Gibson Goes Back to Black with J-45, Hummingbird, and SJ-200 Acoustics

Gibson have announced three of their classic flat-top models – the J-45, Hummingbird, and SJ-200 – are now available in a traditional Ebony finish. Although Ebony finishes are a more common sight on electric guitars these days, Gibson's new acoustics are reminiscent of the familiar black finishes used for the L-0, L-00, and HG-00 flat-tops of the 1930s, and the black J-45 made in 1968.

The new J-45 Standard, Hummingbird Standard, and SJ-200 Standard acoustic guitars currently sit alongside several other Ebony finish instruments that form part of Gibson’s Exclusives Collection (including the 70s Explorer, 70s Flying V, ES-335 P-90, SG Standard ’61, Les Paul Standard 50s, and Les Paul Standard 60s).

J-45 Standard

Introduced in 1942, the “workhorse” J-45 is Gibson’s best-selling flat-top. Originally featuring a plain dot neck, mahogany back and sides, and a sunburst finish, the J-45 first appeared as a round-shouldered dreadnought, changing to a square-shouldered design in 1969. This model features the original round-shouldered profile.

• Mahogany back & sides
• Sitka spruce top with hand-scalloped X-bracing
• 24¾” scale mahogany neck
• 12” radius Indian rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays
• Grover Rotomatic tuners
• Rosewood bridge with TUSQ saddle and bridge pins
• LR Baggs VTC under saddle pickup and preamp
• Gloss nitrocellulose Ebony finish

Hummingbird Standard

Developed in 1960, the Hummingbird was Gibson’s first square-shouldered dreadnought and was constructed with a mahogany back and rim as standard, aside from some rare maple examples produced in the early '60s (known colloquially as ‘Humming-Doves’). A Gibson brochure titled New ’61 Gibson Guitars & Amplifiers introduced the Hummingbird as “Gibson’s Sensational New Flat Top Guitar… For those interested in owning one of the finest guitars ever made for voice accompaniment.”

• Mahogany back & sides
• Sitka spruce top with hand-scalloped X-bracing
• 24¾” scale mahogany neck
• 12” radius Indian rosewood fingerboard with double-parallelogram inlays
• Grover Rotomatic tuners
• Rosewood bridge with TUSQ saddle and bridge pins
• LR Baggs VTC under saddle pickup and preamp
• Gloss nitrocellulose Ebony finish

SJ-200 Standard

The SJ-200 began life in 1937 as an "L-5 Spec." flat-top custom ordered by the ‘singing cowboy’ movie star Ray Whitley. In 1938, the “King of the Flat-Tops” entered production as the Super Jumbo and was renamed Super Jumbo 200 the following year (hence SJ-200) as an indication of its $200 retail value. SJ-200s came with rosewood backs and sides until 1947 when Gibson introduced the more familiar and brighter-sounding maple design.

• Flame maple back and sides
• 25½” scale two-piece maple neck
• 12” radius Indian rosewood fingerboard with crown inlays
• Gold Grover Rotomatic tuners
• Moustache rosewood bridge with TUSQ saddle and bridge pins
• LR Baggs Anthem under saddle pickup and preamp
• Gloss nitrocellulose Ebony finish

Visit Gibson's website for more information.