Anyone ever order a Short scale J200..?

[merseybeat1963]

About 2008-9 I was in need of some serious consolation..

I decided I would order some custom made guitars "In my image" so to speak..

One idea was .."the very best J200 possible"..

I had had some communication with a very nice lady at Bozeman who no longer is there (Lavone).

Reluctantly I took the liberty to ask her if i could talk to Mr.Ferguson..

I told him I wanted a Short Scale J200 with an ebony fingerboard & that L5 torch on head stock...he said they could do that but they only offer it in the 24 3/4 length .

I asked him "..to make the best J200, what should I specify... would the short scale be a mistake..and I would like the top the most responsive possible with light strings.."

He said to specify a Madagascar Rosewood back/sides and an Adirondack Top and he stressed twice to make sure you specify "hand scalloped bracing".

In the end ,after trying a Custom Shop Madagascar Rosewood J200 that I came across that really was not even close to the maple Prototype I have I went for 2 Masterbuilt Fenders & a Lowden (instead of two acoustics & one electric).

I wonder if anyone has seen or ordered a short scale J200..?

Cheers

[zombywoof]

I am guessing they recommended the stiifer Adi Spruce top so as to no lose volume. The bridge would also have to be repositioned which might end up looking a bit odd - at least to eyes familiar with the J-200.

 

But to answer your question - nope and I would never think of it. I am pretty much an off the shelf guitar kinda guy and figure whomever at Gibson originally designed those things knew what they heck they were doing. If I want a different sound or feel I will just go out and buy me a different guitar.

[dchristo]

my maple J-200 standard sounds and plays so good, I cant imagine getting any better

[pfox14]

I'd like to see pix of your J-200 - can you post some?

[merseybeat1963]

I am guessing they recommended the stiifer Adi Spruce top so as to no lose volume. The bridge would also have to be repositioned which might end up looking a bit odd - at least to eyes familiar with the J-200.

 

But to answer your question - nope and I would never think of it. I am pretty much an off the shelf guitar kinda guy and figure whomever at Gibson originally designed those things knew what they heck they were doing. If I want a different sound or feel I will just go out and buy me a different guitar.

 

I don't really know the specific story behind the design of the J200 but the guitar kind of seems to have originated in the imagination of Roy Whitley off an L5..

It would be interesting how it came about. I read once that a longer 26" scale was also tried early on to try & get more volume..

About bridge placement..

The two Sratocasters I ordered to be Masterbuilt were ordered as short scale guitars..when Dennis Glasuka called me and said what it entailed and how it would be done,moving bridge as you said was part of it, I got the feeling I might end up with two

expensive Frankensteins so I took his advice upon his assurance that he would build & set it up for the most rubbery feel.They were a success but I got cold feet. If builder doesn't believe it ..what can you do.

The main one was the Lowden Acoustic...also adjusting the longer scale of the F body to short. He was a little concerned to this idea on that guitar and said he'd probably have to attend to the voicing of that guitar himself.

In the end I see no obvious displacement of the bridges look so what ever he did it was a success.

Many designs or changes on guitars are off needs or ideas of players.

[merseybeat1963]

my maple J-200 standard sounds and plays so good, I cant imagine getting any better

 

It was so not the case when I was young.

I mean you look at that design and its like looking at the Marilyn Monroe of guitars....

From late 1970's to April 1989 I wanted a J200 so bad and was always looking for one but the very few you saw around really were just pieces of furniture.

I worked in NY City at dads Deli between Carnegie Hall & 48th Street.

I was on 48th Street every few days looking at guitars. There were hardly any Gibson Acoustics for sale down there cause really they were garbage. (The last good ones were made in the early 50's,)

At one point Gibson put out an ornate J200 "Celebrity".. I went down there I was just gonna buy it..my friend at Manny's Music refused to sell it to me. My brother & wife were like don't do it,sounded like a crate.

I was so despirate to get a good one I even asked my friend at Sam Ash Andy Mullroy if he could order the Celebrity in pieces from Gibson so we could send it to Martin to be built..Now that is desperate.(he said no)

I then thought if my friend Andy ordered a J200 made by his friend John Greven..!. and have the words Greven slanted in the same way..mmm but it would not spell G I B S O N.

