Gibson J-185 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1951)
1
/
of
15
Regular price
$20,000.00
Regular price
$20,000.00
Sale price
$20,000.00
Unit price
/
per
Item #14443
Gibson J-185 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1951), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 5952-8 (FON), sunburst lacquer finish, flame maple back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original brown hard shell case.
The original Gibson J-185 has gained a formidable reputation over the decades as one of the absolute finest of all Kalamazoo-made flat-tops, and remains a unique design. To some players, this is simply one of the best flat tops ever made. In production only through the 1950s, this 16" narrow-waisted Jumbo model never established itself properly with players at the time but has garnered a splendid reputation in retrospect. This model represents Gibson's second attempt to create a less expensive guitar to complement the top-of-the-line "King of the Flat-tops" SJ-200, the first being the virtually dead-on-arrival SJ-100 of 1939-41.
This 1951 J-185 is one of the very earliest examples built. Only 66 in sunburst were built during this introductory year, along with 11 in natural. All of these first-year 185s shipped within the last three months of 1951. While this one is missing the label that would help pinpoint the exact date, the Factory order Number (FON) on the heelblock confirms the first-year status. This very early model feels slightly lighter in construction compared with later 1950s examples, the rear X-brace legs and the tone bars behind them have noticeable scalloping. A total of 648 sunburst J-185's were built in the entire decade as the model was discontinued by 1959.
The J-185 suffered from the "Midline Blues"; most folks who could afford one went all out and bought a J-200, while the rest stuck with the familiar and more affordable J-45 family. It is basically a plainer 16" wide version of the more flat-out "yee-haw" 17" J-200. The slightly smaller body retains the same narrow-waisted shape and materials but has considerably lighter construction, resulting in a handier, much more responsive guitar. The cosmetics are a bit plainer, but still make for a relatively impressive-looking instrument. This beauty has subtle flame maple on the back and sides with a straight-grained spruce top under a fairly dark shaded sunburst finish. The top and back are triple-bound and the tortoise celluloid pickguard is the same shape as the J-200 but thinner, not ornamented with any engraving.
The fairly slim one-piece mahogany neck has a round-backed profile but with more dress-away on the sides than some later examples; it is topped with a bound rosewood fingerboard sporting Gibson's classic double parallelogram inlay. The unbound headstock has a crown inlay on the face and mounts early gold-plated Kluson Deluxe tuners with keystone buttons; there is an original "stinger" on the back of the peghead, not a standard feature on this model but not uncommon. A unique feature of the J-185 is pearl Maltese crosses inlaid on the wings of the "belly-up" rosewood bridge, an attractive if eccentric cosmetic touch reserved for this model alone.
Since the 1950s the J-185's sound and feel coupled with its relative rarity has made it the most sought-after of all post-war Gibson flat-tops. A few name players had one in the 1960s, notably blues legend Skip James at the end of his career. A different blues connection made them much desired among fingerstyle players: Reverend Gary Davis favored Gibson's J-200 during the 1960s, but many of his students and acolytes do not play with the same driving force. The lighter and more responsive J-185 is a preferred instrument among many who revere the Reverend's style. This is a superbly versatile guitar with an exceptionally smooth, rich, and expansive tone for a maple bodied instrument. This is one of those guitars that truly lives up to its considerable reputation, simply one of Gibson's greatest if originally underappreciated instruments.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 16 1/16 in. (40.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 5/8 in. (11.7 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This 75 year old example of this much-desired instrument shows some mostly minor wear and light repair but remains a truly spectacular sounding guitar. The original lacquer finish has some scattered minor dings, dents and scrapes, although the top is far cleaner than many with only some light dings, scratches and random pick marks, most heavily off the back edge of the pickguard. The finish on the back of the neck is more worn with a number of feelable chips, dings and dents. The headstock edges have some chipping with heavy rub wear to the upper back edge.
The only crack repair is to a tiny split off the lower waist on the back. The beck center seam has been resealed along some of its length. The original rosewood bridge has been lowered a bit from the top, and has what appears to be a filled-in spot behind the saddle; it does not appear to have been reglued as the securing bolts are intact under the pearl dots. The saddle has been re-worked with a compensation for the B string. Internally everything is original, including the beautiful slim braces and untouched small maple bridge plate.
The neck has been reset, with some visibly overspray to the heel area. The original frets have been lightly crowned down with very little subsequent wear. This is simply a spectacular sounding guitar in any context; it excels at the sort of ragtime and fingerstyle blues picking the model is renowned for, but also is a superb straight rhythm instrument for everything from old-time through honky tonk sounds to Pete Townshend style rock flourishes. This first-generation J-185 is one guitar that absolutely lives up to its stellar reputation, complete in its original classic brown Gibson HSC. Overall Excellent - Condition.
