A Jumbo with unparalleled tonal balance
The J-185 is believed by many to be one of Gibson's best acoustic instruments, yet it seems to be fairly obscure, much to the delight of devoted Gibson lovers. Originally released in the early 1950s and designed to be slight smaller than its larger companion, the SJ-200, the J-185 still offers superior performance and tone. The J-185 Original maintains unsurpassed balance of lows, mids, and highs, with equal response to every note on the fretboard. Acclaimed by many as the perfect body size and shape for any player.
Body
Body Shape
J-185
Top
Sitka spruce
Back
Flame maple
Side
Flame maple
Bracing
Traditional hand scalloped X-bracing
Binding
Multi-ply top, multi-ply back
Finish
Nitrocellulose
Neck
Material
Mahogany
Profile
Slim Taper
Scale Length
24.75" / 628.65mm
Fingerboard Material
Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius
12"
Number Of Frets
20
Frets
Standard
Nut Material
Bone
Nut Width
1.72" / 43.81mm
Inlays
Mother-of-pearl Parallelograms
Joint
Compound Dovetail Neck-to-body
Hardware
Tuner Plating
Nickel
Bridge
Traditional belly up
Saddle Material
Bone
Tuning Machines
Gotoh Keystone
Pickguard
J-185
Truss Rod Cover
Black and White
Bridge Pins
Tusq
Electronics
Under Saddle Pickup
LR Baggs VTC
Controls
Volume and Tone controls
Miscellaneous
Strings
0.053, 0.042, 0.032, 0.024, 0.016, 0.012
Accessories
Includes Gibson Accessory Kit