thefirstj-185 Posted September 11, 2010 Author Share Posted September 11, 2010 Here is front of first (1951). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanfender Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 Jeff Tweedy of Wilco has one now. I have seen him playing to out and about over the past year or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-1854Me Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 The J-200 and J-185 have a paper label. The natural topped Southern Jumbo, Country and Western, received a paper label with the rope border sometime around 1956. The J-200 and J-185 also have serial numbers. There were no serial numbers on the C&W. The label changed to orange, but I don't recall what year in the 50s. Terry The labels went to orange in 55/56. Mine is a '56 and orange, and I have seen '55s with the white label. Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy2 Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 Jeff Tweedy of Wilco has one now. I have seen him playing to out and about over the past year or so. DROOOL.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefirstj-185 Posted November 15, 2010 Author Share Posted November 15, 2010 I read in a book that "All things are possible". I have the first Gibson J-185 and the second one too (1951). Is there anyone with the third? Plus does anybody know why the first IS the rarest and the classic of ALL Gibson guitars? Brother Dave Berryman doesn't even know. When I pass I will let the world know that. I know you cannot answer this question but it is fun to see your answers anyway. Further, I am the first to tell “The Gibson Company” about the J-185 and they made a reissue from my specimen but they built it as shown in their reissues. They have everything correct except for one small detail. Don't try to answer this question because you will never get it right. Friends call David Berryman "Dave". He prefers it. The only thing I will tell you is, I own the one that was given to a four year old boy in Memphis at Dewey Philips’s home by Elvis Presley the evening of September 8th 1956. I know the answers to the next three questions. Anyone know where Mr. Philips lived in Memphis in the 50s’? Did Elvis visit his home on September 8th 1956? Where was Elvis September 9th 1956? Hint: not in Memphis. One more thing before I go. Elvis played a Gibson J-185 when he was 21 years of age. Elvis was given the guitar from Johnny Cash that lived just around the corner from Dewey Philips. Rock-n-Roll Know one on earth can answer ANY of these questions, but it is fun seeing your guesses. O well this thread won't last for lack of knowledge of the most rarest gibson guitar the (j-185). A Japanese collector would pay anything for this guitar. Just try to find one just like it; (GOOD LUCK)! I have been offered many farms for this guitar. Kind of gives you the idea how much CASH we're talking about. Gruhn offer $250,000 for it in 1990. Come on boys, what makes this the classic of all Gibson guitars? I am still waiting for somebody to answer this question; "What makes the 1951 J-185 the classic of all Gibson guitars"? I guess it is Hint time; "There was something that happen in 1951 to make the 1951 J-185 greatly different". Again I say, Come on boys, what makes this the classic of all Gibson guitars? I guess I have to ask the ladies the same question. If you get it right, you would had have to had worked at the Gibson company to know the answer to this question. One more hint; "Do not ask anyone at Gibson, they do NOT know. Only the ones that know, know its true value. To some it is priceless and/or cost as much as a 1959 Les Paul that may cost more than $250,000. To others it is a collectors item (Period). Besides this year being the first. It was also the year they had built less than no more then 44. NO more hints; your on your own. So take your time. We have more time than money folks. GOOD LUCK!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Chance Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 I am still waiting for somebody to answer this question; "What makes the 1951 J-185 the classic of all Gibson guitars"? I guess it is Hint time; "There was something that happen in 1951 to make the 1951 J-185 greatly different". Again I say, Come on boys, what makes this the classic of all Gibson guitars? I guess I have to ask the ladies the same question. If you get it right, you would had have to had worked at the Gibson company to know the answer to this question. One more hint; "Do not ask anyone at Gibson, they do NOT know. Only the ones that know, know its true value. To some it is priceless and/or cost as much as a 1959 Les Paul that may cost more than $250,000. To others it is a collectors item (Period). Besides this year being the first. It was also the year they had built less than no more then 44. NO more hints; your on your own. So take your time. We have more time than money folks. GOOD LUCK!!!! Okay, you're still not going to tease with a few more hints about THE GREAT VALUE of the first year 1951 J-185? Something to do with Elvis? or Johnny Cash? or Phillips? Maybe the song "Rocket 88"? Was it the first Gibson flat-top to use the legendary archtop body shape of the L-7 and L-5? Surely, anybody that worked at Gibson/Kalamazoo in '51 is long gone dead, unless they were teenagers. Maybe something to do with Nick Lucas? Come on, a few more hints por favor, s'il vous plaint ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefirstj-185 Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 This IS amazing. Years have passt; no one on earth knows the answer yet???? (Hint)Lack of knowledge was not the reason the ones that built the first J-185s in 1951 where. The question still remains the SAME. Whom made the first Gibson J-185s? GOOD LUCK EXPERTS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfox14 Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 The first flat-top guitar Gibson made using the J-185 shape (same as the 16" L-5) was the Carson Robison Model 1052. This was 12 years before the J-185 was introduced. Gibson made the 1052 for the Montgomery Ward catalog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Thats quite intersting, pfox! Do you happen to know how the German "Maltese Cross" happened to be the 'bling' on the bridge? That has always been quite 'curious' to me... Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam in alberta Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 If you ask a question once every two years, and still don't have someone answer it to your satisfaction, maybe it would be easier to answer it yourself. Funny , reviving a post after two years just to let everyone know you have the answer to some obscure puzzle. Other experts on this forum give there Knowledge freely without playing silly games. But on this puzzle maybe we will have to wait another two years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 I,m NOT holding my breath... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 I know you cannot answer this question but it is fun to see your answers anyway. Further, I am the first to tell “The Gibson Company” about the J-185 and they made a reissue from my specimen but they built it as shown in their reissues. They have everything correct except for one small detail If memory serves me right... the scale length is different.. reissues are 25.5 , as the original that I used to own was 24 3/4.. J185s are Nice Guitars... But not 5 or 6 figure Nice.. the last 52 I had ,I got it for 4500.00 back in 1996.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfox14 Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Thats quite intersting, pfox! Do you happen to know how the German "Maltese Cross" happened to be the 'bling' on the bridge? That has always been quite 'curious' to me... Rod I don't know the answer to that question and it's not likely we'll get the answer from the dope who started this thread. I do think it was an odd choice by Gibson since the Maltese-style cross was associated with Nazi Germany. This was only a few short years after the war was over. On a side note - I say that there's no way in heck this guy can prove he has the first J-185 ever made. He's just blowin smoke up everybody's ....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 This IS amazing. Years have passt; no one on earth knows the answer yet???? I know! T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 My 1951 J185s Mr firstj185, can you identify the classic Gibson guitar in the chair? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Chance Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Thats quite intersting, pfox! Do you happen to know how the German "Maltese Cross" happened to be the 'bling' on the bridge? That has always been quite 'curious' to me... Rod Prior to 1951 Gibson used a "cross" inlay motif on the bridge of a 1938 guitar (attached). A pre-war cosmetic nod to Germany? Any conspiracy theorists, heresayers, innuendo artists, or wild guessers care to speculate why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Swan Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Prior to 1951 Gibson used a "cross" inlay motif on the bridge of a 1938 guitar (attached). A pre-war cosmetic nod to Germany? Any conspiracy theorists, heresayers, innuendo artists, or wild guessers care to speculate why? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Because it looked like a Torres bridge foot decoration? The Spanish Civil War.... you know.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfox14 Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 The bridge inlays on that GS-35 look like snow-flakes to me not crosses. Way different than the J-185 bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Chance Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 The bridge inlays on that GS-35 look like snow-flakes to me not crosses. Way different than the J-185 bridge. ... okay you have a point. But this guitar resurfaced in the 50's with the "real" crosses, so who knows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefirstj-185 Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 Actually $250K is an insult for the VERY first. This is a collector’s item and ALL 1951 J-185. You would have to know the HISTORY to know their huge difference. Two; NO ONE has answered the question; "Whom built these magnanimous guitars? If you have the answer to this question you will know why. There is no riddle to the “Iron Crosses”. Like Germany, America has an Iron Cross declaration for valor too. So you have to look deeper to find out what happened in 1951 to make these J-185s the (rarest) acoustic Gibsons? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfox14 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Actually $250K is an insult for the VERY first. This is a collector’s item and ALL 1951 J-185. You would have to know the HISTORY to know their huge difference. Two; NO ONE has answered the question; "Whom built these magnanimous guitars? If you have the answer to this question you will know why. There is no riddle to the “Iron Crosses”. Like Germany, America has an Iron Cross declaration for valor too. So you have to look deeper to find out what happened in 1951 to make these J-185s the (rarest) acoustic Gibsons? Why don't you just tell us you moron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Chance Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Actually $250K is an insult for the VERY first. This is a collector’s item and ALL 1951 J-185. You would have to know the HISTORY to know their huge difference. Two; NO ONE has answered the question; "Whom built these magnanimous guitars? If you have the answer to this question you will know why. There is no riddle to the “Iron Crosses”. Like Germany, America has an Iron Cross declaration for valor too. So you have to look deeper to find out what happened in 1951 to make these J-185s the (rarest) acoustic Gibsons? Look deeper? Right. Brother ... you're starting to repeat yourself repeat yourself. Yawn. Why don't you spill the beans about your collector J-185? There are at least two or three people who want to hear it. After that, you can go back to staring at it all day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Actually $250K is an insult for the VERY first. This is a collector’s item and ALL 1951 J-185. You would have to know the HISTORY to know their huge difference. Two; NO ONE has answered the question; "Whom built these magnanimous guitars? If you have the answer to this question you will know why. There is no riddle to the “Iron Crosses”. Like Germany, America has an Iron Cross declaration for valor too. So you have to look deeper to find out what happened in 1951 to make these J-185s the (rarest) acoustic Gibsons? Since you have already stated that no one here can answer your questions, none of us has any incentive to try. We bow before your infinite wisdom and knowledge. Why don't you just tell us why this is the rarest and most valuable Gibson acoustic on the planet, nay, in the entire universe? We wait to be enlightened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Your guys made me laugh with your comments. The old blowhard is back. I bet he doesn't even own the a J 185. And wouldn't the people like Gruhn, the Japanese collector and all the people who offered many farms know why? Hey blowhard, how much are my 1951 J 185 worth? Remember I have the 3rd one made and the first Blonde. Hey I will give you a deal on them, both for $100K, that should complete your collection and you can get many farms for it! You are nothing but BS are you? Terry, the owner of the 3rd J185 and first Bonde J 185. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Why even give the "village idiot" an audience...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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