The Cherry SJ-200 Custom will be available in May.
Australian guitar virtuoso Orianthi has been unveiled as the latest artist to pair up with Nashville guitar giants Gibson on a signature instrument, with the two parties sharing details of a new SJ-200 Custom Acoustic model overnight.
Summary
- Originally hailing from Adelaide, Orianthi has previously worked as a live guitarist for Michael Jackson, Richie Sambora and Alice Cooper.
- The new SJ-200 Custom Acoustic marks the first partnership between Gibson and Orianthi, who has previously worked alongside PRS Guitars.
- The SJ-200 Custom boasts tailored appointments such as an ES 345 neck and LR Baggs Orianthi System pickup.
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Gibson Orianthi SJ-200 Acoustic Custom
Originating from a visit Orianthi paid to the Gibson Acoustic factory in Bozeman, MT late in 2019, the SJ-200 Acoustic Custom seeks to provide a viable hybrid between the loud tones of a jumbo acoustic with the comforts of an electric neck profile.
Working alongside the Gibson Custom Shop to create the signature instrument, the Orianthi SJ-200 Acoustic Custom features a crisp-sounding AAA Sitka spruce top with maple backs and sides for that classic, full tone jumbo acoustics are prized for.
The jumbo body is paired with the unlikely addition of a specially-designed neck, modelled upon a Gibson ES 345 to provide players with a slick platform for chords, arpeggios and single note runs.
The SJ-200 Custom also features a bespoke lotus flower pickguard, mother-of-pearl dot inlays on the neck and gold Grover tuners for a stunning visual aesthetic, while the unique Cherry nitrocellulose lacquer finish ensures the guitar will age wonderfully over the years.
For players who like to plug in, the Gibson Orianthi SJ-200 Custom is loaded with an LR Baggs Orianthi pickup system, combining an undersaddle piezo pickup with a sound hole mounted preamp to amplify its enormous acoustic tones.
“Creating a signature acoustic with the amazing Gibson team was truly an honour! I couldn’t be happier,” Orianthi said of the partnership in a statement released yesterday.
“It’s the same full SJ-200 sound, but it plays much faster with a 345 neck on it, and with the modified unique LR Baggs custom pickup, it’s a balanced guitar and cuts through. I can’t wait for you all to be able to pick it up and shred away on it in May.”
Watch Orianthi chat about the new signature model below, and stay posted for more details when they land in the coming months.
Find out more about the new guitar over at Gibson’s website, and get in touch with Australis Music for inquiries regarding local availability.
