Gibson Custom Shop 1957 SJ-200

All Hail the King of the Flat-Tops

Ever since 1937, the SJ-200 has been the king of the flat-tops, and it has ruled over every genre from arena rock to old-time country. Its enduring popularity in a wide variety of musical styles is a testament to its timeless design and spectacular sound.

Originally, Gibson designed the SJ-200 for singing cowboys like Ray Whitley that needed to project over a full band. In the thirties, primitive public address systems offered little in the way of sound reinforcement beyond boosting the vocals. So, acoustic guitars had to be big and loud to be heard live! Thus, the king of the flat-tops was born.

Many of the same qualities that made the SJ-200 a favorite of singing cowboys have made it a desirable guitar for recording, live use, and general music-making merriment. Spruce and maple are a delightful pair of tonewoods, and they work wonders together as part of a jumbo body. Spruce is a balanced, bright, clear-sounding tonewood, and maple adds high-end chime and cut. Two woods with such bright timbres could easily sound thin together, but the jumbo body size ensures that the SJ-200 still puts out plenty of warm, rich low-end to balance out the sonic equation. So, you get a supremely articulate acoustic that projects like nobody's business while maintaining excellent balance and rich harmonic response!

Players the world over fell in love with the SJ-200's spectacular tonality. It records like a dream (listen to "Pinball Wizard" by The Who, "Black Mountain Side" by Led Zeppelin, or "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles for proof), and its regal sound cuts through a mix like nobody's business while providing a solid foundation for other instruments to build upon. We're proud to showcase such an inspiring instrument for our exceptional customers!