Gibson Songwriter Deluxe - CW

Finish: Nitro. Body style: dreadnought, but not square shouldered like a Hummingbird. --a smaller square shouldered model. Gold Grover tuners. Mahoghany neck, ebony fretboard with parallelogram inlays. Baggs Elemen Active pickup. Made in 2007/Bozeman, MT. Spruce top, rosewood back/sides.

Rare Sunburst finish which I have never seen before on this model.

Bone nut, saddle, and bridge pins installed by previous owners.

Here's where it shines...NO Gibson is alike---you've got to play each one and know if it's for you. This one has the TONE. And a vintage one to boot. I'm almost afraid to change the strings for fear it will affect the sound. A rich, full sound, not overly bassy or "thuddy" like some Gibsons can be. Distinct highs. This one was not made on a Monday or a Friday! Whomever worked on this one knew what they were doing.
Great for fingerstyle picking or strumming.
I am sure that the installation of a bone nut, saddle, and bridge pins have improved the sound and make it what it is.

Visually this guitar is a stunner, with a sunburst finish from black to the amber colored tone on the top. I have never seen this model in a sunburst and don't think they made many of them.
The MOP inlays literally glow in the light reflections. I thought that the Advance Jumbo was visually cool, but this one takes the prize. Previous owner installed a bone nut, saddle, and bone bridge pins---that must have had an effect on the sound in a good way.
Beautiful straight-grained rosewood back, with lots of contrast in the grain lines.
Action is perfect.

The Baggs Active Element pickup sounds great through my Fishman Loudbox Performer
Nice, even tone.

Gibsons are built to last, although in some years suffered from poor quality control. This one will last--well taken care but played as much as I can!
It will definitely stand live playing, I could use it without a backup, but wouldn't anyway--
who wants to change a string in the middle of a set?

Gibson is usually responsive to me but lately they haven't responded at all. Don't know what's going on in their Customer Service area.

Bought used, so not under warranty

Been playing since 1975; have many acoustics/brands. Even have another one like this model, but it is called a CL-40 from the late '90's...and it has it's own sound, too.

As I mentioned, seeing this in a sunburst is awesome. Go figure why Gibson didn't make more of these....I think I know...it would cost them too much to do sunbursts!
If it were lost or stolen, I would definitely search for another, but wouldn't have a clue where to find a sunburst one. They just aren't out there.
For what I paid for used, it was a great price considering the price increases Gibson has instituted recently
But still---with any Gibson play them first before you buy--they do not all sound the same!

2008 Gibson Songwriter Deluxe: Special size and shape, basically a square shouldered dreadnaught with a pinched waist but it also has an extra wide lower bout so it's a cross between a dreadnaught and a jumbo. Nothing else like it other than the Gibson Hummingbird artist and as a matter of fact this guitar started out as a very expensive Gibson Dove cutaway with the addition of a pickup. This one is the non cutaway version and is a sitka spruce top and rosewood back and sides with built-in LR BAGGS undersaddle piezo pickup with a volume control at the soundhole. This guitar has the tightest grained spruce top that I have ever seen on an acoustic and the back&sides is by far the nicest quartersawn rosewood I've ever seen and all of the wood on this guitar looks to be master grade and is breathtaking to look at and the smell of this guitar is intoxicating, the rosewood has the nicest peppery smell.