So It was in that era that we stopped in on the way to DC during Cherry Blossum season and I spoted one...wait a minute that doesn't look like a regular one..And I could I could not believe it..finally a J200 that sounded like a guitar...as good as a Martin.

I was in no financial mood to buy another acoustic cause Id just paid off Mandolin Bros for the most expensive guitar Id ever bought a Brazilian OM28V Custom Martin. But we went on our trip,went to every guitar store down there

(Saw a 1952 Gibson Les Paul Gold top with trapez for same price) On the way back put a deposit.

It was a while befoe I saw any J200's for sale in stores after this..Id guess it was nearly end of year..but I usually didnt look much farther than the shoppes on 48th Street.

Thank goodness that the company was revived and makes on a regular basis an excellent guitar like the one you have,cause Gibson guitars is such a great American tradition.

When I look at my hand on the neck of my L5 (my favorite Gibson Acoustic) I see history.

Cheers

[merseybeat1963]

I'd like to see pix of your J-200 - can you post some?

 

The pictures I have on computer are too big a file to get on here. Wife will have to help me take some more or adjust cause I am computer dumb.

But I will.

[zombywoof]

From late 1970's to April 1989 I wanted a J200 so bad and was always looking for one but the very few you saw around really were just pieces of furniture.

I worked in NY City at dads Deli between Carnegie Hall & 48th Street.

I was on 48th Street every few days looking at guitars. There were hardly any Gibson Acoustics for sale down there cause really they were garbage. (The last good ones were made in the early 50's,)

 

 

Gotta ask what deli as if it was in that area I probably ate there in between plugging that old yellow Dano into some amp I could not afford at Manny's and going to Lindys to drown my sorrow at walking out of the store empty handed with some cheescake.

 

I got bitten by the J-200 bug after I snagged a few lessons with Rev. Davis. Took me quite a few years but I finally managed to get a used one. I still keep a 1960 J-200 in the house but these days my wife plays it more than I do (she loves the thinner neck Gibson put on those guitars starting the year mine was built).

[merseybeat1963]

Gotta ask what deli as if it was in that area I probably ate there in between plugging that old yellow Dano into some amp I could not afford at Manny's and going to Lindys to drown my sorrow at walking out of the store empty handed with some cheescake.

 

I got bitten by the J-200 bug after I snagged a few lessons with Rev. Davis. Took me quite a few years but I finally managed to get a used one. I still keep a 1960 J-200 in the house but these days my wife plays it more than I do (she loves the thinner neck Gibson put on those guitars starting the year mine was built).

 

Dad's deli was on 7th Avenue (53-54 st)..7th Avenue Deli..a narrow take out place..directly across the street from the Stage Deli..next to Ray's Pizza...Irish Pub..

There is a Lindy's on the corner (53rd Street) which is still there but another older one which was back then on 6th Avenue nearer to 48th.

Back then before Sam Ash bought up all the stores on 48th Street it was a great place.Now the whole area is a circus.

Is the 1960 J200 as good as a modern good one.?

When I was youngish I really liked the look of the Gibson Dove..the Stones played em on Sticky fingers and those slanted inlays were attractive to me..I managed to buy one early 60's one from Styvesant Music in midish 70's.

I wasn't working and it took every dollar $297 I think it was.. strings felt so flexible..I took it home realized strings were not up to pitch..something inside was rattling..took it back..they shafted me..real crooks.

Luckily guy across the street Pasqual who used to work at Gretsch's factory putting on necks(a great person by the way) sorted it out but top had been sat on & stayed concave.Nice neck not too good sound. What I most remember is while I shopped for the acoustic

I saw in WE BUY GUITARS's window a 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard Sunburst with a plain top for $600 (A new top of the line Les Paul Custom was total about $385(everything in those days down there was 45% off list)

I looked at it and said to my self..like Jimmy Pages guitar.

I had no one to ask for the extra cash..ech!