Re-creating the Magic of the 1952 J-185
The Gibson 1952 J-185 serves up vintage design and sound in a brand new package. This 1952 spec’d version of the J-185 is as accurate as it gets. Featuring a thermally aged Sitka spruce top this instrument sounds perfectly worn in from the first time you open the case. Complete with flame maple back and sides, this flat top has all the punch and clarity of the J-200 without the overly boomy sound when put in front of a mic. You'll love the incredibly comfortable V-shaped neck that perfectly fills your hand. The J-185 features multi-ply binding, mother-of-pearl inlays, and Gotoh tuners to round out the design. When you play your 1952 J-185 for the first time, you'll feel the same magic as the vintage guitars that shipped from Kalamazoo in the ’50s.
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The J-185: a brief history
The Gibson J-185 was introduced in 1951 to offer a J-200-style guitar at a lower price point. Though it was designed as a stripped-back version of the J-200 with less bling, it still featured a few touches of luxury. These included: split parallelogram inlays, body binding, Gibson crown headstock inlay, and Maltese Crosses on the bridge. The J-185 featured the same maple and spruce tonewood combination as the J-200 but had a slightly smaller 16" body width to reduce unwanted boom. In 1959, just eight years after being released, the J-185 disappeared from the Gibson catalog and was replaced by the Everly Brothers spec'd J-180. Since being discontinued, touring and session musicians have searched far and wide for the J-185s powerful, controlled tone. The Gibson 1952 J-185 reissue is your chance to own one of the most obscure yet sought after Gibson acoustics out there.
Thermally aged top and premium tonewoods
To make the 1952 J-185 sound and respond like a vintage axe, Gibson put the solid Sitka spruce top through their thermal aging process. This process helps to loosen up the top as if it had been played every day for decades. The result is a brand new top that behaves exactly as a vintage top would. The Sitka spruce top is complemented by flame maple back and sides, a mahogany neck, and a rosewood fingerboard. The finished result is a guitar with plenty of power and clarity.
Comfortable V-profile neck carve
True to vintage spec, the 1952 J-185 has a solid mahogany neck with a vintage V-shaped profile. This meaty neck fills your hand without feeling overly beefy. It's incredibly comfortable, and you'll find it easy to navigate up and down the neck in total comfort. Whether you play with your thumb over or behind the fingerboard, you'll find it to be effortlessly playable.
Gibson 1952 J-185 Acoustic Guitar Features:
- To-spec reissue of the rare and desirable 1952 Gibson J-185
- Thermally aged Sitka spruce top sounds and responds just like a vintage era top
- Flame maple back and sides add brightness and a midrange boost
- 16-inch lower bout width produces plenty of power without unwanted boom
- V-shaped mahogany neck perfectly fills your hand
- Rosewood fingerboard adds sweetness
- Maltese cross bridge inlays add extra panache
