Got mine this week and must say I'm very happy with it. I have a full body ej200 epiphone and a cutaway ej200ce epiphone and the sigma is unreal all round the tone is amazing as well. Thanks for the review it helped
Stunning mate ! about 10 years ago I used to own a 1968 j-200 . Unfortunately I had to say goodbye to it . I would be well happy with the sigma. Looks awesome and sounds amazing !! 😊👍🏼
Thank you David, it certainly is a wonderful guitar. I see Gibson have now set the U.K. price on the J200 at £5300 which takes it even further out of my reach!
I've got one and echo your comments I believe they are made in China but put together in Munich. I've had mine for several years and absolutely love it thanks so much for the video Paul!
Hi Paul, did you had any weather change humidity on the guitar? the guitar wins better sound with time?do you you can do a video before and now? Thank u!!!
Paul. I have checked one of these out recently and I agree, this is a great guitar, with impressive sustain for a laminate. I have also owned a Gibson J200 which was lovely but quite honestly was always worried to even take it out of the case, let alone to a session. The Sigma is is a little shy in overall sound and projection by comparison but I think one can use this to one's advantage as a player i.e. it's not always good to have a big bright sound behind a vocal. Maybe you agree? So 2 years on, do you still have, and like this guitar? If so what are its play-wear faults over that time, if any? Eg. Any wear/loss of detail on the scratch plate, dullness of sound, or any other noticeable defects. Would like to know if you can find the time, thanks.
Nice review. I have one too. There is a 9v battery in a pouch velcroed to the block under the dovetail. It'll last you roughly 100 hours. I tend to replace it when I change strings. The plus side is no unsightly cut outs in the side of the guitar. The down side is having to slacken the strings (or remove them) to change battery.
Good evening Paul, FYI this model has laminated back and sides. The SGJA-SG200 model is completely solid, top, back and sides. It sounds even better!! A little more expensive 1450 € but what an instrument. Just like the solid J45 models with the SJ-J45 model.
Excellent review thank you. Can you please tell me is the pick guard etched and then painted. I recently had an Epiphone J200 CE and it wasn't. I noticed that a lot of people using them the graphics peeled away. Not in my case as I didn't remove the protective film up until the time I sold it. Sadly I thought this was a very cheap and nasty approach and a sneaky way of saving a few pence.
Thanks. The design is printed directly on to the pickguard, no etching or recess for the paint, it’s just flat. Yes I believe I’ve Epis had basically a sticker, which as you say would sometimes peel away
I've had one of these for over a year and it's a wonderful guitar. It is a perfect physical copy of a J-200 in all dimensions except one. And that one is a winner in my book. The thicker C shaped neck is a robust 1+3/4" in width and has a nice comfortable feel. Gibson/Epiphone have various nut/fretboard widths but usually about 1+11/16" in width. I have a bought-new 35 year old rosewood Gibson J-200, a rosewood Taylor 818e Grand Orchestra (Jumbo variant sound-alike), an Epi IBG J-200 (which is not to spec; slightly smaller), and a laminate B&S Epi EJ-200. I ranked these in terms of sound. The Sigma compares favorably sound-wise to the first two (not quite there), has (for me) maybe the best neck of the bunch, and cost-wise is the best bang for the buck overall. And that despite the laminate B&S. I find that big Jumbo laminates have rewarding voices all out of proportion to their humble origins. No, it is not better than a good Gibson J-200, but is simply Wow. As you can tell, I do like Jumbo guitars a lot, and the Sigma is a great instrument in my book. Be well an play well, Don
i have six guitars at the moment, 13 is the most i've had at any one time, and about 60 or so have come and gone in the last 10 years, my little plastic martin OOOX1 is head and shoulders above all of them. £350 with case, used. the problem every other guitar player has (!) is that i bought a second OOOX1 to see if they would be identical, and they aren't, martin "1" is still head and shoulders better than it's identical twin martin "2". guitars are very, very subjective. my team: kadence acoustica maton EGB808TE larrivee OMO3Z gibson j35 '66 gibson j45 '69 epiphone texan martin OOOX1
I have to say the Sigma sounds and looks way better than the Epiphone version - don't know how Epiphone missed out there considering they're a Gibson sub ;)
It does, and two and half years on it sounds even sweeter. The old Epi run of Doves, Hummingbirds etc (as is mine) were not great, but the new ‘inspired by…’ Epi range are much better. Sigma made them raise their game I think!
Nice Guitar and good explanation - thanks for that. I have just bought the all solid Version, the SGJA SG 200 Custom. Sounds really great - good ballanced, loud and warm. But it is a little pricy and compared to your GJA and my Stanford Blonde Sister (it is a SJ 200 copy as well with the same price range as your GJA) I am not sure if solid top, back and sides are worth the extra money. Cheers
The sgja is a winner. It is a complete different Guitar compared to the gja. Even the fretboard is real wood. That does make a big difference - reagarding tone, playability and unfortunatly: price. Anyway: it is worth the higher price. But the gja is a good guitar as well!
