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Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic
Gibson Orianthi SJ-200
VS
Playability
73
Sound
85
Build
84
Value
66
Score
81
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Playability
73
Sound
88
Build
94
Value
70
Score
85
FIND IT ON:
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Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic vs Gibson Orianthi SJ-200

Reasons to Get
Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic over Gibson Orianthi SJ-200

Neck Profile
Acoustic Rounded vs Acoustic Rounded C
Comfortable neck with more grip
Nut Width
1.725'' (43.8mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Avg. Weight
5.25lbs (2.4kgs) vs 5.5lbs (2.5kgs)
Tends to be lighter

Reasons to Get
Gibson Orianthi SJ-200 over Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic

Release Year
2021 vs 2014
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Acoustic Rounded C vs Acoustic Rounded
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickups Brand
LR Baggs vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.725'' (43.8mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Value Score
70 vs 66
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic vs Gibson Orianthi SJ-200

Back Material
Rosewood vs Flame Maple
Different Back Material
Sides Material
Rosewood vs Maple
Different Sides Material
Bridge Material
Four bar SJ-200 Moustache; Ebony vs Two bar SJ-200 Moustache; Ebony
Different Bridge Material

Shared Features
Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic vs Gibson Orianthi SJ-200

Saddle Material
Bone
Same Saddle Material
Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Bone
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Hollowbody
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
0
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
0
Same tone control
Number of Frets
20
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Nitro
Thin finish that creates aging marks faster
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Type of Frets
Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

Gibson Orianthi SJ-200 Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Gibson Orianthi SJ-200 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 85 compared to the Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic's 81 score, although not by a lot.

The Gibson Orianthi SJ-200 wins when it comes to sound, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic has the upper hand when it comes to.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Gibson Orianthi SJ-200.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 3 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Gibson Orianthi SJ-200
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic Overview

  • From Gibson Custom's 2014 Modern Collection series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid AAA Sitka Spruce top
  • Solid Rosewood back
  • Solid Rosewood sides
  • Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: (/)
  • Four bar SJ-200 Moustache; Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Rounded Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Waverly tuners
  • Weight between 5.05lbs (2.3kgs) and 5.45lbs (2.5kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Gibson Orianthi SJ-200 Overview

  • From Gibson's 2021 Artist Collection series
  • Orianthi Panagaris Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid AAA Sitka Spruce top
  • Solid AAA Flame Maple back
  • Solid Maple sides
  • Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: LR Baggs (Preamp/Active)
  • Two bar SJ-200 Moustache; Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Rounded C Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Grover Keystone tuners
  • Weight around 5.5lbs (2.5kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The most important thing that will determine the tone of an acoustic guitar is the wood. Let's take a look at the differences between both .

Woods Used in Both

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Spruce has a light color with tight grain patterns. It's very stiff but relatively light. It's known for producing a well-rounded tone with a broad dynamic range. Find out more about Spruce.

Woods Used in the Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Woods Used in the Gibson Orianthi SJ-200

Flame Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Flame Maple
Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

This wood has beautiful patterns only found in specific types of maple.

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Winner: Tie.

Electronics

The Gibson Orianthi SJ-200 comes with a preamp that allows you to connect it to an amp, unlike its competitor. This allows it to have more versatility and sound quality if you want to record with it or play live.

Winner:Gibson Orianthi SJ-200.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic
Sustain 90
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 85
Gibson Orianthi SJ-200
Sustain 95
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 88

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic compares to the Gibson Orianthi SJ-200.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in United States.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

In this case, both have Bone nuts. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic's are Waverly while the Gibson Orianthi SJ-200's are Grover Keystone

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Electronics
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Gibson Orianthi SJ-200
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic
Quality of materials 86
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 84
Gibson Orianthi SJ-200
Quality of materials 96
Features 85
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 94

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic Nut Width
Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic Nut Width
Gibson Orianthi SJ-200 Nut Width
Gibson Orianthi SJ-200 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic has the wider nut with 43.8mm (1.725'') vs 42.9mm (1.688''). This is a 0.9mm (0.037'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic and Gibson Orianthi SJ-200's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic Neck Profile
Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic's neck profile
Gibson Orianthi SJ-200 Neck Profile
Gibson Orianthi SJ-200's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic has a U type of neck. This is also referred to as ''baseball neck'' because of its shape. It's usually thick, which is why some people with big hands like it. However, they can also be thin, similar to a C shape, but with more shoulders for a better grip.

The Gibson Orianthi SJ-200, on the other hand, has a C neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic and the Gibson Orianthi SJ-200 have the same fretboard radius of 12". This is the radius used in most Gibson guitars. It gives you a good balance for playing chords without muting, but also good comfortability for playing single notes and bending.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic favors large hands more than the Gibson Orianthi SJ-200.

Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Gibson Orianthi SJ-200:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic and Gibson Orianthi SJ-200 Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium fret size

Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.

Final Playability Scores

Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73
Gibson Orianthi SJ-200
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic vs Gibson Orianthi SJ-200
General Gibson Custom SJ-200 Western Classic Gibson Orianthi SJ-200
Brand: Gibson Custom Gibson
Year: 2014 2021
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: Modern Collection Artist Collection
Colors: Sunburst Red
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid AAA Sitka Spruce Solid AAA Sitka Spruce
Sides Material: Rosewood Maple
Back Material: Rosewood Flame Maple
Bridge: Four bar SJ-200 Moustache; Ebony Two bar SJ-200 Moustache; Ebony
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Waverly Grover Keystone
Fretboard: Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Decoration: Mother of Pearl Blocks Mother of Pearl Lotus
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Acoustic Rounded Acoustic Rounded C
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Bone Bone
Nut Width: 43.8mm (1.725'') 42.9mm (1.688'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: LR Baggs (Preamp / Active)