Head to head
Gibson 1952 J-185 Reissue, Left-Handed, Vintage Sunburst vs Gibson Songwriter Recording Artist, Left-Handed, Rosewood Burst
Acoustic$4,999
No ratings yet77Overall / 100
The verdict
The Gibson Songwriter Recording Artist, Left-Handed, Rosewood Burst comes out ahead overall — 77 to 74 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
Gibson 1952 J-185 Reissue, Left-Handed, Vintage Sunburst wins on
No standout advantage.
Gibson Songwriter Recording Artist, Left-Handed, Rosewood Burst wins on
- Better build (96 vs 91)
- Better sound (68 vs 60)
- Lower price ($4,999 vs $5,199)
Scorecard
| Metric | 1952 J-185 Reissue, Left-Handed, Vintage Sunburst | Songwriter Recording Artist, Left-Handed, Rosewood Burst |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 74 | 77 |
| Build | 91 | 96 |
| Playability | 75 | 72 |
| Sound | 60 | 68 |
| Value | 63 | 67 |
Full specifications
| Spec | 1952 J-185 Reissue, Left-Handed, Vintage Sunburst | Songwriter Recording Artist, Left-Handed, Rosewood Burst |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Gibson | Gibson |
| Type | Acoustic | Acoustic |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | US | US |
| Body wood | Flame Maple | Rosewood |
| Neck wood | Mahogany | Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Rosewood | Ebony |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 20 | 20 |
| Scale | 24.75" | 25.5" |
| Pickups | None | LR Baggs HiFi |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $5,199 | $4,999 |
| Accessories | Includes Gibson Accessory Kit | — |
| Back | Flame Maple | Rosewood |
| Binding | Multi-ply top, multi-ply back | Multi-ply Top and Back, Single-ply Fretboard and Headstock |
| Body Finish | Thin Finish Nitrocellulose, VOS | Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer |
| Body shape | J-185 | Songwriter |
| Body Styles | Jumbo | — |
| Bracing | Traditional Hand Scalloped X-bracing, with hide glue | Traditional Scalloped Wide X |
| Bridge | Belly up, holes at rear, open slot | Belly-up, Ebony, with Mother-of-Pearl Arrow inlays |
| Bridge Pins | Bone | TUSQ |
| Case | Period Correct Case | Hardshell |
| Fretboard inlay | Mother-of-pearl Parallelograms | Mother of Pearl Diamond Eye |
| Fretboard radius | 304.8mm / 12.0in | 304.8mm / 12.0in |
| Fret Count | 20 | 20 |
| Joint | Compound Dovetail Neck-to-body Joint | Compound Dovetail Neck-to-body; Hot Hide Glue |
| Model | CSRS8552VSL | MCSSSWRARBL |
| Nut | Bone | Bone |
| Nut width | 43.81mm / 1.72in | 43.82mm / 1.73in |
| Pickguard | J-185 | Custom Line, Tortoise |
| Profile | V | Round |
| Saddle Material | Bone | Bone |
| Scale length | 628.65mm / 24.75in | 647.7mm / 25.5in |
| Side | Flame maple | Rosewood |
| String gauges | 0.053, 0.042, 0.032, 0.024, 0.016, 0.012 | .012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053 |
| Top wood | Thermally Aged Sitka Spruce | Thermally Aged Solid Sitka Spruce |
| Truss Rod Cover | Black | 2-ply Black Bell |
| Tuner Plating | Gold | Gold |
| Tuners | Gotoh Keystone | Grover Open Back |
| Under Saddle Pickup | None | LR Baggs HiFi |
| Controls | — | Soundhole-mounted Volume and Tone |
| Finish | — | Gold |
| Headstock Inlay | — | Gibson Logo and Crown in Mother of Pearl |
| Output Jack | — | 1/4" Endpin |
| Preamp | — | LR Baggs HiFi |
| Strap Buttons | — | Endpin Jack |
| Truss rod | — | Adjustable |
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