Hey Paul. Just curious, a year on how are you still enjoying the guitar & how's it holding up? I've got a chance to buy one, but, it'll be without playing it first. These great alternatives to the Gibson's are hard to find in music stores. Anyway, I've listened to other vids & they all sound like great guitars! Thanks for describing the neck profile, that was info I was looking for. I normally don't prefer thin necks, but they do work for me if the neck is 1.75in width - more real estate for fingers as you noted. Thanks.
Hi Ronnie, still loving it although I’m playing my Faith more often. It was opened up a lot and the sound is now slightly darker and sweeter. Sounds best with D’Addarios in my opinion
@@PaulWilliamGibson I've never played a Faith, but everyone I've heard has sounded amazing. I wish the big box stores, which is all that's in my area, carried different brands.
@@PaulWilliamGibson oh bummer, I was hoping they did a proper copy with no lamination just like the original J200. So do you think this is more like the low grade Epiphone J200 (with lamination) ? Thank you!
Have you noticed any dead notes higher up the fretboard, I have one on mine 8th fret on the A string and same note 12th fret on the low E string it's driving me mad.
Have you checked the Truss rod? Maybe you have a Problem with the neck- and it can be solved with some ajusments at the rod. On UA-cam there are many guids on this
Stu Carr I would suggest trying both if you’re able to, as guitars and how they feel / play is such a personal thing. My own take - I’ve played both and the Sigma wins for me.
I had the j45 version but had to sell it. It was really well built and everything but it just sounded dead. The ones I’ve heard on UA-cam always sound great and have rave reviews so I’m guessing I was unlucky and got a dud.
Hey Paul! I just got one of these today and frankly, it was a bit of a disappointment in certain aspects of quality. There are things I really like about it, like the tone, the look and the overall feel of a much more expensive instrument. The down side of mine was a string buzz in the bridge area, which got fixed at the shop after I complained about it, but there's still some buzz coming from the Fishman pickup system when I hit the strings more heavily, which is something the seller was unable to fix and it's pretty annoying. Another down side to me is the Micarta fretboard which feels good to play, but since it's a laminate/ plastic material it doesn't absorb the hand sweat as well as a standard wooden fretboard and gets a bit wet and dirty after the playing. Right know I'm kind of unsure of keepin' this guitar. Originally I was intending to get an Epiphone Dove (the same you have) which is made of the same woods as the Sigma, but has a wooden fretboard and bridge and is half or even third the price in my country, but in the end I went for this one, because the price was great, the reviews were good (including yours) and I've always wanted a jumbo guitar with a solid and bassy tone. Speaking about the Epihone, do you still have it? If yes, how does it stand compared to the Sigma? Thanks.
Hi Vaclav, sorry to hear you’re disappointed with your Sigma. I haven’t experienced any of the problems you have, although I did take it to my luthier for a set up recently, he has worked wonders on the playability of the guitar, to the point that I’m using if more any any other guitar now. I recently sold my Epiphone, I found the Sigma much better in all departments. I’ve also been giggling my Faith which I got earlier this year. Again this was much better than the Epi so I just didn’t need it anymore. It’s always a risk isn’t it? You play a guitar for an hour in store and you think you like it, but it’s not until you’ve lived with it for a while before you can be sure you want to keep it! Good luck and keep safe.
Good review and overall first hand assessment. As for the debate between laminate and solid maple, I've had both and my personal preference from acoustic and semi acoustic guitars with arched backs is the more traditional laminate tonality. Hardwoods used on back and sides can really mask clarity and produce resonance that can easier become muddy. Suppose it really comes down to the density of particular woods used guitar to guitar. I would never consider buying a solid wood arched back acoustic without playing it first whereas it stands to reason that a laminate arched back will be more consistent gtr to gtr. The laminate sound will also be more consistent over time IF the guitar is properly humidified in its case pedantically. Hardwoods may age into its tone over a longer period of time, whether someone wants to wait and see how that works out is a personal choice. I buy guitars to play them and I don't really care what they might sound like one day in the distant future. I'd buy this over a J200 and with the saved dosh, get myself a fat jumbo Guild 12 string. Just my opinions, I care less about brand names and for me, Sigma is a brand I've known of as quality for decades so it's not a diminishing consideration to contemplate purchasing. Every brand has consistency issues and I'm sure that holds true for Sigma as well as it has proven to be the case with Gibson. But if I were forced to buy either a j200 or gj200 without playing it first, I'd go Sigma as I think it's more a sure bet. You could buy a decent used Audi with the money saved. Thanks for the video mate, stay safe and well ✌️ 🎶🎶
