Gibson SJ-200 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1938)
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Gibson SJ-200 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1938), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 44D-1, sunburst top, natural back and sides finish, Indian rosewood sides, mahogany back, Adirondack spruce top; laminated maple neck with ebony fingerboard, period black red-line hard shell case.
This 1938 Gibson Super Jumbo is a very unusual, unique guitar as well as a fantastic playing and sounding SJ-200. The pre-war version of Gibson's trademark Super Jumbo is extremely rare; 96 total are recorded as shipped out before the war brought a temporary halt to production. With a $200 list price these were very expensive instruments; its only real competition was Martin's pearl encrusted D-45. Both of these guitars have become genuine legends in the decades since; few players today have the opportunity to play an original example.
The SJ-200 was introduced in 1938; Gibson's catalog "Z" heralded the model as the "Artist instrument of flat tops, the most beautiful guitar of its type ever built". At the bottom of the page were small portraits of Hollywood Cowboys Gene Autry, Tex Ritter and Ray Whitley all holding early versions of the guitar; custom examples had been built for some artists (Ray Whitley in particular) before it became a production item.
Early SJ-200s sometimes show individual variations even though technically a production model; they were built in very small batches. This guitar carries a Factory Order Number (FON) on the neckblock dating to early 1938; it was built in one of the first few batches of this historic model. Even though considered high end guitars pre-war SJ-200's do not carry "Artist" serial numbers indicating order of compilation, only FON's applied when the batch was begun. This SJ-200 is a VERY unusual case, practically unique as it mates a mahogany back to Indian rosewood sides. The key to this oddity is found in Gibson records which indicate it was returned early on to the factory; the unusual wood combination is a bit of a history lesson as well.
This guitar is first recorded shipped out of Kalamazoo December 20, 1939. It was bound for the flagship Grinnell's' store in Detroit, the largest music retailer in Michigan, Gibson's major dealer in the area. The gap between the time the guitar was started and this shipment is unusually long; whether it had simply languished in stock, earlier sent out as a sample or shipped and returned is impossible to know for sure. Gibson's records have been extensively studied over the last couple of decades but many mysteries are still unanswered.
What is confirmed in the logs is the instrument was returned in April 1941 with a new #600 case (covered in "Aeroplane cloth with silk plush American beauty lining") and cover. When the instrument was sent back to Gibson all indications are it received a fairly extensive re-build The obvious change is rosewood back was replaced with mahogany; while today this seems unfathomable at the time it was likely a simple expediency. By spring 1941 Gibson had largely stopped using Indian rosewood likely had no spare J-200 size backs at hand. India being a British colony German U-boats and raiders prowling the Atlantic and Indian Oceans would have made it rather problematic to get any more!
At the same time the guitar was fitted with a 1941 style "moustache" ebony bridge with inlaid pearl blocks; the first pattern J-200 bridge involved individual adjustable metal saddle posts and often failed early on. It appears a new maple bridgeplate was installed as well.
The guitar is otherwise typical of the early SJ-200 with a multi-bound sunburst top, braced in a surprisingly delicate scalloped X pattern with two scalloped tone bars. The soundhole has a multi-layer rosette and a bound edge, the lovely inlaid and engraved pickguard is a J-200 trademark. The back is triple bound, with a chain backstrip. The laminated maple neck has a fairly wide, chunky "C" profile making for a very comfortable handful. This is topped with a multi-bound ebony fingerboard with a decorative point at the treble end. The pearl fingerboard inlay is the unique "crown" pattern still used on J-200s today. The headstock has wide triple binding, a pearl Gibson logo and crown and the wide-bordered L-5 style truss rod cover. It mounts first generation Grover Imperial (then called "Grover Deluxe") tuners, a point spotlighted in the catalog.
The "King of the Flattops" was designed to be the ultimate front person's guitar, the choice of the singing cowpoke. Basically you had one of these or a fancy pearl-top Martin if you were worth your boots and saddle! The SJ-200 is still unsurpassed when a powerful rhythm is the job to be done. Available information shows 25 "Super Jumbos" shipped in 1938, 20 in 1939 (including is one) out of 96 total sold before the war. Several batches of known SJ-200 FONs are clustered at the beginning of 1938 and few appear after that; it is possible a number were made when the model was introduced and it several years to sell through them; the records suggest this one sat in stock at Gibson for something like a year and a half before going to Grinnell in Detroit.
With its unique wood combination this is not just a rare but a one-of-a-kind guitar. It has an extremely deep and powerful sound with a slightly airier character imparted by the mahogany back. While its story may never be fully known it is a fabulous instrument, a splendid pre-war survivor and a amazing piece of Gibson history by any standard.
