SJ-200 Sunburst Silver Fir/Maple now with sound

[Herman]

No 66. This guitar is made to the specifications of a Gibson SJ-200. Over the years, Gibson has alternately named it SJ-200 or J-200. Since the 1930s, there have been many different versions, wood types, and bridge types. This guitar is known as the "King of Flattops" due to its big and full sound. The starting point is a guitar for the rhythm player, with a fairly narrow neck and a 12" rounded fingerboard. This pine wood comes from a 200-year-old Silver Fir that was found blown down in the Austrian Alps. This piece is very stiff (14.2GPa). Never used this wood, but it turns out great. I made a J-45 type of bridge, because I find the moustache bridge sooo ugly.
This one I sprayed with nitro, because my waterbased varnish is far too thick to spray a nice fine burst.
The result is great, with a very full big sound. Deep bass and sparkling highs. It is sold, otherwise I would keep it for me self.

For more details and pictures, look Here

Here are some sounds (Pure, no effects or eq):
Sound 1
Sound 2

Specs:
Top-Solid Alpine Silver Fir (Abies Alba)
Back-Carpathian Flamed Maple
Bridge/fingerboard/binding-EIR
Scale-25.34"
Nut-43,8 mm
Tuners-Gotoh SD90-SLN
Finish-Nitro Vintage Sunburst

[Kevin in California]

Most excellent Herman. I love everything about it.
Can't wait to hear it

[Dave Bagwill]

Ditto!

[Herman]

Thanks boys,
I did not expect this outcome, 'cause all big Gibsons I played could not seduce me. I found them all too tubby. For that I made here the top a tad stiffer and the soundhole a bit larger. Helps against boominess.

[John Parchem]

Wow! Amazing looking. Looking forward to a sound sample. The 14.2GPa is sitka like stiffness for a softwood. Interesting

[Will Reyer]

Ah, Herman,
This one is just beyond belief - simply exquisite! Agree, mustache bridges were/are ill-conceived excrescences, you made the right choice.

Also like your rosette and the vintage tuners. And as much as I try to avoid lacquer in my old age, that was, I know, a lot of work but in this case VERY worth it.
I guess I haven't been paying much attention since I moved to Texas but I see you used a Lowden 2-pc saddle. That accomplishes the same improved accurate intonation that bumbling along with a quarter-inch wide saddle permitted me.

I used to live about 30 miles east of Kalamazoo, where all the old Lloyd Loar-designed Gibsons were made. The former head of the Kalamazoo Folklife Society used to play in my shop with us on Friday nights once a month. We also used to go, occasionally, to their Monday night KFS round-robins in the back room of Louie's Trophy Bar, the oldest bar in Kalamazoo.

I also know you're a true believer in sound files, so will keep looking back here. My best to your Anja, too.

[Herman]

Thank you Will. All the best from here too.
Nitro is easier to spray and more forgiving than waterbased laquer. And it adheres better. But dang, it is so dangerous and toxic stuff. For this "one time job" sunburst I needed a mini gun, so I got me a brandless one from a major supplier here. Funny thing is, in the past I used hundreds of bucks costing SATA and DeVilbizz guns. But this 40 bucks gun sprays as easy, fine and even as the pro guns above. You can see the prove above.......a keeper.