G.Michael Hall - Thanks for your review, it's great to get a players perspective and I agree with most of your points. I own one of these Sigma J200 laminate guitars and would recommend it to any discerning acoustic guitarist, especially songwriters, for vocal accompaniment, those looking for a big, wide, but not overpowering sound. It's an incredibly balanced sounding guitar, so amazing for flatpick strumming, also good for bluegrass. This guitar is a joy to own and play. Would highly recommend buying a good hard case to store and protect it, it's such a gorgeous looking, well made instrument. Use a good quality flatpick, one not too thick (eg Dunlop Ultex .78). String wise, choose a type that lifts the sound, not too warm or dry. Some makes of coated strings may not compliment, you'll need to experiment. Some say 13's are necessary for this large body guitar. I'm currently using PB med bottom/light top strings (uncoated). Totally agree on the humidity issue. I didn't think it would have such an effect on laminate back&side guitars but it does, more so than solid wood guitars in fact. This implies what many believe, the overall projecting sound comes from the top, the back and sides colouring the sound but not controlling it. Thereby the back and sides become almost secondary in tonal importance. I always put this Sigma back in its case after playing and store it in a cool room. It sounds consistently good the next day. Note. This guitar really goes dead and loses its sparkle if left overnight in a warm environment. More so than guitars, so humidity is the key here. I wouldn't agree that solid back and side guitars are necessarily prone to muddiness though. It all depends which woods, which guitar body shape. I own a boutique solid-spruce top, solid maple back and sides OM. The clarity is crystal clear, the note separation superior by far to any other guitar I own with sweet trebles and mid range notes, rich piano-like bass tones on the lower register. Proof of the pudding is in the playing. I have had a Gibson J200 and liked it, but find myself playing the Sigma almost every day, where the Gibson mostly stayed in its case. Proof enough. The Gibby was sold😒. Regrets? Yes, of course but glad to have this J200 variant to make up for it. Did you get your Guild 12-string? I have a Martin D12 28 and would recommend the rosewood back and sides all day for 12 string. Also the all-solid Faith 12 string dread, equally awesome.
Hi Sir. Thanks for your review. Can I ask? How loud is its sound? Is it loud enough for a £700 jumbo guitar? Is it louder than a dreadnought? It is low action, but it doesn't buzz, does it? And does it come with a case? Thank you.
I've got Sigma SJ-200. it doesn't come with a case. It's loud as hell. It's resonating just enormous. Doesn't buzz at all. Sounds big. Especially with elixir 13-56. Totally worth its money.
Paul Gibson Music I’m stuck on this and a Taylor 214ce.. It’s that I’ve heard mixed reviews on the setup on this one, and I recently bought a Sigma Hummingbird that I had to send back due to the set up being truthfully terrible.. I’m just hoping for £700+ I get what I’m paying for. Where did you order it from?
EJ2K I bought it from GuitarGuitar in Birmingham. I never buy a guitar without trying it, been let down too many times ordering stuff blind. I tried a 214ce the same day I bought the Sigma. Didn’t like the sound, too bright. Awesome guitar but just not for me. The Sigma has a wide neck which I’m very comfortable with but not everyone will like it.
Paul Gibson Music Well the Taylor 214ce came about an hour ago and I gotta say I’m pretty disappointed and I’ll be sending it back unfortunately. As you said, been let down ordering blind! Definitely will make my way to Guitar Guitar soon enough to try out the Sigma..
This Sigma GJA 200 is priced around £750 in the UK..Solid top, laminate back & sides. I bought one. Nice guitar...But this week I bought another J200 copy...made by Epiphone..the J200 " Inspired by Gibson"..solid spruce top..SOLID maple back & sides. I paid £670...new. There is no comparison. The Epiphone is better in every way.
I found the opposite. The Epi J200 is not well made or good sounding, a guitar for bottom feeders, sorry. This Sigma is in a different higher league altogether, even with the laminate.
Hi Paul, I listened your music,I like it, now I m searching real people making his own stuff wirh real human wxperiences with voice and guitar.Bands now are plastic and the new songwriters too in major big part. This sigma in wich factory was did it? This is important to know. Thanks
@@PaulWilliamGibson I just bought one!! I listened gibson sj200 vs sigma and sounds better thand the original in strumm register,in fingerpicking sigma is 8'5 and gibson 9,5,this point in studio with vocals disapear🤣🤣🤣🤣😅😅😅 this point is 3000 pounds more.Dod you your songs in cd?
I had one of the earlier J200s AMI made which were the better ones imho because they had rosewood fretboards instead of the man made synthetic micarta. The best ones can be identified by the Martin style Sigma style script logo on the headstock. Your guitar which has micarta fretboard I can tell because you have the 70's style Sigma styling on the headstock.
@@PaulWilliamGibson The Sigma J200 that I owned was a great guitar btw and I regret selling it to raise the money for the Epi all solid inspired Gibson J200 which turned out to be not as good, so I sold that one as well.
I A-Bd a sigma d-28 against a Martin - the difference was marginal except the £2K price gap and the US thing is BS, Gibson workers are on min wage and most of the work is done on the same CNC in both countries.
