For your consideration is a very fine Gibson Country Western dating to 1968. Originally debuting as a slope shoulder model, it would change over to a squared shoulder model sometime in the early 60's. Sometimes called "SJN", which was originally identifying it as a "Southern Jumbo Natural" something it moved away from before being discontinued in the late 70's. Players and collectors have enjoyed the Country Western models as an alternative to a Martin or the more expensive Hummingbird models.

This example dating accurately to 1968 is a clean guitar, well cared for by the original family. Constructed with a fully bound spruce top and mahogany back & sides. A D-18 killer, this has a bit of a similar midrange scoop that we like to hear from a well opened up vintage guitar - which makes for a singers voice sitting perfectly along with this fairly loud guitar. Internally, it has a forward shifted X bracing pattern, with slightly scalloped bracing and a wide but thin maple bridge plate (pinned in place). This model features the adjustable rosewood saddle - standing tall with plenty of room for adjustment. The top shows two sealed, not cleated cracks present, one center seam, and one protruding from behind the bridge, a small separation in the rosette, typical checking present and some minor dings, but otherwise nothing too troubling.

The neck is constructed out of mahogany with a fully bound (and nibbed) rosewood fingerboard with split parallelogram MOP inlay. The neck is designed with a Gibson shorter 24.75" scale, and the "speed neck" as these are defined, with a more narrow neck profile and 1 9/16" nut width (most favorable for an electric guitarist). The neck profile itself measures .77" in depth at the first position tapering to about .93" in depth at the twelfth. The action is nice and easy measuring about 5/64" evenly in height at the twelfth fret of the first and sixth. Original fretless wonder style frets are clean and yield nice playability - with some buzz present in the fingerboard extension - something that would likely require a level crown and polish. Original Kluson Deluxe tuners fully functional, retaining original buttons - albeit turning a little more heavily.

No case.