Gibson Offers Pete Townshend SJ-200 Signature Guitar
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February 16, 2004
Gibson Montana and rock icon Pete Townshend have recreated the 1960s J-200
that he used to pen such classic hits as "Pinball Wizard" from The Who's
1969 rock opera Tommy and "Won't Get Fooled Again." The new Pete Townshend
SJ-200 Limited has all the classic appointments of his vintage guitar, plus
a pickup and a lighter neck contour. Townshend currently uses the guitar in
all of his acoustic performances.
The guitar is perfect - a labor of love," Townshend says. "I would no more
smash this than smash my own right hand." A portion of the proceeds from the
sale of the guitar will go to benefit Townshend's Double O charity, which
assists abused children as well as people with drug and alcohol addictions.
The Pete Townshend SJ-200 Limited has a spruce top with curly maple back and
sides. The Madagascar rosewood fingerboard is augmented with a solid
Moustache bridge for added volume, mother of pearl crown inlays and mother
of pearl "P. Townshend" signature at the end of the fingerboard. An antique
natural finish with 1960s-style gold Grover tuners and ornamental black
"stinger" on the back of the headstock complete the vintage look. The
specially tailored neck contour and pickup give it a stage-ready feel and
sound.
Pete Townshend, guitarist for The Who, is known as much for his flamboyant
guitar-playing as his creative writing genius. His wild, windmill-style
guitar solos are legendary, and The Who was one of the major forces in the
British Invasion that swept 1960s rock. Townshend went on to have a
successful solo career - his 1980 album Empty Glass went platinum and
spawned the Top 10 hit "Let My Love Open the Door." Townshend's Broadway
adaptation of Tommy, entitled The Who's Tommy, won him a Tony award in 1993
for "Best Musical Score."
The Super Jumbo 200 was originally introduced in 1937 and made its way into
the rock world through such artists as Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and the
Rolling Stones' Ron Wood, who had his own signature model with double
pickguards. The Pete Townshend SJ-200 Limited comes equipped with a
customized hardshell case.
MSRP: $5,187
For more information, visit their web site at www.gibson.com. | 
