The first production models were barely out the Gibson factory door, back in 1936, before the all new J-35 was receiving unanimous acclaim from players everywhere. Over the years it came to be recognised as one of the company’s great “pre-war” flattops. Replaced by the J-45 in 1942, many mourned the loss.
Ten percent
Gibson’s advanced-jumbo bracing pattern gives the J-35 slightly more bottom end than the 45, (somehow without sounding boomy), and also delivers more upper-mids sparkle. If you pressed us on the question of which is the better instrument, we’ll tell you that it’s an exceedingly fine line, but maybe comes down to the J-35 being perhaps ten percent more suited to country and bluegrass, and the J-45 that same ten percent towards folk and rock.
LR Baggs
When Gibson revived the J-35 in 2012, the original Sitka Spruce top, pale Mahogany back & sides, and the Mahogany neck remained the same, along with the 14/19-fret, 12” radius Rosewood fingerboard, the soundhole rosette and the “firestripe” / Nick Lucas-style scratchplate. To meet the demands of the modern performer, an LR Baggs under-saddle Element pickup system, was added, (with soundhole-mounted volume control), plus a Tusq nut and compensated Tusq saddle.
Antique Natural
Other features include vintage-style nickel tuners, authentic 1936-shape Rosewood bridge, scalloped top bracing, four-ply top Binding, (single-ply on the back), full 24¾” scale, modern rounded-C neck profile, and a hand-sprayed, thin nitro finish, in Antique Natural.
Only a Gibson
The historic “ONLY A GIBSON IS GOOD ENOUGH” banner headstock logo was not on the original J-35s, but did feature on the J-45 and others, from 1942 until 1945.
Lighter and brighter
As we noted earlier, the J-35 boasts a slightly lighter and brighter sound than a J-45. Full-bodied, with that famous Gibson harmonic detail across the entire dynamic range, whether you’re quietly finger-picking, or banging it out as you try to impress that girl three doors down.
Free courier delivery
Completed in mid-December of 2013, our J-35 remains in Near Mint condition, showing very little playwear, with as-new frets and zero fingerboard wear. It will arrive at your door in its original blue-lined Gibson hard shell case, with FREE COURIER DELIVERY included to any address in Australia. ($100 airfreight to New Zealand, $175 to the US, Canada, UK and mainstream European countries. International freight added at checkout)
Weight: Not quite 4lb 1oz / 1.84kg
Just Guitars
