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Gibson Custom brings Hawaiian koa, AAA Sitka spruce, Artisan Series appointments, and L.R. Baggs electronics to two of its most iconic acoustic guitars.
Some acoustic guitars are built to sound great.
Some are built to make you stop and stare before you play the first note.
Gibson Custom’s new SJ-200 Elegant Koa and Hummingbird Elegant Koa are designed to do both.
The two new Artisan Series acoustics pair Gibson’s most recognizable flat-top designs with richly figured koa back and sides, AAA Sitka spruce tops, premium visual details, and stage-ready L.R. Baggs electronics.
They are handcrafted at Gibson Acoustic in Bozeman, Montana.
And they bring a different kind of character to two guitars with very long histories.
Two Gibson legends, one distinctive wood
The SJ-200 has been known as “The King of the Flat-Tops” since its 1937 debut.
Big body.
Big projection.
Big visual presence.
The Hummingbird arrived in 1960 as Gibson’s first square-shoulder dreadnought and became a favorite for songwriters and rhythm players who wanted a strong, balanced acoustic voice.
The new Elegant Koa editions keep those identities intact.
But koa back and sides add a different visual and tonal flavor to each instrument.
“The SJ-200 and Hummingbird represent defining chapters in Gibson acoustic history.”
— Robi Johns, Gibson Acoustic Senior Product Development Manager
“With the Elegant Koa models, Gibson Custom honors the character that made these instruments legendary while introducing the beauty, clarity, and evolving warmth of koa.”
— Robi Johns
Koa: What it is, why it sounds different, and why it matters
Koa is a native Hawaiian hardwood, most closely associated with the ukulele but also prized for acoustic guitars and Hawaiian-style steel guitars. Historically, Hawaiians used koa for ocean-going canoes, surfboards, spear handles, and ukuleles; the wood held enough cultural importance to be associated with Hawaiian royalty.
In an acoustic guitar, koa is often described as sitting between mahogany and rosewood. Builders value it for clear trebles, a strong midrange, quick response, and dramatic figuring. Many players also feel that all-koa or koa-bodied guitars become warmer, sweeter, and more complex as they are played over time—a trait widely noted by builders, though every guitar’s final sound depends on its design, bracing, top wood, and the individual piece of timber.
Koa’s modern guitar history goes far beyond decorative back and sides. Koa instruments gained broader U.S. popularity during the Hawaiian-music boom of the 1920s, when makers including Martin and Weissenborn built koa guitars. Its use faded after the 1930s, then revived in the 1970s and 1980s as contemporary luthiers rediscovered its sound and visual character. Taylor introduced its Koa Series in 1983 and remains one of the wood’s best-known advocates.
The SJ-200 Elegant Koa
The SJ-200 Elegant Koa starts with the model’s familiar jumbo body and adds figured koa back and sides, an AAA Sitka spruce top, and a rosewood two-bar moustache bridge with abalone bar inlays.
The mahogany neck uses a Round profile and supports a bound rosewood fingerboard with 20 frets and graduated abalone crown inlays.
The tortoise-style pickguard includes abalone dot inlays and silver-foil detailing designed to shift under changing light.
For amplified sessions, the SJ-200 uses L.R. Baggs Anthem electronics, which combine an under-saddle pickup, internal microphone, and preamp. Controls for volume, mix, phase, and battery check sit discreetly inside the soundhole.
Where to buy:
The Hummingbird Elegant Koa
The Hummingbird Elegant Koa takes the same figured koa back-and-sides approach and puts it into Gibson’s classic square-shoulder dreadnought body.
It features an AAA Sitka spruce top, a rosewood belly-up bridge with abalone dot inlays, and the familiar Hummingbird pickguard artwork—flowers, butterfly, and hummingbird—finished with gold and silver foil accents.
A mahogany Round-profile neck, bound rosewood fingerboard, 20 frets, and abalone split-parallelogram inlays complete the traditional Gibson recipe.
For stage and studio use, the Hummingbird comes with L.R. Baggs VTC electronics, featuring an under-saddle Element pickup, preamp, and soundhole-mounted volume and tone controls.
Gibson Elegant Koa specs
| Feature | SJ-200 Elegant Koa | Hummingbird Elegant Koa |
|---|---|---|
| Body style | Jumbo | Square-shoulder dreadnought |
| Top | AAA Sitka spruce | AAA Sitka spruce |
| Back and sides | Figured koa | Figured koa |
| Neck | Mahogany, Round profile | Mahogany, Round profile |
| Fingerboard | Bound rosewood, 20 frets | Bound rosewood, 20 frets |
| Fingerboard inlays | Graduated abalone crowns | Abalone split parallelograms |
| Bridge | Rosewood SJ-200 two-bar moustache bridge | Rosewood belly-up bridge |
| Nut, saddle, pins | TUSQ | TUSQ |
| Tuners | Gold Grover Rotomatic | Gold Grover Rotomatic |
| Electronics | L.R. Baggs Anthem | L.R. Baggs VTC |
| Case | Gibson Custom hardshell case | Gibson Custom hardshell case |
| Build location | Bozeman, Montana | Bozeman, Montana |
How they compare with other Koa acoustics
Not every “koa guitar” uses koa in the same way.
Some use solid koa for the top, back, and sides.
Others use solid koa only on the back and sides.
And some use koa veneer or a high-pressure laminate koa visual treatment.
That difference matters for both tone and price.
Guitar Body / purpose Koa use Top wood Electronics Price Gibson SJ-200 Elegant Koa Jumbo; big strumming and projection Figured koa back and sides AAA Sitka spruce L.R. Baggs Anthem $6,899 Gibson Hummingbird Elegant Koa Dreadnought; songwriting and rhythm Figured koa back and sides AAA Sitka spruce L.R. Baggs VTC $5,199 Taylor Next Generation K24ce Grand Auditorium; versatile fingerstyle and strumming Solid Hawaiian koa top, back, and sides Hawaiian koa Claria Acoustic Pickup System $5,999 Taylor Builder’s Edition K24ce Premium Grand Auditorium; comfort-focused design Solid Hawaiian koa top, back, and sides Hawaiian koa Expression System 2 $6,499 Takamine EF508KC NEX cutaway; performance-focused acoustic-electric Figured Hawaiian koa top, back, and sides Hawaiian koa CT4B II preamp with Palathetic pickup $2,149
The quick takeaway:
- Choose the SJ-200 Elegant Koa for jumbo projection, visual drama, and the fuller L.R. Baggs Anthem system.
- Choose the Hummingbird Elegant Koa for the familiar square-shoulder Gibson sound and a more traditional songwriter’s dreadnought feel.
- Choose a Taylor K24ce if an all-solid Hawaiian koa body and a more balanced Grand Auditorium shape are the priority.
- Choose the Takamine EF508KC if amplified performance is the main job.
The Gibson Custom SJ-200 Elegant Koa and Hummingbird Elegant Koa are available through authorized Gibson dealers, Gibson Garage locations, and Gibson.
Where to buy:
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