Here's a beautiful example of one of the most iconic Gibson acoustics, a 1936/'37 J-35. These prewar Gibsons don't have serial numbers, instead they have "factory order numbers", typically stamped on the heel block inside the body. The FON on this guitar has faded beyond legibility.
"J" stands for Jumbo, at the time this was Gibson's largest bodied model, designed directly with Martin's D-18 model.
Gibson introduced their flagship model Jumbo right at the height of the Great Depression. These guitars were expensive at a time when few people had money to spend, so they were sold in very limited quantities, and thus are rare and hard to find now.
Gibson didn't just copy the Martin D-18. The shoulders are slightly more rounded than the standard Dreadnaught shape, and the J-35 uses a different bracing pattern with three tone bars instead of two on the D-18. The resulting tone is loud and cutting, with a healthy emphasis in the upper mids that cuts through a mix and can hold it's own when competing against banjos and fiddles. The tone is quick and percussive, bass is deep and full, yet tighter than most dual tone bar models. The old growth Adirondack spruce top and high grade mahogany result in a beautifully woody tone with great dynamic range and quick response.
The neck has the typical, fairly pronounced "V" shape common on prewar Gibsons. It is a very comfortable medium size, very easy to get around on.
This guitar has had a recent pro neck reset that's all but undetectable visually. Frets are new as well, and the instrument is set up perfectly with a new, intonated bone saddle. The original, unmodified bridge has been reglued.
The tuners are the originals and function well. At some point the guitar had a different set of tuners on it, so there are a few extra screw holes that are completely covered by the original tuners and not visible. The holes for the tuner shafts were never modified and the factory original bushing have never been removed.
Besides that the guitar is fully original. It's never had any major repairs. Everything is in perfect working condition. There are no loose braces, no cracks, no issues at all. The factory finish is still vibrant and very intact.
This is an exceptionally good sounding and playing prewar Gibson that's light as a feather. An instrument that could be the keystone of any serious collection as well as a pro-level recording instrument with a seasoned, mature tone that just can't be duplicated today.
This beautiful J-35 comes with a newer hard shell case.
