9% of other guitars I've ever recorded with. 

I have an SJ100 too, a '41 reissue. Great guitar but entirely unlike a Maple SJ200. My 100 is Mahogany and sounds like a giant J45 (in a very good way!), Whereas the SJ200 has more of everything bar the lower mids.

Sorry MP , a wee sideline for a second,  jinder,  do you record guitar and vocals separate or sit and play live for the acoustic records?

[Murph]

I love 'em.

If I was, or ever get, in the market or the itch for a new guitar, it'll be a J200.

Best of luck Larry. Keep us posted.

[BoSoxBiker]

Best of luck with your search!  You hunting down vintages or newer models?

I agree with Jinder and anyone who touts it's ease to record. It seems especially nice to me when using a matched-mics pair. Very manageable in a small, not so well treated room(yet) . 

[62burst]

 Jinder’s observation on his mahogany J-100  being like a plus-sized J-45 was what I was expecting, but the larger body and long scale length lost the punch and mid-happy dry sweetness of the J-45 for me. 

Back to the big ‘200:  yes, in general, maple does make for a great recording guitar. I believe Billroy was asking about some of the characteristics of maple guitars  recently, and that would be one of the areas where a maple guitar does shine .

[zombywoof]

We all know need has nothing to do with it.  My take on the SJ/J-200 is there are no middle of the road opinions.  You either love the things or can leave them.   When I first met my wife, all  I heard was how much she wanted a Taylor.  Now 20 years down the road it is Bob who.    Our 1960 J-200 remains the only six string acoustic she owns.   me,. I would have traded if off years ago.  To do so now though would result in some severe marital repercussions.

Edited June 24, 2019 by zombywoof

[PrairieSchooner]

I started with Gibson guitars - a J-45, then a J-50, then a Heritage Custom.  I always though the Gibson J-200 is the best looking guitar ever made, and I wanted one for years.  But deep into the Great Bluegrass Scare of the 70's (to paraphrase Martin Mull) I traded that Heritage for an HD-28.  The Martin has been a great guitar but I never got over the J-200.  A few years ago I lamented that fact to The World's Greatest Wife (mine) and she said, "Well, why don't you buy one?"  So I did - a near mint Ren Ferguson-era guitar.  Doesn't show too well here what with the new photo format, but like the Reese's ads say - Not Sorry!

[kidblast]

<---- look there...  (avatar)  I waited a long time but,  3 years ago,  I bought that one.

 more dough than I ever thought I'd drop on an axe, but I've never looked back..   you won't regret it Larry.

[kelly campbell]

That 200 is a great guitar MP.  Best of luck in your hunt. 

[TheLeadFlatpick]

I’ve got 3 more production model Gibson acoustics Id like to buy myself, a hummer, an AJ, and the J-200. After I get those 3 Ill (probably be broke for a while) move on to getting my favorite Martins, unless of course I have the Gibson bug so bad I wont want any more Martins😉 Good luck on your search for a good J-200, Ive never played one but being maple and a Gibson, and if it sounds anything like my Dove, it may be the next one on my list, too!

[Jinder]

8 hours ago, blindboygrunt said:

Sorry MP , a wee sideline for a second,  jinder,  do you record guitar and vocals separate or sit and play live for the acoustic records?

I've done it all sorts of ways...most of the time I've recorded live, but on my new record it's very layered and we needed separation so the guitar and vocals separately. Generally though, wherever possible I'll go for a performance rather than tracking it up.

Much of the new album is my SJ200 or Maple AJ with the SE Gemini at the 12th fret, my C1000S as a distance/body mic and the Sunrise DI'd so we can get a nice multi-source blend. The Gemini does the bulk of the work, with the C1000S low in the mix offering some boom and warmth and the Sunrise giving some midrange chunk when required. Lovely tone.

[Hall]

I have an SJ-200 and a J-150 both maple, and both permanent members of the troupe and the household.

[bobouz]

I've owned a '96 mahogany J-100xtra, a '00 maple J-100xtra, and a '01 maple J-150.  The '00 maple is the one that's still with me.  That booming bass is something everyone should be able to turn to from time to time.

But for my playing style & short-scale satisfaction, nothing quite matches the home team favorite 2012 maple J-185.