Jinder Posted May 26, 2020 Share Posted May 26, 2020 It's an interesting comparison. My old 2003 SJ200 Historic Collection was lovely, but not a cannon volume wise. My current 2015 SJ200 Standard sounds similar but is nearly twice as loud! A really, really loud guitar...second only to my Maple AJ in SPL. My '95 Dove, on the other hand, is around the same volume level as my old SJ200. Not quiet, but reserved. However, it records better than any guitar I've ever owned. It's SO good under a mic and is on almost every track on the album I'm currently finishing. It is so warm and glossy sounding, barely any ITB EQ required with a SDC in front of it. They're all different beasts. Sometimes the shy ones are the ones you end up marrying. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted May 26, 2020 Share Posted May 26, 2020 In reply to the OPs comments I too purchased an SJ200 six months ago. It has the maple body with spruce top and maple neck. I agree with Trem Arm that for such a large (super jumbo after all) body is it very quite in volume. The tone is warm and wonderful and not big on the high frequencies as sometimes maple can be. The low end tones are what I consider very full and deep for a maple body. Overall I love the tone of the guitar and it blends well with my vocals. Sitting in my music room at home I am happy to just play it unplugged, but any type of performance requires that I plug it into an acoustic amp to get it loud enough to be heard even in a small venue. Fortunately the LR Baggs Anthem that came in it does a nice job of accurately recreating the tones, and with the phase switch and the way you can blend under saddle and internal microphone feedback is not a problem. And by the way Trem, I would recommend medium gauge strings which will move the top a little more and increase volume some. I think the bracing in the SJ-200 is just stiffer than many louder guitars. Heavy bracing (in my experience) allows for good sustain and rich tone, whereas lighter bracing allows for more top movement, pumping more air and increasing volume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tremolo arm Posted May 27, 2020 Author Share Posted May 27, 2020 7 hours ago, Twang Gang said: In reply to the OPs comments I too purchased an SJ200 six months ago. It has the maple body with spruce top and maple neck. I agree with Trem Arm that for such a large (super jumbo after all) body is it very quite in volume. The tone is warm and wonderful and not big on the high frequencies as sometimes maple can be. The low end tones are what I consider very full and deep for a maple body. Overall I love the tone of the guitar and it blends well with my vocals. Sitting in my music room at home I am happy to just play it unplugged, but any type of performance requires that I plug it into an acoustic amp to get it loud enough to be heard even in a small venue. Fortunately the LR Baggs Anthem that came in it does a nice job of accurately recreating the tones, and with the phase switch and the way you can blend under saddle and internal microphone feedback is not a problem. And by the way Trem, I would recommend medium gauge strings which will move the top a little more and increase volume some. I think the bracing in the SJ-200 is just stiffer than many louder guitars. Heavy bracing (in my experience) allows for good sustain and rich tone, whereas lighter bracing allows for more top movement, pumping more air and increasing volume. Thank you. Medium strings are definitely on the shopping list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tremolo arm Posted May 27, 2020 Author Share Posted May 27, 2020 9 hours ago, Jinder said: Sometimes the shy ones are the ones you end up marrying. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 My H'Bird TV is way louder than my SJ-200. Both with Martin XP lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 When I strum my guitars harder they get louder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brucebubs Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Are the Custom Shop SJ-200's louder than the Standard model? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 (edited) If I bought a guitar ( any guitar) that played like it had a pillow stuffed inside, I wouldn’t keep it. Definitely not typical for a J-200. does it sound like “my pillow” ? It might be worth more if you could get it signed by Mike Lindell! Edited May 27, 2020 by Paul14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Okay I just spent some time watching, listening to SJ-200’s from around the period of time when mine was made, & more modern ones. 1998-2001 compared to 2015 until now. There is definitely a big difference in volume. The older ones are much louder. my question is,,,, why? What’s changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 (edited) 26 minutes ago, Paul14 said: Okay I just spent some time watching, listening to SJ-200’s from around the period of time when mine was made, & more modern ones. 1998-2001 compared to 2015 until now. There is definitely a big difference in volume. The older ones are much louder. my question is,,,, why? What’s changed. Volume knob? But seriously, only thing is