This is the best guitar you can buy in professional mode,trust me, I played an a Gibdon and the experience it is big deception because it cost 5000 and doesn't sounds better than a the Sigma 5 times more. Sigma in sound is 9 and Gibson 10. This point the diference doesn't cost 4000 eur so sorry. In Studio when you are recording with all the instruments the brands nobody can see it them. I just bought one yesterday and trust me with good pro setup this guitar is a big monster with ebony/bone pins... Oh my good!! Do you have the guitar? It works right after the time? Better sound? You are welcome in my chanel if you like dance music.
i think i've played one sigma, i forget what i thought of it, but i'd never buy one cause i'd buy a martin instead, okay if you're on a budget i won't knock that, but if you want a martin, don't settle, get a martin. what could be worse? buying a sigma gibson. it looks fabulous, all the demos i've watched sound fabulous, but if you want a gibson j200 and can't afford one, well i'd buy another £600 guitar that's original. i mean even epiphone do a decent copy for £350 used. i didn't know sigma and martin had parted company, so, that makes part of my comment irrelevant. furthermore though, my advice is to go out to music shops and play as many guitars as you can lay your hands on, sooner or later one will stand out and it matters not one whit how much it costs or who made it, if it has that "thing" then that's all you want. i've been willing to take the risk and i buy from ebay and if i get a pup then i just sell it on, but i've accumulated four really lovely guitars doing that, a maton ebg101TE, a larrivee OMO3 zebra wood, a 69 epiphone texan and my little plastic martin that's the tops. i have a 2000's gibson J35 that's pretty damn good too, all bought for a fraction of retail price, all outstanding to look at and play.
Thankyou for the advice. I’ve been buying and selling guitars for over thirty years so I have a fair idea of how to find one that I like. The Sigma J200 feels and sounds very similar to my friend’s Gibson J200 but for a fifth of the price. He is frightened to take his to a gig of a studio in case it gets damaged or stolen. I personally have found the cheaper Epi J200 to be quite average, and apart from the looks, is not comparable.
How many Gibsons have you played recently? I'm 69and have played a few and still own one and I have found that Gibson guitars aren't what they used to be. You can be lucky and get a good one but their quality control is lousy whereas the Asians i.e. the Indonesians and the Chinese put out consistently equal or even better guitars. The Gibson J200 has a big bottom end but it can be undefined and boomy while the Sigma has that big bottom but it's generally tight and well defined. "Big bottom Big bottom Talk about bum cakes My gal's got 'em" Sorry fellas I couldn't help it, AAugh,. Big bottom Drive me out of my mind How can I leave this behind?
I'm also an oldie and agree with your comment. One difference is my gal don't have a big bottom so I win haha! Peace. Wot's your fav guitar at present?
The only problem for me is the Micarta which unfortunately Sigma uses in all mid-priced models!!! I can understand why and respect that .....but it just don t feel right !
You mention USA vs China, there's my reason right away for buying from China , I refuse to buy anything or contribute it any way to America's "Proxy wars" what their doing now and have been for some time disgusts me. I have a sigma that's over 50 years old and still going strong.
@@PaulWilliamGibson plastic fredboad and plastic bridge... good guitar? 889 pounds.... really sir? wood is goodxconstruction,epiphone sj200 sounds better with wood consruction and better construction.This guitar is scam sir,I respect your flavours but not of this guitar price... This guitar for 499 is ok.
Got mine this week and must say I'm very happy with it. I have a full body ej200 epiphone and a cutaway ej200ce epiphone and the sigma is unreal all round the tone is amazing as well. Thanks for the review it helped
Glad to have helped! Enjoy the guitar 😊
What are the pro and cons of each of your three guitars in comparison? I don‘t know which one I will buy yet
lovely sound on these sigma s i agree
Stunning mate ! about 10 years ago I used to own a 1968 j-200 . Unfortunately I had to say goodbye to it .
I would be well happy with the sigma. Looks awesome and sounds amazing !! 😊👍🏼
Thank you David, it certainly is a wonderful guitar. I see Gibson have now set the U.K. price on the J200 at £5300 which takes it even further out of my reach!
@@PaulWilliamGibsontry the Guild F-55
I've got one and echo your comments I believe they are made in China but put together in Munich. I've had mine for several years and absolutely love it thanks so much for the video Paul!
Hi Paul, did you had any weather change humidity on the guitar?
the guitar wins better sound with time?do you you can do a video before and now?
Thank u!!!
Paul. I have checked one of these out recently and I agree, this is a great guitar, with impressive sustain for a laminate. I have also owned a Gibson J200 which was lovely but quite honestly was always worried to even take it out of the case, let alone to a session.
The Sigma is is a little shy in overall sound and projection by comparison but I think one can use this to one's advantage as a player i.e. it's not always good to have a big bright sound behind a vocal. Maybe you agree?
So 2 years on, do you still have, and like this guitar? If so what are its play-wear faults over that time, if any? Eg. Any wear/loss of detail on the scratch plate, dullness of sound, or any other noticeable defects.
