– Press Release

Gibson Montana announced the launch of six new Gibson acoustic models. The world-renowned guitar maker takes center stage at this year’s convention with some of the most innovative new models every presented.

The Gibson Songwriter Acoustic model features a 12 string guitar with beautiful Sitka Spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides. It delivers warm, rich tone in a comfortable Dreadnought body and bridge-mounted Piezo pickup with an active, onboard preamp that captures all the guitar’s sweetness and deep overtones. It is available in antique natural finish.

The Gibson SJ-200 and SJ-150 will also exhibit at NAMM 2006 and offers an affordable alternative to the King of the Flat Tops.With a blonde maple body and neck, the SJ-150 sounds as beautiful as it looks. A Piezo pickup with an active preamp accurately captures the richness of the sound, making it the perfect guitar for at-home or gigging pickers. Available in natural finish.

The Gibson SJ-200 EC acoustic guitar is known as the King of the Flat Tops. Gibson Montana has carefully updated it to meet the demands of today’s peforming guitarist. The shimmering highs and deep lows of the Gibson SJ-200 EC has attracted legendary performers like Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones and Emmylou Harris. It features an onboard Piezo pickup and active preamp. Rim-mounted controls provide ultimate control of the tonal spectrum and a soft cutaway provides easy access to upper frets. The guitar that started it all continues to deliver unmatched tone and performance and is available in antique natural and vintage sunburst finish.

Gibson Montana will also showcase the acoustic SJ-300 model. This top-of-the-line model features rich, lustrous abalone rosetta and crown inlays with beautiful Indian rosewood body and mahogany neck. With an ebony bridge and gold Grover Imperial tuners the guitar is topped off with a traditional floral-pattern pickguard. The SJ-300 is handcrafted with the finest materials available and delivers unmatched tone and performance. It is available in antique natural and vintage Sunburst finishes.

As if Gibson’s Acoustic division didn’t have enough to win the accolades of the NAMM crowd, the division will also highlight the Gibson J-185 EC Rosewood model. This time-tested design of the J-185 is elegantly updated. With a Sitka spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides, the J-185 EC delivers all the sweet highs and rich lows players have come to rely on. A dark ebony fretboard decorated with a mother-of-pearl split block inlay pattern tops a comfortable Mahogany neck. A premium Piezo pickup delivers all the tone to an onboard preamp, with easily accessed rim-mounted controls. With a soft cutaway for high-note, single-string runs, it’s a guitar versatile enough to meet the needs of all styles and the demands of all players.

For the songwriter on the road performing with a hectic schedule Gibson Montana’s Traveling Songwriter remains the guitar of choice. The durable design and incredible tone of the Traveling Songwriter withstands the demands of even the toughest gigs. With a solid Sitka spruce top and the advanced bracing of Gibson’s early acoustics, the Traveling Songwriter delivers unbelievable tone and rugged portability. An easy-to-use 4-band EQ adapts the sound for any recording or live application. This model was designed and built to meet all the needs of today’s working musician.

The next step in the evolution of Gibson acoustic guitars is the Gibson 165 model. The model hosts all the resonance of a larger guitar and is perfect for players needing a smaller body profile for the precision of fingerstyle and flatpicking runs. As comfortable as it is beautiful, the 165 is available with either figured maple or AAA Indian rosewood back and sides. With a Sitka spruce top and 1930s-style, wide-scalloped X-bracing for incredible tone. All guitars displayed at NAMM 2006 are handcrafted at Gibson Acoustic in Bozeman, Montana.

Find out more at http://www.gibson.com