Gibson has just refreshed its J-45 Standard and SJ-200 Standard with all-new but 100 per cent classic finish options that might A) make you wonder why the models weren’t offered in this colour in the first place, and B) make choosing your next high-end acoustic guitar either a little easier or more complicated.
We like options. But they can bring their own difficulties. How to choose a J-45 that is listed in Vintage Sunburst and Cherry, plus a range of Gibson exclusive finishes that include – deep breath, everyone – Antique Natural, Antique Natural VOS, Honey Burst, Honey Burst VOS, Tri Burst, Tri Burst VOS, Ebony, Blueberry Burst and Wine Red?
Well, to those finish options you can now add Heritage Cherry Sunburst, which gives it a sort of worn-in vibe that the round-shouldered dreadnought acoustic guitar wears well.
The SJ-200 Standard, aka the King of the Flat-Tops, is now being offered in Tri Burst, adding to a slightly less bamboozling array of finish options. You will find them in the new Tri Burst colourway, Wine Red and Autumburst at guitar stores across the world, and Ebony and Blueberry Burst direct from Gibson online and at the Garages in Nashville and London.
All of the usual specs apply. So for the J-45 you are looking at an all-solid build of Sitka spruce top, mahogany on the back and sides, a 24.75” scale with mahogany neck, MOP dot inlays on a 12” radius rosewood fingerboard, and Grover Rotomatic tuners with metsal kidney bean-style buttons as standard.
The bridge is a traditionally “belly-up” design and the guitars ship ready for the stage with onboard LR Baggs VTC acoustic guitar pickup and preamp systems, the controls for which are inside the soundhole.
The SJ-200 Standard is ridiculously flash. There’s the moustache-style bridge, the MOP graduated crown inlays, the gold hardware, multi-ply binding and bound headstock, the decorative pickguard – and even the fundamentals are aesthetically on-point with its AAA Sitka spruce top paired with AAA flame maple on the back and sides. Again, this has the LR Baggs electronics (an Anthem setup on this model).
So yes, Heritage Cherry Sunburst on the archetypical Gibson workhorse, Tri Burst on its high-luxury jumbo? They look the part.
Both guitars ship in a hard-shell guitar case. The J-45 in Heritage Cherry Sunburst is priced £2,599/$2,999, the SJ-200 Standard is a cool £4,999/$5,699. See Gibson for more details.
