Ugly but holy cow

[egoidealmusic]

The look of this guitar makes me personally sad (to each their own, of course), but hol sh*t that is a gorgeous sounding banger.

 

 

[fortyearspickn]

Music Villa guy describe it as 'an orchestra'.  I've always felt mine was more like a Steinway Grand Concert Piano -  maybe because mine isn't a cutaway and is a double bar!  Regardless, they certainly have a wonderfully unique sound.    The blue stain is clearly something that would be an acquired taste.   You'd have to take the leap and buy it first - but I wouldn't go so far as to call it ugly. 

[BluesKing777]

First songs would have be:

Am I blue?

Blue Bayou

Blues in the Night

Blue Skies

Blue

Blue Moon

🤩🤩🤩

(Don't really care if it is polka dots if it sounds great, but....gimme the black one!)

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

[J-1854Me]

 

[Murph]

It's just blue.

It's certainly not ugly.

Think how much better it would sound without the cutaway.

[docr]

Who needs a cutaway on an acoustic guitar?

[kidblast]

I don't think that I would go for a blue finish either but I kind of like the cutaway setting.  In a Vintage Burst finish, I think that would look awesome.

[zombywoof]

First off, the grand piano of acoustics is the Roy Smeck courtesy of its un-tapered jumbo depth body with the 12 frets placing the bridge right where it should be.

As to the big blue beast I am going to save Sal some money as I would not buy it with his.  Not just the looks but also sound.  Granted it is only a video but while I can see where accolades might be laid the foot of the guitar, I did not hear the kind of fullness in the lows and lower mids which I always fond special about that model and the reason why I bought one decades ago.   Again, not a good or a bad thing and just an opinion which has nothing to do with logic or facts.

[Dave F]

I’ve had three Stage Deluxe and agree they are the Grand Piano. I’ve had four SJ200’s ( and one on the way) and they were no where near the output of a Smeck. 

[zombywoof]

I would love to give a Super Smeck with the maple body a whirl.  Apparently, Gibson only ever made that one Smeck Super 400  in 1935.  As far as I know Fairbanks is the only builder who has offered an exacting replica.

When it comes to J200s though, I think everybody should seek out a chance to experience a 1950s guitar.  The sound is very special and not comparable to any other guitar.

Edited June 14, 2022 by zombywoof

[slimt]

6 hours ago, docr said:

Who needs a cutaway on an acoustic guitar?

Slash.    How many of you folks want to be just like him.   ? 😀

[scriv58]

6 hours ago, Murph said:

It's just blue.

It's certainly not ugly.

Think how much better it would sound without the cutaway.

https://www.premierguitar.com/acoustic-soundboard-the-cutaway-question

[Sgt. Pepper]

12 minutes ago, scriv58 said:

https://www.premierguitar.com/acoustic-soundboard-the-cutaway-question

Here is the last paragraph in the whole article:

For those who simply want to know how big a difference there is, well, the change is small—small enough that other factors, such as the exact pieces of wood each guitar is made from, the strings, the pick a player uses, and how much coffee they drank that day all seem to matter more. In the end, there is no loss of tone—only a small change. The cutaway option gives players a choice based on their preferences, how they play, and what they like to hear.

[zombywoof]

Maybe Bozeman should have thought about going with a Florentine cutaway such as the CF100 and Star/Starbust.

[Sgt. Pepper]

Elvis didn’t need a cutaway.

[MissouriPicker]

Not my color, but it is a beautiful instrument.   J200s are monster music makers.  BTW, when did Gibson start calling it SJ again and not  J.  I thought SJ was a Southern Jumbo now……Anyway, sweet guitar.

[zombywoof]

2 hours ago, MissouriPicker said:

Not my color, but it is a beautiful instrument.   J200s are monster music makers.  BTW, when did Gibson start calling it SJ again and not  J.  I thought SJ was a Southern Jumbo now……Anyway, sweet guitar.

I have seen 1955 given as the year.  But in a 1950 list of models in production Gibson lists it as a J200 Super Jumbo 200 which almost sounds like a model designation combined with  a description.  That year though SJ is still listed simply as a Southerner Jumbo.  By 1960 the catalog has entries for both a J200 and SJ Southerner Jumbo.

Now the question is who shortened the name of the SJ to Southern Jumbo.  As best as I can figure that moniker was not officially adopted until Bozeman opened its doors.

Edited June 14, 2022 by zombywoof

[sparquelito]

Sure sounds pretty. 

God-awful ugly in appearance. 
But sounds good. 

😑

[RBSinTo]

Is Gibson's legendary tastelessness an inside company joke, or do they have a department whose sole function is to churn out the schlockiest guitars possible?

Makes my eyes water just to look at this one.

RBSinTo

[kwalker201]

I certainly wouldn't turn it down if I were looking for one. I think Buc's HB is that color.

[BluesKing777]

 

Every now and then, my local guitar shop orders the locally made unmentionable name in this forum guitars in matt black custom finish.....4 or 5 years back I saw a 00 deep body land at the shop straight from the factory - I played it, setup incredible for factory sets, bought it, love it. Now these matt black ones are pretty rare but when they do get them in, they go like hotcakes...also some custom sunbursts etc...gone!

Now their full Custom Shop guitars do a fast trade normally, but they made a 00 in orange, bright orange and it has sat there for nearly 9 months approx.....time to take it back and get the black spray on it, my opinion, but that orange isn't selling! But you know, it has someone's name on it somewhere, I suppose. They normally do.

And so to the blue one....a friend bought the same blue on a 335 type electric! But he hates the orange one I showed him.

 

BluesKing777.