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All-black J-180


Bob Isaac

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Anyone have any info on the all-black J-180 that was issued in 1994. I think it was an Anniversary model.

 

j-180.jpg

 

 

Bob

The J-180 was not listed in the "Centenial" collection and the model that was in regular production had the moustache bridge with stars and black face headstock. What's left? Well the sound hole label is a '94 label so the guitar must be a custom order. They didn't use the Custom Shop decal on the back of the headstock in '94. The label was usually clearly marked custom if it was indeed a custom so it seems you have run across another of the wonderful mysteries Gibson is famous for.

 

Is there any evidence that pickguards were removed? There was a "International" series in '93 that had the pearloid headstock overlay. It also had the pearloid pickguards. This guitar also featured a pinless bridge so.... maybe they had a body left over and put the pin bridge on it and sold it in '94. They are known to do such things. It's a great lookinmg guitar regardless of its origin.

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I thought it was a International as well. But the bridge and the tuners are wrong. HOWEVER, there was a Japanese market only Gibby that looks like this. Both the International and the Japanese model came out at about the same time. Does it have a serial number on the back of the headstock or is the serial number stamped inside the hole where the neck meets the body (the same way Martin does it)? I will see if I can get the name of the Gibson Japanese Model. On a side note... it is amazing what the Japanese market has. Gibsons you will never ever see unless they are brought here by a military guy or you chance on one in ebay. They have some amazing colors and wood varations that will knock you out.

 

*** some people take off the double pickguards, they suck the tone right out of that wood.

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I was going to see this today with a view of buying it, but got an email from the shop that it sold yesterday. Gibson say it is an Everly J-180 and is production number #2. But then all J-180's are Everly models, even the Billie Joe that came out last year (I wonder if the Evs had some say in that). That is another that slipped through the net.

 

Bob

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