I received my new Gibson Songwriter Standard Cutaway in Rosewood Burst June 15th 2021. I bought my first in about 2008 and gave it to my daughter about four years ago. The first was a beautiful natural top.The major difference, as far as I can tell, is that the new pickguard is not the same sort of raised/rounded top. The original one had started to lift a year or two ago and I see the new type are the same outline, but flat, like most pickguards...I presume this will stay attached better.The finish is perfect. The fret ends are a bit on the sharp side and need a good polish with various grit emery cloth and I'm surprised they didn't round the binding as they even do it now on their $500 and $600 "Inspired by Gibson" Epiphone ES-335 and ES-339.I'll dress the fret ends and polish them, and I'll take the edge off the binding myself...because this guitar sounds so lovely that I wouldn't send it back unless I was forced to. In the end, the sound is what matters and this guitar is perfect. The lows are strong but don't overpower the mids and treble, and the note-clarity between strings when strumming and picking is about as good as I've heard. This may be a slightly less deep dreadnaught, but it is seriously loud when strumming normally, but the dynamics are perfect when you play lightly and the top opens up more as the sound isn't compressed by harder strumming.I'm going to give all five stars except for Quality which I'll rate 4.5 due to the the frets and square-edge binding on… read more the neck. I am very pleased with this purchase, thank you zZounds!

Musical Background:
Playing music for fifty years

Musical Style:
Classic rock, blues, jazz. read less