Gibson SJ-200 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1949)
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Item # 11881
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Gibson SJ-200 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1949), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # A-2731, sunburst lacquer finish, maple body and neck, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood bridge and fingerboard, period black hard shell case.
This well worn but fantastic playing and sounding SJ-200 is a guitar with a great story, that also happens to be simply a great guitar! It belonged long ago to one "Heck Harper", a TV Cowboy on station KGW in Portland Oregon well remembered by old-timers there. A copy of his obit from a local newspaper is included, picturing him with the instrument. He reportedly bought the guitar new and kept it until 1979, using it extensively on his TV show. The SJ-200 was literally purpose designed for this exact purpose, originally on Celluloid in movie theaters instead of small TV screens but the effect was the same. This was Gibson's "King of the Flat Tops" and basically you had one of these or a fancy pearl-top Martin if you were worth your boots and saddle!
This SJ-200 originally shipped out of Kalamazoo in February 1949, so was likely built in later 1948. It is one of the first of 88 total sunburst SJ-200s sent into the world that year. The SJ-200 was by then already the choice of many country stars, but later became a favorite of many early rockers as well. Elvis Presley had a natural J-200; The Everly Brothers adopted twin sunburst models for their duets, and the J-200 became forever enshrined as the #1 Rock & Roll rhythm guitar. It also remained a top C&W singer's choice, the best playing companion to a Nudie suit.
This one has typical features for the later 1940's; a darker sunburst lacquer finish over the subtly flamed maple back and sides and close grained spruce top. The top is multi-bound and decorated with the unique floral-engraved tortoise celluloid pickguard; this is the earlier fancier version with the extra line around the perimeter and somewhat darker celluloid. The top also features the redoubtable "moustache" bridge with multiple pearl inlays, another hallmark of the model. This 1940s example has the earlier lighter top bracing pattern, with a single "X" under the bridge. This was beefed up in 1952 with a second smaller "X" added under the fingerboard and some general heavier construction.
The laminated maple neck has a bound rosewood fingerboard with "crown" inlay, topped with a bound pearl inlaid headstock. It has a slightly chunkier round-backed feel than some later necks we have felt, a very comfortable handful. The gold-plated tuners are the short-lived open back Klusons used just after WWII before the ubiquitously familiar enclosed "Deluxe" machines came onto the market. The "King of the Flattops" was Gibson's top-priced non-carved acoustic guitar, designed to power an entire band and look great doing it. The ultimate front person's guitar, the SJ-200 is still unsurpassed in that role and a fantastic live or recording guitar when a powerful rhythm sound is the job to be done. We see "Heck" got a lot of use out of this one but also took good care of it; it is a splendid survivor and a fabulous instrument by any standard.
Overall length is 42 1/4 in. (107.3 cm.), 17 in. (43.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 15/16 in. (12.5 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 5/16 in. (643 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This genuine veteran broadcast cowboy 75 year old SJ-200 has general wear overall but nothing tragic; it has just emerged from a full maintenance repair session ready for the next 3/4 century. The neck has been VERY neatly reset and the fingerboard refretted with era-appropriate wire, the guitar is otherwise original and unaltered. The original nut was lightly shimmed and reslotted. The bridge has a repair to a small crack on the treble side of the saddle slot, which was rerouted slightly deeper for better support, the bone saddle and a couple of pearl blocks in bridge were neatly replaced. Long ago a Gibson plastic strap button was added to the center of the heel.
The top has a small repaired spruce grain split between the fingerboard and soundhole edge, sealed but visible. The treble side of the heel appears to have a small sealed split fairly high up towards the fingerboard. No other cracks are apparent on the instrument. The finish shows dings, scrapes and dents overall most heavily to the top; there is some typical pickwear into the wood in front of and behind the pickguard and above the fingerboard. The back is surprisingly clean (not much cowboy belt buckle wear!) while the back of the neck has some finish worn down from play mostly on the sides and along the centerline. The beautiful engraved pickguard has no celluloid distress, thankfully.
You can't fake the vibe of this SJ-200; it has simply has the sound and character played into it. With its recent 100,000 mile check up this is a great playing guitar with a huge ringing but still deep sound, possibly the best sounding post-WWII SJ-200 we have had if not the cleanest looking. A strummer's delight, a TRUE cowboy guitar (well, TV cowboy anyway!) and majestically vibey even without a Nudie suit! It lives in an old, possibly original Lifton "pre-brown" hardshell case. Overall Very Good + Condition.
