Gibson Super Jumbo 100 & J-100 Guitar

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Gibson Super Jumbo 100 (1939-1943) 

SJ-100 Super Jumbo Flat Top

In 1938 (pre world war II) Gibson introduced a 17 inch wide body guitar and called it the super jumbo, at the time these Gibson guitars were considered elite guitars, they had a beautiful rich full warm sound however they were a little expensive and many guitar players just couldn't afford them.

In 1939 Gibson decided to make another guitar but less fancier and more affordable (about half the price) which featured a 17" wide body (slightly shallower) with the same big sound and characteristics of the super jumbo. 

In 1939 the Super Jumbo which was the more expensive model was named the super Jumbo 200 and the less expensive model was named the Gibson Super Jumbo 100 or (SJ-100). 

The Super Jumbo 100 was an immediate success and was considered one of the best guitars for its moneys worth, it had a 17" wide mahogany body (back/sides), bound body and neck (maple), 2 pearl dots on the bridge, ebony fingerboard with pointed end, stair step peg head shape, Kluson tuners with butterfly buttons and were made in sunburst finishes.

In 1941 the mustache bridge was replaced with a rosewood bridge with beveled edges, tuner buttons were now round and they had standard Gibson peg heads. 

In 1970 Gibson reintroduced the Super Jumbo 100 and called it the Gibson J-100, the guitar listed for under $500, the body was slightly deeper than the original SJ-100 (more like the SJ-200) and the necks were mahogany (not maple). 

These guitars didn't sell as well, Gibson stopped production of these guitars in late 1974 early 75, very few were sold during this period (around 300).  

In 1985 the Gibson J-100 guitars were made at the Nashville plant and were reintroduced with maple back and sides, black pick guards, rosewood fingerboards with dot inlays, rosewood bridges with 2 black pins, 3 nickel tuners per side with pearl buttons and were made in sunburst and natural finishes. Discontinued in 1997, reintroduced in 2003. 

During the 90s and after Gibson introduced 4 models which were modeled after the Super Jumbo 100, these guitars were the J-100 XTRA in 1991, SJ-100,  SJ-100 1939 centennial (limited edition) and SJ 100 (1941).

> Look for used and vintage Gibson J-100 guitars for sale.

Gibson Super Jumbo 100 & (J-100) Price Guide (Updated April-26-2021)
  • 1939 - 1940 > $28 000 to $38 000 (Super Jumbo 100)
  • 1941 - 1941 > $25 000 to $33 000 
  • 1942 - 1942 > $22 000 to $28 000
  • 1943 - 1943 > $22 000 to $28 000
  • 1970 - 1975 > $1500 to $2000 (J-100 - Mahogany)
  • 1985 - 1987 > $1200 to $1600 (J-100 - Maple)
  • 1991 - 2004 > $1200 to $1600 (J-100 - XTRA)
  • 1994 - 1994 > $1900 to $2500 (SJ-100 - SJ 100 Centennial)
  • 2008 - 2008 > $1000 to $1400 (SJ-100 - Jumbo Body)
  • 2013 - 2018 > $1700 to $2200 (SJ-100 1941)

Comments

  1. Anonymous4:49 PM

    Dont know much about this particular model but it sure looks like a vintage guitar thats worth a few bucks , awesome ....

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous5:22 PM

    hi neo ,

    i dont know where you get your info but its not a super jumbo 400 p .

    first of all the super jumbo 400 models are archtop guitars , yours is a flattop .

    second , a 1939 gibson super jumbo 400 p has a rounded cutaway and a tailpiece ........

    your looks like their jumbo series guitars not "super jumbo"

    they are still worth big money and sought after by collectors

    im trying to figure out the exact model your guitar but i need closer and clearer pics , my computer screen is also a vintage ( lol )......jake

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous5:45 PM

    serial numbers should be ink stamped on the inside back or on the neck block . ( any kind of letter or number would help )

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous5:26 PM

    can anyone help me, info on a J-200, 100 yearsmodel from 1993/4

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous8:06 PM

    If you have 100th anniversary label visible through the sound hole its the j-200 centennial , these guitars are collectable ( limited quantities were available in 93/94 ) they are now valued at $2500 to $3000 and will go up has the years go by .

    these were made with figured maple bodies flamed maple necks ( high quality wood for musical instruments which produces a very warm tone )

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous8:47 AM

    How about a J100 xtra 1994 centennial with the label in the soundhole? Any ideas what they are going for? Are they more collectible with the centennial edition label?sfp

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous9:19 PM

    centennials are not yet listed in the price guides ..

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous4:09 PM

    hi,

    i have a j100 xtra special, its a 100 year anniversary model 1994,

    its marked

    guaranteed 1 of 1,

    any one know does this make it valuable?

    not sure what type of wood it is, the top is a dark wood, darker than sunburst,

    the back has a kind of a flamed effect, a bit like a tiger except in dark down wood if that makes sense

    i have to say it is the sweetest, warmest, loudest acoustic guitar i have ever played, most people alway remark on its sound when they hear it, sound like it fills the whole room with these warm rounded tones,

    i picked it up in a pawn shop for bout 1000 euro 4 years ago,

    does the guaranteed 1 of 1 make if valuable

    serail number is 91114030

    any help appreciated as im more of a player of guitars than a collector

    i can email some picks on request

    cheers

    stevo

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous7:53 AM

    I have a pre war J100 that doesn't seem to match anything I can find online. It looks exaclty like a 39 but my bridge doesn't have the individual saddle bearings for the strings and also has pearl inlay like the j200. The neck on my guitar is also more like a 200 with pearl inlay. Serial numbers have long faded on the instrument so identifying the year is difficult. Has anyone seen another instrument such as this?

    thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Unknown8:32 PM

    Anyone interested in buying a 1994 J100 tobacco sunburst/centennial?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Dr. Luke Van Tessel8:34 PM

    anyone interested in purchasing a 1994 centennial/bozeman/tobacco J100?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Dr. Luke Van Tessel8:35 PM

    anyone interested in purchasing my 1994 J100 Centennial? Great condition. Original Case. psychtern at gmail

    ReplyDelete
  13. Term paper3:47 AM

    It’s great to see good information being shared and also to see fresh, creative ideas that have never been done before.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous9:23 PM

    Hi

    I have a 1952 SJ-200 in very good condition, neck reset and the original pink-lined case.

    Any rough idea of the value of this guitar?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous5:09 AM

    I also have a 1952 SJ-200 N in excellent condition. I was told the value was $1800 - $2000.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous10:28 PM

    I wish the nut end was one and three quarters in wide.
    I also wish dearly you would break from traditional
    guitar appearence and TEMPER the scales. All stop-note
    string intruments must be tempered.Ask any piano
    tuner and he will tell you so. It will make the finger
    board more comeplex but in tune for all chords
    without tweeking.I am doing that to my J150 and it
    sounds sweet from chor to chord.wwinslowgb@verizon.net

    ReplyDelete
  17. Fiddleosophy Productions11:57 PM

    I have a 1991 J-100 Xtra that was not cautiously cared for though loved and constantly played, in honkey tonks, parking lots, around campfires, on river banks, year round and round the country...it is not pretty but it is beautiful. The headstock is repaired and it wears the tread of the road well. It plays easy and true. Any ideas, ballpark, of what I might expect to get if I sell it? Thanks.

    ReplyDelete

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