Gibson Custom Elegant Koa: Hummingbird and SJ-200
Two high-end acoustic guitars in koa wood with LR Baggs pickup systems
Gibson Custom is launching two iconic flat-top guitars in a refined new interpretation with high-end price tags to match: the Elegant Koa collection. Both models feature flamed koa wood, which is said to develop a richer tone over time and improve with age.
Contents – Gibson Custom Elegant Koa
SJ-200 Elegant Koa
The SJ-200 Elegant Koa combines a koa wood back and sides with an AAA Sitka spruce top. A special visual highlight is a three-part rope marquetry strip that runs down the center of the koa body back.
The mahogany neck has a comfortable round profile and features a bound rosewood fingerboard with 20 frets and stepped abalone crown inlays. The single-ply bound headstock features the Gibson logo and crown, both in abalone, complemented by a TUSQ nut and gold-plated Grover Rotomatic tuners.
At the other end of the instrument sits a rosewood SJ-200 two-bar moustache bridge with abalone bar inlays, completed by a TUSQ saddle and TUSQ bridge pins. A tortoiseshell pickguard with abalone dot inlays and a silver foil stamp provides a shimmering, angle-dependent look.
LR Baggs Anthem
The SJ-200 features high-quality LR Baggs Anthem electronics, combining an under-saddle element pickup with an internal microphone and preamp. Volume, mix, phase, and battery-check controls are positioned conveniently at the edge of the soundhole, making them easy to access.
Hummingbird Elegant Koa
The Hummingbird Elegant Koa shares some fundamental wood combinations with the SJ-200 model: It also features solid koa back and sides, complemented by the characteristic rope marquetry stripe on the back and an AAA Sitka spruce top. The mahogany neck also has a round profile and a bound rosewood fingerboard, but with 20 standard frets and abalone split parallelogram inlays.
The headstock of the Hummingbird also features the Gibson logo and crown in abalone, combined with a TUSQ nut and Grover Rotomatic tuners. The strings are held by a rosewood belly-up bridge with abalone dot inlays, complemented by a TUSQ bridge and TUSQ bridge pins.
The Hummingbird’s pickguard builds on the traditional Hummingbird artwork featuring flowers, a butterfly, and a hummingbird, but features a tortoiseshell hue and gold and silver foil accents. It sparkles and shines.
LR Baggs VTC
The Hummingbird comes standard with LR Baggs VTC electronics, which combine an under-saddle element pickup with an internal preamp. As is typical, the volume and tone controls are located at the edge of the soundhole. So, some features have been simplified here. This may help explain the SJ-200’s slightly higher price.
Availability
Both of these models in the Gibson Custom Elegant Koa collection are stylish and expensive. They should last you a lifetime, so a good investment for musicians who want a songwriting and performance tool for studio and stage.
- SJ-200 Elegant Koa at Thomann
- Hummingbird Elegant at Thomann
- SJ-200 Elegant Koa at Sweetwater
- Hummingbird Elegant Koa at Sweetwater
More Information
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