J185

[GibsonBob]

Hi Guys. Those of you that may have been following an earlier thread about a suspect J160E I was thinking of buying may be interested to know that I have walked away from the guitar as there were just too many unknowns about it. Thanks to everyone who gave their thoughts.

 

Now......

 

I'm possibly looking at a J185. My playing style is mostly strumming, is there a massive difference between the Maple and the Rosewood models in terms of sound?

 

Also I will be using the guitar for live work and basically plugging it straight into a PA, is there a model better suited to this purpose?

 

And lastly I also play 'Unplugged' at a troubadour club from time to time, so I need the guitar to have a lovely sound unplugged too.

 

Yes, I want the moon on a stick! :D

 

Any thoughts and suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers.

 

Rob.

[Rambler]

Rob- A J185, or J200jr (same package, long scale) could do it for you.

 

[for strumming, is there a massive difference between the Maple and the Rosewood?

Big diff. RW=deep bass, phat but cold top. Richer, more overtones. Fat chug strummed. (think hot fudge sundee); mpl is even across the tonal spectrum; sweet top; ching when strummed (think Americone dream).

 

for live work is there a model better suited t?

mple's clarity works works well when plugged; RWs bass & overtones can be an issue live

 

I need the guitar to have a lovely sound unplugged too.

These sound nice alone --check youtube "gibson J185" on "I will"

 

There may be a question whether you'll get enough power strummed; the Everly Bros J180s (another small jumbo) worked ok for them. Good luck

[jefleppard]

hey, bob. i have no experience with the 185 but i can offer a compare/contrast between maple/rw. in my recent search for a new gisbon i played the cj-165 maple and rosewood models. very different characters with the maple being much brighter. neither had the unplugged volume i was looking for, however, due to the short scale and smaller body. they are excellent couch guitars. i'm guessing that what you'll gravitate towards is the SJ, j-200rw, j-45rw, AJ (little tight in the bass end though, for my taste),....for strumming and unplugged volume. the factory baggs pickup is quite nice. i have one in the songwriter deluxe that i own and i go direct w/o a preamp.

and lastly, check this out!

http://cgi.ebay.com/PIN-70s-Stick-Pin-Moon_W0QQitemZ370060661231QQihZ024QQcategoryZ11007QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD10VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em127

[Guest]

My first J-185 (1996 model) was a rosewood one:

 

It had a bit of a 'restrained' voice, shall we say. Very nice and balanced, a little darker than all the maples ones I've owned after that one, but the volume (and the bass response) was not particularly great. Sounded great plugged in, as have all maple ones I've plugged in since then. But then, that was 1996 -- I know they have improved the build on these to optimize volume and tone, and they do make the odd batch or run in rosewood. So I would place far gretaer trust in the tonal quality of current or recent-production r/w J-185s than my mid-90s model.

 

With a good pickup system, a maple J-185 can have great potential plugged in. Trust me, I've owned a bunch of this model, and equipped all but two with a pickup. My current squeeze is a 2001 '51 re-issue model in maple --

 

It's fitted with a Highlander IP-2 undersaddle transducer, which I found is a little better than the Fishman Natural matrix II that was in it previously. But pickup technology is developing rapidly, such that there are a vast array of excellent choices for pickup systems for acoustic guitars. I think Gibson favours the LR Baggs systems at this time, and they have used several different manufacturers' systems over the years, including Fishman, Schertler, and possibly others.

 

Fred

[GibsonBob]

hey' date=' bob. i have no experience with the 185 but i can offer a compare/contrast between maple/rw. in my recent search for a new gisbon i played the cj-165 maple and rosewood models. very different characters with the maple being much brighter. neither had the unplugged volume i was looking for, however, due to the short scale and smaller body. they are excellent couch guitars. i'm guessing that what you'll gravitate towards is the SJ, j-200rw, j-45rw, AJ (little tight in the bass end though, for my taste),....for strumming and unplugged volume. the factory baggs pickup is quite nice. i have one in the songwriter deluxe that i own and i go direct w/o a preamp.

and lastly, check this out!

http://cgi.ebay.com/PIN-70s-Stick-Pin-Moon_W0QQitemZ370060661231QQihZ024QQcategoryZ11007QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD10VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em127[/quote']

 

Awww!

 

Forget the guitar man, you found me the moon on a stick!!!!

 

Many thanks again for all your advice and expertese guys.

 

Cheers.

 

Rob.