Gibson J-180 Everly Brothers Owned by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (2005)
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Item # 13106
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Gibson J-180 Everly Brothers Owned by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (2005), made in Bozeman, Montana, serial # 03075045, black lacquer finish, maple back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
From their Historic Collection made in the Bozeman factory, Gibson brings us this J-180 Everly Brothers model: a modern reissue of the Brother's famous 1960s jumbo-sized Gibson flat tops with the unique double pickguards and flashy star fingerboard inlays. The original Everly Brothers/J-180 was a relatively rare model with less than 500 made through the 1960s. This was only a couple hundred less than its well-regarded 16" sibling the Gibson J-185, a guitar that has gained a formidable reputation over the decades as one of the absolute finest of Kalamazoo-made flat-tops. The J-185 was discontinued in 1959 due to low sales, and the original J-180s can be seen as an attempt by Gibson to revitalize the model in a version customized with the Brothers' input. Starting in the early 1960s Don and Phil played custom versions of their new signature guitar in place of the J-200s they used before that.
The guitar is maple all around, triple-bound on the top and back with a one-piece mahogany neck all enveloped in a glossy coat of jet black nitrocellulose lacquer. The Everly Brothers' signature touches are what really give the guitar its charm beginning with the two thick tortoise double pickguards designed by Don with no additional engraving or embellishment (as some more deluxe Gibson pickguards had). The round-backed neck bears a bound rosewood fingerboard dotted with fabulous pearloid star fret markets. The unbound headstock is also inlaid by a shimmering star on the face and mounted with nickel Grover tuners and the Gibson Historic Collection seal. A notable departure from the '60s version is a more standard rosewood upside-down belly pin bridge rather than the "string through" rosewood bridge on the Brothers' original J-180s, designed by their father Ike Everly but not considered a tone-enhancing feature.
Gibsons's Jumbo guitars are regarded by many as some of the best flat tops ever made, especially as stage rhythm guitars in a band format. This is a somewhat modern and accessible take on one of Americana's most iconic instruments, forever linked to the Everly Brothers legend and famous also for use by Neil Diamond. This example has its own previously owned by devout lover of all things Americana, Mr. Jeff Tweedy of Wilco.
Overall length is 40 1/2 in. (102.9 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 5 13/16 in. (14.8 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This black beauty of a flat top is quite well-kept, lightly played showing no signs of serious use beyond some very minor dings and scuffs. The back of the headstock has a dinged area in the center but the Custom Shop logo decal was not affected. The back seam has shrunken a bit, possibly separated slightly at some point and tactfully reglued. All fittings including the bridge and saddle remain original, the signature thick faux-tortoise double pickguards show a bit of scuffing from strumming. A strap button was added to the heel.
The original frets show essentially no wear, nor is there any divoting in the fingerboard, and the guitar plays very well with a warm but punchy ringing sound. It resides in a non-original black tolex hardshell case; inside the case is a certificate of authenticity from the Wilco Loft validating the provenance of this piece. The markings along the base of the case are less detailed than on most Loft instruments passes along to us, simply a blue tape tag hand-written in magic marker. Generally Excellent - Condition.
From their Historic Collection made in the Bozeman factory, Gibson brings us this J-180 Everly Brothers model: a modern reissue of the Brother's famous 1960s jumbo-sized Gibson flat tops with the unique double pickguards and flashy star fingerboard inlays. The original Everly Brothers/J-180 was a relatively rare model with less than 500 made through the 1960s. This was only a couple hundred less than its well-regarded 16" sibling the Gibson J-185, a guitar that has gained a formidable reputation over the decades as one of the absolute finest of Kalamazoo-made flat-tops. The J-185 was discontinued in 1959 due to low sales, and the original J-180s can be seen as an attempt by Gibson to revitalize the model in a version customized with the Brothers' input. Starting in the early 1960s Don and Phil played custom versions of their new signature guitar in place of the J-200s they used before that.
The guitar is maple all around, triple-bound on the top and back with a one-piece mahogany neck all enveloped in a glossy coat of jet black nitrocellulose lacquer. The Everly Brothers' signature touches are what really give the guitar its charm beginning with the two thick tortoise double pickguards designed by Don with no additional engraving or embellishment (as some more deluxe Gibson pickguards had). The round-backed neck bears a bound rosewood fingerboard dotted with fabulous pearloid star fret markets. The unbound headstock is also inlaid by a shimmering star on the face and mounted with nickel Grover tuners and the Gibson Historic Collection seal. A notable departure from the '60s version is a more standard rosewood upside-down belly pin bridge rather than the "string through" rosewood bridge on the Brothers' original J-180s, designed by their father Ike Everly but not considered a tone-enhancing feature.
Gibsons's Jumbo guitars are regarded by many as some of the best flat tops ever made, especially as stage rhythm guitars in a band format. This is a somewhat modern and accessible take on one of Americana's most iconic instruments, forever linked to the Everly Brothers legend and famous also for use by Neil Diamond. This example has its own previously owned by devout lover of all things Americana, Mr. Jeff Tweedy of Wilco.
Overall length is 40 1/2 in. (102.9 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 5 13/16 in. (14.8 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This black beauty of a flat top is quite well-kept, lightly played showing no signs of serious use beyond some very minor dings and scuffs. The back of the headstock has a dinged area in the center but the Custom Shop logo decal was not affected. The back seam has shrunken a bit, possibly separated slightly at some point and tactfully reglued. All fittings including the bridge and saddle remain original, the signature thick faux-tortoise double pickguards show a bit of scuffing from strumming. A strap button was added to the heel.
The original frets show essentially no wear, nor is there any divoting in the fingerboard, and the guitar plays very well with a warm but punchy ringing sound. It resides in a non-original black tolex hardshell case; inside the case is a certificate of authenticity from the Wilco Loft validating the provenance of this piece. The markings along the base of the case are less detailed than on most Loft instruments passes along to us, simply a blue tape tag hand-written in magic marker. Generally Excellent - Condition.