Gibson Southern Jumbo Guitar

This style dates back to the 1940s and has been continuously popular since introduced. The Southern Jumbo is based on the J-45 “Round-Shouldered Dreadnought” style of guitar pioneered by Gibson with that model. The J-45 created such a splash and had such staying power that professional musicians dubbed it “the Workhorse” since it always comes through and has been so consistently dependable.

You may remember from my earlier reviews that there are two basic styles when it comes to hand-built acoustic guitars; the typical square shouldered “Dreadnought” and the curvy, guitar-looking “Jumbo” styles. As I mentioned, there are variations of the two basic styles and the J-45 combined the Dreadnought squarish bottom with round shoulders for a new style Gibson that would be developed into the Southern Jumbo. The Southern Jumbo is a fancy version of the “Workhorse” J-45, made to appeal to customers along Gibson’s Southern sales route.

The Southern Jumbo guitar is slightly shorter in scale length (24¾” vs. 25½” on the Super Jumbo) but retains the same 1.725” width at nut of the typical Gibson string spacing. Therefore, the playability is just like all the premium Gibson acoustics – it’s easy to switch between them because they all feel the same. The shorter scale length benefits players who require easier playing action than that afforded by the larger guitars. For a person with average or smaller hands this may be the perfect size guitar. These Round Shouldered Dreadnoughts are also perfect for fingerpickers and have appeared on countless hit records.

The guitar’s back and sides are made of Mahogany, as is the neck, which has a subtle “v” profile, while the top is made of premium Sitka Spruce and is finished off in a traditional vintage sunburst finish. The top has some nice highlights running across the grain for a sort of fiddle back effect.

Like all Gibson hand built guitars, the Southern Jumbo is made of all clear wood with no plywood, laminate, or pressed wood. The internal bracing is designed to direct the sound to the sound hole like a fine audio speaker. The workmanship is impeccable, in keeping with Gibson’s reputation as a high quality instrument maker for over a hundred years.

For appearance, the Southern Jumbo is a much fancier version of the J-45, although it retains the basic familial resemblance with its famous predecessor.

The bridge and fingerboard are both made of rosewood for a warm sound with large mother of pearl double parallelograms marking the positions along the neck. The fingerboard is fully bound with white celluloid and has 20 frets and joins the body at the 14th fret. The headstock is unbound but contains the familiar Gibson name logo and crown inlaid in mother of pearl. Nickel Gotoh tuners make a nice understated impression of quality.

A handsome rosette surrounds the sound hole. The body is bound on all sides by contrasting multilayer celluloid to protect the instrument from the occasional hard knock. A tortoise shell pick guard especially designed for the Southern Jumbo finishes of the guitar.

The Southern Jumbo is equipped with a Fishman transducer pickup with active 4 band EQ for getting the most out of its sound when amplified. The EQ has + - 12 dB of boost and cut allowing a wide array of tonal possibilities. The guitar has a well-balanced sound between the treble and bass registers and the Mahogany body gives the guitar a very appealing darker edge to the sound than a rosewood body. It’s a great guitar and built by people who know their business very well.

Gibson includes a custom fitted hard shell case with the Southern Jumbo, as they do with all their acoustic line. Also included is a Gold Warranty that is lifetime for the original owner.

While supplies last, Gibson is offering a free package of accessories to those who register their Gibson Acoustics either by mail or at www.gibson.com. The accessories include a Gibson bag and guitar strap made especially for this promotion, as well as a set of strings, guitar polish, and a lint free guitar cloth. It’s a nice bonus package and worth getting.

What you are getting when you buy the Gibson Southern Jumbo is a classic Gibson which will only sound better with age and the more it is played. While the price may seem high, when you consider it will be yours for life and only get better with time it seems like a real bargain to me.

Thanks for stopping by!


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