For my ear, it's ok un-amplified, maybe a little better. But amplified, it SHINES! I play it through a Roland Jazz Chorus for mainly blues/jazz stuff and it's sweet. Wonderful clear blues notes and the projection, balance and individuality put a smile on my face. While you could possibly find a more meaty blues acoustic (though you'd have to look a bit), you'd likely not get the amplified cohesiveness this baby provides, and you'd probably be paying a similar price. It's got that raw blues punch if you want to pull it out and when playing with others, it adds a nice layer both complimenting and enhancing. Progressions sound great. Voicing can vary from raw and bluesy to sweet and jazzy. CAVEAT: When I first got the BK, it sounded tight. I wasnt charmed. But then I remembered a review I had read when shopping around saying it took awhile for her to break in. No doubt about it. After a few weeks I noticed her softening up. She's been mine for a year now and the tone continues to expand and fill. There's no doubt this guitar will age with the best of them.

The volume control is just inside the sound hole. While the position raised my eyebrow at first, I've grown to find it very usable.

Action is great. Plays smooth.

Absolutely sound workmanship. Just pick her up. She's tight. More so, she's bursting to sing. Practically speaking, she maintains a tune better than any guitar I've owned (about a dozen so far). Even after a week or so, the retuning is remarkably only a minor tweak.

For about $2K, it's clearly not for everyone. I've not played so many other similarly priced acoustic-electrics for complete comparison, but against some of the Martins and Taylors, however, (even those priced to $3K), I'm absolutely happy. In fact, more so. The sound is uniquely its own. The general public may not be as familiar with this puppy as other guitars (for those thinking of resell potential) but heh, music's not a cliche and who gives a crap about the masses (unless you're reselling). Given how it's warmed during the first year alone, I think the BK may be a player's guitar.

Havent needed any.

This baby doesnt have the drop dead gorgeous swoon effect I sometimes long for but the vintage sunburst is attractive and the finish is quality. For me, knowing what this baby sounds and plays like, the overall appearance portrays the latent passion I love in her. In this case, beauty's not skin deep. And yeah, the envy factor is there. When you roll from a smooth back swing to a full frontal raw, your boys will take note. The heads will be noddin.

Hobbyist

Jazz - Blues

Overall I would say the sound quality is poor. If i could put it in one word it would be the guitar sounds "stale", not warm or expressive. Usually blues is what i play, if not its something blues based. I played this guitar in an inclosed room at H&H music and picked it up because i liked the classic look of it, and by the name i figured it would match my style of playing, the martin sitting next to it at half the price sounded much nicer. The closest thing i could compare this guitar too is a 40s 50s $75 harmony flat top that you would find at a pawn shop. The guitar even felt like a cheap harmony or silvertone. The volume of the guitar was also somewhat poor, if you play fingerstyle blues make sure everyone has their head in the soundhole.

had a matching gig bag, had "blues king" embroidered on it. honestly i never looked to see what it was made of.

poor, really have to push it to get any sort of desirable qualities out of it, this however is fitting for most blues artists of the 30s (where gibson said they got the influence for the guitar from)started literally from the ground, or gutter up. If thats your thing, and you want to start it hard go buy an acoustic from a pawn shop or used music store for under $200 instead of spending 1600.

looks great, feels like garbage, sounds like garbage. would say its reliable, its not going to get any better or worse.

This would be where it fails the most, if the guitar were under $150 i might consider it a nice beginer guitar for a kid, or something to toss in my car when i go camping, but for $1600 i could find a much better guitar. spending $1600 on a martin i could agree with, or other gibsons, but not this one.

i have owned a gibson before, but never delt with their company for problems.

this is what drew me to try out the guitar in the first place. it was extremely simple looking and the design harks back to guitars around the 30s.

hobbyist

blues, jazz, folk, ragtime