Rambler Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 Not a sociology question. Anyone played owned one of the upscale versions of the So. Jumbo (Woody, Hank, TV, Rw)? Your thoughts on their tone would be welcome, especially as A/B'd vs std SJs and J45s and whether or ot you though it worth the extra jack to have one come your way. Thanks, gang. J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 I love them Southerner Jumbos. It took an SJ to dethrone my much loved J-200 from its spot as my #1 guitar and it was an SJ that turned my old J-45 from a keeper to trade bait. My 2 1/2 cents, which you could take or leave, is that you cannot improve upon perfection. With the exception of the occasional maple body SJs made during the War years, Gibson used mahogany for the back and sides from day 1. This is in no way a stab at Bozeman. If I was to buy a new guitar, it would be a Gibson. Wouldn't even look at guitar with another maker's logo on the headstock. May have to go through a gaggle of them to find the guitar you want but when you do it makes the hunt all worth while. But those guys working in the Kalamazoo plant like Chief Engineer Larry Allers, Case Triezenberg whose spray booths turned out the legendary Gibson bursts, woodshop body building guru Clarence Coleman and Mac McConackie who was boss in the Customs Division which continued to hand make J-200s and Super 400s after mass production started seeping in in 1960 flippin' knew how to build a guitar. I am old enough that when I first discovered SJs the only choice you had when buying used (I could not afford a new one) was whether you wanted scalloped or the straight bracing. While all the variations may produce a fine guitar I am unconvinced that they are an "improvement" on the original SJ design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 i am looking to replace my '06 RW SJ with a hog SJ. preferably with a much older one which means it will cost considerably more than what i spent in the first place. this isn't answering your question i know but, for me, it's matter of redundancy. my rosewood "needs" are now being met by my smeck and my AJ so, the RW SJ will go on the block. sorry jk, i know that was no help at all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-200 Koa Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 I have played a Woody Guthrie and the standard SJ before. Aside from the name, I would not tell any difference. That said, both were very nice guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rar Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 With the exception of the occasional maple body SJs made during the War years' date=' Gibson used mahogany for the back and sides from day 1. [/quote'] Not true. The first couple of batches of the SJ were rosewood. -- Bob R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 correct. my rosewood SJ is a limited run 1942 repro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryp58 Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 I played several J-45's and Southern Jumbo's. I ended up buying the Southern Jumbo True Vintage. A really nice tone. Not much difference between the J-45 TV and the SJ TV tonewise, but the visual appeal of the SJ TV had me from "hello"! I haven't regretted buying the SJ at all! One killer Gibson with a lot of history. My choice, of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted May 6, 2009 Author Share Posted May 6, 2009 Ah, yes an olde one. I wish Z_W I wish, but I am so priced out of that market. One grasps at straws. Janus, if time and words permit, a brief a/b of your 42 reissue and J45VOS? Btw my bias is that the special issues are better, or, at least, that the one std SJ (big guard, headstock crest) I tried was a serious dud. Well, not dud. But seriously meh. J ps re which came first, rw or hog SJs: it was rw, by a nose... "1942 Gibson Southern Jumbo guitar introduction specs: round shoulder dreadnought shape, mahogany back and sides and neck. Note there were two batches of Rosewood back and side Gibson SJ models made in 1942" # 910: first SJ batch number in 1942, about 70 guitars all with Indian Rosewood back and sides # #2005: second SJ batch, all with Indian Rosewood back/sides, probably another batch of 70. http://www.provide.net/~cfh/sj.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NevadaPic Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 For what it's worth, I recently took delivery of a Woody SJ. I am very pleased with it. What's not to like about a short-scale round shoulder Gibson dread I do not know. I have in house a J-150 and an AJ among others and all I know is the SJ is getting all the playing time. I was surprised to realize that the Elixir Nanos I changed to have already given up the ghost after less than two weeks which is a good sign for the SJ... Pic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 I'm a big SJ fan. Here's my 1943: My co-author Willi Henkes and I have completed a precise count of every Banner Gibson ever shipped, including, of course, the SJs. While the sequence of rosewood before mahogany is correct, the previously published production dates are not correct. It was Willi who ascertained that the originals were Indian rosewood. He had a couple of tiny slivers analyzed by two university chemistry departments (one in Germany and one in the US). I'm lucky to call him coauthor! I've only played one of modern SJ and I liked it. I'd love to try one of the "upscale" versions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMELEYE Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 I've had a couple over the past few years, both hog and rw. I currently have a Woody G. SJ (07) that blew me away from the first strum. I really, honestly do feel this particular guitar sounds better than any recent vintage Bozeman product slope hog I've played, and I do go around trying them all. Recent neck and back problems have forced me to sell off all of my large guitars ... except this one. Even though I can only play it for short periods (usually over my left leg) I still just plain dig it so much. Ce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 I have a few SJs, including a "42 rosewood reissue", a custom 43 reissue, a "never heard of THIS before/maple/banner" custom SJ, an original 53 and a 59. None tops the 53 for sound, but that's to be expected after 55+ years o' playin'! None tops the "maple custom built by Ren and Val" for sounds great right out of the box quality. The reissues are very good too. My take is that the new ones -- when you find the good 'uns -- are good now and they'll be GREAT later. The old ones, when you find a good 'un, are already great, and have a different "played-in" quality that the new ones just don't have (yet). Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted May 8, 2009 Author Share Posted May 8, 2009 More detail. Ive palyed some recent hog sitka slopes that didnt work for me--pinched on top, a wee thin on the bottom. Played some red spruce slopes that sounded great but were a little more than I could pony up for. So Im wnodering if the WG (or Hank W. or the Holly J45 or Early J45) is built lighter & has a little more roll to the bass, roundness in the top and midrange punch than the stds--?. This SJ/tv previewed on AG is kind of a benchmark for what I have in mind. J http://www.acousticguitar.com/video/playvideo.aspx?videoname=GearReviews/AG187/Gibson_SJ-AG187 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsghome Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 More detail. Ive palyed some recent hog sitka slopes that didnt work for me--pinched on top' date=' a wee thin on the bottom. Played some red spruce slopes that sounded great but were a little more than I could pony up for. So Im wnodering if the WG (or Hank W. or the Holly J45 or Early J45) is built lighter & has a little more roll to the bass, roundness in the top and midrange punch than the stds--?. This SJ/tv previewed on AG is kind of a benchmark for what I have in mind. J http://www.acousticguitar.com/video/playvideo.aspx?videoname=GearReviews/AG187/Gibson_SJ-AG187 [/quote'] After playing numerous new SJs recently, I appreciate my old gal even more. Who new my dad would make such a great choice for me 45 years ago? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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