Used 2009 Gibson 20th Anniversary Luthier’s Choice Advanced Jumbo – Limited Run of 20 Worldwide

Sonic Evaluation

Wildwoodians, Gibson's Luthier's Choice guitars have acquired quite a reputation for greatness over the years, and after playing this 20th Anniversary edition, I have to say that they have earned their lofty status. This is a truly special instrument, full stop. It has no weaknesses that I could find, and there is no field in which it does not excel.

As a strummer or flatpickin' machine, it's glorious. It's so loud that I felt a little rude for trying to find its volume ceiling this early in the morning, and it has oodles of headroom, so it sounds nice and open even when it's deafeningly loud. Speaking of power, the low E sounds gargantuan, but it also has a wonderful woody, dry vintage character that keeps the guitar in balance. The fundamental booms on a different level than most rosewood-backed guitars, although that's not to say it doesn't sound--far from it! The midrange and trebles bloom with a beautiful bouquet of sweet overtones. And, it's so lively, you almost feel like it's going to vibrate out of your hands!

The crazy part is, this guitar sounds that full-bodied, robust, and lively even at low volumes. I decided to be a good person today and play softly while my coworker was on the phone, and I was shocked and delighted by how rich this guitar sounded when I barely kissed the strings. It's uber-responsive, and that along with its substantial dynamic range make for a wonderfully expressive playing experience.

Fingerstyle, delicate jazz picking, enthusiastic campfire strumming, bluegrass mash--there's nothing guitar won't do you at elite levels! If you're looking for a big-sounding Gibson, I have no doubt you'll love it as much as I did!

Condition Report

This Advanced Jumbo is in fantastic shape with just a little bit of honest playwear. The frets show virtually no signs of wear, so it's ready to rock for a long time. The body shows light signs of normal use, and the headstock has a few small blemishes: some light scratches on the top, one scratch across the serial number, and some bigger dings/scratches/chatter on the bass side of the headstock. A previous owner slotted the saddle to lower the action and slightly alter the string spacing, and the G, B, and E slots in the nut have been filled and recut in slightly different positions to match. Also, at some point it received aftermarket bone bridge pins, which improve sustain and resonance (the originals are in the case). All in all, it's a clean, mean acoustic machine, and it comes with its original hardshell case and a certificate of authenticity signed by Ren Ferguson.