Gibson

Gibson Southern Jumbo FON W391 (1955)

$11,500.00

Pickup available at 165 Showroom

Usually ready in 1 hour

Expedited Shipping Required

Product information

This 1955 Gibson SJ is an excellent sounding guitar perfectly suited to a singer-songwriter in search of their end-the-search Gibson.

This 1955 Gibson Southern Jumbo ranks amongst the cleanest and most well-preserved vintage flattops we've ever seen. We acquired it from the estate of its original owner in 100% original & unaltered condition. It's a corny, cliche thing to say, but we're going to say it anyway. This guitar has a VIBE.

The Southern Jumbo is, essentially, a dressed-up J-45. The construction formula and tone woods are the same: it's a slope-shouldered dreadnought with Mahogany back and sides, a Spruce top, and Rosewood fingerboard and bridge. But the Southern Jumbo adds a triple-bound aesthetic, alongside split parallelogram fingerboard inlays, to the J-45's austere platform. The Sunburst finish on this guitar is particularly picturesque: the instrument itself is a poster child candidate for anyone out there working on a Gibson flattop coffee table book.

Nearly everyone who's played this guitar says the same thing: it's LOUD. The voice is intensely focused in the midrange, making it an excellent flat picking guitar (it cuts like a resonator). Naturally, this sort of presence makes it a great recording guitar as well. The tighter, more focused sound of a 1950's guitar is on bold display herein, but it lacks nothing in terms of low-end thump or growl. Simply stated: it's an excellent sounding guitar perfectly suited to a singer-songwriter in search of their end-the-search Gibson. Bonus points if you solo as well; this one's got you covered.

Our shop performed the work necessary to make this guitar playable for its next 70 years. We've reset the neck, installed new frets, and replaced the tuner buttons. Aside from that, this guitar's structure hasn't changed since it was built. There is extensive finish checking, which we love, and a small amount of playwear consistent with age. (Please see photo gallery). All internal components (braces, bridge plate) are original and very healthy. This instrument is priced with its original hard case.

Materials
Top
Sitka Spruce
Back & Sides
Mahogany
Fingerboard
Rosewood
Bridge
Rosewood
Tuners
Original Kluson (replaced buttons)
Construction
Hide Glue
Finish
Original Nitrocellulose Lacquer

Neck Specs
Profile
Medium C
Nut Width
1 11/16"
String Spacing
2 1/8"
Scale Length
24 7/8"
Inlays
MOP Split Parallelograms
Headstock
Gibson block logo & Pineapple

Other
FON
W391 8
Case
Original Hardshell

Preserving The Past. Played Into The Future.

Whether you're chasing a tone, honoring the history, or building a collection, we seek out the finest vintage instruments and, when needed, perform tasteful restoration to ensure they’ll play beautifully for decades to come.

Pricing

We price vintage instruments using current market trends and our extensive in-house sales history, ensuring each piece is accurately valued and fairly positioned.

Glenn Nichols, Repairs & Restorations

Tasteful Restoration

When restoration is needed, we approach it with respect and restraint - always in service of preserving the instrument’s integrity and extending its musical life for decades to come.

Accurate Listings

Every vintage guitar we list is authenticated by our seasoned team and photographed in high detail, with clear, honest descriptions that show exactly what you’re buying - no surprises.

Shipping

With decades of experience shipping high-value guitars, we know how to pack and protect vintage instruments so they arrive exactly as they should: safe, sound, and ready to play.