What is a Jumbo style guitar?

[MattTheBrat]

I'm searching for some 12-string guitar models to buy through the internet. I know that a dreadnought is the tradition shape, whereas the grand auditorium which less width at the top and more width at the bottom of the body--which gives it a brighter, smaller tone.

 

What exactly is a Jumbo styled guitar?

[Tushman]

6StringMatt,

I'm just starting to learn about the world of guitars like yourself.

The jumbo style, as I understand it, is any guitar that has a very wide body and slightly longer fret board. Particularly accentuated by a larger than normal bottom end.

[Terry Allan Hall]

Originally posted by 6StringMatt I'm searching for some 12-string guitar models to buy through the internet. I know that a dreadnought is the tradition shape, whereas the grand auditorium which less width at the top and more width at the bottom of the body--which gives it a brighter, smaller tone. What exactly is a Jumbo styled guitar?

 

 

Here's a jumbo (355 Taylor)

[Terry Allan Hall]

And a jumbo 6-string (Guild JF-4)

[MattTheBrat]

But is the jumbo in between the size of a dreadnought and a grand auditoriun, or is it a little bigger than a dreadnought? What type of tone is it supposed to produce in comparison to a dreadnought? (for example: a grand auditorium, if I'm correct here, is suppsoed to sound a little brighter than a dreadnought).

[Terry Allan Hall]

Larger than a dreadnaught, and typically have a more balanced tone (dreads often are very bassy).

Of course, the materials will also have a determining factor...many jumbos are made of maple, which adds sustain and brightness, while many dreads are rosewood, which adds bottom.

Go out and play some of each and see what you like!

[guitarcapo]

In my opinion Jumbo means "larger than a drednaught" which means 17" wide at the lower bought. Martin J-40s are only slightly larger than a dred, though...something like 16.25" wide.

The definitive jumbo shape would be the Gibson J-200, which Guild copied when they made their Jumbos, and Taylor sort of did.

[chopz]

Go here for a description and shapes of various body types:

Guitar Shapes

[riffmeister]

Originally posted by guitarcapo In my opinion Jumbo means "larger than a drednaught" which means 17" wide at the lower bout.......

 

 

bingo.....that's basically it

[kwakatak]

Like everyone else said, jumbos are basically wider than a dreadnaught in the lower bout but with a slightly narrower waist. I believe that both models are the same depth.

BTW, from what I hear THE jumbo 12 string to get is a Guild.

[solitaire]

Originally posted by guitarcapo In my opinion Jumbo means "larger than a drednaught" which means 17" wide at the lower bought. Martin J-40s are only slightly larger than a dred, though...something like 16.25" wide. The definitive jumbo shape would be the Gibson J-200, which Guild copied when they made their Jumbos, and Taylor sort of did.

I'd say a Small Jumbo should be below 16" wide (think Gibson J-45, Larrivee L), a Jumbo at least 16" (think Gibson J-180, Guild F and Martin J) or there abouts, a Super Jumbo 17" wide (think Gibson SJ-200 and Guild JF). I agree Gibson defined the 17" Super Jumbo back in 1934 and has been copied ever since. That would make the Gibson Square Shoulder a Jumbo and not a Dreadnought, even though it shares the contours of a Dread.

[bjorn-fjord]

Small jumbo? Que? I think, like many things, the name "Jumbo" has been appropriated by so many people that it has lost any clear, concise meaning. I think Gibson was first to coin the term and now they don't even seem to know what it means. An Advanced Jumbo (as they call it) is smaller than a j-45 which is itself smaller than a dreadnaught whereas a J-200 is massive. The only consistent characteristic seems to be round shoulders and perhaps a size somewhat larger than an Orchestra size guitar.

[solitaire]

Originally posted by bjorn-fjord Small jumbo? Que? I think, like many things, the name "Jumbo" has been appropriated by so many people that it has lost any clear, concise meaning. I think Gibson was first to coin the term and now they don't even seem to know what it means. An Advanced Jumbo (as they call it) is smaller than a j-45 which is itself smaller than a dreadnaught whereas a J-200 is massive. The only consistent characteristic seems to be round shoulders and perhaps a size somewhat larger than an Orchestra size guitar.

 

I agree the designations are a bit messy, but there you have it.