customer reviews
24 People rated this product :
7 out of 10
7 People wrote reviews
10 out of 10
"Gibson SJ-150: The ultimate jumbo acoustic barely under $2K !"
Feature:
The SJ150 is the SJ200 with lesser appointments, but the plain pickguard with stripe surround is nice. The tuners could be replaced later with Gotohs. The finishing and workmanship on this guitar is first rate. Excellent maple with an open grain pattern and the top is a very good one cosmetically. No fault in the workmanship and the setup is fine. Nice case; I wish they'd abandon the bright blue interior and go to a dark violet or something luxurious for the top line guitars.
Quality:
Gibson quality is not impressive in most of their line to me. At their prices, they should have no flaws and be set up dead on. They are Gibson, after all!
But this particular guitar appears to be very well made and only the tuners are lacking in quality. I can live with that. and replace them in a year or whenever they become sloppy.
Value:
For a Gibson upper line guitar, it's worth the under-$2K price. The sound and the build, cosmetics and action meet that level of quality to my ear and hands. Most of the Gibsons and Martins and Taylors just don't sound all that great (maybe 15% sound fine).
But this individual guitar is a very excellent example of what a Gibson can and should be. They are hard to find even in a medium sized town like Richmond, VA.
Desirability:
It's a handsome guitar, clean, crisp, and cosmetically appealing in every way. No one would say this is a mediocre looking guitar. I'd like to see it with ebony fretboard and bridge, but that's a dream wish. As is, it looks fine and the back is lovely.
Sound:
I have a Taylor jumbo, a Guild GAD jumbo, and one fine luthier jumbo dread from Brian Galloup ('Norther Light') that is a professional caliber instrument by any measure.
The Taylor is second rate by comparison and the Galloup an Gibson are on a par. The Galloups are about $5k with an 18 month wait. Mine is a 1999 and in great shape and probably the best sounding acoustic I ever played (maybe 400 guitars over the years). The Gibson SJ150 is right there with ist.
Excellent sustain, volume, definition, intonation, and that 'shimmer' in the trebles. A strong mid range ('punchy') and a really good bass (Gibsons tend to be dull in the bass). A lovely sound and wasted on strumming: this is a fingerstyle guitar! I'm no fan of Gibsons and have owned a 1960's J45 and a recent smaller body model that was nice at $1700. At $2K, the SJ150 is worth it, definitely.
A '10' is so beautiful it makes you get teary. This guitar is approachng that level and it is brand new. In a year it will be a '10' for sound.
Ease of Use:
I'm a picky player and want the action almost perfect: 3/32" and 1/16" at fret 12 on the bass and treble E's, respectively and just a hint of relief (I play with nails from classical study). This guitar only needs a light touch on the nut slots to pass the '3rd fret test'. But right now it is almost perfect with regular lights. Mediums may add just enough relief and boost the tone quality into a '10'. No one would complain about this guitar's action and it plays the entire neck great!
Support:
This I cannot answer, so will rate it '8' arbitrarily.
Overall:
I seldom rate any guitar a '10', but OVER-ALL, for just under $2K, this is a '10'. It's not chep to buy but it's not 2500-3300 like a Bourgeois or expensive Taylor. I have never found a Taylor on a rack that equals this SJ150 Gibson for sound. I have played one or 2 vintage Martins in this league. But Gibson has the jumbo 'thing' under control!
Submitted: 1/19/2008
Style of Music: Crossover country, vintage rock and roll and country, mostly my own songs (blues, romantic, country, southern blues/rock)
10 out of 10
"I'm very happy with this instrument . . . and so is my wife!"
Feature:
What can I say . . . it works as it is supposed to and keeps its tune.
Quality:
The 'only' reason I don't give it a '10' is due to agreeing with another reviewer . . . my pickguard is coming up as well.
Value:
Relative to other guitars in this price range 'and above' I feel that I got a good deal. This guitar compares 'easily' with any J200 I have played both in tone and in playability. Further, I have found that Gibson is in it's own league with respect to tone. I can play this guitar in the dark in front of the fireplace with my girlfriend and have a very pleasent evening. The Gibsons have a very very 'real' and full tone that you would have to pay at least double to achieve with a Martin and you just can't get with a Taylor.
Desirability:
I think the Maple wood is extremely nicely done and it looks great! The pick guard is probably the only thing that I would consider changing at all . . . and even if I could, I'm not sure that I would! It's a great looking guitar!
Sound:
My Gibson has plenty of volume and is very well balanced throughout the lowend to the highend. I have used both Martin SPs and Elixir strings, (Medium Gauge), with great success. I played quite a few J150s and J200s in attempting to decide on one . . . this one stood out and I bought it on the spot. There are differences in the different Gibsons even though they are the same model. This is truly the best acoustic guitar I have ever played.
Ease of Use:
The guitar can be used to play anything. I am a flat picker and it suits me fine. I can play blues, folk, country, or rock . . . no issues. I do find it better to 'mic it' instead of the internal electrics while recording or playing through an amplifier.
Support:
I have had conversations with Gibson representatives on the phone and they were helpful. Seeing the other reviewer mentioning the pick guard makes me feel that Gibson could be supporting this 'more' than they are/have, therefore, the '7'.
Overall:
This is a lifetime purchase and 'personal relationship'. This guitar is going to be with me along with my wife for the rest of my life.
Submitted: 8/8/2007
Style of Music: A little bit of everything and my own
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