Overall length is 42 1/4 in. (107.3 cm.), 17 1/8 in. (43.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 9/16 in. (11.6 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This 85 year old veteran SJ-200 shows general wear overall but nothing tragic; it apparently had its major repair moment before the US entered WWII! It looks fantastic, lightly worn but the epitome of vintage cool. The original finish shows noticeable checking and mostly small dings, scrapes and dents overall; there are a few tiny touchups to dings on the top. The top is almost completely free of the typical heavy pickwear "Cowboy" guitars often show, with just a few discreet shallow marks in front of the pickguard. The back has some fairly light buckle wear above the center seam the back of the neck has only some small dings and loss to the treble side edge. The headstock has a few odd stain marks, possibly from tuner or truss rod lubricant applied long ago. The beautiful engraved pickguard fortunately shows no celluloid distress.
The neck was reset some time back with minor touchup spots visible; there are small splits to the binding on the bass side around the 15th fret. The fingerboard was trued and refretted with era-appropriate wire; the nut appears replaced. The top has a repaired spruce grain split off the front edge above the fingerboard running back to the soundhole rosette but not all the way to the edge, sealed but not cleated and visible with minimal touchup. There is a small grain split off the top edge of the pickguard under the fingerboard to the soundhole edge, this has had a small reinforcing cleat added underneath. The center seam of the top has been resealed and delicately cleated.
The back has a larger series of 3 repaired splits just below the center seam; these are all sealed up with larger cleats internally and very light touchup externally. A similar split off the back edge about 2" down from the center has been repaired similarly. The bridge has a repair to a tiny split of the bass side right behind the saddle slot, and appears to have been reglued long ago. Internally the bridge plate holes have been plugged and re-drilled; the original bridge bolts are still in place. Some of the internal glue work is not the neatest as it typical in old Gibsons (even expensive ones!) but if any brace regluing has been done it does not stand out from the factory norm.
As noted the guitar was re-worked at the factory early on but apart from the repairs noted appears otherwise original and unaltered from its 1941 state. The original pre-war Grover Imperial tuners are intact and work perfectly; the plating is worn and there are no marks from anything else ever being fitted. The original gold-plated tassel cord brackets on the back of the headstock and by the endpin are still intact as well.
You can't fake the vibe of this SJ-200; it has endless character and a lot of love played into it. This is simply a great playing guitar with a huge deep smooth sound. It is a strummer's delight, a TRUE cowboy guitar (well, Hollywood cowboy anyway!) and majestically vibey even without a Nudie suit! It lives in a very solid original pre-war red-lined hardshell case. Overall Excellent - Condition.
This 1938 Gibson Super Jumbo is a very unusual, unique guitar as well as a fantastic playing and sounding SJ-200. The pre-war version of Gibson's trademark Super Jumbo is extremely rare; 96 total are recorded as shipped out before the war brought a temporary halt to production. With a $200 list price these were very expensive instruments; its only real competition was Martin's pearl encrusted D-45. Both of these guitars have become genuine legends in the decades since; few players today have the opportunity to play an original example.
The SJ-200 was introduced in 1938; Gibson's catalog "Z" heralded the model as the "Artist instrument of flat tops, the most beautiful guitar of its type ever built". At the bottom of the page were small portraits of Hollywood Cowboys Gene Autry, Tex Ritter and Ray Whitley all holding early versions of the guitar; custom examples had been built for some artists (Ray Whitley in particular) before it became a production item.
Early SJ-200s sometimes show individual variations even though technically a production model; they were built in very small batches. This guitar carries a Factory Order Number (FON) on the neckblock dating to early 1938; it was built in one of the first few batches of this historic model. Even though considered high end guitars pre-war SJ-200's do not carry "Artist" serial numbers indicating order of compilation, only FON's applied when the batch was begun. This SJ-200 is a VERY unusual case, practically unique as it mates a mahogany back to Indian rosewood sides. The key to this oddity is found in Gibson records which indicate it was returned early on to the factory; the unusual wood combination is a bit of a history lesson as well.
This guitar is first recorded shipped out of Kalamazoo December 20, 1939. It was bound for the flagship Grinnell's' store in Detroit, the largest music retailer in Michigan, Gibson's major dealer in the area. The gap between the time the guitar was started and this shipment is unusually long; whether it had simply languished in stock, earlier sent out as a sample or shipped and returned is impossible to know for sure. Gibson's records have been extensively studied over the last couple of decades but many mysteries are still unanswered.
What is confirmed in the logs is the instrument was returned in April 1941 with a new #600 case (covered in "Aeroplane cloth with silk plush American beauty lining") and cover. When the instrument was sent back to Gibson all indications are it received a fairly extensive re-build The obvious change is rosewood back was replaced with mahogany; while today this seems unfathomable at the time it was likely a simple expediency. By spring 1941 Gibson had largely stopped using Indian rosewood likely had no spare J-200 size backs at hand. India being a British colony German U-boats and raiders prowling the Atlantic and Indian Oceans would have made it rather problematic to get any more!