Would like to know if you can find the time, thanks.
Nice review. I have one too. There is a 9v battery in a pouch velcroed to the block under the dovetail. It'll last you roughly 100 hours. I tend to replace it when I change strings. The plus side is no unsightly cut outs in the side of the guitar. The down side is having to slacken the strings (or remove them) to change battery.
Jonathan Haigh is there really? Thanks, I’d never have known 👍🏻
Good evening Paul, FYI this model has laminated back and sides. The SGJA-SG200 model is completely solid, top, back and sides. It sounds even better!! A little more expensive 1450 € but what an instrument. Just like the solid J45 models with the SJ-J45 model.
I have the all sold version and to me it’s better than my Gibson J15 and Gibson Hummingbird.
Excellent review thank you.
Can you please tell me is the pick guard etched and then painted.
I recently had an Epiphone J200 CE and it wasn't.
I noticed that a lot of people using them the graphics peeled away.
Not in my case as I didn't remove the protective film up until the time I sold it.
Sadly I thought this was a very cheap and nasty approach and a sneaky way of saving a few pence.
Thanks.
The design is printed directly on to the pickguard, no etching or recess for the paint, it’s just flat. Yes I believe I’ve Epis had basically a sticker, which as you say would sometimes peel away
I've had one of these for over a year and it's a wonderful guitar. It is a perfect physical copy of a J-200 in all dimensions except one. And that one is a winner in my book. The thicker C shaped neck is a robust 1+3/4" in width and has a nice comfortable feel. Gibson/Epiphone have various nut/fretboard widths but usually about 1+11/16" in width.
I have a bought-new 35 year old rosewood Gibson J-200, a rosewood Taylor 818e Grand Orchestra (Jumbo variant sound-alike), an Epi IBG J-200 (which is not to spec; slightly smaller), and a laminate B&S Epi EJ-200. I ranked these in terms of sound. The Sigma compares favorably sound-wise to the first two (not quite there), has (for me) maybe the best neck of the bunch, and cost-wise is the best bang for the buck overall. And that despite the laminate B&S. I find that big Jumbo laminates have rewarding voices all out of proportion to their humble origins. No, it is not better than a good Gibson J-200, but is simply Wow.
As you can tell, I do like Jumbo guitars a lot, and the Sigma is a great instrument in my book.
Be well an play well,
Don
i have six guitars at the moment, 13 is the most i've had at any one time, and about 60 or so have come and gone in the last 10 years, my little plastic martin OOOX1 is head and shoulders above all of them. £350 with case, used. the problem every other guitar player has (!) is that i bought a second OOOX1 to see if they would be identical, and they aren't, martin "1" is still head and shoulders better than it's identical twin martin "2".
guitars are very, very subjective.
my team:
kadence acoustica
maton EGB808TE
larrivee OMO3Z
gibson j35
'66 gibson j45
'69 epiphone texan
martin OOOX1
nice review mate. i wan going to get the inspired by gibson epi j200. Think ill get this. Did you try the all solid wood epiphone j200?
I have done since, it’s lighter weight than the Sigma but the Sigma has better tone in my opinion
I have to say the Sigma sounds and looks way better than the Epiphone version - don't know how Epiphone missed out there considering they're a Gibson sub ;)
It does, and two and half years on it sounds even sweeter. The old Epi run of Doves, Hummingbirds etc (as is mine) were not great, but the new ‘inspired by…’ Epi range are much better. Sigma made them raise their game I think!
Nice Guitar and good explanation - thanks for that. I have just bought the all solid Version, the SGJA SG 200 Custom. Sounds really great - good ballanced, loud and warm. But it is a little pricy and compared to your GJA and my Stanford Blonde Sister (it is a SJ 200 copy as well with the same price range as your GJA) I am not sure if solid top, back and sides are worth the extra money. Cheers
The sgja is a winner. It is a complete different Guitar compared to the gja. Even the fretboard is real wood. That does make a big difference - reagarding tone, playability and unfortunatly: price. Anyway: it is worth the higher price. But the gja is a good guitar as well!
Hi, i wanna know what is the difference between sigma gja-sg200 and gja-sg200+ ??
Could you please explain it for me
Thanks in advance
Hey Paul. Just curious, a year on how are you still enjoying the guitar & how's it holding up? I've got a chance to buy one, but, it'll be without playing it first. These great alternatives to the Gibson's are hard to find in music stores. Anyway, I've listened to other vids & they all sound like great guitars! Thanks for describing the neck profile, that was info I was looking for. I normally don't prefer thin necks, but they do work for me if the neck is 1.75in width - more real estate for fingers as you noted. Thanks.
Hi Ronnie, still loving it although I’m playing my Faith more often. It was opened up a lot and the sound is now slightly darker and sweeter. Sounds best with D’Addarios in my opinion
@@PaulWilliamGibson I've never played a Faith, but everyone I've heard has sounded amazing. I wish the big box stores, which is all that's in my area, carried different brands.
