SJ200 - Sitka or Adi? Any thoughts?

[Rockbl]

I'd love to get an SJ-200, and have heard a few good things about that model with an Adi top.

 

Anyone have experience with the top different tops? Strong opinions one way or the other?

 

Thanks for your input!

 

Rockbl

[KL]

Welcome.

 

It would be good if you could check out both in person and see what your own ears think. I've never owned an SJ-200 myself. I have a feeling you are going to get a lot of votes for Adi, but I think either will sound fantastic. what kind of music do you play as this would be something to take in consideration.

[bkharmony]

Didn't know they made them in Adi (aside from custom order). I think it'd be a good candidate. With a top that big, I think the Adi would be less tight than on a smaller guitar, and probably add some punch (typical J-200s aren't that punchy).

[J-200 Koa]

I have two SJ-200s: one is a Koa back with red spruce (Adi)

and the other is a quilted maple with sitka. Not exactly apples

to apples but here goes......The red spruce seems to be warmer

and has sustain that goes on for ever. The sitka really projects

but the notes tend to diminish much more quickly. It took

the red spruce longer to open up but it really resonates in

your chest when you play. The reason I have kept both is

because they are so different and both excel in different applications.

[bkharmony]

Oh, you're talking about an Anniversary model, right?

[J-200 Koa]

Oh' date=' you're talking about an Anniversary model, right?[/quote']

 

No anniversary model here.

[BCSC]

I recently purchased a SJ-200 VOS from McKenzie River Music in Oregon. A sharp-eared forum member had spotted it and a SJ-200 TV and written a post about both guitars, which is how I ended up getting in touch with MRM.

 

Anyway, Erik at McKenzie did a A-B test with both guitars. The VOS had the Adirondack top, the TV had the sitka spruce top. Here are his comments that he sent me in an email. By the way, Erik and MRM were great to deal with. Hope this helps:

 

"I spent some time listening to my co-workers play both models and, eventually, we unanimously picked the blonde VOS. They both sound good and are similar in some ways. But side-by-side listening revealed a deeper, richer complexity to the VOS. It is also a bit louder. The sunburst TV had a rich low end, but was somewhat muddled and compressed in the midrange and thin on top. The VOS was more balanced across the tonal spectrum from low to high and you could feel it more in your chest. I also think the VOS has more potential in the long-term with the Adirondack Spruce top. Adirondack is a stiffer variety of spruce than Sitka and takes longer to break in. If it sounds this good now, it will only get deeper and richer down the road."

[Jinder]

Adi Adi Adi!!

 

Some of the greatest guitars I've played have been Adi/Maple. A friend of mine had a Custom Shop Adi Dove which was absolutely insane. I could sit and play it for days on end and still hear new nuances and beautiful tonal surprises in it. Unbelievable.

 

I reckon an Adi SJ200 would be incredible. I love my stock Sitka '03, but I've often dreamt of owning one of those Adi TVs.

[Dove Histronic]

Conventional wisdom will say Adi...higher ceiling for volume, can't overdrive the top, and more sensitive and colorful all the way around...

 

I have had 3 Adi topped Martins, played 'em with a Blue Chip pick and swore I'd never own sitka again - heck I wasn't even gonna touch one out in a store...

 

My current main / favorite guitar is a sitka topped 2005 Historic Dove

 

This morning I said "Sookie" and played the intro riff to Dwight Yoakum's "Fast As You", sang that, and followed with "A Thousand Miles From Nowhere"

 

Life is good, even with a lowly sitka Dove and cheap Fender medium pick

 

How's that for a worthless answer ?

[BigKahune]

... Some of the greatest guitars I've played have been Adi/Maple. ...

 

I've got an SJ-200 with Sitka. This thread' date=' with comments like Jinder's, has got me going now. I gotta track down an Adi/Maple specimen in these parts so I can get a listen and feel. But (as the wife says) I'm out of room for my collection. Just in case, I'm working on a purchase excuse that can't be turned down - - I hope.

[onewilyfool]

I'd love to get an SJ-200' date=' and have heard a few good things about that model with an Adi top.

 

Anyone have experience with the top different tops? Strong opinions one way or the other?

 

Thanks for your input!

 

Rockbl[/quote']

 

I've played fantastic versions of both tone woods. Even two J-45TV's one with ADI one with Sitka. The Sitka was actually the better sounding guitar to my ears. I've also played identical mode Martins, with the only difference being the tops. I've played some rather dissappointing ADI top guitars and some FANTASTIC ADI guitars.....I guess what I'm saying, is that each guitar should be played for it's own merits. If you want to collect guitars and are missing an ADI topped one in your herd, then get it for aesthetic reasons alone. But if you want the sound you want, then forget about all the hype of which tops are superior to which tops, because you can't make a blanket statement like that. Too many other variables like glue, humidity at time of assembly, what braces are made of, luthier....just too many things that influence the sound.