Then, in 1955, Gibson dropped the “S”, and the J-200 was born. That isn’t to say that the old rosewood models aren’t a hit with collectors, mind you. Why? The consensus was that the maple allowed for clearer separation of the notes, resulting in a better sounding instrument. Gibson switched the back and sides to maple in 1947 and the change was an instant hit with guitarists.
In the post war period, the SJ-200 evolved into the guitar we know today, thanks to the utilization of new tonewoods. Records suggest that only 100 SJ-200s were shipped prior to the U.S’s involvement in World War II.
Gibson changed the guitar’s name to the Super Jumbo 200 in 1939 – the 200 refers to the $200 retail, which is something like $5,300 in today’s money – but it still remained a rarity. In fact, thanks to the post-depression economy, as well as wartime austerity that began in the 1940s, it started life as a very limited, made-to-order instrument. The red spruce-top was double braced, the sides and back were rosewood and, on its initial run, it was only available in sunburst.īut, the Super Jumbo didn’t become a guitar legend out of the starting gate. Originally called the Super Jumbo, it featured a super-large 16-7/8” flat-top body befitting of its name. Manufactured at the Gibson Factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the company intended to establish it as their new top-of-the-line flat top, replacing the Advanced Jumbo that they’d introduced in 1936. The first example of what we now know as the J-200 went intro production in 1937. Today, we’re taking a closer look at one of the most celebrated acoustic guitars of all time how it came to be, why it sounds so great, and the legendary recordings it has featured on. Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin is a fan, Pete Townshend of The Who swears by them and even Elvis Presley, the king himself, was a known advocate. By the time Dylan got hold of one, it was already well established as an acoustic guitar icon.Ĭonsidered by many as the ultimate acoustic, it’s an instrument of choice for many guitar-playing legends. It’s a Gibson J-200 that The Beatles’ George Harrison gifted him. On the cover photograph, a bearded Dylan smiles and raises his hat while holding up a guitar to the camera. More than 50 years ago, Bob Dylan released “Nashville Skyline.” His paean to American roots and country music, the record is today regarded as a Bob Dylan classic, and features one of the most iconic album covers in his discography.
0 kommentar(er)