Are the sides and back laminate plywood or solid spruce?
Thanks for the video!
Yannis Fyssas the top is solid Sitka spruce, the back and sides are laminated.
@@PaulWilliamGibson oh bummer, I was hoping they did a proper copy with no lamination just like the original J200. So do you think this is more like the low grade Epiphone J200 (with lamination)
?
Thank you!
@@YannisFyssas Sigma SGJA-SG200 is the all solid version of this guitar.
Have you noticed any dead notes higher up the fretboard, I have one on mine 8th fret on the A string and same note 12th fret on the low E string it's driving me mad.
Have you checked the Truss rod? Maybe you have a Problem with the neck- and it can be solved with some ajusments at the rod. On UA-cam there are many guids on this
Great video, I'm trying to decide between this guitar and a martin x series.. any thoughts?
Stu Carr I would suggest trying both if you’re able to, as guitars and how they feel / play is such a personal thing. My own take - I’ve played both and the Sigma wins for me.
I can never tell if they truly sound amazing watching on my iPhone 😏
I had the j45 version but had to sell it. It was really well built and everything but it just sounded dead. The ones I’ve heard on UA-cam always sound great and have rave reviews so I’m guessing I was unlucky and got a dud.
where can you buy this?
Hey Paul! I just got one of these today and frankly, it was a bit of a disappointment in certain aspects of quality. There are things I really like about it, like the tone, the look and the overall feel of a much more expensive instrument. The down side of mine was a string buzz in the bridge area, which got fixed at the shop after I complained about it, but there's still some buzz coming from the Fishman pickup system when I hit the strings more heavily, which is something the seller was unable to fix and it's pretty annoying. Another down side to me is the Micarta fretboard which feels good to play, but since it's a laminate/ plastic material it doesn't absorb the hand sweat as well as a standard wooden fretboard and gets a bit wet and dirty after the playing. Right know I'm kind of unsure of keepin' this guitar. Originally I was intending to get an Epiphone Dove (the same you have) which is made of the same woods as the Sigma, but has a wooden fretboard and bridge and is half or even third the price in my country, but in the end I went for this one, because the price was great, the reviews were good (including yours) and I've always wanted a jumbo guitar with a solid and bassy tone. Speaking about the Epihone, do you still have it? If yes, how does it stand compared to the Sigma? Thanks.
Hi Vaclav, sorry to hear you’re disappointed with your Sigma. I haven’t experienced any of the problems you have, although I did take it to my luthier for a set up recently, he has worked wonders on the playability of the guitar, to the point that I’m using if more any any other guitar now. I recently sold my Epiphone, I found the Sigma much better in all departments. I’ve also been giggling my Faith which I got earlier this year. Again this was much better than the Epi so I just didn’t need it anymore. It’s always a risk isn’t it? You play a guitar for an hour in store and you think you like it, but it’s not until you’ve lived with it for a while before you can be sure you want to keep it! Good luck and keep safe.
@@PaulWilliamGibson
Good review and overall first hand assessment.
As for the debate between laminate and solid maple, I've had both and my personal preference from acoustic and semi acoustic guitars with arched backs is the more traditional laminate tonality. Hardwoods used on back and sides can really mask clarity and produce resonance that can easier become muddy. Suppose it really comes down to the density of particular woods used guitar to guitar. I would never consider buying a solid wood arched back acoustic without playing it first whereas it stands to reason that a laminate arched back will be more consistent gtr to gtr.
The laminate sound will also be more consistent over time IF the guitar is properly humidified in its case pedantically. Hardwoods may age into its tone over a longer period of time, whether someone wants to wait and see how that works out is a personal choice. I buy guitars to play them and I don't really care what they might sound like one day in the distant future.
I'd buy this over a J200 and with the saved dosh, get myself a fat jumbo Guild 12 string. Just my opinions, I care less about brand names and for me, Sigma is a brand I've known of as quality for decades so it's not a diminishing consideration to contemplate purchasing. Every brand has consistency issues and I'm sure that holds true for Sigma as well as it has proven to be the case with Gibson. But if I were forced to buy either a j200 or gj200 without playing it first, I'd go Sigma as I think it's more a sure bet. You could buy a decent used Audi with the money saved. Thanks for the video mate, stay safe and well ✌️ 🎶🎶
G.Michael Hall - Thanks for your review, it's great to get a players perspective and I agree with most of your points.
I own one of these Sigma J200 laminate guitars and would recommend it to any discerning acoustic guitarist, especially songwriters, for vocal accompaniment, those looking for a big, wide, but not overpowering sound. It's an incredibly balanced sounding guitar, so amazing for flatpick strumming, also good for bluegrass.
This guitar is a joy to own and play. Would highly recommend buying a good hard case to store and protect it, it's such a gorgeous looking, well made instrument.
