Gibson J-185 Century 12-Fret Vintage Amber
Gibson J-185 Century 12-Fret Vintage Amber
Serial Number: 22646065
Weight: 5.2 lbs.
The Gibson J-185 Century 12-Fret in Vintage Amber (Serial #22646065) is a 12-fret version of the J-185 jumbo, part of Gibson’s Century Collection marking 100 years of Gibson flat-tops. First introduced in 1951, the J-185 takes its body outline from Gibson’s 1920s L-5 and sits just under the SJ-200 in size, with the same 24.75" scale as the J-45 and Hummingbird. A solid Sitka spruce top with X bracing sits over a mahogany body, finished in thin satin nitrocellulose lacquer with single-ply cream binding, a multi-ring rosette and a tortoiseshell teardrop pickguard. This one weighs 5.2 lb.
Moving the neck joint from the 14th fret to the 12th shifts the bridge toward the center of the lower bout, where it drives more of the top. Expect a warm, punchy voice that responds to fingerstyle and a light pick, along with a shorter reach to first position. Its mahogany neck has a SlimTaper profile (.900" at the 1st fret, 1.00" at the 9th fret) and joins the body with a compound dovetail set in hot hide glue. A bound rosewood fretboard has mother-of-pearl dot inlays, a 12" radius and 19 standard frets, with a 1.735" bone nut.
Up top, a satin black headstock carries a white Gibson script logo decal and Golden Age open-back strap tuners with cream buttons. A closed-slot rectangle rosewood bridge, modeled on early J-45 bridges, holds a bone saddle and TUSQ bridge pins. Whether you’re a fingerstyle player, a singer-songwriter who wants a warm jumbo that sits well under a voice, or a collector following Gibson’s Century Collection, the J-185 Century 12-Fret deserves a close look. (Serial #22646065) It ships in a Century Collection tweed hardshell case. Order today from Brian’s Guitars, your authorized Gibson dealer.
Questions about this guitar? We’re happy to help.
Body
Type: Jumbo
Shape: J-185
Top Material: Solid Sitka Spruce
Bracing Pattern: X
Body Material: Mahogany
Finish: Thin Satin Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Color: Vintage Amber
Body Binding: Single-ply Cream
Rosette: Multi-Ring
Neck
Material: Mahogany
Shape: SlimTaper
Dimensions: .900" at the 1st fret, 1.00" at the 9th fret
Joint: Set-Neck Dovetail, 12th Fret
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Neck Finish: Thin Satin Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Headstock: Satin Black, White Gibson Script Logo Decal
Inlay: Mother of Pearl Dots
Radius: 12"
Frets: 19, Standard
Scale Length: 24.75"
Nut Width: 1.735"
Nut Material: Bone
Fretboard Binding: Cream
Hardware
Bridge/Tailpiece: Rosewood Rectangle Bridge, Bone Saddle
Tuners: Golden Age Open-back Strap with Cream Buttons
Hardware Finish: Chrome
Pickguard: Tear Drop, Tortoiseshell
Other
Case/Gigbag: Century Series Tweed Hardshell Case