J200 "Dampener" brace

Christina has a late 70's-early 80's J200. We're changing insurance and had to get a replacement value so we took it our local guitar guy.

He looked at and said that the large brace just south of soundhole was to mute the sound for singers and actors that used the guitar more for a prop than instrument.

He said it would sound better without the brace, asked permission, and took it out. And yes, it does sound much better.

Now I seem to remember that new ownership at Gibson was upset that a lot of J200's were coming in with sagging tops and saw this as a quick fix.

Anyway, the guitar sounds great but will the top start sagging?

Thanks

why would you build an exquisite guitar and then put a brace in to mute it ??? ... i think it's structural ...

why would you build an exquisite guitar and then put a brace in to mute it ??? ... i think it's structural ...

That's what I'm thinking but it sure sounds better.

We'll probably leave it out but reinstall it if the top starts to sag. It looks like we'll be able to tighten the screw and push the top back in place.

I am guessing what you are talking about is the large floating brace Gibson started putting in the J-200s in 1961, the same year the adjustable bridge became standard. If so it has nothing to do with muting the guitar (although that is what it tends to do) so it could be used for a prop. It was put there to provide additional support for the top.

I would leave the nasty thing off. I have a 1960 J-200 and the top is still doing just fine.

I would leave the nasty thing off. I have a 1960 J-200 and the top is still doing just fine.

I was hoping to hear that. We took it off but will be keeping an eye on the top. It looks fairly simple to put back and even has and adjustable screw to tighten the "damper".

Thanks

I believe there were two versions of that brace - one that ran from the soundhole down to the bridge and one that was set lower down and pushed up behind the bridge.

Your guitar is a Norlin-era instrument and the J-200 got the same bulky bracing all Gibsons got in 1971. In addition, the traditional tone bars were replaced with a large maple bridge pad. This means that the top on your J-200 has a whole lot more support than you find in older J-200s - particularly those made before 1968.