Gibson J-185 Original Vintage Sunburst

The Best Kept Secret in the Gibson Catalogue: The J-185 Offers Everything the SJ-200 Does in a Slightly More Compact and Perfectly Balanced Size

The Gibson J-185 has been crowned by many connoisseurs as one of the best acoustic guitars the brand ever made, yet it has remained remarkably unknown. That's precisely what aficionados find so appealing about this model. Introduced in the early 1950s as the slightly smaller companion to the SJ-200, the J-185 offers all the tonal qualities of that great jumbo in a size that is more comfortable to play and sounds better balanced across the entire fretboard. The response to every note, from the lowest bass to the highest treble, is exceptionally even.

The Sitka Spruce top on flamed maple back and sides delivers a sound that is clear, articulate, and dynamic, with enough warm lows for chords and enough clarity and definition for melodic lines. The traditional scalloped X-brace optimally supports the top and gives the instrument a dynamic range that reproduces both soft fingerpicking and powerful strumming with equal conviction. The nitrocellulose Vintage Sunburst finish beautifully accentuates the flame of the maple.

The mahogany neck features a SlimTaper profile with a rosewood fretboard, MOP parallelogram inlays, and 20 frets over a 24.75-inch scale length. The nut and saddle are bone, Gotoh Keystone nickel tuners handle the tuning. The Traditional Belly Up bridge with TUSQ bridge pins completes an instrument that doesn't excel in fame, but all the more in quality. Delivered with a hardshell case.