Use a good quality flatpick, one not too thick (eg Dunlop Ultex .78). String wise, choose a type that lifts the sound, not too warm or dry. Some makes of coated strings may not compliment, you'll need to experiment. Some say 13's are necessary for this large body guitar. I'm currently using PB med bottom/light top strings (uncoated).
Totally agree on the humidity issue. I didn't think it would have such an effect on laminate back&side guitars but it does, more so than solid wood guitars in fact. This implies what many believe, the overall projecting sound comes from the top, the back and sides colouring the sound but not controlling it. Thereby the back and sides become almost secondary in tonal importance. I always put this Sigma back in its case after playing and store it in a cool room. It sounds consistently good the next day.
Note.
This guitar really goes dead and loses its sparkle if left overnight in a warm environment. More so than guitars, so humidity is the key here.
I wouldn't agree that solid back and side guitars are necessarily prone to muddiness though. It all depends which woods, which guitar body shape. I own a boutique solid-spruce top, solid maple back and sides OM. The clarity is crystal clear, the note separation superior by far to any other guitar I own with sweet trebles and mid range notes, rich piano-like bass tones on the lower register.
Proof of the pudding is in the playing. I have had a Gibson J200 and liked it, but find myself playing the Sigma almost every day, where the Gibson mostly stayed in its case. Proof enough. The Gibby was sold😒. Regrets? Yes, of course but glad to have this J200 variant to make up for it.
Did you get your Guild 12-string?
I have a Martin D12 28 and would recommend the rosewood back and sides all day for 12 string. Also the all-solid Faith 12 string dread, equally awesome.
Hi Epiphone have a New EJ200 out now and they sound really good there on Andertons youtube page check them out
Hi Sir. Thanks for your review. Can I ask? How loud is its sound? Is it loud enough for a £700 jumbo guitar? Is it louder than a dreadnought? It is low action, but it doesn't buzz, does it? And does it come with a case? Thank you.
I've got Sigma SJ-200. it doesn't come with a case. It's loud as hell. It's resonating just enormous. Doesn't buzz at all. Sounds big. Especially with elixir 13-56.
Totally worth its money.
@@user-rt2hb8cp8h Thanks for the reply. Just read it, didn't know it had a reply. Greetings from Indonesia.
Darwin Matulatan yep loud and strong, loads of presence. No case but low action, perfect!
@@PaulWilliamGibson Thanks Sir.
House the action sit? High action could be a dealbreaker for me
EJ2K best action I’ve ever had on an acoustic, very low, it plays like my Telecaster.
Paul Gibson Music I’m stuck on this and a Taylor 214ce.. It’s that I’ve heard mixed reviews on the setup on this one, and I recently bought a Sigma Hummingbird that I had to send back due to the set up being truthfully terrible.. I’m just hoping for £700+ I get what I’m paying for. Where did you order it from?
EJ2K I bought it from GuitarGuitar in Birmingham. I never buy a guitar without trying it, been let down too many times ordering stuff blind. I tried a 214ce the same day I bought the Sigma. Didn’t like the sound, too bright. Awesome guitar but just not for me. The Sigma has a wide neck which I’m very comfortable with but not everyone will like it.
Paul Gibson Music Well the Taylor 214ce came about an hour ago and I gotta say I’m pretty disappointed and I’ll be sending it back unfortunately. As you said, been let down ordering blind! Definitely will make my way to Guitar Guitar soon enough to try out the Sigma..
This Sigma GJA 200 is priced around £750 in the UK..Solid top, laminate back & sides. I bought one. Nice guitar...But this week I bought another J200 copy...made by Epiphone..the J200 " Inspired by Gibson"..solid spruce top..SOLID maple back & sides. I paid £670...new. There is no comparison. The Epiphone is better in every way.
I found the opposite. The Epi J200 is not well made or good sounding, a guitar for bottom feeders, sorry. This Sigma is in a different higher league altogether, even with the laminate.
It doesn't look as thick from back to front as a Gibson J200 ....is it ?
I don’t know the precise thickness of a J200 but having seen both side by side the Sigma is definitely slightly shallower
Hi Paul, I listened your music,I like it, now I m searching real people making his own stuff wirh real human wxperiences with voice and guitar.Bands now are plastic and the new songwriters too in major big part.
This sigma in wich factory was did it?
This is important to know.
Thanks
Thank you, glad you like it!
@@PaulWilliamGibson I just bought one!! I listened gibson sj200 vs sigma and sounds better thand the original in strumm register,in fingerpicking sigma is 8'5 and gibson 9,5,this point in studio with vocals disapear🤣🤣🤣🤣😅😅😅 this point is 3000 pounds more.Dod you your songs in cd?
I had one of the earlier J200s AMI made which were the better ones imho because they had rosewood fretboards instead of the man made synthetic micarta. The best ones can be identified by the Martin style Sigma style script logo on the headstock. Your guitar which has micarta fretboard I can tell because you have the 70's style Sigma styling on the headstock.
Correct. It does, but the difference is barely noticeable.
