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In praise of the J-200......


onewilyfool

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I think a lot of the old-timers here know I'm a hound dog for good sounding small body guitars...but would just like to say that my J-200 Koa has really won me over. I've had it about a year now, and I must say....this really is a MAN'S guitar! Half the time I'm playing it, my wife asks me to lower the volume. Onre thing about a large body guitar, you don't have to "work" it to get the sound out, like with a small body. I like both, but the J-200 is just special that way. WAY different than my J-45, which I consider the perfect singing/songwriting guitar. The J-200, is kind of in a league of it's own.....here are some pics (says the proud papa):

 

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A man's guitar indeed. Got to admit that I've been taken by the J-200 since first seeing the photos of Emmy Lou Harris strumming away on what I would later learn was Gram Parson's J-200. There was something so compelling about Miz Emmy and that gigantic guitar on stage that I think I've been pretty well convinced ever since that the J-200 must be the PERFECT guitar.

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Stunning guitar, Robert. As perhaps the newest member to the J-200 club here (three weeks ago), this seems like an appropriate thread to tell the story of my purchase:

 

I wondered into my local mom & pop shop like I usually do each week. Not really looking for a guitar, just to snoop, etc. This shop stocks mainly Martins and Taylors -- and only a couple Gibsons. I've never seen a J-200 in person, let alone played one. They just aren't that commonly stocked in the couple of local shops, probably due to their high price tag. So, when I saw this sunburst J-200 hanging high on the wall, it immediately caught my attention. With all Gibsons, there are duds and studs -- a couple strums and I'll know what I'm dealing with. Took her down off the wall and settled in -- first couple of strums and... whoa. She's no dud.

 

After about 30 minutes of noodling around on her, I start to rationalize how this thing should come home with me (we've all been there, haven't we?). I left the store without her, but couldn't get her out of my head. I knew the chance of running into another J-200 was slim where I'm located (unless I had them order me one) and then there's no guarantee it would speak to me like this one. The next couple days, I went back/forth on trading a couple of my other guitars in for her (a Martin HD28 and Taylor 814ce -- both great guitars). I've never sold/traded one of my guitars -- I bond with them and find it hard to part with each one of them.

 

After a couple days, I went into the shop again to reconfirm my opinion on this J-200. Yep, it was calling me. I made up my mind to trade the two guitars to get the J-200 and would make the deal the next day. That night, I played the two guitars side by side for a couple hours, agonizing over parting with them. The Martin HD28 was the first high-end guitar I bought (I saved a little bit each month for over a year and stashed it in an envelop). It was now 10 years old and opening up nicely. The Taylor was a 2010 model and sounded fantastic unplugged, but I hated it plugged in. After playing them side-by-side, I couldn't part with my HD28 -- just couldn't do it.

 

So, next day I walked in with the Taylor, gave her up, paid the difference and walked out with the one and only J-200 I've ever seen/played in person. The Taylor got snatched up by some guy immediately and put on layaway. Almost a month later, I don't regret making the trade one bit. My J-200 is one of the guitars I will have until I die -- and it also reconfirmed that I am a Gibson acoustic guy at heart, despite the other great guitar brands I have. To be honest, I don't even care for all the bling the J-200 -- I'm more of a substance over style guy. But my J-200 is a flat-out killer: balanced, loud yet articulate. The drop-dead gorgeous sunburst is the cherry on top.

 

Every time I pick her up, I thank the good Lord for blessing me to be able to have such a fine piece of craftsmanship and instrument.

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Enjoyed that story, kebob - and funnily got relieved when finding out you kept the HD-28.

 

If possible, you should set up a few pictures. Sunbursts are a world as we all know and most of us fall into place while glancing at a J-200.

 

I imagine how one of those can stabilize an entire home.

 

 

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