10. Mini-Jumbo

Alright, let's break it down. Jumbo guitars, while powerful, may not be everyone's cup of tea (although Sheryl Crow proves size doesn't matter when playing an SJ).

To make them more comfortable to play, clever guitar builders decided to "shrink" the original jumbo and gave birth to one of the most popular guitar shapes around today: the Mini-Jumbo. But hold on a sec, it wasn't quite that simple! Back in 1951, Gibson jumped into the compact class with the J-185. It wasn't solely about better handling, though. Initially, the guitar aimed to be an affordable alternative to the SJ-200, with a slightly narrower shoulder width reduced by about 3 cm. However, its body was a tad deeper. The result? A guitar that delivered slightly less bass but still packed a punch for a powerful performance. Unfortunately, the J-185 didn't receive much recognition and was discontinued in 1959.

Fast forward to the 1970s, when the Santa Cruz Guitar Company took notice of the J-185's all-around awesomeness and created the F-model, closely resembling its shape and dimensions. This was followed by the highly successful FS models.

In the 1980s, Gibson's master guitar builder Ren Ferguson remembered the impressive all-rounder qualities of the J-185 and revamped the "Mini-Jumbo" under the same name. Yamaha also delivered an impressive and affordable alternative with their CPX series. Takamine joins the Mini-Jumbo business with their highly popular NEX body design, offering some seriously impressive Mini-Jumbos at moderate prices.

Sound:

Now, let's talk sound. The reduced body dimensions of Mini-Jumbos compared to jumbos result in a slight reduction of bass and low midrange frequencies, bringing more clarity to the sound. This improvement enhances the all-around qualities of Mini-Jumbos, making them versatile for solo pieces, intense fingerpicking, strumming, and accompanying singers. They're basically jack-of-all-trades guitars!

Remember, the specific dimensions may vary from one manufacturer to another. So, find the one that suits your style and get ready to rock!