Cliff's Gibson J200

[abstamaria]

I was under the impression initially that the Gibson J200 that the Shadows used for the Apache and other recording sessions was a sunburst model with rosewood back and sides, not the light all-maple model that our band has been using. Someone noted, however, that Gibson changed over to all-maple in 1947, so Cliff’s J200 must have been all-maple as well.

I was looking today at the “Cliff-at-Apache-recording” photo, which I reposted in the Bass section (in releatuion to Jet Harris’s bass amp), and noted the dark sides of the J200 Cliff is holding. I looked a bit and found this photo of young Bruce, which I think confirms that indeed their J200 was a sunburst model. And suggests it was a pre-1947 model at that!

Bruce J200.jpg (19.51 KiB) Viewed 12516 times

Best,

Andy

[GoldenStreet]

Great picture, Andy... if only we knew the serial number!!

Bill

[RayL]

In a coincidence of 47s, the microphone in the picture is a Neumann U47. EMI have famed collection of microphones dating back to very early electric recording days and the mic in the picture is probably still in existance and may even still be in use.

This means that the picture could be re-created exactly (except that the guitar player now goes to Mark Griffith's hairdresser)(Thank you, Hank).

Ray

[dave robinson]

According to Gibson the J-200 is constructed with maple back and sides with a spruce top. Cliff Richard had his sunburst model stripped and re-finished blonde a few years ago - I can't imagine why, simply because he could have bought a blonde model without too much strain on his wallet. I guess he would never consider selling the original one, but if he did he has devalued the guitar greatly by losing the initial finish - as far as a collector would be concerned.

[GoldenStreet]

Vandalism, indeed, especially with an acoustic guitar!

Bill

[Hank2k]

Vandalism, indeed, especially with an acoustic guitar!

Bill

So that's 2 guitars cliff ha repainted. Like Dave says I wonder why always thought that with the strat

[abstamaria]

Dave, I think the pre-1947 model, produced for some ten years, had rosewood back and sides. The top was a red spruce. With that combination, a sunburst finish would be logical. I therefore thought It likely that Cliff's J200 is a standard pre-1947 model.

BUT apparently Gibson post-1947 continued to finish even the "maple" J200s or at least what they call "transition" models in sunburst. If Cliff had his J200 refinished as described, then it must have had a maple back and sides, as rosewood I don't think can be made to look like maple. it must therefore be a post-1947 model, with maple not rosewood, as Dave noted.

I know very little about J200s, and it shows!

Andy

[abstamaria]

In a coincidence of 47s, the microphone in the picture is a Neumann U47. EMI have famed collection of microphones dating back to very early electric recording days and the mic in the picture is probably still in existance and may even still be in use. Ray

Such a lovely microphone, Ray. It is probably an essential ingredient of Bruce's "Sound."

Andy

[JimN]

In a coincidence of 47s, the microphone in the picture is a Neumann U47. EMI have famed collection of microphones dating back to very early electric recording days and the mic in the picture is probably still in existance and may even still be in use. Ray

Such a lovely microphone, Ray. It is probably an essential ingredient of Bruce's "Sound."

Andy

Absolutely. The late Roberto Pistolesi had a Neumann U47 in his "Nivram Room" studio and got an incredible recorded sound from it.

JN

[Phil88]

Hi everyone this is my first post on here so I hope it's well recieved.

I happen to know the story of Cliff's J-200. This is from the man himself.

It was bought new in 1959 meaning it had it maple back and sides. Like the original Strat he ordered it from the factory. The finish he remembers is deep wine red on the top and solid mahogany stain on the back and sides which to be fair may look like rosewood in a black and white photo. Here's a vid of him playing it... it looks beautiful.

http://youtu.be/6Zuzqf-mPAs

He doesn't remember owning a sunburst one (despite many pictures and videos showing him playing one) so weather he owned two and has forgotten or the sunburst one belonged to someone at EMI or a tour manager (or maybe even Bruce by the time they recorded Apache) I've no idea. Cliff Hank and Bruce can all be seen playing a sunburst J-200 in the films The Young Ones and Wonderful Life.These films where made post 1960. Maybe the guitar is now in a studio somewhere alone and forgotten!!!

The reason for the re-finish of the red and mahogany one was that while Cliff was touring in the early 70s a travel case fell on the guitar cracking the back. He sent it off to be repared and they said it would need a total refin it because the finish had been badly damage in more than one place so he asked them to spray it blonde.Perhaps to pay homage to his original idol....THE KING HIMSELF.... He still has the guitar today and it is a beauty. It goes everywhere with him too.

Bruce was interviewed in I guitar mag a few months ago and he mentioned that he used Cliff's J-200 alot in the early recordings. Interestingly he said he always used acoustics in the studio not a Strat as is often thought by fans.

Well there you have it folks. That's the story of Cliff's J-200 as it was told to me.
The Strat is another matter I don't know why he had that re-finished and think its a real shame he did.

Hope the info was interesting and helpful.
phil