JB Player JBA-1200

This JB Player Artist JBA-1200 was a store demo purchased around 1996 in Surfside Beach, South Carolina. It's 20 frets, solid natural top, no finish. It's rather plain, fake circular mother of pearl dots on the neck. The original tuners gave out after about 5 years.

The fact that this guitar has no finish seems to give it a good natural resonance. The overall sound is good, especially for a cheap guitar (300 bucks if I remember correctly)

Factory setup was decent, but it didn't stay in forever. Glue around neck is giving after many yeras of playing.

This guitar has been used as my cheap beater that I take everywhere with me, and it has seen some rough treatment. I've had a lot of work done on it to keep it in playing condition. The top has cracked in several places and I've had that sealed. A guitarsmith added some extra internal bracing, and it's had a fret job. All that said, it still plays as well as it did when I bought it, and it stays in tune pretty decently.

All things said, I still love this guitar. For such an inexpensive piece it has served me very well.

Bought new in spring 1998. Sticker inside says "J.B. Player Guitars, Charleston, S.C. Made in Korea." Dreadnought style. Solid ceder top, mahogany laminate sides and back, solid mahogany neck, rosewood frets and bridge. However, the dealer I bought this from made certain modifications: new chrome tuners, ebony/ivory pegs and replaced the pick guard. Plain satin finish. This is a light guitar; my hands are smaller, and the neck fits wonderfully. Has pickup jack, no controls. Came with great, hard shelled case (which I don't think is standard from the factory).

It adds up to a rich, somewhat bright, and very warm sound. I'm not that experienced as a guitar player (two years), but I've played quite a few others (at festivals, and with friends') and this JB Player is still among the best I've heard. The dealer recommended Adamas light strings, which adds to the sound. I don't know how many times very experienced players I end up jamming with ask about it and say 'yeah, good beginning guitar', then seem amazed at the sound when they play it; it's been tough getting it back sometimes...

This is a plain looking job. Overall, the finish is very good, with a two minor flaws in the veneer along the top. The action is a bit high, but works well. The dealer prepped it quite a bit.

I'm not a professional musician, so no gigs. It does seem solid, and I've had no problem with either the integrity, or finish. The dealer told me the ceder will sometimes crack. I've dragged this guitar over 4WD roads (carefully packed of course), and it's been fine. Weather seems to effect it less than altitude--I live at 7,500' and moving it up or down causes a very predicatable change in tuning. Othewise, it keeps a very good tune.

I've looked for independent info for a year. The only place I've found it is here. Dealer offered to cover any problems for a year, but never needed it.

This guitar was actually a gift given me at a music festival. There were hundreds of guitars at the dealer expo, and I tried a lot there, including some in the 1-2 thousand $ range. But when I picked this one up, I fell in love. The neck-fit and sound did it. And like a first love, if I ever lose it, it would hurt.