Cliff's Gibson J200

[AlanMcKillop]

I remember Cliff playing at a Tear Fund concert in Glasgow, probably 1970/71, in the Kelvin Hall and he had a wine coloured J-200. I seem to remember a few years later, he played the same venue with Olivia and the Brian Bennet band and he had the same guitar. I have photo's of that gig somewhere, but I'm sure about the colour, so perhaps he had that model/colour in mind, he just got the dates wrong.

[JimN]

I remember Cliff playing at a Tear Fund concert in Glasgow, probably 1970/71, in the Kelvin Hall and he had a wine coloured J-200. I seem to remember a few years later, he played the same venue with Olivia and the Brian Bennet band and he had the same guitar. I have photo's of that gig somewhere, but I'm sure about the colour, so perhaps he had that model/colour in mind, he just got the dates wrong.

I've seen pictures of him with that guitar. I think it was on the cover of at least one LP (possibly a reissue of an earlier album).

JN

[abstamaria]

Patrice, merci beaucoup. You are an incredible source of Information and, as many here, share so generously.

One day we will know about the strings.

By the way, the "custom" J2OOs Gibson now sells have rosewood sides and backs. A departure from history?

I am happy that Cliff has remained faithful to the J2OO.

Regards,

Andy

[abstamaria]

Not a clear photo, unfortunately, but here's Cliff at the big dome here, his last stop in this just completed tour.

Andy

cliff.jpg

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[Hank2k]

Just an idea and I may be wrong but I noticed the other day whilst watching Marty wildes DVD he has a sunburst j200 see pics below this looks like an original and he also has a j200 same colour spec in the really early pic below, could it be this guitar that was used at various times as they did do a lot of stuff with Marty

[Stageleft]

I think I've posted this before but Cliffs J200 is serial number A32119 which from Gibson records dates it at late 1958. I've no Idea when it was used on record but we all assume it was the " Apache " one.
He still uses this regularly and he played it on several songs on the Australia/New zealand tour we did earlier this year and it will be out again during the Summer tour in June. It had a new pickup fitted in for the Cliff and the Shadows tour in 2009, I forget what it is but can check when I next soundcheck it in a few weeks time. JJ

[JimN]

Just revisiting some of the material cited here.

I'd always assumed (without paying too much attention) that Cliff's original sunburst (not wine red) Gibson J200's tuners would have been the same as the ones fitted to other Gibsons of the period, notably the ES335 or the SG Standard. This, I thought, would be the model with the plastic button colloquially known as the "keystone" (later noted for its use on Gibson Les Paul Standards). Well, I say "the same", but you'd expect those on a J200 to have their metal parts gold-plated, of course.

When looking at later or more recent photos or footage of that same guitar, now re-finished in blonde, the tuners seem to be gold-plated Grovers (probably Rotomatics), with the distinctive kidney-shaped buttons. So I assumed that the tuners had been replaced.

But not a bit of it. It seems that those Grovers were in place from new. Even though pictures of the J200 at full length are rare, it can be seen to advantage (alongside Bruce's J30/J35/J50) in the When the Girl In Your Arms... sequence in "the Young Ones". That shot with Hank and Bruce on Gibson acoustics is priceless!

Check it out from exactly 70 seconds in...



JN

[abstamaria]

John, that must have been the same J2OO Cliff used here in Manila, as Manila was the last stop of his 2013 tour. Is there a chance fn that?

Best regards,

Andy

[Hank2k]

I think I've posted this before but Cliffs J200 is serial number A32119 which from Gibson records dates it at late 1958. I've no Idea when it was used on record but we all assume it was the " Apache " one.
He still uses this regularly and he played it on several songs on the Australia/New zealand tour we did earlier this year and it will be out again during the Summer tour in June. It had a new pickup fitted in for the Cliff and the Shadows tour in 2009, I forget what it is but can check when I next soundcheck it in a few weeks time. JJ

If that is the serial number of cliffs blonde one then that confirms Patrices post that it is the original sunburst one

[abstamaria]

And if it is the same guitar that Clift brought to Manila after Australia, then the photo above might just be the most recent of this iconic J2OO. I hope so, then I would have seen the guitar in the flesh. l am amazed Cliff brings it on his tours still.