This guitar is a cannon and is the most ballanced guitar I have ever played. Very rich,full mature sound and the highs just sparkle. I've never heard anything that compares to it other than an old Martin D-35 Brazillian but even that guitar I don't think compared to this one because the intonation on the Martin wasn't as good as this Gibson. This guitar is proof positive that you should go out and play as many as posible and don't settle on one until it speaks to you. I had this same guitar in the cutaway version that I bought back in '06 and although I thought it sounded well above average for it's price range, I sold it in '07 to buy a Martin D-28 that sounded better. The amazing part of this story is that I came accross this Songwriter on ebay and only paid $1,000.00 for it because the owner needed the money and had to sell it. It did not sound all that good when I first got it because for one it needed setup and it and killed your fingers to play it and had had Elixir strings on it and they just weren't a good match for the guitar. I did a complete setup on it by lowering the action at both nut and saddle and adjusted the truss rod as it had too much releif in the neck. I strung it up with a set of the strings that these are shipped from the factory with, Gibson Masterbuilt 12-52s and after a couple of weeks getting the strings broke in, "Magic" this guitar sounds better now every time I play it and just sounds so mature for a guitar that's still what I would call still new.The amazing part of it is that I havent had to fiddle with the tuning in the two weeks I've played it after getting them stretched out and I'm always fine tuning the Martin. The Martin is one sweet guitar that I will never part with but this Gibson is now my favorite. The Martin sounds tight and muffled in comparison but will come around in a few years but this Gibson is already there and I don't see that it's possible for it to ever sound than it does now because to my ear, it's perfect.

This Gibson is near flawless as far as the finish goes and seems like the lacquer is a little on the lite side on the top and is an exception for a Gibson because I have found that Gibson's are on the heavy side as far as finish goes. Maybe they are just improving in the finish dept. Every Gibson I've ever owned has developed finish checks somewhere on them because of too heavy of a lacquer finish on them but I don't think that this one will have that problem. The only flaw I found one this guitar was that the saddle was ground flat on one end and didn't quite fill the slot on the high side of the saddle slot. I installed a new saddle when I set it up and replaced the plastic bridge pins with a set of Martin ebony bridge pins with abalone. I've looked over everything on this guitar inside and out and other than the finish on the back needing a little more buffing to take out some very minor finish flaws that most people wouldn't even notice, it is now perfect as ten minutes with a little compound and a little elbow grease took care of them. The pickguards on this model is some sort of thick flexable material with beveled perimeter and judjing buy the other Songwrtier I had for over a year it is impossible to put scratch on them with a pick and I just love it. The fretboard on this model has all the paralellagrams on it and appears to be flawless as well as the pearl on the headstock. This model comes with the gold full size Grovers and can be kept looking new with the regular use of Gibson guitar polish. The Gibson guitar polish also keeps the back of the full gloss lacquer neck from getting sticky as I didn't know this when I had my first one and is another reason I parted with it because until the lacquer has time to fully cure this can be a problem on these guitars but like I said, the Gibson polish eliminates this problem. This guitar is a masterpeice in constuction and is one of the most beutiful acoustics I've ver layed eyes on. It's almost too pretty to play but I handel that by wiping it down using the Gibson polish after each use before putting in back in it's case. Nice premium case too. I just wish it didn't have the Gibson logo on it as I'm a little leary about flashing it while taking it out with me because people know that there is at least a $2,000.00 Gibson inside that case and I worry that someone may steal try and steal it.

These guitars just seem to be built like a tank and when you look at the heavy bracing inside on the back I would think that it would take quite alot of abuse. As with any guitar and these are even more prone to it because of the trussrod access location, I would use extra care and make sure as not to smack the headstock into a wall on whatever as the headstocks are more prone to breakage than say a Martin.I would use this without backup and other than a string breaking that could be handeled as, "take 5"

I contacted Gibson about my neck getting sticy on the last one and they suggested the gibson polish but at the time I thought that they were just blowing me off. I should have listened. Other than that I really can't comment as that was the only time I ever contacted them on anything. As I don't have the warranty on this one it really doesn't matter. I imagine though that as far as warranty goes on an acoustic other than a neck reset if ever needed your on your own anyway. Unless the company allows for a transfer from the original owner and do to the fact that most people eventually sell before they would ever need anything anyway I would suggest just sticking with a trusted brand.

I've been playing guitar most of my life and I am getting up there in age. This is by far the best acoustic I've ever came accross as far as something I could afford. I would without hessitation replace this with the same model if anything ever happened to it. I may sell my Martin some day when I can get my money back out of it but then again I would suely miss it. But if I could only keep one it would be this Songwriter without a doubt. Just keep in mind though, don't buy a guitar by what's on the headstock but gibson,Martin or Taylor make good starting points. I have a $200.00 solid top Epiphone that I think the world of.

