Gibson has given two of its most-loved acoustic guitars a makeover, refreshing the SJ-200 and J-45 in the cult classic Blueberry Burst.
Announced via the Gibson Gazette and available exclusively via the Gibson Garages in Nashville in London, and digitally via the brand’s website, these fruity little numbers are sure to sell like hotcakes.
Blueberry Burst has always been a favourite special edition finish, and seeing it on these high-end acoustic guitars makes us think of Miranda Lambert’s signature twist on the Hummingbird, the Bluebonnet Bluebird – albeit the country star’s model is a blue colour stain rather than a gradated ‘burst finish.
Besides the finish, these are pretty much exactly as you would expect from two of the more iconic acoustics from the Gibson lineup.
The J-45 is the more blue-collar of of the two, the workhorse that burst out of the traps in 1942 with the round-shouldered profile. The body’s build is Sitka spruce on top, with mahogany on the back and sides. There’s multi-ply binding on the top of the body, single-ply on the back and fingerboard. None on the headstock.
The rosewood fingerboard has dot inlays, a 12” radius, and nothing too flashy here because there is enough going on with that finish and the J-45 is all about the fundamentals (the solid compound dovetail neck-to-body joint, the Grover Rotomatics with the kidney bean-style buttons, the big voice).
It is set up with an LR Baggs VTC under-saddle acoustic guitar pickup and preamp system so it’s ready for the stage or the studio, and it retails for £2,799.
The SJ-200 is the King of the Flat-Tops, is more decorative with its moustache-style bridge, gold hardware and the floral pickguard, and all this regal bearing is going to cost you with a list price of £5,499.
But you do get a lot of guitar. It has a AAA Sitka spruce top, with AAA figured maple on the back and sides. There’s five-ply binding on the top here. And just look at the inlays; graduated crowns in mother of pearl, resplendent on Indian rosewood.
It, too, has LR Baggs electronics, with Gibson favouring the Anthem system for this jumbo. That means inside the soundhole you will find controls for volume, a mix control for blending the signals from the under-saddle pickup and internal microphone, a phase inversion switch, a battery check, and a mic level control.
The SJ-200 similarly has Grover Rotomatics with the kidney bean buttons. Both are of course finished with high-gloss nitrocellulose and ship in hardshell guitar cases. For more details, head over to Gibson, or pay one of their Garages a visit in person.
