Maple jumbo comparison F-55 vs. J-200 and Taylor 618

Grassdog

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
550
Reaction score
118
Location
Cincinnati, OH
I apologize if this has been posted before, but I thought this was a nice comparison between the Guild, Gibson, and Taylor maple jumbos (notice I didn't say "shootout"). Each has it's own distinctive voice and they're all great in my estimation. At 5:58 they play them in sequence and it's easier to hear the difference.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyzJGnlarQ8
 

Brucebubs

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2018
Messages
2,154
Reaction score
1,540
Location
Eden, Australia
I'm a maple jumbo fan and I've watched that comparison many times.
The Gibson appeals most to me in that clip but I love how the F-55 Maple sounds in this demo,

 

geoguy

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
3,519
Reaction score
1,640
Location
metrowest MA
The Taylor sounded too delicate for my tastes in the first clip.

Love the arched-back press in the backdrop of the second clip! And yes, the F-55 sounded gorgeous in that second clip, too.
 

davismanLV

Venerated Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
19,196
Reaction score
11,812
Location
U.S.A. : Nevada : Las Vegas
Guild Total
2
I've never seen it before so thanks for posting the link. They're all super nice sounding guitars. Seems like a nice comparison and gives you a good idea of the differences, and the similarities. :encouragement:
 

richardp69

Enlightened Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Messages
6,007
Reaction score
5,965
Location
Barton City, Michigan
I'll own one of these someday soon. I did just pick up the F 55 RW. My F 50R from Tacoma is one of my all time favorite Guilds but this one is just as good and possible even better IMHO. I know some here still don't buy it but I think Oxnard is getting it right for sure.
 

dreadnut

Gone But Not Forgotten
Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
16,082
Reaction score
6,442
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Guild Total
2
I never saw this before either. My vote would be Guild 1, Gibson 2, Taylor a distant 3rd.
 

Westerly Wood

Venerated Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2007
Messages
13,323
Reaction score
6,496
Guild Total
2
that is great. i could not really hear much of a difference tonally. the gibson sounded best but not by much over the Guild but I also liked the taylor too. maybe i do need a maple jumbo after all.
 

twocorgis

Venerated Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Jan 8, 2010
Messages
13,922
Reaction score
6,519
Location
Lawn Guyland
Guild Total
18
FWIW, I've never played a jumbo maple Gibson that I thought was anywhere near as good as my F50 until I played this one.

80661656_10221490062066872_1612619778512388096_n.jpg


My Facebook friends have seen this photo before, but for those who haven't, that's Rev. Gary Davis's 1951 SJ200. Even with a shifted neck block, bad neck set, and super dead strings, it was incredibly light and resonant. If only I were rich! This one is for sale, and they've already turned down $10K for it.
 

sailingshoes72

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2014
Messages
1,477
Reaction score
414
Location
Virginia, USA
That's a very cool photo, Sandy! I'm a big-time fan of the music of Rev. Gary Davis. Thanks for posting here on LTG! :encouragement:

Also, what's the backstory on how you came to be holding this guitar?
 
Last edited:

twocorgis

Venerated Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Jan 8, 2010
Messages
13,922
Reaction score
6,519
Location
Lawn Guyland
Guild Total
18
That's a very cool photo, Sandy! I'm a big-time fan of the music of Rev. Gary Davis. Thanks for posting here on LTG! :encouragement:

Also, what's the backstory on how you came to be holding this guitar?

I'm a big fan too! I came to play the guitar through a good friend. He's a long-time music industry veteran (was John Sebastian's road manager for a long time), and was a approached by the current owner. They inherited it IIRC, and were looking for help in fixing and selling it. Whoever gets that guitar will be getting a great one, even if I think all the bling is ugly!

Hard to say for sure, but this is quite likely the same guitar, although he did own two sunburst SJ200s at one time or another.

81033795_10162926947985654_1809160613008506880_n.jpg
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,790
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
I'm a big fan too! I came to play the guitar through a good friend. He's a long-time music industry veteran (was John Sebastian's road manager for a long time), and was a approached by the current owner. They inherited it IIRC, and were looking for help in fixing and selling it. Whoever gets that guitar will be getting a great one, even if I think all the bling is ugly!
Hard to say for sure, but this is quite likely the same guitar, although he did own two sunburst SJ200s at one time or another.
"Huh". Wonder if Jorma K knows about it?
One might think he'd be a good candidate.
 

davismanLV

Venerated Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
19,196
Reaction score
11,812
Location
U.S.A. : Nevada : Las Vegas
Guild Total
2
Brucebubs, that video by Trevor Menear is just incredible playing, but I'd like to hear him play the other two as well. They're all good, great even. They're a bit different, which is of course, what makes life interesting......
 

twocorgis

Venerated Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Jan 8, 2010
Messages
13,922
Reaction score
6,519
Location
Lawn Guyland
Guild Total
18
"Huh". Wonder if Jorma K knows about it?
One might think he'd be a good candidate.

He would be I suppose, but I don't think he'd be inclined. I haven't seen him play a big guitar in many years, and can't ever remember seeing him playing a jumbo.

I OTOH, love jumbos, and would love to have this one. Sadly, at north of $10K with at least another grand in structural work, it's out of my league.
 

D30Man

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2015
Messages
2,949
Reaction score
998
Location
Rockwall, TX
Guild Total
5
Great vid. Thanks for sharing.. Being an owner of the RW variety of F-55 it is nice hear the maple tone..
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,790
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
He would be I suppose, but I don't think he'd be inclined. I haven't seen him play a big guitar in many years, and can't ever remember seeing him playing a jumbo.

I OTOH, love jumbos, and would love to have this one. Sadly, at north of $10K with at least another grand in structural work, it's out of my league.

Ah, wasn't aware he wasn't fond of jumbos, actually thought he might be more interested in simply giving it a nice safe home for posterity as opposed to actually playing it regularly.
Could swear I saw a reference that there's even a Rev. Gary Davis suite (room?) at Fur Peace Ranch?
(I know there was at least one "tribute concert" weekend)
 

Brucebubs

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2018
Messages
2,154
Reaction score
1,540
Location
Eden, Australia
Gibson have released a brand new 2020 Custom Shop Historic Series which includes a 1957 SJ-200 model. https://www.gibson.com/Guitar/ACCMT3131/1957-SJ-200/Vintage-Sunburst

I like to hear it in a similar comparison.

Sadly for me in Australia Gibson have adopted the same policy as Guild (and Martin) and do not permit US based dealers to sell to countries outside the USA.

I contacted 3 Gibson dealers here yesterday about this model and they couldn't give me any information whatsoever - no availability, no price ... nothing.
 

bobouz

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2015
Messages
2,228
Reaction score
1,827
Whoever gets that guitar will be getting a great one, even if I think all the bling is ugly!
Well, if you look to the left, you’ll see a fairly blingless version. Bought my J-100xt new in 2000.

It too is seemingly light as a feather & brings home a lot of tone!
 

General Dreedle

Junior Member
Joined
May 23, 2019
Messages
99
Reaction score
57
I tried the recent Taylor with the torrefied top, I really liked it, but it certainly sounded different than my jf 30
 

Cougar

Enlightened Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2015
Messages
5,319
Reaction score
3,014
Location
North Idaho
Guild Total
5
Gibson have released a brand new 2020 Custom Shop Historic Series which includes a 1957 SJ-200 model....

The prices on SJ-200s are just too far out of the ballpark. Six grand for that "Historic Series"? I think Guild's jumbos are at least as good.
 
Top