Head to head
Epiphone J-200, Aged Vintage Sunburst Gloss vs Gibson J-185 Century 12-Fret, Left-Handed, Ebony
The verdict
The Gibson J-185 Century 12-Fret, Left-Handed, Ebony 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 $2,499)
Gibson J-185 Century 12-Fret, Left-Handed, Ebony wins on
- Better build (91 vs 70)
Scorecard
| Metric | J-200, Aged Vintage Sunburst Gloss | J-185 Century 12-Fret, Left-Handed, Ebony |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 69 | 74 |
| Build | 70 | 91 |
| Playability | 72 | 75 |
| Sound | 68 | 60 |
| Value | 67 | 63 |
Full specifications
| Spec | J-200, Aged Vintage Sunburst Gloss | J-185 Century 12-Fret, Left-Handed, Ebony |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Epiphone | Gibson |
| Type | Acoustic | Acoustic |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | — | US |
| Body wood | Solid Figured Maple | Mahogany |
| Neck wood | Two-piece maple / mahogany center strip | Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Laurel | Rosewood |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 20 | — |
| Scale | 25.55" | 24.75" |
| Pickups | Fishman® Presys VT™ | — |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $999 | $2,499 |
| Back | Solid Figured Maple with center strip | Mahogany |
| Binding | 6-ply Top and 4-ply Back | Single-ply top and back |
| Body Finish | Aged Gloss | Thin satin nitrocellulose lacquer |
| Body shape | J-200 | J-185 |
| Body Styles | Super Jumbo | — |
| Bracing | Quarter Sawn Spruce | — |
| Bridge | J-200 Moustache™ | Rosewood rectangle |
| Bridge Pins | Ivory | TUSQ |
| Case | Optional | Century Series tweed hardshell case |
| Controls | Fishman Presys VT Soundhole mounted Volume and Tone | — |
| End Of Board Width | 57.35mm / 2.26in | — |
| Finish | Gold | Nickel |
| Fretboard inlay | Mother of Pearl Graduated Crowns | Mother-of-pearl dot |
| Fretboard radius | 305.0mm / 12.01in | 12 in. | 304.8 mm |
| Fret Count | 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 | Dovetail, 12th fret |
| Model | IGMTJ200AVSGH1 | OCJB8512EBL |
| Nut | Bone | Bone |
| Nut width | 43.0mm / 1.69in | — |
| Output Jack | Endpin Jack | — |
| Pickguard | J-200 Style Tortoise Shell with 2 Color Graphics | Teardrop, tortoiseshell |
| Preamp | Fishman Sonitone | — |
| Profile | 60s SlimTaper D | SlimTaper |
| Saddle Material | Bone | Bone |
| Scale length | 649.0mm / 25.55in | 628.7mm / 24.75in |
| Side | Solid Figured Maple | Mahogany |
| Strap Buttons | 2 - bottom and side of heel | — |
| String gauges | Gibson Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Strings .012, .016, .024w, .032, .042, .053 | .012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053 |
| Top wood | Solid Sitka Spruce | Sitka spruce |
| Truss rod | Dual Action | — |
| Truss Rod Cover | 2-ply Bell | — |
| Tuner Plating | Gold | — |
| Tuners | Epiphone Deluxe with Keystone buttons and press in bushings | Closed square |
| Under Saddle Pickup | Fishman® Presys VT™ | — |
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