Head to head
Epiphone J-200, Aged Vintage Sunburst Gloss vs Gibson 1952 J-185 Reissue, Left-Handed, Antique Natural
The verdict
The Gibson 1952 J-185 Reissue, Left-Handed, Antique Natural comes out ahead overall — 74 to 69 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
Epiphone J-200, Aged Vintage Sunburst Gloss wins on
- Better sound (68 vs 60)
- Lower price ($999 vs $5,199)
Gibson 1952 J-185 Reissue, Left-Handed, Antique Natural wins on
- Better build (91 vs 70)
Scorecard
| Metric | J-200, Aged Vintage Sunburst Gloss | 1952 J-185 Reissue, Left-Handed, Antique Natural |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 69 | 74 |
| Build | 70 | 91 |
| Playability | 72 | 75 |
| Sound | 68 | 60 |
| Value | 67 | 63 |
Full specifications
| Spec | J-200, Aged Vintage Sunburst Gloss | 1952 J-185 Reissue, Left-Handed, Antique Natural |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Epiphone | Gibson |
| Type | Acoustic | Acoustic |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | — | US |
| Body wood | Solid Figured Maple | Flame Maple |
| Neck wood | Two-piece maple / mahogany center strip | Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Laurel | Rosewood |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 20 | 20 |
| Scale | 25.55" | 24.75" |
| Pickups | Fishman® Presys VT™ | None |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $999 | $5,199 |
| Back | Solid Figured Maple with center strip | Flame Maple |
| Binding | 6-ply Top and 4-ply Back | Multi-ply top, multi-ply back |
| Body Finish | Aged Gloss | Thin Finish Nitrocellulose, VOS |
| Body shape | J-200 | J-185 |
| Body Styles | Super Jumbo | Jumbo |
| Bracing | Quarter Sawn Spruce | Traditional Hand Scalloped X-bracing, with hide glue |
| Bridge | J-200 Moustache™ | Belly up, holes at rear, open slot |
| Bridge Pins | Ivory | Bone |
| Case | Optional | Period Correct Case |
| Controls | Fishman Presys VT Soundhole mounted Volume and Tone | — |
| End Of Board Width | 57.35mm / 2.26in | — |
| Finish | Gold | — |
| Fretboard inlay | Mother of Pearl Graduated Crowns | Mother-of-pearl Parallelograms |
| Fretboard radius | 305.0mm / 12.01in | 304.8mm / 12.0in |
| Fret Count | 20 | 20 |
| Headstock | 60s Kalamazoo with 1-ply binding | — |
| Headstock Inlay | Modern Epiphone in Mother of Pearl, Mother of Pearl Gibson Crown inlay | — |
| Joint | Tapered Dovetail | Compound Dovetail Neck-to-body Joint |
| Model | IGMTJ200AVSGH1 | CSRS8552ANL |
| Nut | Bone | Bone |
| Nut width | 43.0mm / 1.69in | 43.81mm / 1.72in |
| Output Jack | Endpin Jack | — |
| Pickguard | J-200 Style Tortoise Shell with 2 Color Graphics | J-185 |
| Preamp | Fishman Sonitone | — |
| Profile | 60s SlimTaper D | V |
| Saddle Material | Bone | Bone |
| Scale length | 649.0mm / 25.55in | 628.65mm / 24.75in |
| Side | Solid Figured Maple | Flame maple |
| Strap Buttons | 2 - bottom and side of heel | — |
| String gauges | Gibson Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Strings .012, .016, .024w, .032, .042, .053 | 0.053, 0.042, 0.032, 0.024, 0.016, 0.012 |
| Top wood | Solid Sitka Spruce | Thermally Aged Sitka Spruce |
| Truss rod | Dual Action | — |
| Truss Rod Cover | 2-ply Bell | Black |
| Tuner Plating | Gold | Gold |
| Tuners | Epiphone Deluxe with Keystone buttons and press in bushings | Gotoh Keystone |
| Under Saddle Pickup | Fishman® Presys VT™ | None |
| Accessories | — | Includes Gibson Accessory Kit |
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