This guitar is pure class. For me the finish is stunningly understated. From the cheeky abalone rosette to the mahogany neck and rosewood back and sides.

The pick up is basic, simple and good.

Comes with a delicious gibson accoustic case as one would expect. On the whole the guitar is basic but good.

Sound is where the Songwriter comes into it's own. For those whoknow anything about guitars it is a basic square shouldered dreadnought in the mould of Gibson Doves and Hummingbirds. It is as good in my opinion as either of these guitars.

It is bright and chirpy across all frequencies (in my opinion the sign of quality) from the bassy detuned E strings all the way up!

I've changed the factory settings, so I find the action a little on the high side especially compared to Taylor guitars which play like electrics!

The finish was top notch. However, the battery was misfitted when I bought it but that could be as the result of transportation. Easy fixed though

The strap button is solid but I've not fitted a shoulder button which would be nice if it was factory fitted.

The hardware is all good from top quality grovers to an excellent pickup with sound hole mounted volume control.

It is also pretty sturdy I think the fact that it is a well proportioned dreadnought makes it pretty depndeable and sturdy.

I've been playing 20 years. I've got a Gibson flying V, a fender Telecaster and a Takamine EN10. I also regularly play my brother Marton 316GT and his Taylor 7 something.

It's definitely a gibson accoustic. I love abalone rosette, it sets a plain guitar of beautifully.

When buying it I tried a few Gibsons and Martins.

I'd love to try a Rickenbacker accoustic.

2007 Songwriter Deluxe
Square-Shoulder Dreadnought made in Bozeman, Montana
Solid Sitka Spruce top, solid Indian Rosewood sides and back
mahogany neck, ebony fretboard and bridge
14 frets to the body
Nitrocellulose lacquer finish
Fishman active pickup with soundhole mounted volume control
Abalone rosette
MOP inlays (fretboard and headstock)
Grover tuners

The features are exactly what I wanted in a guitar - all solid wood, active electronics, very comfortable fretboard, fast neck, Grover tuners, very easy to play, and a rock solid case. This is the full-bodied version (no cutaway), so it has the soundhole mounted volume knob, which I really like. Most people think it's not an acoustic/electric, because they look for a giant pre-amp cut into the body. Some people may prefer an EQ or tuner, but this guitar sounds great plugged in, so I haven't missed it. And I bought a $10 tuner to keep in the case. I prefer the sound of the full-body (although the difference with the cutaway was negligible), and I like the subtlety of this setup. The case is very solid (to say the least). I did change out the plastic bridge pins, which seemed to make it a little punchier, as well as increase the sustain.

I am rating this a 9 because it is actually pretty basic, but has everything I need from an acoustic/electric.

I am a Singer/Songwriter, and play mostly coffeehouses, either solo or with a small acoustic band. Obviously, the sound ended up being the deciding factor, and this guitar is unbeatable. I played all the Martins and Taylors, and while they are beautiful, I prefer the sound of the Gibsons. I spent a few months playing every Gibson I could get my hands on - my favorites are the square-shoulder dreadnoughts (Hummingbird, Dove, and Songwriter), which were designed to accompany the human voice, and I feel this has the most versatile sound out of the bunch.

It has a very rich, full low end without booming, a great clear sparkle without being too bright or tinny, and the mids really sing. The sound is very colorful, with full overtones that always seem to complement what I am playing. It never really sounds too muddy, just full. It projects really well, and sounds good when fingerpicking, flatpicking, soloing, or strumming. I play a pretty wide range of music acoustically, from folk to acoustic rock, blues, modern acoustic rock, and everything in between, and this guitar seems to work for everything I need it for. I would still consider getting a J-45 in the future for the variety in sound - a little darker - but this one sounds gorgeous

Before buying, I played back and forth between this and the Hummingbird (I closed my eyes, and my wife wouldn't tell me which one she was handing me). They sounded nearly identical, but I preferred this one every time. I've had a lot of remarks from non-musicians who love the way this guitar sounds, so I think that's a good sign.

I honestly don't think there is anything I dislike about the sound of this guitar.