View full details
The original Gibson J-185 has gained a formidable reputation over the decades as one of the absolute finest of all Kalamazoo-made flat-tops, and remains a unique design. To some players, this is simply one of the best flat tops ever made. In production only through the 1950s, this 16" narrow-waisted Jumbo model never established itself properly with players at the time but has garnered a splendid reputation in retrospect. This model represents Gibson's second attempt to create a less expensive guitar to complement the top-of-the-line "King of the Flat-tops" SJ-200, the first being the virtually dead-on-arrival SJ-100 of 1939-41.
This 1951 J-185 is one of the very earliest examples built. Only 66 in sunburst were built during this introductory year, along with 11 in natural. All of these first-year 185s shipped within the last three months of 1951. While this one is missing the label that would help pinpoint the exact date, the Factory order Number (FON) on the heelblock confirms the first-year status. This very early model feels slightly lighter in construction compared with later 1950s examples, the rear X-brace legs and the tone bars behind them have noticeable scalloping. A total of 648 sunburst J-185's were built in the entire decade as the model was discontinued by 1959.
The J-185 suffered from the "Midline Blues"; most folks who could afford one went all out and bought a J-200, while the rest stuck with the familiar and more affordable J-45 family. It is basically a plainer 16" wide version of the more flat-out "yee-haw" 17" J-200. The slightly smaller body retains the same narrow-waisted shape and materials but has considerably lighter construction, resulting in a handier, much more responsive guitar. The cosmetics are a bit plainer, but still make for a relatively impressive-looking instrument. This beauty has subtle flame maple on the back and sides with a straight-grained spruce top under a fairly dark shaded sunburst finish. The top and back are triple-bound and the tortoise celluloid pickguard is the same shape as the J-200 but thinner, not ornamented with any engraving.
The fairly slim one-piece mahogany neck has a round-backed profile but with more dress-away on the sides than some later examples; it is topped with a bound rosewood fingerboard sporting Gibson's classic double parallelogram inlay. The unbound headstock has a crown inlay on the face and mounts early gold-plated Kluson Deluxe tuners with keystone buttons; there is an original "stinger" on the back of the peghead, not a standard feature on this model but not uncommon. A unique feature of the J-185 is pearl Maltese crosses inlaid on the wings of the "belly-up" rosewood bridge, an attractive if eccentric cosmetic touch reserved for this model alone.
Since the 1950s the J-185's sound and feel coupled with its relative rarity has made it the most sought-after of all post-war Gibson flat-tops. A few name players had one in the 1960s, notably blues legend Skip James at the end of his career. A different blues connection made them much desired among fingerstyle players: Reverend Gary Davis favored Gibson's J-200 during the 1960s, but many of his students and acolytes do not play with the same driving force. The lighter and more responsive J-185 is a preferred instrument among many who revere the Reverend's style. This is a superbly versatile guitar with an exceptionally smooth, rich, and expansive tone for a maple bodied instrument. This is one of those guitars that truly lives up to its considerable reputation, simply one of Gibson's greatest if originally underappreciated instruments.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 16 1/16 in. (40.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 5/8 in. (11.7 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This 75 year old example of this much-desired instrument shows some mostly minor wear and light repair but remains a truly spectacular sounding guitar. The original lacquer finish has some scattered minor dings, dents and scrapes, although the top is far cleaner than many with only some light dings, scratches and random pick marks, most heavily off the back edge of the pickguard. The finish on the back of the neck is more worn with a number of feelable chips, dings and dents. The headstock edges have some chipping with heavy rub wear to the upper back edge.
The only crack repair is to a tiny split off the lower waist on the back. The beck center seam has been resealed along some of its length. The original rosewood bridge has been lowered a bit from the top, and has what appears to be a filled-in spot behind the saddle; it does not appear to have been reglued as the securing bolts are intact under the pearl dots. The saddle has been re-worked with a compensation for the B string. Internally everything is original, including the beautiful slim braces and untouched small maple bridge plate.
The neck has been reset, with some visibly overspray to the heel area. The original frets have been lightly crowned down with very little subsequent wear. This is simply a spectacular sounding guitar in any context; it excels at the sort of ragtime and fingerstyle blues picking the model is renowned for, but also is a superb straight rhythm instrument for everything from old-time through honky tonk sounds to Pete Townshend style rock flourishes. This first-generation J-185 is one guitar that absolutely lives up to its stellar reputation, complete in its original classic brown Gibson HSC. Overall Excellent - Condition.
Loading...
Just arrived!
Item #