I went and done it... picked up an SJ200. I need an intervention!

txbumper57

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
7,577
Reaction score
58
Location
Texas
Granted my SJ200 was a floor model so I got it at a discounted price.

However, my initial comparison was between new Cordoba Guilds and current Gibsons which I would consider comparable price wise. Its not that Gibson has brought down their prices, its that Cordoba is bringing up their prices to the same level as Gibson, which is worrisome for the brand when you see the backlash Gibson has had regarding their princing.

When you consider MSRP for other comparable US made guitar brands, for example, for their top tier RW dreadnought :

Taylor 810e (2018): MSRP: $3399
Martin HD28 (2018): $3799
Gibson hummingbird (2018): $3849
Guild D55 burst (2018) : $4870

Again, its hard to compare them directly because options will vary from one model to another, but for new Cordoba Guilds, the trend is undeniable... With Gibson down on one knee, we may have a new price "king" sooner than we think!

Like you said Clyde, That is Cordoba. They are definitely trying to follow the business model of making less guitar and charging more money for it. New Hartford on the other hand was a completely different story which is why I included those prices I mentioned earlier.

TX
 

Grassdog

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
550
Reaction score
118
Location
Cincinnati, OH
I'm with you there Clyde on the J-200 - hands down the best jumbo I've ever played and the one I wish I had back. Mine was a Bozeman 2003 in Natural. Had to sell her in tough times. Congratulations and enjoy.
 

mavuser

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
8,128
Reaction score
2,636
Location
New York
u did good at $2700, there was a very respectable guitar shop selling the SJ-200 Gibson for around $4200 or so by me last year. that was the street price. congrats and enjoy!
 

mavuser

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
8,128
Reaction score
2,636
Location
New York
saw one at GC in Times Square, New York for the street price of $5249.99, two days ago. so i'd say you are doing pretty good on that!
 

ClydeTower

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2018
Messages
585
Reaction score
7
Location
Montreal
saw one at GC in Times Square, New York for the street price of $5249.99, two days ago. so i'd say you are doing pretty good on that!

That's just crazy nuts... Still my favorite guitar right now, but would never pay that much.

My SJ200 is currently my #1, however, a very recent new acquisition could be a game changer. More on that in a few days... :cool-new:
 

deebeewhy

Junior Member
Joined
May 15, 2015
Messages
97
Reaction score
0
Location
San Diego
The jumbo you got, Clyde, really is king of the flat-tops - the "banjo killer" indeed. I have played few of them since they always are displayed 50 feet off the ground and I don't like to ask for help. But the few I've held do boom. Gibson acoustics are so beautiful. I've been to Bozeman. It is the opposite of the Taylor factory here in San Diego, which is over-automated. Bozeman is a flurry of human activity and sawdust. But for some reason, Gibby though has really mastered the jumbo (including the semi jumbos, as in the 185) and the small-body blues guitar, their dreads leave me feeling cold. (I should say their square-shouldered dreads: the bird, the dove, the songwriter, whereas the J45 is much more consistently good). Enjoy the jumbo - time to join a fiddle, mandolin, banjo ensemble and hold your own.
 

Brucebubs

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2018
Messages
2,154
Reaction score
1,539
Location
Eden, Australia
I've always wanted a Gibson SJ-200 and something always seemed to get in my way when I try to buy one.
Saved up then needed a knee replacement - time off work.
Saved up then needed spinal surgery - more time off.

Anyway , 2 days ago I found one and emailed the USA seller to start the paperwork!
.... then I studied all the great pictures really closely again and found ... virtually no saddle showing.
Emailed the seller and cancelled the transaction.
Here's the picture.

C8Q8TAXh.jpg
 

Cougar

Enlightened Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2015
Messages
5,319
Reaction score
3,014
Location
North Idaho
Guild Total
5
.... then I studied all the great pictures really closely again and found ... virtually no saddle showing.

Yep, best to check all the angles! Sorry that one fell through, but you really wanted an F50 or an F50R anyway, didn't you? :tiger:
 

Brucebubs

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2018
Messages
2,154
Reaction score
1,539
Location
Eden, Australia
Yep, best to check all the angles! Sorry that one fell through, but you really wanted an F50 or an F50R anyway, didn't you? :tiger:

2 Fantastic Guilds that I'd be happy to own ... so I looked into importing a new F-55 here but unfortunately Cordoba Guild has a policy that US dealers can NOT sell to countries outside the USA that have Guild dealers already there.
In my case that means I can only buy a new Guild from an Australian Guild dealer ... at the price they set... which is way more than me buying it from the USA, shipping it myself and paying Sales Tax.
So I'm sorry, I know this is a Guild forum but I'm just not going to buy a new Guild here under those rules.
 
Last edited:

ClydeTower

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2018
Messages
585
Reaction score
7
Location
Montreal
Hey BB,

I actually bought my F55 from a Guild dealer in the USA, and had it shipped for free to the border where I picked it up and crossed into Canada (yes, I am Canadian). I also have it in writing that it's covered under lifetime warranty. Cordoba even sent me free stuff (tuner, capo, etc.) as part of a promotion to thank me for my purchase. So in my case, they didn't seem to care I was buying from outside the US.

The shop is Johnson String Instrument: https://www.johnsonstring.com/cgi-bin/music/scripts/violin-viola-cello-music.cgi?xyUw3xafe=GRGD&select1=Guild+Guitars. They don't have an F50 in stock at the moment, but they periodically come through and often have demo models that are like new but cost a lot less. I guess if you really wanted one, you could have it forwarded to Australia. Check with them, you never know...

As for the SJ200, simply a fantastic guitar. Has a "Hi-Fi" sound that everybody immediately notices. I love that guitar, would never part with it. The only negative thing I would say is that it eats through strings like there's no tomorrow. They last for a few weeks, maybe a little more, and then go downhill really fast. During that period, it sounds absolutely phenomenal, but after, the wound strings just go "thud". I use DR Sunbeams, but will try DR Veritas which are supposed to last 4x longer... will see how that goes.

Good luck with the search!
 
Last edited:

Brucebubs

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2018
Messages
2,154
Reaction score
1,539
Location
Eden, Australia
So I got tired looking for a good Gibson SJ-200 and new Guilds are simply over priced by mediocre dealers here in Australia ... so I just bought this.

w5wUPjFl.jpg
zW8ikjEl.jpg


okDHUewl.jpg
wsnPezEl.jpg


Huss and Dalton Custom MJ
 

chazmo

Super Moderator
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
Messages
25,443
Reaction score
7,105
Location
Central Massachusetts
Bruce that's a real beauty. Let us know how you like her.

Man, that tiger-stripe neck is amazing. Well, the whole guitar is, but the neck really stands out!
 
Top