Epiphone Pre-War SJ-200 RW Rei. VS IBC

Steel-String Guitar with Pickup

Inspired by Gibson Custom
Style: Jumbo
Back and sides: Solid rosewood
Top: Solid thermally-treated spruce
Neck: Maple
Fingerboard: Ebony
Mother-of-pearl Graduated Crown fingerboard inlays
Single-ply neck binding
Multi-ply binding on top, back and headstock
Scale length: 648 mm (25.5")
Nut width: 44.2 mm (1.74")
Bone nut
20 frets
Pickup: LR Baggs Element VTC Bronze
Ebony bridge with compensated bone saddle
Vintage-style pickguard
Grover Imperial machine heads
Colour: Vintage Sunburst
Includes case

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

3-Year Thomann Warranty

Available since August 2025
Item number 622697
Sales Unit 1 piece(s)
Top Solid Spruce
Back and Sides Rosewood
Cutaway No
Fretboard Ebony
Nut width in mm 44,20 mm
Frets 20
Pickup(s) Yes
Colour Vintage Sunburst
Case Yes
Incl. Gigbag No

1.499 €

All prices incl. VAT

Sales Rank

in Jumbo Acoustic Guitars

A very special reissue

Epiphone Pre-War SJ-200 RW Reissue VS IBC, acoustic guitar

The "Inspired by Gibson Custom" series has been created for guitarists who want top-tier instruments without the custom shop price tag. Designed by Epiphone's US Custom Shop team, the Epiphone Pre-War SJ-200 RW Reissue VS IBC takes a legendary guitar and gives it a modern twist – with the premium specs to match. This guitar is based on one of the rarest models in the Gibson universe: Between 1938 and 1943, fewer than 100 instruments were built. This isn't to say that the pre-war SJ-200s didn't sound good – in fact, their acoustic properties are the stuff of legend. This modern Epiphone adaptation follows in the footsteps of its prominent predecessor, but with a modern, instantly comfortable playing feel. The solid woods used throughout – a roasted spruce top, rosewood sides and back – give it an immensely voluminous and very mid-rich sound, and so that its owners can share this with the largest possible audience, it's also fitted with an LR Baggs VTC Bronze pickup system for a great live presence.

Epiphone Pre-War SJ-200 RW Reissue VS IBC, acoustic guitar, top

A clear and focused character

The crafstmanship on this opulently appointed jumbo model is truly something to behold. The mahagony neck and ebony fingerboard produce a fundamentally warm timbre, but with a crystal-clear treble response. The carefully selected composition of rosewood and spruce for the body in turn contribute an openness to the guitar's sound that only quality tonewoods can provide. When compared to the guitars Gibson began building with maple after WWII, this pre-war SJ-200 possesses a tone with less low end; its character can instead be described as clear and focused, especially in the midrange. Of course, a sound this good requires playability to match, and players will not be disappointed here thanks to the guitar's comfortable 12" fingerboard radius and broader 44.2mm nut width, as well as the rounded-D neck profile. The longer scale length of 25.5" gives the Epiphone Pre-War SJ-200 RW Reissue VS IBC a higher string tension, making the guitar well-suited to lower tunings and providing clearer note separation on the individual strings.

Epiphone Pre-War SJ-200 RW Reissue VS IBC, acoustic guitar, rear view

Not just a strummer

Vintage steel-string aficionados won't be the only ones falling in love with the Epiphone Pre-War SJ-200 RW Reissue VS IBC: This is a superb instrument for any guitarist who can see the appeal in being able to fill an entire venue with just one chord. Its acoustic qualities make the pre-war SJ-200 perfect for strumming styles – leading a whole band with a few choice rhythms. But the beautifully articulated midrange also means it's a good partner for fingerpicking, which isn't necessarily the first thing players would usually think of with a jumbo guitar. The LR Baggs VTC Bronze piezo pickup system used here is perfectly suited to the instrument's acoustic properties, and its discreetly placed volume and tone thumbwheels can be used to dial in the right sound in any live setup. This makes the reissue of the pre-war SJ-200 a great tool for pros in particular, but ambitious hobbyists will also love its playability – and all for a price that's far more affordable than the Gibson custom models.

Epiphone Pre-War SJ-200 RW Reissue VS IBC, acoustic guitar, headstock

About Epiphone

Today, Epiphone is known only as the Asian budget offshoot of Gibson. Yet both companies were once independent, equal, and also bitter rivals. The roots of Epiphone go back to the 1870s and to Anastasios Stathopoulo, a Greek instrument maker, who emigrated to America in 1903 with his son Epaminondas ("Epi" for short). Epi changed the name of the firm to the "Epiphone Banjo Company" after taking over the family business in 1928. During this year, Epiphone also began to manufacture guitars, which rapidly came to dominate their sales. In 1957, Epiphone was taken over by C.M.I., which already included Gibson, but continued as a separate brand until 1970, when manufacturing was outsourced to Asia. Well-known Epiphone models include the Casino, played by the Beatles, and the Sheraton, John Lee Hooker's instrument of choice.

