Music

This 1956 J-200 sounds massive! They don’t call it “King of the Flat-Tops” for no reason. Check out the included demo video.In addition to having the iconic look (thanks to folks like Elvis, George Harrison, Emmylou Harris, etc. playing them), these J-200s (especially ones from the ‘50s and earlier) have a smooth but booming sound that is different from anything else on the market. It’s about as good a strumming guitar as there ever was, although with the longer scale length it’s also fun to flatpick. The spruce/maple combo in a jumbo body size makes for a guitar with huge projection and yet nice balance. This particular J-200 is an excellent example, in terms of tone and feel, of how great these guitars can sound.The primary reason this J-200 is priced below 10k (which is uncommon in the current market) is due to a well-performed refinish. It has also received a neck reset and refret. The bridge looks to be somewhat period-correct, although it’s a modified version of what would have been original to this guitar, evidenced by the location of the block inlays, the dot inlays on the “moustache” wings, and the placement of the bridge pins. It also appears that the bridge originally featured an adjustable bridge mechanism, which has been replaced with a fixed bone saddle. The pickguard, which has a repaired “crack,” is original, as are the tuners and bridgeplate. There are no cracks on the guitar that I can find, just a handful of scratches and minor imperfections in the binding. Other than the refinish, the guitar has actually been really well-preserved!Asking $8,400 here on Reverb (lower on other forums) plus shipping, which is lower than the mid-9k value that was recently assessed on it by Music City Vintage Guitars here in Nashville. As a bonus, this J-200 comes with its original (albeit beat-up) hardshell Lifton case with pink interior lining.

The Gibson J-200 is a Jumbo acoustic guitar known for its rich tone and beautiful craftsmanship. It has a solid spruce top, maple back and sides, and a rosewood fretboard.