Video Review 2020 Gibson Custom Shop Historic AJ 1936

[SuperB23]

So for the last two years I've been wanting to get my hands on the latest of what the Bozeman Montana shop has been doing under the direction of the new Gibson CEO.

This one is a 2020 model Gibson Advanced Jumbo Custom Shop Historic model 1936. From what I can tell this is Gibson's version of the Martin Authentic line where they took a great example of a vintage Gibson guitar and the recreate it to the best of their ability with some cost things in mind like Martin has done.

This one has a Thermally aged Red Spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides. It has a very old feeling finish, I'm not sure what they did to the finish to make it feel like a vintage guitar but I'm sure its fairly similar to what Martin and PreWar Guitar Company is doing to age their finishes but with out the relic wear stuff.

They have really capture that old guitar sound, this instrument is dry, fast and crazy powerful! The power and responsiveness are on par with my Goodall TRLD which is just an incredible dreadnought!!

This one reminds me of a clean 1950 Martin D-28 that I had, I mean very similar in tone! I've never played a 1930s Gibson AJ but I've played some great replicas from very skilled builders including a Brazilian Bourgeois limited edition AJ that only had 15 produced. I did watch Carter vintage's video of a 30s AJ and I really feel like Gibson captured the essence of those old super collectible instruments!!

I always think its funny how by the late 40s early 50s Gibsons sounded closer to prewar Martins (scallop braced) and by the late 40s early 50s Martins sounded more like prewar Gibson guitars (straight braced)! Comical to me. I played a 1949 Gibson J-50 and a 1937 Martin D-18 and the Gibson sounded like a short scale version of the prewar Martin D-18!


Anyway here's a link to the video I put up of this 2020 Gibson AJ


https://youtu.be/V_y8ZKWXXAU

[UncleJesse]

I played one of these and I really liked the thick neck and the way it looked but the tone didn't do it for me. But this video makes it sound a whole lot better than the one tried. I guess it could be differences in guitars.

[llew]

That's a great sounding AJ Bobby...nice pickup. Congrats!

[zoopeda]

Thanks for the video review, as always. I've played a couple of the J-45 Historic, and they've totally opened my mind to what a modern Gibson can sound like. I'm eager to play one of these AJs in person. Here's another video that makes this guitar sound incredible (at least at about the 5:00 mark or so when he finally starts playing). So rich and dry but seems like a really versatile guitar that could sound nice playing anything from Old Timey Bluegrass to Neil Young.

[Brucebubs]

Very nice.
I have the 1957 SJ-200 from this same Historic series, I'm not disappointed.

[SuperB23]

When I watch the videos it feels like the original jumbo historic CS model is the Mahogany version of the AJ tonally speaking.