From its inaugural appearance in 1937, Gibson’s J-200 set a standard others have been trying to match ever since. Today—nearly 71 years later—the legacy of Gibson’s “King of the Flat-tops” lives on in the new J-200 Standard. Upon its introduction in the late 1930s, the J-200 immediately filled a need for a deeper, more balanced and powerful sound. It gave purveyors of the new American music scene of the 1930s a reliable, well-built instrument, capable of projecting the sound of the guitar well beyond that of any other acoustic on the market—a fact that still holds true today. It is simply the world’s most famous acoustic guitar, and certainly one of most popular, as evidenced by the list of players that have made it their primary acoustic instrument, among them Ray Whitley, Emmylou Harris, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Gram Parsons, and Pete Townshend.

The top of the J-200 Standard is made from beautiful AAA-grade Sitka spruce, while the back and sides are constructed from AAA-grade Eastern curly maple, giving the J-200 Standard a bright and crisp tone, and all the clarity and presence expected from a Gibson Super Jumbo. Selecting the right wood, and the formula to dry it out, are two of the most central procedures to Gibson’s guitar-building process. Beginning with its first catalog in 1903, Gibson has assured its customers that every guitar would be built using woods with “the most durable, elastic, and sonorous qualities,” and today’s guitars from Gibson Acoustic are no different.

The fingerboard of Gibson’s J-200 Standard is constructed from the highest grade rosewood on earth, which is personally inspected and qualified by Gibson’s team of skilled experts before it enters the Gibson factories. The resilience of this durable wood makes the fingerboard extremely balanced and stable, and gives each chord and note unparalleled clarity and bite. The J-200’s graduated crown inlays are made of genuine mother of pearl, and are inserted into the fingerboard using a process that eliminates gaps. The fingerboard also sports a rolled edge—instead of the usual right angle where the fingerboard surface meets the neck, Gibson Acoustic’s rolled edge is slightly beveled for an extremely smooth and comfortable feel, enhancing the playability of the J-200 Standard.

Every acoustic guitar made by Gibson features hand-scalloped, radiused top bracing inside the body, a feature normally found only in limited run, hand-made guitars. By scalloping each brace by hand, the natural sound of the acoustic is focused more toward the center of the body, enhancing the instrument’s sound projection. The lightweight bracing pattern inside the J-200 Standard—the same pattern used in Gibson’s first Super Jumbo in 1937—is constructed to support and strengthen a very large surface, thus allowing the top more freedom of movement to vibrate and project sound. The placement of the braces inside the J-200 also creates powerful, deep lows with full frequency range, producing the incredibly balanced, huge sound Gibson’s Super Jumbos are so noted for.

This guitar has a few dents, most notably on the upper side of the lower bout, as pictured in the detail photograph.  There are scratches on the headstock, also pictured.  There is minor finish checking, common with these finishes, also pictured.  There is some slight pickguard lifting on the lower side, also pictured.  Original hardshell case included.

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