This well worn but fantastic playing and sounding SJ-200 is a guitar with a great story, that also happens to be simply a great guitar! It belonged long ago to one "Heck Harper", a TV Cowboy on station KGW in Portland Oregon well remembered by old-timers there. A copy of his obit from a local newspaper is included, picturing him with the instrument. He reportedly bought the guitar new and kept it until 1979, using it extensively on his TV show. The SJ-200 was literally purpose designed for this exact purpose, originally on Celluloid in movie theaters instead of small TV screens but the effect was the same. This was Gibson's "King of the Flat Tops" and basically you had one of these or a fancy pearl-top Martin if you were worth your boots and saddle!
This SJ-200 originally shipped out of Kalamazoo in February 1949, so was likely built in later 1948. It is one of the first of 88 total sunburst SJ-200s sent into the world that year. The SJ-200 was by then already the choice of many country stars, but later became a favorite of many early rockers as well. Elvis Presley had a natural J-200; The Everly Brothers adopted twin sunburst models for their duets, and the J-200 became forever enshrined as the #1 Rock & Roll rhythm guitar. It also remained a top C&W singer's choice, the best playing companion to a Nudie suit.
This one has typical features for the later 1940's; a darker sunburst lacquer finish over the subtly flamed maple back and sides and close grained spruce top. The top is multi-bound and decorated with the unique floral-engraved tortoise celluloid pickguard; this is the earlier fancier version with the extra line around the perimeter and somewhat darker celluloid. The top also features the redoubtable "moustache" bridge with multiple pearl inlays, another hallmark of the model. This 1940s example has the earlier lighter top bracing pattern, with a single "X" under the bridge. This was beefed up in 1952 with a second smaller "X" added under the fingerboard and some general heavier construction.
The laminated maple neck has a bound rosewood fingerboard with "crown" inlay, topped with a bound pearl inlaid headstock. It has a slightly chunkier round-backed feel than some later necks we have felt, a very comfortable handful. The gold-plated tuners are the short-lived open back Klusons used just after WWII before the ubiquitously familiar enclosed "Deluxe" machines came onto the market. The "King of the Flattops" was Gibson's top-priced non-carved acoustic guitar, designed to power an entire band and look great doing it. The ultimate front person's guitar, the SJ-200 is still unsurpassed in that role and a fantastic live or recording guitar when a powerful rhythm sound is the job to be done. We see "Heck" got a lot of use out of this one but also took good care of it; it is a splendid survivor and a fabulous instrument by any standard.
Overall length is 42 1/4 in. (107.3 cm.), 17 in. (43.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 15/16 in. (12.5 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 5/16 in. (643 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This genuine veteran broadcast cowboy 75 year old SJ-200 has general wear overall but nothing tragic; it has just emerged from a full maintenance repair session ready for the next 3/4 century. The neck has been VERY neatly reset and the fingerboard refretted with era-appropriate wire, the guitar is otherwise original and unaltered. The original nut was lightly shimmed and reslotted. The bridge has a repair to a small crack on the treble side of the saddle slot, which was rerouted slightly deeper for better support, the bone saddle and a couple of pearl blocks in bridge were neatly replaced. Long ago a Gibson plastic strap button was added to the center of the heel.
The top has a small repaired spruce grain split between the fingerboard and soundhole edge, sealed but visible. The treble side of the heel appears to have a small sealed split fairly high up towards the fingerboard. No other cracks are apparent on the instrument. The finish shows dings, scrapes and dents overall most heavily to the top; there is some typical pickwear into the wood in front of and behind the pickguard and above the fingerboard. The back is surprisingly clean (not much cowboy belt buckle wear!) while the back of the neck has some finish worn down from play mostly on the sides and along the centerline. The beautiful engraved pickguard has no celluloid distress, thankfully.
You can't fake the vibe of this SJ-200; it has simply has the sound and character played into it. With its recent 100,000 mile check up this is a great playing guitar with a huge ringing but still deep sound, possibly the best sounding post-WWII SJ-200 we have had if not the cleanest looking. A strummer's delight, a TRUE cowboy guitar (well, TV cowboy anyway!) and majestically vibey even without a Nudie suit! It lives in an old, possibly original Lifton "pre-brown" hardshell case. Overall Very Good + Condition.