Based on the Gibson "Square Shoulder" Hummingbird series of guitars, you know right away that the new Gibson Songwriter Special has the right DNA. To improve the breed even further, Gibson uses the vintage-style "wide-X" top bracing on this guitar for that warm, powerful, "old Gibson" sound. To bring the guitar up to the 21st century, Gibson has refined the neck profile to make it slimmer and faster. They've also built in an L.R. Baggs pickup for those times you need to "plug in."
The Songwriter Special uses all solid wood construction
Solid imported Honduran mahogany for the back and sides, solid Sitka spruce for the top. The neck is one piece mahogany too for added stability. The vintage-style "wide X" top bracing allows for greater top movement, and much improved projection. The bracing is scalloped by hand to keep weight down, and adding strength at the same time. This combination of tonewoods and bracing design makes for a powerful, yet very articulate sound.
The factory installed pickup is the highly respected L.R. Baggs Element with a convenient soundhole rim mounted volume control. The pickup delivers a rich, "natural" sound, much smoother than many other "acoustic-electric" pickups. The guitar/pickup combo responds well to all playing styles and needs from vigorous flatpicking to soft chordal strums.
The Indian rosewood fingerboard is graced by Gibson's "floret" inlays, and design that dates back to the famed Gibson banjos of the 30s. The bridge is Indian rosewood as well. The guitar is finished in a gorgeous ebony lacquer finish, not the cheaper polyurethane finish used on most other guitars at this price. To top off the guitar's good looks are a subtle top binding, bound pickguard, and a beautiful abalone rosette around the soundhole. This guitar is shipped complete with a custom fit, hardshell case.
Top: Solid Sitka spruce
Back: Solid mahogany back and sides
Finish: Ebony nitrocellulose lacquer
Neck Wood: Mahogany
Fretboard: Rosewood
Scale Length: 25-1/2"
Nut Width: 1.725"
Neck Joint: Set-in
# frets to body: 20
L.R. Baggs sensor and preamp