1992 Gibson Starburst Mini-Jumbo Flattop Guitar

I don't really care how sophisticated your taste is, folks, because I know that -- like me -- you're probably staring at this with a mixed bag of complete desire and slight shock. Our inner kids love it. It's fuchsia! Or is it magenta? Or is it both? It's a J-185! Or is it? It has a solid curly maple top, '50s-style Florentine cutaway (yes!), friggin stars in pearl all down the fretboard, and a medium-heft, '50s C-shaped neck profile. It at once feels "home base" in feel and sound and is entirely alien as well.

I, for one, am letting my inner kid love it. The sound is honest to itself -- it's a J-185 voice but tempered with some extra creaminess and/or compression on the top-end and a clean, woody, warm bass. The focus is all on thicker mids, though, so in an odd way it sounds very '50s to my ear (for a Gibson), but perhaps mellower on the highs. I like it a lot for flatpicking and chording, both, and it fingerpicks nicely as well.

So, why aren't more guitars made with maple tops? In this application it's great.

Work was light on this one -- just a fret level/dress and setup -- and now that it's dialed-in it plays like a champ with quick, fast action and a confident feel.

My one negative for it is not a fair criticism, though. It's the pickup system that's 30 years out of date -- it could really use something more modern in there, though I suppose if you're going for the '90s MTV Unplugged sound... carry on! It still works as it should and has volume and tone controls on the shoulder.

Gibson still makes J-185 models these days but the cutaway variants have a rounded cut that doesn't -- to my eyes, anyway -- look as classic as the sharp one on this fella.

Repairs included: a fret level/dress and setup.

Top wood: solid curly maple

Back & sides wood: solid flamed maple

Bracing type: x

Bridge: rosewood

Fretboard: rosewood

Neck wood: maple multi-piece

Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
String gauges: 54w-12 lights

Neck shape: medium C

Board radius: 10"

Truss rod: adjustable

Neck relief: straight

Fret style: medium-wide

Scale length: 24 5/8"

Nut width: 1 11/16"

Body width: 16"

Body depth: 4 3/4"

Weight: 5 lbs 6 oz

Condition notes: it's in good order throughout and crack-free (amazingly for a Vermont guitar). The finish shows weather-check to the finish here and there throughout and there's mild-medium playwear and usewear in evidence throughout as well with mild scuffs here and there. The guitar is entirely original and ready to go.

It comes with: its original hard case in OK shape. It works and is plenty sturdy but two latches are damaged.