Is There An Awesome Bob Dylan Guitar In Your Collection

Gibson showed off the official Bob Dylan SJ-200 at NAMM 2014 and it will cost you about $5,000

By Stephen Pate – Bob Dylan has played hundreds of guitars, some borrowed, some loaned and some he owned. You can buy one when Gibson Guitar ships the one they showed at NAMM 2014, the Gibson Signature Series Bob Dylan SJ-200 Player’s Edition.

The Fender Stratocaster Dylan played in 1965 got almost $1 million at auction. ” A guitar once owned by music legend Bob Dylan sold for $965,000 Friday at Christie’s, setting a new world auction record for any guitar.” CNN. You can get a new Fender American Vintage ’65 Stratocaster (link) for much less.

Gibson’s new Bob Dylan SJ-200

Gibson SJ-200 Bob Dylan artist model (Photo Music Radar)

For the less than rich, you will can buy a Bob Dylan endorsed artist model of a guitar he played over 3 decades, the Gibson SJ-200.

Gibson had this beautiful guitar in a a quiet corner reserved for a resolutely ‘do not touch’ guitar.”

“The beautifully  ornate  (S)J-200 is the result of a collaboration between Gibson and Dylan, that will result in 120 examples, all signed by Dylan himself. In addition there will be 300 non-signed, less ornate versions at a lower price with an engraved (not inlayed) pick guard.

Prices and availability are unconfirmed at present, but this is certain to be a much sought-after guitar. This one is owned by the Bob Dylan …hence the ‘do not touch’ status. Want one? You’d better go and talk nicely to your local Gibson dealer: demand will be high, whatever the price.” Music Radar.

The Bob Dylan SJ-200 Artist Model will cost at least $6,000 and maybe more than $10,000 street price. They will get snapped up in no time. Since it has not been official released, there is some confusion about the exact model name: will it be an SJ-200 or a J-200? If it has the bling and double pickguard so it’s an SJ-200.

If you like the sound and look of the SJ-200, you can buy the standard SJ-200 for $3,800 in the United States (link).

There are people who study what guitar Dylan played through time as though it holds the secret to his talent for songwriting and performance. I don’t think so. Dylan is almost ambivalent about guitars, having played some great guitars and some stinkers.

Bob Dylan and the Gibson J-200

Dylan has played various Gibson SJ and J-200’s throughout his career. SJ-200’s are big guitars with a big robust sound. The ring like a bell with all the volume, mids and low-end people expect in a Gibson flat top guitar.  You can hear them on plenty of recordings from country and folk artists.  I put a video review of the standard J-200 at the end of the story.

In Murray Lerner’s documentary The Other Side of the Mirror: Bob Dylan Live at Newport Folk Festival 1963-1965, Bob Dylan seems to switch guitars between sets. He plays guitars that range from primitive, to Joan Baez’s 00-size Martin, a Gibson Nick Lucas to the Strat and a Gibson J-200.

Bob Dylan with a J-200 on the cover of Nashville Skyline

Dylan played a Gibson J-200 on the Nashville Skyline recording session.

That’s Dylan with his J-200 on the album cover. Rumors have that guitar was a loaner from George Harrison; however, it may be the other way around. Harrison borrowed Dylan’s guitar and bought his own when he got back to England. (Featured image from Bob Dylan’s Gear)

Dylan played the same guitar at the Isle of Wight concert with The Band. The one that MusicRadar saw at NAMM 2014 was a dressed up SJ-200 with a double pick guard gorgeous bling.

That’s not a phony artist model. Dylan played the double pickguard SJ guitar on the stage at the Newport Folk Festival 1965. Thanks again to Dylan Gear we have a composite of the new Bob Dylan SJ-200 and Dylan on stage at Newport in 1965.

You can see the performance, along with every guitar Dylan played in Newport in The Other Side of the Mirror: Bob Dylan Live at Newport Folk Festival 1963-1965.  I watched that DVD last week and went – hey that’s the new Dylan guitar!

Bob Dylan Newport 1965 “On the afternoon of July 24 Dylan went on stage for the writers workshop with a sunburst Gibson J-200 with double pickguard…the day before the ghost of electricity appeared…” (Photo Bob Dylan’s Gear)

Gibson guitars are available from dealers Gibson dealers and  Amazon.com in the United States.

Follow me on Twitter at @sdpate or on Facebook at NJN Network and OyeTimes.