Head to head
Epiphone J-45 EC Studio, Vintage Sunburst vs Gibson 1952 J-185 Reissue, Vintage Sunburst
The verdict
The Gibson 1952 J-185 Reissue, Vintage Sunburst 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-45 EC Studio, Vintage Sunburst wins on
- Better sound (68 vs 60)
- Better value (73 vs 63)
- Lower price ($399 vs $5,199)
Gibson 1952 J-185 Reissue, Vintage Sunburst wins on
- Better build (91 vs 66)
Scorecard
| Metric | J-45 EC Studio, Vintage Sunburst | 1952 J-185 Reissue, Vintage Sunburst |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 69 | 74 |
| Build | 66 | 91 |
| Playability | 72 | 75 |
| Sound | 68 | 60 |
| Value | 73 | 63 |
Full specifications
| Spec | J-45 EC Studio, Vintage Sunburst | 1952 J-185 Reissue, Vintage Sunburst |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Epiphone | Gibson |
| Type | Acoustic | Acoustic |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | — | US |
| Body wood | Layered Mahogany | Flame Maple |
| Neck wood | Mahogany | Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Pau Ferro | Rosewood |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 20 | 20 |
| Scale | 25.51" | 24.75" |
| Pickups | Fishman Sonicore | None |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $399 | $5,199 |
| Back | Layered Mahogany | Flame Maple |
| Binding | Multi-ply Top and Back, Single-ply Fretboard | Multi-ply top, multi-ply back |
| Body Finish | Gloss | Thin Finish Nitrocellulose, VOS |
| Body shape | J-45 | J-185 |
| Body Styles | Round Shoulder | Jumbo |
| Bridge | Reverse Belly Pau Ferro | Belly up, holes at rear, open slot |
| Bridge Pins | Ivory with Black Dot | Bone |
| Case | Optional | Period Correct Case |
| Controls | Fishman Presys II with Volume, Bass and Treble controls, a Phase switch, and a built-in tuner with LED display | — |
| Finish | Nickel | — |
| Fretboard inlay | Pearloid Dot | Mother-of-pearl Parallelograms |
| Fretboard radius | 304.8mm / 12.0in | 304.8mm / 12.0in |
| Fret Count | 20 | 20 |
| Headstock | Epiphone Sloped Dovewing | — |
| Headstock Inlay | Historic Epiphone Logo in Gold Silkscreen | — |
| Joint | Tapered Dovetail; Glued-In | Compound Dovetail Neck-to-body Joint |
| Model | EE2SVSNH3 | CSRS8552VS |
| Nut | Ivory U-Rite | Bone |
| Nut width | 43.0mm / 1.69in | 43.81mm / 1.72in |
| Output Jack | 1/4" with 9-volt Battery Compartment | — |
| Pickguard | Epiphone with Raised E Logo | J-185 |
| Preamp | Fishman Presys II | — |
| Profile | Rounded C | V |
| Saddle Material | Compensated Bone | Bone |
| Scale length | 648.0mm / 25.51in | 628.65mm / 24.75in |
| Side | Layered Mahogany | Flame maple |
| Strap Buttons | 2 | — |
| String gauges | .012 .016 .024 .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 | 2-way Adjustable | — |
| Truss Rod Cover | 2-ply Bell | Black |
| Tuner Plating | Nickel | Gold |
| Tuners | Epiphone Premium Die Cast with Kidney Bean Metal Buttons | Gotoh Keystone |
| Under Saddle Pickup | Fishman Sonicore | None |
| Accessories | — | Includes Gibson Accessory Kit |
| Bracing | — | Traditional Hand Scalloped X-bracing, with hide glue |