At the same time the guitar was fitted with a 1941 style "moustache" ebony bridge with inlaid pearl blocks; the first pattern J-200 bridge involved individual adjustable metal saddle posts and often failed early on. It appears a new maple bridgeplate was installed as well.
The guitar is otherwise typical of the early SJ-200 with a multi-bound sunburst top, braced in a surprisingly delicate scalloped X pattern with two scalloped tone bars. The soundhole has a multi-layer rosette and a bound edge, the lovely inlaid and engraved pickguard is a J-200 trademark. The back is triple bound, with a chain backstrip. The laminated maple neck has a fairly wide, chunky "C" profile making for a very comfortable handful. This is topped with a multi-bound ebony fingerboard with a decorative point at the treble end. The pearl fingerboard inlay is the unique "crown" pattern still used on J-200s today. The headstock has wide triple binding, a pearl Gibson logo and crown and the wide-bordered L-5 style truss rod cover. It mounts first generation Grover Imperial (then called "Grover Deluxe") tuners, a point spotlighted in the catalog.
The "King of the Flattops" was designed to be the ultimate front person's guitar, the choice of the singing cowpoke. Basically you had one of these or a fancy pearl-top Martin if you were worth your boots and saddle! The SJ-200 is still unsurpassed when a powerful rhythm is the job to be done. Available information shows 25 "Super Jumbos" shipped in 1938, 20 in 1939 (including is one) out of 96 total sold before the war. Several batches of known SJ-200 FONs are clustered at the beginning of 1938 and few appear after that; it is possible a number were made when the model was introduced and it several years to sell through them; the records suggest this one sat in stock at Gibson for something like a year and a half before going to Grinnell in Detroit.
With its unique wood combination this is not just a rare but a one-of-a-kind guitar. It has an extremely deep and powerful sound with a slightly airier character imparted by the mahogany back. While its story may never be fully known it is a fabulous instrument, a splendid pre-war survivor and a amazing piece of Gibson history by any standard.
Overall length is 42 1/4 in. (107.3 cm.), 17 1/8 in. (43.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 9/16 in. (11.6 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This 85 year old veteran SJ-200 shows general wear overall but nothing tragic; it apparently had its major repair moment before the US entered WWII! It looks fantastic, lightly worn but the epitome of vintage cool. The original finish shows noticeable checking and mostly small dings, scrapes and dents overall; there are a few tiny touchups to dings on the top. The top is almost completely free of the typical heavy pickwear "Cowboy" guitars often show, with just a few discreet shallow marks in front of the pickguard. The back has some fairly light buckle wear above the center seam the back of the neck has only some small dings and loss to the treble side edge. The headstock has a few odd stain marks, possibly from tuner or truss rod lubricant applied long ago. The beautiful engraved pickguard fortunately shows no celluloid distress.
The neck was reset some time back with minor touchup spots visible; there are small splits to the binding on the bass side around the 15th fret. The fingerboard was trued and refretted with era-appropriate wire; the nut appears replaced. The top has a repaired spruce grain split off the front edge above the fingerboard running back to the soundhole rosette but not all the way to the edge, sealed but not cleated and visible with minimal touchup. There is a small grain split off the top edge of the pickguard under the fingerboard to the soundhole edge, this has had a small reinforcing cleat added underneath. The center seam of the top has been resealed and delicately cleated.
The back has a larger series of 3 repaired splits just below the center seam; these are all sealed up with larger cleats internally and very light touchup externally. A similar split off the back edge about 2" down from the center has been repaired similarly. The bridge has a repair to a tiny split of the bass side right behind the saddle slot, and appears to have been reglued long ago. Internally the bridge plate holes have been plugged and re-drilled; the original bridge bolts are still in place. Some of the internal glue work is not the neatest as it typical in old Gibsons (even expensive ones!) but if any brace regluing has been done it does not stand out from the factory norm.
As noted the guitar was re-worked at the factory early on but apart from the repairs noted appears otherwise original and unaltered from its 1941 state. The original pre-war Grover Imperial tuners are intact and work perfectly; the plating is worn and there are no marks from anything else ever being fitted. The original gold-plated tassel cord brackets on the back of the headstock and by the endpin are still intact as well.
You can't fake the vibe of this SJ-200; it has endless character and a lot of love played into it. This is simply a great playing guitar with a huge deep smooth sound. It is a strummer's delight, a TRUE cowboy guitar (well, Hollywood cowboy anyway!) and majestically vibey even without a Nudie suit! It lives in a very solid original pre-war red-lined hardshell case. Overall Excellent - Condition.