Long acclaimed as the uncontested “King of the Flat-Tops,” the Super Jumbo 200 (later known simply as the SJ-200) was born in 1937 as a custom instrument for famed “Singing Cowboy” Ray Whitley. The star’s desire for a big, bold acoustic with the neck and body shape of Gibson’s 17”-wide L-5 archtop, but one built like the flat-top guitars that country & western crooners were starting to favor, inspired a unique new design with a rounded profile and a big, bold voice. The SJ-200 became a badge of honor for other C&W stars like Gene Autry, Tex Ritter, Roy Rogers and Ray “Crash” Corrigan, and soon crossed over to more rebellious music and even rock and roll in the hands of Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly. The Gibson SJ-200 New Vintage recreates the best of this legendary model in an instrument available to players and collectors today. Crafted for superb tone and playing feel right out of the case, this new vintage exclusive is available only at Wildwood Guitars. Constructed by the acclaimed luthiers of Gibson’s acoustic facility in Bozeman, Montana, the Wildwood SJ-200 is one of five models in a stunning New Vintage series, each of which represents an exhaustive recreation of a great Gibson flat-top acoustic.
Like all others in the series—the Hummingbird, J-45, Southern Jumbo and J-185—the Gibson SJ-200 New Vintage is available in three different editions, each of which strictly follows the specs of original vintage models, but represents different levels of constructional finish and wood selection. All three share period-correct details such as a prized solid Adirondack Spruce top, SJ-200 X-bracing, rosewood Moustache™ bridge with aged bone saddle, and two-piece maple neck with rosewood stringer and a rounded profile. The Standard model uses hot hide glue for its dovetailed neck joint and X-bracing and has select maple back and sides, while the Hide Glue model adds more of this traditional adhesive for other elements of its construction. The Exotic Rosewood model uses the same degree of hide glue construction, but adds exotic rosewood back and sides selected by Gibson Acoustic’s master luthier, Ren Ferguson, for an exotic appearance and a sublimely rich, deep voice akin to rare early variations of the SJ-200.
The Gibson SJ-200 New Vintage presents a reincarnation of the original in the looks department, too. It has a hand-sprayed nitrocellulose lacquer finish in your choice of Vintage Sunburst or Antique Natural, both of which are buffed to a high gloss, and enhanced by a traditional handmade SJ-200 tortoise pickguard with flowers and dots, a marquetry stripe inlaid in the center back seam, and multi-ply top and back binding. The bound rosewood fingerboard carries elegant mother-of-pearl crown inlays, partnered with a period-correct mother-of-pearl headstock logo and crown inlay, and gold vintage-style tuners with pearloid tulip buttons. From look to feel to tone, the SJ-200 New Vintage is a dead-ringer for Gibson’s original “King of the Flat-Tops,” and it is only available from Wildwood Guitars.
Each instrument includes a True Vintage hardshell case with brown exterior and pink plush-lined interior, a Certificate of Authenticity, an owner’s manual, and Gibson’s Gold Warranty, along with Gibson’s 24/7/365 Customer Service. Check it out now, only at Wildwood Guitars.
