Gibson SJ Southern Jumbo Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1952), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # Z 1129-26, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, original brown tolex hard shell case.
The SJ or "Southern Jumbo" sometimes feels like a bit of a forgotten model in Gibson's postwar flat top line; not as simple a working man's guitar as the more austere J-45 but not as yee-haw fancy as the SJ-200 or even the J-185. The SJ features same construction as the J-45 with a sunburst spruce top on a 16" slope-shouldered mahogany jumbo body, with a mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard.
The cosmetics of the SJ are fancier all around; there are multiple layers of binding around the body and soundhole; the fingerboard is single bound with pearloid double parallelogram inlays. The bridge is a rosewood top-belly design, rather like an upside-down Martin. This 1952 model has a very sharp look but more importantly a big sound. Don Everly used a 1953 SJ to create the famous open-tuned chord hooks on the Everly Brothers early records, and this guitar has that same punch. A very nice example of this classic Gibson flat top.
Overall length is 40 3/4 in. (103.5 cm.), 16 1/4 in. (41.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 7/8 in. (12.4 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.). A great looking guitar with a very clean original finish overall; one patched area on soundhole rim is the only real defect. Back braces have been reglued and back strip replaced, no other visible repairs. Recent neck and compensated saddle, plays excellent with a bright and powerful sound. Includes a very nice OHSC. Overall Excellent - Condition.
