Gibson J-185 VS Custom Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1991)
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Gibson J-185 VS Custom Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1991), made in Bozeman, Montana, serial # 90801016, sunburst finish, rosewood back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original brown tolex hard shell case.
This lovely early 1990s Bozeman-made Jumbo Gibson is a special custom version of the sunburst Gibson J-185 with a number of unique features. To some players for certain styles this unique 16" wide, narrow waisted Jumbo is simply one of the best flat tops Gibson ever made. The original version was only in production only from 1951-'58 but the model has garnered a splendid reputation over the decades since.
The J-185 VS Custom was specially ordered by the Matt Umanov shop on Bleecker street in 1991 as a hybrid of a 1950s guitar with 1930s style cosmetics. These include unusual a small rectangular rosewood bridge and "firestripe" pattern pickguard, along with a more "V" profile neck with Nick Lucas-style fingerboard and headstock inlay. In addition the 16" wide body is built with rosewood back and sides, a significant departure from the maple used in the 1950s. The dark sunburst-finished top is lovely straight-grained spruce, scallop-braced and triple-bound with a multi-ply double soundhole ring.
The unbound headstock has a fleur-de-lys inlay and is fitted with Kluson Deluxe style tuners with Grover "butterbean" style buttons. A Barcus Berry bridge plate pickup is wired to an endpin jack for stage use. This is a fine playing, powerful sounding guitar and a nice variation on a classic model. It is listed as "MON CST" (Montana Custom) in Gibson's Ledgers , meaning it was a special custom order fulfilled at Bozeman factory. The guitar was first shipped to the Umanov shop on May 9th, 1991 and does not appear too heavily used since.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 11/16 in. (11.9 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/4 in. (641 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
Overall this is a clean 30+ year old guitar showing not too much play time since new. There are a few cosmetic imperfections with some finish checking (mostly on the headstock) and scattered small dings and dents. The pickguard looks to have been reglued along the front edge and the back of the neck behind the 10th fret has a small filled-in gash. There is one notable repair to twin sealed splits below the heel block, running about 3 1/2" down the back from the front edge; the center seam was resealed in that area as well. This area is all solid with no external touch up; a bit of glue is visible internally.
The frets have hardly any wear, the saddle is low but the guitar plays well with a unique sound; this model is usually a maple instrument so this rosewood version has a darker character. It resides in the original Gibson case with the original unreturned warranty paperwork. Overall Excellent - Condition.
This lovely early 1990s Bozeman-made Jumbo Gibson is a special custom version of the sunburst Gibson J-185 with a number of unique features. To some players for certain styles this unique 16" wide, narrow waisted Jumbo is simply one of the best flat tops Gibson ever made. The original version was only in production only from 1951-'58 but the model has garnered a splendid reputation over the decades since.
The J-185 VS Custom was specially ordered by the Matt Umanov shop on Bleecker street in 1991 as a hybrid of a 1950s guitar with 1930s style cosmetics. These include unusual a small rectangular rosewood bridge and "firestripe" pattern pickguard, along with a more "V" profile neck with Nick Lucas-style fingerboard and headstock inlay. In addition the 16" wide body is built with rosewood back and sides, a significant departure from the maple used in the 1950s. The dark sunburst-finished top is lovely straight-grained spruce, scallop-braced and triple-bound with a multi-ply double soundhole ring.
The unbound headstock has a fleur-de-lys inlay and is fitted with Kluson Deluxe style tuners with Grover "butterbean" style buttons. A Barcus Berry bridge plate pickup is wired to an endpin jack for stage use. This is a fine playing, powerful sounding guitar and a nice variation on a classic model. It is listed as "MON CST" (Montana Custom) in Gibson's Ledgers , meaning it was a special custom order fulfilled at Bozeman factory. The guitar was first shipped to the Umanov shop on May 9th, 1991 and does not appear too heavily used since.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 11/16 in. (11.9 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/4 in. (641 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
Overall this is a clean 30+ year old guitar showing not too much play time since new. There are a few cosmetic imperfections with some finish checking (mostly on the headstock) and scattered small dings and dents. The pickguard looks to have been reglued along the front edge and the back of the neck behind the 10th fret has a small filled-in gash. There is one notable repair to twin sealed splits below the heel block, running about 3 1/2" down the back from the front edge; the center seam was resealed in that area as well. This area is all solid with no external touch up; a bit of glue is visible internally.
The frets have hardly any wear, the saddle is low but the guitar plays well with a unique sound; this model is usually a maple instrument so this rosewood version has a darker character. It resides in the original Gibson case with the original unreturned warranty paperwork. Overall Excellent - Condition.