Gibson Acoustic SJ-200 Pre-War Rosewood Vintage Sunburst CSHR

Essential Information About the Gibson Custom Shop Historic Reissue SJ-200 Guitar

• Historic Reissue handcrafted in Bozeman, capturing the spirit of late 1930s SJ-200s.


• Thermally aged Adirondack red spruce top with traditional scalloped X bracing assembled with hide glue (hot glue) for maximum responsiveness.


• Rosewood back and sides and premium ebony fingerboard/bridge: definition, depth, and a "high-end" feel.


• Carefully crafted vintage details: binding, vintage-style inlays, SJ-200 pickguard, and nitro VOS finish.

A SJ-200 "King of the Flat-Tops" Revisited by the Acoustic Custom Shop

Often nicknamed the "King of the Flat-Tops," the SJ-200 is one of Gibson's most iconic models. This Historic Reissue version, handmade in the renowned Bozeman factory, embraces the aesthetic codes and spirit of late 1930s instruments, featuring a selection of premium materials and an authenticity-focused execution. The attention to detail (fingerboard binding, vintage-look Gibson inlay, characteristic pickguard) enhances the "Custom Shop" character of this recreation.

Who Is It For, and In Which Styles?

Thanks to its large SJ-200 body and generous projection, this guitar is especially suited for intermediate to advanced guitarists seeking an exceptional instrument for accompaniment, pick playing, and rich arrangements. It excels in folk, country, singer-songwriter, and acoustic pop, while remaining very inspiring for both strumming and fingerpicking when a broad, "premium" sound is desired.

The Sound

The thermally aged Adirondack red spruce top is renowned for its power reserve, quick response, and excellent dynamic control, ideal for aggressive pick attacks. The hand-scalloped X bracing promotes sound openness, projection, and a lively balance between bass, mids, and treble. The rosewood back and sides provide depth, rich harmonic content, and generous sustain, while the ebony fingerboard and bridge enhance precision and clarity of articulation. The result: a jumbo guitar with a bold character, wide, detailed, and highly expressive.

Recommended Compatible Accessories

To stay as close as possible to the original feel, prioritize a set of acoustic strings 12-53 (0.012-0.053) matching the factory gauge, to maintain the balance between power, comfort, and top response.

Technical specifications

Format	SJ-200	Frets	standard
Top	thermally aged Adirondack red spruce	Nut	bone
Back	rosewood	Nut width	1.725" / 43.8 mm
Sides	rosewood	Inlays	graduated crown mother-of-pearl
Bracing	traditional hand-scalloped X bracing with hide glue	Tuners	gold-plated
Binding	multi-ply top and back binding	Machine heads	Grover Imperials
Finish	thin nitrocellulose, VOS	Bridge	SJ-200 Four Bar Moustache
Material	2-piece maple	Bridge nut	bone
Profile	D	Bridge pins	bone
Neck/body joint	dovetail	Pickguard	SJ-200, multicolored dots, double binding
Scale length	25.5" / 648 mm	Truss rod cover	black with wide white border
Fingerboard	ebony	Strings	0.053" / 1.35 mm, 0.042" / 1.07 mm, 0.032" / 0.81 mm, 0.024" / 0.61 mm, 0.016" / 0.41 mm, 0.012" / 0.30 mm
Radius	12" / 305 mm	Included accessories	Gibson accessory kit
Number of frets	20