I had my heart set on a Hummingbird, but saw this and thought I should try it. This is what I took home. I hadn't considered this guitar because of the gold tuners (I thought it would be too flashy for my style, especially compared to the J-45 and Hummingbird). But in person, the details are beautiful, and they definitely work for this guitar. The gold tuners actually look perfect as they play off of the deep red tortoiseshell pickguard and bring out the greens in the abalone and MOP. The bookmatched top looks very good. The rosewood even smells beautiful! The "bird's beak" neck joint at the sound hole and the classic Gibson ebony bridge complete the package, and give this guitar the well deserved appearance of a well crafted instrument.

The guitar looks great from a distance, and looks stunning up close. Everything was straight and looked good. The bookmatching on the top is flawless. No scratches anywhere (it must not have been in the shop for very long, because it didn't look like it had ever been played), straight neck, comfortable fret edges. Everything was tight and in the right place. I spent a long time looking it over for flaws or imperfections before I purchased it, and after owning it for two months I still haven't found any. This is a very well made guitar.

The action felt just a little bit high at first (as I expected it would from the factory), but I am going to wait a few more months to see if it needs any set up, because it is very easy to play. The intonation is dead on all the way up the fretboard on every string.

I don't know how many times I'll spend $2000 or more on a guitar, so I was intent on finding one that wouldn't disappoint me. So far, the fit and finish on this are exactly what I was looking for.

This guitar seems durable and dependable, but I have only had it a few months. My two year old hit the top of it with a toy, and (after my wife picked me up off the floor) there was not a dent or scratch in the finish, so it seems durable enough. It's heavy, and feels very sturdy.

I am giving it a 7, because it seems sturdy, but I would only be speculating.

I haven't had to deal with the company.

I have been playing guitar for 19 years, and I have an Ovation Balladeer, a Fender Strat, and a Gibson Les Paul, in addition to a two vintage saxophones and bagpipes. I am very particular about purchasing instruments, and I could not be happier with this guitar. If this were lost, I would definitely buy it again.

The looks, details, and the sound are what I would expect from an American made, solid wood guitar. If it didn't sound great, I wouldn't keep it. I still find myself on the fence about the gold tuners, but if I really wanted to, I could change those out. I tend to like the plain looks and sunburst options of some of the other Gibsons, but this sounds too good and plays too well to pass up.

I really like the Rosewood construction as compared to the Maple on the Dove and the Mahogany on the Hummingbird. Those are obviously well established and iconic guitars, but given the choice between the three, this was my preference.

I compared it to every solid wood guitar I could get my hands on, and this sounded

Just got this guitar for 2 week. Now I take it everywhere I go.
it's a Solid Cutaway, with built in electronics, onboard EQ and Tuner made in USA.

I mainly play this guitar at church. The sound of the guitar is very full. Low strings sounds really booming but clear. And the high strings are bright. it's good for both struming and finger picking. I plug it direct to the mixer. I can control the EQ very easy.

I like it better than most of the taylor and martins, because the fullness of this guitar.

Action is every good. Easy to play. No Buzzing or anyting.
it's a beautiful guitar with a beautiful sound.

I've been play & Record different Guitars for about 7 years. So far this song writer deluxe is the best I have ever played. I played EJ-200, Martin, some Taylor, and more. All of them have their own specialty sound, Some of them were bright and some of them were dark & booming. HOwever I still recommand you to save up for this baby, It look good, overall it just sounded better than everybody else. It was my Dream guitar. (well, it's no longer a dream) will be yours to.

check out the site for details, Mahogany nech ebony finger board spruce top rosewood back and sides. built in electronics.

Excellent sound typical gibson, rich full sound, Onboard electronics are excellent and give you a true Acoustic sound direct to the board.

Love this guitar!

set up is perfect sligthly tweaked by luither when recieved to lower touch.

I have used it live a coulpe of times I'm a Little nervious taking it out (expensive) but when I have it worked very good. Looks like a good quality guitar. and should be for the price!

No issues yet

I have a Fender Telecaster which was my main guitar before I purchased the Songwriter, The other acoustic I have is a Yamaha APX- 7. I 've had this guitar for 3/4 of a year.