Gibson Country Western Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1959), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.
The Gibson Country-Western model is essentially an SJN (Southern Jumbo, natural) with a special lariat-bordered label, but nevertheless was the top of the company's 1950's slope-shoulder jumbo line. The SJ's had become somewhat fancier by the mid 1950's, gaining a pearl logo and crown headstock ornament while at the same time a natural top option was added. It wasn't long before the SJN was renamed the Country-Western Model, in honor of the many players of that genre who were Gibson pickers. This is a lovely example from 1959, a few years on from the model's introduction. The guitar features a multi-bound top and back, bound fingerboard with pearloid double parallelogram inlay and the new larger tortoise celluloid pickguard used after 1955. This is a splendid 1950's Gibson jumbo with tone to spare!
Overall length is 40 3/4 in. (103.5 cm.), 16 1/4 in. (41.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 5 in. (12.7 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.). Very nice original condition; an excellent playing guitar. There is some pickwear to the top by the bass side of the fingerboard and around the soundhole edge, some general finish wear and one typical grain split by the top edge of the pickguard sealed solidly but visibly. This one has a big powerful Honky-Tonk sound and an excellent neck angle with plenty of saddle left. One of the nicer sounding and playing '59's we have seen, a very fine old Country -Western ready to gig. Excellent - Condition.
