Gibsunday Question #2... Jumbo Acoustics

[PFDarkside]

I covet the look and sound of the big maple backed Gibson Jumbo acoustics. The J-200/SJ-200 is the “king of the flattops”, but the gold hardware, flowered guard, mustache bridge, etc. is a bit much. Was there Jumbo that has the standard bridge, tort guard, chrome/nickel hardware but still the Maple back/sides (instead of rosewood or mahogany) and still has block/split parallelogram inlays?

 

[LLL]

Re: Gibsunday Question #2... Jumbo Acoustics

Get a Martin.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Gibsunday Question #2... Jumbo Acoustics

Get a Martin.

Already have one. It’s my best guitar.

J-185 is the model....

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Gibsunday Question #2... Jumbo Acoustics

You want the big solid moustache bridge from the 1930’s-1940’s, not the empty curly modern one or the plain rectangle one on the bottom of the line guitars. Much better sound and sustain. Pickguards and hardware be replaced.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Gibsunday Question #2... Jumbo Acoustics

Get a Guild F-50. My '68 is the second finest acoustic I have ever played...and I live in a town with McCabes, so I've played a lot over my guitar playing life. Never played a Gibson better than that Guild, and the thing cost a fraction of what a Gibson would have, and has every ounce the same build quality. And the other great thing about them is that they never went downhill the entire time there were made in the U.S.A., so you don't need to be as picky about "era" as you are with Gibson.

Mine looks pretty much just like this. There were only 50-something of them made that year too...but still not expensive. Since "hardware" is just tuners and truss rod cover screws, a swap from gold is not a roadblock. The inlays and binding on the neck are quite fancy, but they are not obtrusive, and they look better than Gibson's IMO.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Gibsunday Question #2... Jumbo Acoustics

You want the big solid moustache bridge from the 1930’s-1940’s, not the empty curly modern one or the plain rectangle one on the bottom of the line guitars. Much better sound and sustain. Pickguards and hardware be replaced.

So how does one find one with a solid bridge that isn’t from the 40’s and cost the same?

Get a Guild F-50. My '68 is the second finest acoustic I have ever played...and I live in a town with McCabes, so I've played a lot over my guitar playing life. Never played a Gibson better than that Guild, and the thing cost a fraction of what a Gibson would have, and has every ounce the same build quality. And the other great thing about them is that they never went downhill the entire time there were made in the U.S.A., so you don't need to be as picky about "era" as you are with Gibson.

Mine looks pretty much just like this. There were only 50-something of them made that year too...but still not expensive. Since "hardware" is just tuners and truss rod cover screws, a swap from gold is not a roadblock. The inlays and binding on the neck are quite fancy, but they are not obtrusive, and they look better than Gibson's IMO.

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You know, I remember playing a few Guilds a looong time ago, probably 20 years now and I recall playing a Jumbo that sounded great.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Gibsunday Question #2... Jumbo Acoustics

Here’s the J-200

Here’s the J-185

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: Gibsunday Question #2... Jumbo Acoustics

Already have one. It’s my best guitar.

J-185 is the model....

J-185 Gibsons are great sounding guitars, usually played by country song writers.... But it does NOT sound like a Martin.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Gibsunday Question #2... Jumbo Acoustics

I prefer dreads to jumbos (and I have never been a fan of any Gibson I've ever played), but if you love the jumbo sound take a look at the Taylor 615...if you can find one. It's a very formidable competitor to the J-200.

Bill

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Gibsunday Question #2... Jumbo Acoustics

J-185 Gibsons are great sounding guitars, usually played by country song writers.... But it does NOT sound like a Martin.

That’s the idea. I love the Rosewood dreadnaught sound and the Maple Jumbo Sound as well. (And the mahogany small bodied sound too)

I prefer dreads to jumbos (and I have never been a fan of any Gibson I've ever played), but if you love the jumbo sound take a look at the Taylor 615...if you can find one. It's a very formidable competitor to the J-200.

Bill

That’s a good idea, it’s a little different sounding from the Gibson though.