Guitar
Maker
Gibson, Inc.
Maker
Gibson
Date1953
Place MadeKalamazoo, Michigan, United States, North America
ModelJ-185
Serial No.A16941; Y6946-32 (factory order number)
SignedPrinted on oval paper label with double-line border, the outer line thicker, the style and letter “A” of number written in black ink, the instrument name and number rubber-stamped in black ink: Style J-185 / Gibson GUITAR / NumberA16591 is hereby / GUARANTEED / against faulty workmanship and materials. / GIBSON, Inc. / KALAMAZOO, MICH. / U. S. A.Inlaid in mother-of-pearl on headstock: Gibson
MarkingsRubber-stamped in black ink on neck block: Y6946 -32
Written in pencil on inside of back below uppermost brace, on bass side: X
DescriptionThe J-185, a guitar with a narrow-waisted body shape known as the "jumbo," was first offered in 1951. It features a lightly figured maple back and ribs that bring out the classic, shaded, lacquer finish described in a catalog of the period as the "Gibson Golden Sunburst."
Stringing: six steel strings
Soundboard: two-piece spruce: wide grain broadening toward the flanks
Back: two-piece, slab-cut maple with faint, narrow curl and pith flecks; no back stripe
Ribs: two-piece, slab-cut maple with faint, narrow curl and pith flecks; no end graft
Head: mahogany veneered with black lacquered maple; mother-of-pearl “Gibson” and geometric crown inlay; black-overwhite celluloid bell-shaped truss rod cover secured with nickel-plated steel phillip’s-head screws
Neck: mahogany; integral with head
Heel cap: none; neck heel flush with back
Binding: white celluloid; with two-ply black and white celluloid trim
Fingerboard: rosewood bound in white celluloid; 19 nickel-silver frets; imitation mother-of-pearl plastic split-parallelogram inlays behind 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 17th frets; single imitation tortoise-shell celluloid side dots behind 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 15th, and 17th frets; double imitation tortoise-shell celluloid side dots behind 12th fret
Nut: translucent white plastic
Bridge: rosewood with curved upper edge; single mother-of-pearl dots inlaid beside E-string bridge pins; mother-of-pearl Maltese crosses inlay at each end of bridge; angled, translucent white plastic saddle; white plastic bridge pins
Tuners: six Kluson gold-plated steel worm-gear machine tuners with enclosed mechanisms; tulip-shaped, marbled white plastic heads
Endpin: white plastic
Rosette: five ply (white-black-white-black-white) celluloid purfling strips set in from inside edge
Pick guard: imitation tortoise-shell celluloid
Lacquer: dark red-brown sunburst with craquelure
Linings: kerfed mahogany; 10 spruce reinforcement grafts with tapered ends glued to inside of ribs, perpendicular to top and back
Neck block: mahogany
End block: mahogany
Top braces: spruce X-brace, the joint of main cross brace reinforced with white cloth; transverse and finger braces with tapered ends; maple bridge plate
Back braces: maple back graft; four spruce back braces with tapered ends
DimensionsTotal guitar length: 1030 mm (40-9/16″)
Back length: 513 mm (20-3/16″)
Upper bout width: 294 mm (11-19/32″)
Waist width: 236 mm (9-9/32″)
Lower bout width: 411 mm (16-3/16″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 99 mm (4-29/32″)
Rib height, at waist: 109 mm (4-9/32″)
Rib height, at end block: 123 mm (4-27/32″)
Head length: 169 mm (6-21/32″)
Head width, top: 78 mm (3-1/16″)
Head width, bottom: 69 mm (2-23/32″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 350 mm (13-25/32″)
Neck width, nut: 42 mm (1-23/32″)
Neck width, heel: 54 mm (2-1/8″)
Soundhole diameter: 101 mm (3-31/32″)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): high E: 632 mm (24-7/8″); low E: 635 mm (25″)
Credit LineJohn R. Barmeyer Collection, 2006
Object number12575
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