At the heart of Gibson's square-shoulder dreadnought line of acoustic guitars is the Songwriter Series, and the Songwriter Deluxe Studio EC is its most fundamental offering. First introduced in 2003, the Songwriter Deluxe Studio EC combines Gibson's time-honored bracing patterns of the 1930s with Gibson's classic square-shoulder shape, which gained world-wide recognition in the early 1960s. Songwriter Deluxe Studio EC.
Gold Grover Rotomatic Tuners
Grover's original Rotomatic tuners are an engineering marvel, with abundant style and performance exactly suited for the Songwriter Deluxe Studio EC. With a gear ratio of 14:1, the Rotomatics deliver precision tuning in a durable housing that provides maximum protection for the gear and string post. All moving parts are cut for exact meshing, eliminating the possibility of slippage. A countersunk tension screw lets players regulate the tuning tension to any degree. A special lubricant inside the gear box provides smooth and accurate tuning stability.
Crown Peghead Logo
Gibson put the first crown peghead logo on an ES-300 back in 1940, and it has graced the headstocks of many legendary Gibson guitars ever since, including today's Songwriter Deluxe Studio EC. Over the years, it has also been called a "thistle" because of the group of flowering plants with the sharp prickles, though Gibson has preferred to call it a "crown."
 Double-ring rosette with an abalone-filled middle. |
 Gibson crown logo. |
Pickguard
The pickguard on the Songwriter Deluxe Studio EC is a custom line design made from Tortec. As with all of Gibson's pickguards, the coloring, inlay, and binding are all done by hand.
Rosette
A rosette is the beautiful, hand-crafted circle around the soundhole, and can be one of the most ornamental elements of any acoustic guitar. It is also one of the most subtle and complicated woodworking decorations on any acoustic guitar. The rosette on the Songwriter Deluxe Studio EC is one of Gibson's finest. It is a double-ring rosette with an abalone-filled middle, with both outer rings consisting of six-ply binding, adding a stylish, understated elegance to the Songwriter line.
Ebony Fingerboard with Rolled Edges and Split Parallelogram Inlays
The fingerboard of Gibson's Songwriter Deluxe Studio EC is constructed from the highest grade ebony on earth, which is personally inspected and qualified by Gibson's team of skilled experts before it enters the Gibson factories. The resilience of this durable wood makes the fingerboard extremely balanced and stable, and gives each chord and note unparalleled clarity and bite. The Songwriter Deluxe Studio EC's split parallelogram inlays are made of genuine mother of pearl, and are inserted into the fingerboard using a process that eliminates gaps and doesn't require the use of fillers. The fingerboard also sports a rolled edge--instead of the usual right angle where the fingerboard surface meets the neck, Gibson Acoustic's rolled edges are slightly beveled for an extremely smooth and comfortable feel, enhancing the playability of the Songwriter Deluxe Studio EC.
Body Tonewoods
The body design of the Songwriter Deluxe Studio EC is known as a small dreadnought. The top is made from AA-grade Sitka spruce, while the back and sides are constructed from rosewood, giving the Songwriter a balanced, warm tone with clear lows and solid treble registers. Selecting the right wood, and the formula to dry it out, are two of the most central procedures to Gibson's guitar-building process. Beginning with its first catalog in 1903, Gibson has assured its customers that every guitar would be built using woods with "the most durable, elastic, and sonorous qualities," and today's guitars from Gibson Acoustic are no different.
Fishman Prefix Plus-T Acoustic Pickup System
The Songwriter Deluxe Studio EC from Gibson Acoustic comes equipped with the popular Prefix Plus-T acoustic pickup system from Fishman. Like the rest of Fishman's Prefix onboard preamp family, the Prefix Plus-T features ultra-quiet electronics and individual controls for volume, bass, treble and semi-parametric contour. It also features a built-in chromatic tuner, along with a separate control for brilliance and a phase switch and notch filter to help fight against unwanted feedback. The Plus-T's unique controls let you adjust the sound for any number of playing styles, including fingerstyle and straight strumming. It can also be adjusted to emphasize extreme bass and treble for a "scooped" mids effect, or for cutting through the mix when you need to be heard. The Prefix Plus-T works with a standard 9V battery.
Bracing
Every acoustic guitar made by Gibson features hand-scalloped, radiused top bracing inside the body, a feature normally found only in limited run, hand-made guitars. By scalloping each brace by hand, the natural sound of the acoustic is focused more toward the center of the body, enhancing the instrument's sound projection. The bracing pattern inside the Songwriter Deluxe Studio EC is based on the design used for Gibson's celebrated Advanced Jumbo models of the 1930s, consisting of a wider "X" pattern that allows the top to vibrate more freely and push the sound toward the soundhole. The result is an instrument that delivers incredible response, and a superior dynamic range with balanced, warm tones, clear lows, and solid treble registers.
Nitrocellulose Finish
Applying a nitrocellulose finish to any Gibson acoustic guitar--including the Songmaker Deluxe Studio--is one of the most labor-intensive elements of the guitar-making process. Unlike the polyurethane finishes used by many guitar manufacturers, a nitrocellulose lacquer finish is porous when cured, allowing the wood to naturally "breathe" and mature. Microscopically thin, the finish on a Gibson acoustic guitar first requires seven main coats of nitrocellulose lacquer. After drying overnight, the initial seven coats are then level sanded and given two additional coats. Left to dry for five additional days, the finish is then wet sanded and buffed to its final glass-like sheen. The time-consuming nature of applying a nitro finish has been employed ever since the first Gibson guitar was swathed with lacquer back in 1894. Why? For starters, a nitro finish means there is less interference with the natural vibration of the instrument, allowing for a purer tone. It's also a softer finish, making it easily repairable. You can touch up a scratch or ding on a nitro finish, but you can't do the same on a poly finish.