@@PaulWilliamGibson Sound wise I agree but the Rosewood absorbs the sweat of the fingers much better than the micarta where it lies on top in pools
@@Edward1312 depends how much you sweat I suppose, I gig mine weekly and haven’t experienced this
@@PaulWilliamGibson The Sigma J200 that I owned was a great guitar btw and I regret selling it to raise the money for the Epi all solid inspired Gibson J200 which turned out to be not as good, so I sold that one as well.
I A-Bd a sigma d-28 against a Martin - the difference was marginal except the £2K price gap and the US thing is BS, Gibson workers are on min wage and most of the work is done on the same CNC in both countries.
YOUR NAME IS LITERALLY GIBSON - DUDE - SERIOUSLYq
This is the best guitar you can buy in professional mode,trust me, I played an a Gibdon and the experience it is big deception because it cost 5000 and doesn't sounds better than a the Sigma 5 times more.
Sigma in sound is 9 and Gibson 10.
This point the diference doesn't cost 4000 eur so sorry.
In Studio when you are recording with all the instruments the brands nobody can see it them.
I just bought one yesterday and trust me with good pro setup this guitar is a big monster with ebony/bone pins...
Oh my good!!
Do you have the guitar? It works right after the time? Better sound?
You are welcome in my chanel if you like dance music.
Try the LL16 by Yamaha, it's a strummer.
Defo. I got one. Well worth the little extra. Plays like a 3k guitar 🎸 ✨
Yep Yamaha do some terrific instruments
I have one in black sounds incredible.
i think i've played one sigma, i forget what i thought of it, but i'd never buy one cause i'd buy a martin instead, okay if you're on a budget i won't knock that, but if you want a martin, don't settle, get a martin. what could be worse? buying a sigma gibson. it looks fabulous, all the demos i've watched sound fabulous, but if you want a gibson j200 and can't afford one, well i'd buy another £600 guitar that's original. i mean even epiphone do a decent copy for £350 used.
i didn't know sigma and martin had parted company, so, that makes part of my comment irrelevant.
furthermore though, my advice is to go out to music shops and play as many guitars as you can lay your hands on, sooner or later one will stand out and it matters not one whit how much it costs or who made it, if it has that "thing" then that's all you want. i've been willing to take the risk and i buy from ebay and if i get a pup then i just sell it on, but i've accumulated four really lovely guitars doing that, a maton ebg101TE, a larrivee OMO3 zebra wood, a 69 epiphone texan and my little plastic martin that's the tops. i have a 2000's gibson J35 that's pretty damn good too, all bought for a fraction of retail price, all outstanding to look at and play.
Thankyou for the advice. I’ve been buying and selling guitars for over thirty years so I have a fair idea of how to find one that I like. The Sigma J200 feels and sounds very similar to my friend’s Gibson J200 but for a fifth of the price. He is frightened to take his to a gig of a studio in case it gets damaged or stolen. I personally have found the cheaper Epi J200 to be quite average, and apart from the looks, is not comparable.
How many Gibsons have you played recently? I'm 69and have played a few and still own one and I have found that Gibson guitars aren't what they used to be. You can be lucky and get a good one but their quality control is lousy whereas the Asians i.e. the Indonesians and the Chinese put out consistently equal or even better guitars. The Gibson J200 has a big bottom end but it can be undefined and boomy while the Sigma has that big bottom but it's generally tight and well defined. "Big bottom Big bottom Talk about bum cakes My gal's got 'em" Sorry fellas I couldn't help it, AAugh,. Big bottom Drive me out of my mind How can I leave this behind?
I'm also an oldie and agree with your comment.
One difference is my gal don't have a big bottom so I win haha!
Peace.
Wot's your fav guitar at present?
The only problem for me is the Micarta which unfortunately Sigma uses in all mid-priced models!!! I can understand why and respect that .....but it just don t feel right !
@17:07. Sigma GJA-SG2000+??? Well, no problem. It is a millenial guitar anyway 😁😁😁
Darwin Matulatan yeah me getting a bit enthusiastic with my zeroes 😁
Thats laminated back n sides..nope..pretty guitar pitty not solid wood.
You mention USA vs China, there's my reason right away for buying from China , I refuse to buy anything or contribute it any way to America's "Proxy wars" what their doing now and have been for some time disgusts me. I have a sigma that's over 50 years old and still going strong.
no sigma and yes gibson sj 200
Yes, if you have £4000...
@@PaulWilliamGibson plastic fredboad and plastic bridge... good guitar? 889 pounds.... really sir? wood is goodxconstruction,epiphone sj200 sounds better with wood consruction and better construction.This guitar is scam sir,I respect your flavours but not of this guitar price... This guitar for 499 is ok.
She definitely looks like the Gibson but she doesn’t sound like it
Probably just my shit playing
@@PaulWilliamGibson no not at all. There’s nothing wrong with your playing mate. I’d like to hear it mic’d up properly
@@thelolguy007 please songs with this guitar?