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Gibson Southern Jumbo Original
Gibson Elvis SJ-200
VS
Playability
78
Sound
88
Build
90
Value
70
Score
85
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Playability
73
Sound
85
Build
84
Value
66
Score
81
FIND IT ON:
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Gibson Southern Jumbo Original vs Elvis SJ-200

Reasons to Get
Gibson Southern Jumbo Original over Elvis SJ-200

Pickups Brand
LR Baggs vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Value Score
70 vs 66
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Gibson Elvis SJ-200 over Southern Jumbo Original

Release Year
2022 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone

Other Key Differences
Gibson Southern Jumbo Original vs Elvis SJ-200

Back Material
Mahogany vs Maple
Different Back Material
Sides Material
Mahogany vs Maple
Different Sides Material
Bridge Material
Traditional belly up, holes in middle vs SJ-200 Rosewood Moustache, with Mother of Pearl Hourglass and Teardrop Inlays
Different Bridge Material
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Maple
Different Neck Wood

Shared Features
Gibson Southern Jumbo Original vs Elvis SJ-200

Saddle Material
Bone
Same Saddle Material
Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood
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
Nut Width
1.725'' (43.8mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Nitro
Thin finish that creates aging marks faster
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
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

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

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Which One is Better Overall?

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

The Gibson Southern Jumbo Original wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Gibson Elvis SJ-200 in every aspect.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

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 Southern Jumbo Original
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Gibson Elvis 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 Southern Jumbo Original Overview

  • From Gibson's 2018 Original Acoustic series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Sitka Spruce top
  • Solid Mahogany back
  • Solid Mahogany sides
  • Mahogany neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: LR Baggs VTC (Preamp/Active)
  • Traditional belly up, holes in middle bridge
  • Acoustic Slim Taper Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Open Back tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Gibson Elvis SJ-200 Overview

  • From Gibson's 2022 Acoustic Custom Shop series
  • Elvis Presley Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Sitka Spruce top
  • Solid Maple back
  • Solid Maple sides
  • Maple neck
  • Indian Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: (/)
  • SJ-200 Rosewood Moustache, with Mother of Pearl Hourglass and Teardrop Inlays bridge
  • Acoustic Rounded Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Keystone Waffleback tuners
  • 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

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce

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.

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 Southern Jumbo Original

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

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.

Woods Used in the Gibson Elvis SJ-200

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
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: Gibson Southern Jumbo Original.

Electronics

The Gibson Southern Jumbo Original 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 Southern Jumbo Original.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Gibson Southern Jumbo Original
Sustain 95
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 88
Gibson Elvis SJ-200
Sustain 90
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 85

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 Southern Jumbo Original compares to the Gibson Elvis 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 Southern Jumbo Original's are Open Back while the Gibson Elvis SJ-200's are Keystone Waffleback

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Gibson Southern Jumbo Original
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Gibson Elvis SJ-200
  • 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

Final Build Quality Scores

Gibson Southern Jumbo Original
Quality of materials 86
Features 85
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 90
Gibson Elvis SJ-200
Quality of materials 86
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 84

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 Southern Jumbo Original Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 43.8mm (1.725'').

This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.

Scale Length

Gibson Southern Jumbo Original's Scale Length
Gibson Southern Jumbo Original's Scale Length
Gibson Elvis SJ-200's Scale Length
Gibson Elvis SJ-200's 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.

The Gibson Elvis SJ-200 has the longest scale: 25.5". The Gibson Southern Jumbo Original is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

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 Southern Jumbo Original Neck Profile
Gibson Southern Jumbo Original's neck profile
Gibson Elvis SJ-200 Neck Profile
Gibson Elvis 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.

Both the Gibson Southern Jumbo Original and the Gibson Elvis SJ-200 have a C-shaped 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 Southern Jumbo Original 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 Southern Jumbo Original and the Gibson Elvis 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.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

Gibson Southern Jumbo Original:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Gibson Elvis SJ-200:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Gibson Southern Jumbo Original and Gibson Elvis 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 Southern Jumbo Original
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 78
Gibson Elvis SJ-200
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Gibson Southern Jumbo Original vs Elvis SJ-200
General Gibson Southern Jumbo Original Elvis SJ-200
Brand: Gibson Gibson
Year: 2018 2022
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: Original Acoustic Acoustic Custom Shop
Colors: Sunburst Black
Left-Handed Version: Yes No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Sitka Spruce Solid Sitka Spruce
Sides Material: Mahogany Maple
Back Material: Mahogany Maple
Bridge: Traditional belly up, holes in middle SJ-200 Rosewood Moustache, with Mother of Pearl Hourglass and Teardrop Inlays
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Open Back Keystone Waffleback
Fretboard: Rosewood Indian Rosewood
Neck Material: Mahogany Maple
Decoration: Mother-of-pearl Parallelograms Mother of Pearl Graduated Crowns
Scale Size: 24.75" 25.5"
Shape: Acoustic Slim Taper Acoustic Rounded
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Bone Bone
Nut Width: 43.8mm (1.725'') 43.8mm (1.725'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: LR Baggs VTC (Preamp / Active)