Gibson J-45 Custom & SJ-200 Custom
Dream gear to beg, borrow and steal for...
Gibson J-45 Custom & SJ-200 Custom £4,799 & £8,799
CONTACT Gibson WEB www.gibson.com
Gibson has always produced the handsomest acoustic guitars. From rich-toned sunbursts to models boasting all manner of cosmetic finery, they surely are some of the coolest stage acoustics of all time. Within its electric line, the company has continually created upmarket versions of otherwise ‘Standard’ models, including the Les Paul and SG Custom, and the ES-355 to which the same fancy appointments and materials were applied, such as pearl, gold and ebony. There are now Flying V and Explorer Customs sporting the same livery, too.
However, until now, the acoustic range has escaped these tuxedo-like upgrades. But all-new for 2024 come four flat-tops: the SJ-200 Custom, J-45 Custom, Hummingbird Custom and Songwriter EC Custom, the former pair as featured here.
The premise is simple: take a standard acoustic model, replace its rosewood fingerboard with a bound ebony one sporting block mother-of-pearl markers, apply a multiple-bound headstock overlay with ‘split H’ motif, fit gold-plated Grover tuners, a black pickguard edged in white, and then finish it in glorious ebony nitro. On the SJ-200 Custom the rosewood moustache bridge becomes ebony, and the J-45 Standard’s inverted rosewood ‘belly’ bridge switches to that timber, too. Also, they each sport truss rod covers with ‘Custom’ engraved in white script. While the SJ-200’s usual look could be described as rather busy and the J-45’s relatively plain in contrast, the Custom treatment elevates them both in different ways.
Structurally, both instruments retain their original integrity, so under the SJ-200’s gloss black lacquer lurks a lightly figured maple back and sides, a two-piece maple neck with walnut centre ‘stringer’, and Sitka spruce top. Similarly, our J-45 Custom retains its solid mahogany body and neck, plus traditional spruce top. Both instruments carry LR Baggs’ excellent Session VTC pickup/preamp with soundhole-mounted volume and tone rotaries and under-saddle Element pickup.
Sometimes referred to pejoratively as the ‘whispering giant’, certain-era J-200s were indeed known for their underwhelming voice, given their overwhelming size. Lately, though, that all seems to have changed. Our ebony Custom here is, in fact, a bit of a bruiser, belting out huge bass response with matching mids and highs. It’s beautifully balanced, and the well-considered action is perfect for what the SJ-200 does best – big strummed chords. Of course, artists such as Jimmy Page and Yusuf/Cat Stevens have both used them to create delicate fingerpicked pieces, too, but most players wouldn’t choose such a guitar for that main purpose.
The J-45 Custom is a powerful-sounding beast, too, and du
