1996 Gibson J-200 Sunburst
Ask a guitarist to name the ultimate Gibson acoustic, and many will reply that it’s the J-200. Elegant and flamboyant even by Gibson’s top-line standards, the J-200 has found fame in the hands of numerous legends: Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Pete Townshend, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jimmy Page, Neil Young, and The Edge, to name but a few. The J-200 is known as the “king of the flat-tops” for good reason: it is simply the world’s most famous acoustic guitar, and certainly one of the most desired.
Gibson entered into production of this model in 1937 as its top-of-the-line flat top guitar, initially calling it the Super Jumbo, but changing the name in 1939 to the Super Jumbo 200 to reflect its retail price at the time, $200; note the comparison to the $45 for the early J-45. The SJ-200 was noted for its super-large 16 7/8" flat top body, with a double-braced red spruce top, rosewood back and sides, and sunburst finish. From its inaugural appearance in 1937, Gibson’s SJ-200 immediately filled a need for a deeper, more balanced and powerful sound, and 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— setting a standard others have been trying to match ever since. Due to the weak post-depression economy and wartime austerity, demand for this high-end guitar was very limited and production quantities were small.
It was 1947 when the tonewoods changed – the back and sides were now being made of maple, which many guitar aficionados prefer as it allows for clearer separation of the notes. In 1955 the name was simplified again: from here on, it was mostly called the Gibson J-200. The J-200 Standard has generally been available in sunburst and natural finishes, featuring factory electronics, gold Gibson Deluxe (later, gold Grover) tuners, a solid Sitka Spruce top with scalloped X-bracing, figured maple back and sides, and a three-piece laminate neck (maple/rosewood/maple). It also has a bound rosewood fingerboard with mother-of-pearl crown inlays, a rosewood “moustache” bridge with striking mother of pearl double inlays, and an embossed pickguard to add visual impact to its wonderful playability, with a 25.5” scale and a nut width of 1.725”. All of this makes it well worth its MSRP, which currently starts at $5299, and frequently is hundreds more.
This particular J-200 was the fifteenth one made on January 17, 1996 (serial number 90176015), and no doubt it has been played very well and frequently for over 25 years. There is some slight finish crazing, and a few almost invisible dings and bruises, but there are no other visible cracks or repairs anywhere; the only anomaly is a very slight bump in the back lower bout which I can not explain. Everything looks original, the working electronics are accessed through the standard end pin jack, and the action is set up for fast and comfortable playing at a bit under 3/32” at the 12th fret low E (obviously, the truss rod can be adjusted if you want to tweak it higher).
The original hard shell case is also in excellent used condition: the hardware all works, the black plush interior is suitably fuzzy and fits this guitar like the proverbial glove, and there’s a Gibson logo on the top so everyone will know you’re toting a major player when you walk in the room. It certainly provides outstanding and authentic protection for this valuable instrument.
Buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower forty-eight states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashier’s checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.
I have tried to be perfectly clear and accurate in describing this beautiful instrument and its case, so its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy it.
Thank you for your interest in this great guitar.
Payments by Paypal, cashier’s checks, money orders, or personal checks are acceptable, but all payments must clear my bank before the guitar will be shipped. I will CONSIDER reasonable offers, even including installment payments and trade-ins, but generally since I already attempt to price my guitars very competitively, unusual deals must be unusually sweet.
From henceforth [that's how retired English teachers talk], insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states is $55 due to constantly rising shipping costs unless a specific listing says otherwise; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. I have sold guitars to Russia, Japan, Australia, and over 50 other countries, as well as almost every state in the USA. Since some of my guitars travel thousands of miles, I take care to use lots of packing materials, protect the neck inside the case, and of course de-tune the strings.
I make every effort to describe and illustrate each guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. However, many of my instruments are well-played vintage items which are many years old, and I am not a luthier. One should assume that any guitar will require some set-up to satisfy your personal requirements, and that not every flaw or ding will be seen/recognized/described in the listing. Thus the return of an instrument will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please read the listing carefully, check out the pictures, and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy.