“Now with the rich sonic allure of rosewood”: Three timeless Gibson acoustics have received a rosewood reinvention – bringing new visuals and tones to the table
The J-45, SJ-200 and Hummingbird have all been treated to a cosmetic and functional pick-me-up
(Image credit: Gibson)
Gibson has given three of its most popular acoustic guitar platforms a rosewood reboot as part of its new Standard Rosewood lineup.
Positioned under the brand's Modern Collection, the lineup comprises J-45, SJ-200 and Hummingbird models, all of which have been given both an ornate Rosewood Burst finish as well as a tweaked rosewood build.
In each instance, a Sitka spruce top has been paired with rosewood back and sides, replacing the mahogany and maple of previous versions.
According to Gibson, this change has been introduced to deliver “exciting new tonal options” – namely, a “richer bass response and greater harmonic complexity”. Not to mention they look mighty smart, too.
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(Image credit: Gibson)
(Image credit: Gibson)
(Image credit: Gibson)
These curations of rosewood and spruce have been fashioned into the shape of either the round-shouldered, workhorse dreadnought J-45; larger, more luxurious square-shouldered Hummingbird; and the “King of the Flat-Tops” SJ-200.
As you work your way up the line, the spec sheets become a little more elegant, but all flaunt the updated build schematic, as well as mahogany necks, 12”-radius Indian rosewood fingerboards, Tusq nuts and bridge pins, and 20 standard frets.
(Image credit: Gibson)
In each case, a compound Dovetail neck-to-body joint is used, as are LR Baggs electronics: VTC systems for the J-45 and Hummingbird, and an Anthem pickup for the SJ-200. Unplugged tones are finessed by traditional hand-scalloped X Bracing.
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Differentiating features include inlays – Dots for the J-45, Split Parallelograms for the Hummingbird and Graduated Crowns for the SJ-200 – and hardware: the SJ-200 opts for Grover Imperial tuners, while the others favor Grover Rotomatics.
(Image credit: Gibson)
Rosewood Belly Up bridges are also used for those latter two models, while a more grand 2-Bar Moustache rosewood bridge can be found on the SJ-200.
What this all means is, these are your standard Gibson acoustics, though “now with the rich sonic allure of rosewood”, which hopes to deliver both a new tonal take on the time-old acoustics as well as a neat cosmetic option.
(Image credit: Gibson)
These are top-of-the-line Gibson acoustics, so they’re priced accordingly: $3,699 for the J-45, $4,599 for the Hummingbird and $5,999 for the SJ-200.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