Celebrating the small things

It's the little details that make a guitar like the Epiphone Pre-War SJ-200 RW Reissue VS IBC into something really special. As with the Gibson legacy model, the classic open-book headstock here has a pre-war logo and Grover Imperial machine heads (also known as waffleback tuners), which all give the guitar a very distinguished appearance. And thanks to its vintage-tinted matte finish and rich sunburst, underlined by the dark rosewood sides with their contrasting binding, this guitar will feel like an old friend the moment it's taken out of the (very premium) case that is included in the package. For bringing that authentic pre-war feeling into the studio, onto the stage, or to the next songwriting session, this instrument is just the thing.

This is what customers who viewed this product bought

30%

bought

Epiphone 1957 SJ-200 Rei. AN IBC

Guild F-250CE Deluxe ATB

655 €

bought

Epiphone 1957 SJ-200 Rei. VS IBC

1.599 €

1 Customer ratings

5 1 Customer 4 0 Customers 3 0 Customers 2 0 Customers 1 0 Customers

5 / 5

features

sound

quality

Review guidelines

1 Review

Show translation

Show original

Unfortunately there was an error. Please try again later.

Gute Wahl getroffen

UBaum 14.09.2025

Ich muss vorab klar stellen, ich nur ein Hobbymusiker, der seit vielen Jahren Gitarre spielt. Allerdings in der Vergangenheit Gitarren in den Preisklasse 200 - 350 €, die nach einigen Modifikationen recht gut klangen.
2020 kaufte ich mir dann eine Epiphone Masterbilt Excellente (noch für 876 €), und erlebte klanglich einen Quantensprung. Jetzt war es wieder einmal Zeit für eine neue Gitarre, die zudem noch gut aussehen sollte. Epiphone war da schon, auf Grund der Guten Qualität in der engeren Wahl. Da es für die Pre-War SJ-200 keine brauchbaren Rezessionen gab, schaute ich auch nach der 1963'er Dove und der 1942'er J-45, entschied mich dennoch für die SJ-200. Als sie lieferbar war schlug ich zu, da ich nicht wusste, wieviel denn bestellt waren.
Die Lieferzeit war mehrere Tage, da Sperrgut.
Als sie endlich ankam, wurde sie auch gleich ausgepackt. Beim Öffnen des Koffers strömte mir ein strenger Lösungsmittelgeruch entgegen, der mir vorerst die Lust am spielen nahm. Der Koffer ist Top und ist wohl um die Gitarre herum gebaut. Der Lösungsmittelgeruch war bei geöffnetem Koffer schnell verflogen, so dass ich mit dem Nachstimmen begann. Klanglich war die SJ-200 wohl noch auf der Reise und ich spielte bereits mit den Gedanken alles zusammen zu packen und zur Post zu gehen. Ich gab ihr noch eine Chance und es hat sich zum Glück schnell geändert.
Die Bespielbarkeit ist absolut super, Seitenlage so flach, dass ich erst dachte es würde beim spielen klirren. Das ist die erste Gitarre, bei der ich nichts ändern musste, einfach nur Seiten einspielen. Nach 2 Wochen kann ich sagen, ich gebe sie nicht mehr her. Die Verarbeitung ist Top (bis heute keine Mängel gefunden), Sound absolut super, Lautstärke der Hammer. Der einzige Nachteil, ich muss mir eine andere Seitenkurbel kaufen, meine alte passt bei den Mechaniken nicht mehr.
Ich denke, dass durch ein paar gute Seiten noch etwas rauszuholen ist, da ich davon ausgehe, dass vom Werk her keine so guten Seiten aufgezogen wurden.
Frage an Thomann, welche wurden vom Werk aufgezogen?
Meine 2020'er Masterbilt klingt schon richtig gut, aber die JS-200 kann es jetzt schon mit ihr aufnehmen und wird wohl mit der Zeit noch besser werden.
Ich habe meine Entscheidung nicht bereut und würde es wieder tun.

Report

Do you believe this rating to be inaccurate or unacceptable for some reason? Please give us the reason for your assessment in the following text box and – if possible – your e-mail address for further questions.

Read all reviews

Epiphone Pre-War SJ-200 RW Rei. VS IBC

Steel-String Guitar with Pickup