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Gibson J185


fretplay

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I have a J185. It's a very comfortable guitar to sit and play. I thought I was a slope shoulder guy only but this one changed my mind!. I do have a Epi J200 and in comparison that feels much bigger than the 185. Great sound and projection too.

 

I think they did a J200 Jnr at one point which was a J185 size but the appointments of the J200.

 

The 185 only seems to be released every so often in limited runs. Not sure why.

 

IMG_20160206_145127_zpshyp77zqo.jpg

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Here's mine...

IMG_0646_zpseh6as9j1.jpg

 

When I first got it, I thought it was going to sound as big as my other jumbos, 150 and 200. Tried all different strings trying to get it to sound bigger. Won't happen. When I realized that it wasn't going to be a cannon, I began to appreciate the guitar. I've finally settled on D'Addario 80/20 EXP lights as strings I think sound best on the guitar.

 

Never played, or heard of, a Cascade, but my 185 fits in perfectly with it's big brothers....

IMG_0653_zpsu8zof11x.jpg

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I think they did a J200 Jnr at one point which was a J185 size but the appointments of the J200.

 

The 185 only seems to be released every so often in limited runs. Not sure why.

 

I've got a 185 (rosewood) and a J-200 JR. I like them a lot. Another difference is the 200 Jr is long scale fretboard while the 185 has standar Gibson 24.75"

 

I bought my 185 from the Buy/Sell forum here. It was funny...the guy who sold it warned me that it did not sound like a dreadnaught. Which was okay in my book...

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Here's mine, such a great model from Gibson comfortable to hold and play and very versatile. I'm surprised they aren't more popular but they have this mystique around them as Gibson only releases a run now and again.

 

IMG_20160607_142052431.jpg[/uR

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Here's mine...

IMG_0646_zpseh6as9j1.jpg

 

When I first got it, I thought it was going to sound as big as my other jumbos, 150 and 200. Tried all different strings trying to get it to sound bigger. Won't happen. When I realized that it wasn't going to be a cannon, I began to appreciate the guitar. I've finally settled on D'Addario 80/20 EXP lights as strings I think sound best on the guitar.

 

Never played, or heard of, a Cascade, but my 185 fits in perfectly with it's big brothers....

IMG_0653_zpsu8zof11x.jpg

 

I think the CJ165 could be a J200 junior it has all the fittings gold hardware ebony fretboard adobe soundhole but smaller than both the 200 and the185.

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my 2006 is very blonde- i kinda forgot about it in the last few months got it out after reading this post and had to play it for a few hours- still my favorite neck feel but the j45 vintage is right there too for comfort and playability

 

J-185%20tight%20front.jpg

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Why the double sticker on the bottom one [confused] [confused]

 

Back at one of the Gibson Homecomings, 2010 or 2011 I think, attendees were told "if you want to get your Gibson acoustic guitar's label signed by Ren, be sure to take it along and tell us what model it is and the serial number, and we'll make up a new label for you".

 

So that's the guitar I had with me at the time, I traveled all over with that J-185, so that's the one that got a label signed by Ren Ferguson at the Homecoming.

 

Here's a shot of Ren wrangling his way into the soundhole to place the label:

 

IMGP0855_zpshxb8ri4k.jpg

 

Fred

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I like the look and feel of the J185, but I like the look of all Gibson burst. No one does them better.

 

Here's mine with a few others. The AJ had a walnut back. It's since moved on.

 

IMG_0416_zps322d6896.jpg

 

 

 

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I like the look and feel of the J185, but I like the look of all Gibson burst. No one does them better.

 

Here's mine with a few others. The AJ had a walnut back. It's since moved on.

 

IMG_0416_zps322d6896.jpg

 

That's guitar porn right there!!!!!

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I really like the look and feel of the J-185, but Ive never found one that had a tone that attracted me. To my ears they sound a bit Gibson 'light', kinda like J-35's. The Gibson tone is there but it feels thin and lacking depth. I imagine these would be quite good jazz guitars with maybe not much volume but fast decay and nice, character midrange courtesy of Gibson.

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I really like the look and feel of the J-185, but Ive never found one that had a tone that attracted me. To my ears they sound a bit Gibson 'light', kinda like J-35's. The Gibson tone is there but it feels thin and lacking depth.

 

Getting a full & resonant tone out of a smaller maple body is a bit of a task, but it can be done, and there are some exceptionally fine J-185s out there.

 

If you are someday fortunate enough to play a good one, you'll know it immediately.

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My experience would tend to jibe with EA's expectations. I owned a J-185 for less than 24 hrs; partly due to what EuroAussie was thinking just happened to match what I was hearing, but primarily because it's a tough room for a '185 when an SJ-200 is holding court. A relativity thing; judged singularly, a very fine guitar with enough punchy character and nicely rounded notes across the spectrum, but when heard against the low end of the '200. . .

 

Fretplay- don't you already have the maple flavor pretty well covered with your CJ-165 and LC-1 Cascade? If it's the maple you crave, perhaps the J-200 Jr is something you might consider. That would give you most of the "J-200 getup" you'd mentioned. Or you could warm the small bodied guitar scene up a little with the J-185 Rosewood.

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My experience would tend to jibe with EA's expectations. I owned a J-185 for less than 24 hrs; partly due to what EuroAussie was thinking just happened to match what I was hearing, but primarily because it's a tough room for a '185 when an SJ-200 is holding court. A relativity thing; judged singularly, a very fine guitar with enough punchy character and nicely rounded notes across the spectrum, but when heard against the low end of the '200. . .

 

Fretplay- don't you already have the maple flavor pretty well covered with your CJ-165 and LC-1 Cascade? If it's the maple you crave, perhaps the J-200 Jr is something you might consider. That would give you most of the "J-200 getup" you'd mentioned. Or you could warm the small bodied guitar scene up a little with the J-185 Rosewood.

 

Well yes 62burst you are right my CJ165 is in fact rosewood but I have started playing the Cascade again and like it. So that made me think along the lines of a J185 maple. Or maybe I'll look outside of the Gibson family!

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My experience would tend to jibe with EA's expectations. I owned a J-185 for less than 24 hrs; partly due to what EuroAussie was thinking just happened to match what I was hearing, but primarily because it's a tough room for a '185 when an SJ-200 is holding court. A relativity thing; judged singularly, a very fine guitar with enough punchy character and nicely rounded notes across the spectrum, but when heard against the low end of the '200. . .

I own both a Gibson and Guild maple-bodied jumbo. They both have a deliciously deep bass that resonates against your body like nothing else, and I love 'em.

 

But my J-185 would be the desert-island keeper. There is ample bass for the punchy fingerpicking sound I'm after, and excellent clarity at the high end - essentially, a wonderful balance. Obviously, part of the equation here is dependent on the type of music you play, and the overall tone you're after.

 

So Fretplay, you're getting a range of feedback here regarding the tonal characteristics of the J-185. I've always felt that before passing judgment on any given model, it's critical to have played at least three examples of the guitar in question. Almost every time I've been able to do this, one stood out above the crowd - and that would be the one that truly represents what a model is capable of.

 

Stellar examples are not created every day. But again, if you find a stellar J-185, you may not want to put it down, and that beautifully balanced tone just might get fully imbedded into your mind. George Gruhn has said, "The J-185 is regarded by many players and collectors as the finest-sounding Gibson flat-top made after World War II." .....Guess I could easily fall into that camp.

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