the wood and how its made. If played by the same person with the same pick or fingers with the same verosity when picking or strumming then if its made to the same specs, wood is all I can think of. Edited May 28, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWG4927 Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 16 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: wood is all I can think of They have pills for that now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 11 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Volume knob? But seriously, only thing is the wood and how its made. If played by the same person with the same pick or fingers with the same verosity when picking or strumming then if its made to the same specs, wood is all I can think of. Someone mentioned heavy bracing? As stated, mine is a 2000 model, & it’s light as a feather. Don’t really know that much about bracing. All I can say is mine is very light, & not what I would consider quiet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Paul14 said: Someone mentioned heavy bracing? As stated, mine is a 2000 model, & it’s light as a feather. Don’t really know that much about bracing. All I can say is mine is very light, & not what I would consider quiet. Like I said wood and specs. Gibson never really tells anybody anything remember the day we all saw the photo of the X-ray of the guitar that went through at an airport and we found out there were swiss cheese holes under the maple cap of a Les Paul. Edited May 28, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 4 minutes ago, JWG4927 said: They have pills for that now. I'll take it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 40 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Like I said wood and specs. Gibson never really tells anybody anything remember the day we all saw the photo of the X-ray of the guitar that went through at an airport and we found out there were swiss cheese holes under the maple cap of a Les Paul. No I don’t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 45 minutes ago, Paul14 said: No I don’t Look it up on line I know pics are out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Wouldn't surprise me - many J-200s I tried over the years were surprisingly quiet, , , until I suddenly met some that surprisingly weren't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 A few vintage J-200s I have played have had good volume, but most post 1955 versions I've played live up to their reputations as "whispering giants." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, jt said: A few vintage J-200s I have played have had good volume, but most post 1955 versions I've played live up to their reputations as "whispering giants." People are willing to pay in the area of $5,000 for “whispering giants”,,,,, because? Edited May 28, 2020 by Paul14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 About a week ago, on a Dove thread, some were discussing the Dove as being very loud. What would make the Dove loud, & the J-200 quiet. Does that even make sense? my J-200 is not only louder than my Dove, it’s “much” louder! I’m just trying to understand this whole thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 (edited) 13 minutes ago, Paul14 said: About a week ago, on a Dove thread, some were discussing the Dove as being very loud. What would make the Dove loud, & the J-200 quiet. Does that even make sense? my J-200 is not only louder than my Dove, it’s “much” louder! I’m just trying to understand this whole thing? Is anyone using a db meter to measure how loud these guitars are. If it is not loud enough strum or pluck it harder or install a pup and get an amp. Your loud may not be my loud. Edited May 29, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 2 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Is anyone using a db meter to measure how loud these guitars are. If it not loud enough strum or pluck it harder or install a pup and get an amp. Your loud may not be my loud. I don’t disagree. However I would not spend that much money for a guitar that required an amp to be heard. I wouldn’t (couldn’t) spend that much money anyway for a guitar. I bought mine used for less than 1/2 what a new one cost. I certainly don’t get the whole Dove is loud, J-200 is quiet thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 1 hour ago, Paul14 said: I don’t disagree. However I would not spend that much money for a guitar that required an amp to be heard. I wouldn’t (couldn’t) spend that much money anyway for a guitar. I bought mine used for less than 1/2 what a new one cost. I certainly don’t get the whole Dove is loud, J-200 is quiet thing. Me either. Acoustic are just that acoustic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brucebubs Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 On 5/28/2020 at 8:04 AM, Brucebubs said: Are the Custom Shop SJ-200's louder than the Standard model? Not even worth a reply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 9 minutes ago, Brucebubs said: Not even worth a reply. 5 times louder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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