Never really been good at describing sound, but the guitar has a deep, open sound with a crackling edge to it (if that makes any sense). I have never played any J-200 that I would call a very loud guitar but nothing thin sounding about them. The guitar that has been in the house the longest here is a 1960 J-200. There is absolutely no hint of what that might be in your post.

Having said this, there are a lot worse guitars out there, and as well as being historically important, the 1820 bass can certainly provide the goods when required.First you need to ask yourself what is it about the SJ/J-200 that attracts you.

Over the course of the 70s, the Japanese output improved dramatically, and in many ways these early 70s models are a low point for the brand. These new Epiphones were based on existing Matsumoku guitars, sharing body shapes, and hardware, but the Epiphone line was somewhat upgraded, with inlaid logos and a 2x2 peghead configuration. The Matsumoku factory had been producing guitars for export for some time, but the 1820 bass (alongside a number of guitar models and the 5120 electric acoustic bass) were the first Epiphone models to be made there. For simplicity (and because other Gibson 1950s Gibson literature simply uses J-200 for these guitars), we shall stick to J-200 here.Р”В«y the end of the 1960s, a decision had been made to move Epiphone guitar production from the USA (at the Kalamazoo plant where Gibson guitars were made), to Matsumoto in Japan, creating a line of guitars and basses significantly less expensive than the USA-built models (actually less than half the price). The published shipping data describes the model as SJ-200 between 19, and J-200 from then on. It may actually be that guitar shipping statistics were not separated by finish up to this point. Note the table above does not suggest Natural finished guitars prior to 1948. The available shipping data for the Gibson J-200 between 19 is as follows: No shipping data is available beyond this time. Through most of the 1960s it was the highest priced Gibson acoustic - although in the 1970s, a similar model with rosewood back an sides was priced slightly higher still, the J-250R.Р”Р„ccording to Gibson shipping totals, 6913 J-200 / SJ-200 guitars shipped from the Gibson Kalamazoo plant between 19. More expensive than the ES-175D ($600), ES-345TD ($665), Les Paul Custom ($645) and even the Les Paul Recording ($695). In the February 1974 US Gibson price list (the peak year) it is listed at $710/$730 (Sunburst/ Natural). 17' wide, 21' long, 4 7/8' deep, 20 frets.Р”Р„s implied above, the J-200 was an expensive guitar. Gold-plated enclosed individual machine heads with metal tuning buttons. Bound rosewood fingerboard with large pearl inlays. Slim, fast, low-action neck - laminated Curly Maple with adjustable truss rod. Decorative black-and-white ivoroid binding, multiple inlaid purfling rings, and etched brown celluloid fingerrest. Finest close-grained Spruce top with highly figured Curly Maple back and rims. Beautiful appearance, flawless workmanship, outstanding performance.Р”Р‡eatures: now has adjustable bridge with new inlay and gold Tune-O-Matic bridge saddle. Built with an extra large tone chamber and many exclusive design features. Like any guitar with such a long production run, there were numerous hardware and construction changes over the years, however the J-200 never lost its 17' body width.Р”В¬alled 'King of the flat top guitars' for its dramatic beauty, booming residence, and penetrating carrying power. As a hugely expensive custom order instrument (at least for much of its period of production), it never sold in huge numbers the peak year was 1974 with 572 J-200s shipped: 266 Sunburst J-200s and 305 Natural J-200Ns. Because of its Super Jumbo size, it was sometimes given the model designation SJ-200, rather than J-200, but there is little consistency in this, and price lists (even in the 1950s when most sources suggest 'SJ' was more commonly used) tend to use J-200. Production started again in 1948, and from then the model saw continuous production. It was launched in 1938, but only 96 guitars were shipped between then and 1941 when guitar production ceased in order to aid the war effort. It was a very fine instrument indeed, primarily available by custom order for guitarists that wanted the very best. The Gibson J-200 was a large-body flat top 'super jumbo' acoustic guitar with a 17' wide body.

Gibson j 200 vs sj 200