One Time Experience

One of my very first vintage Gibson acoustic guitar instruments was a a 1970′s model J-45. An old school “Jumbo Dreadnought” style that had a very big sound to it. I’m told that the tropical mahogany used back then played a huge part in how great the sound was in these classics. There isn’t any “sound bleed” like you get in models and brands with less desirable wood construction. The spruce top had a beautiful reddish-burnt finish that reminds you of a gorgeous sunset. All in all the J-45 is a simple model in the Gibson Guitar acoustic lineup with simple yet stylistic binding and mid-grade tuners.

Another one of the great Gibson acoustic guitars was the Hummingbird. This was a high end model close to the top of the price range. A unique look of the Hummingbird was the Square Shoulder design. Still a dreadnought but the squared off shoulder gave it a real one of a kind look. Other subtle differences were the split parallel inlays and fancy pickguard. Sound wise, I never noticed a noticeable difference in sound as compared to the J-45. They both have a powerful range of tones and are comparable in volume to many models of Gibson acoustic electric guitar.

What really determines a top notch guitar for me are several aspects. It has to have a powerful volume that can fill a small to medium sized hall without having to be plugged in. Another key feature is how easily the notes can be fretted without the excruciating finger pain or excess fret buzz. Fret buzz is noticeable on cheaper models of acoustics that are easily fretted. Unfortunately the fret buzz cancels out the benefit of the easy playability. On the other hand, some models that have no fret buzz are so hard to fret that it is near impossible to play clean notes and chords without breaking your fingers. Ok, slight exaggeration but I’m sure most of you know what I’m talking about . Most models of Gibson acoustic guitar that I’ve played fit perfectly into my playability range.

I’ve saved my favorite for last. The J-200 is by far the best acoustic guitar I’ve ever played and owned. This bad boy is an extra large, 17″ body, and can be heard for miles. Great for Country and Gospel music but it doesn’t end there. It has such a playable fretboard that playing solos from even the fastest of Heavy Metal songs is doable. All the finishing touches really make this masterpiece rise above all the competition in the price category. Beautiful engraving, moustache bridge and trapezoid inlays like those on the popular electric models. This was the best money I ever spent on an acoustic and is my pick as best Gibson acoustic guitar.

Until next time.