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Topic: Gibson EH-185 |
TonyL
From:
Seattle. WA
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Posted 10 Jul 2001 9:09 am |
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I posted a newbie message a while back, but didn't get much info on my guitar- a 1940-41 Gibson EH-185 6-string. A few questions:
- It seems the matching amps are as rare as hen's teeth. Anyone have one they want to let go? 
- Any other info would be appreciated. I've looked at Brad's page, and a few others, but haven't found much else. |
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J D Sauser
From:
Wellington, Florida
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Posted 10 Jul 2001 10:40 am
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Try a search for "Gibson amp" on e-bay and also re-list your "want" ad on the Buy-Sell section of this Forum.
Gibson produced many amps at that time. Some guitars were offered with their "matching" amp but most amps of that time will be fine. A Gibsonette (single ended class A) would probably sound great. These amps can sometimes be found for around $200.oo.
They are easy to repair be a vintage amp specialist as there are just so few parts in it. I have a Rickenbacher amp (that I won't sell) that still runs on it's original filter caps and tubes out of the '30's!!
... J-D. |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 10 Jul 2001 2:17 pm
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Hi Tony....I believe that you have a very desirable guitar there. The EH-185 was introduced in 1939 and discontinued in 1942.
The early ones had Charlie Christian pick ups. In 1940 the pick up was changed to an ES 300 type oblong with polepieces & mounted on a slant. Which one do you have? I'm not a maven on this, just reading from Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars. Not a bad book to have handy...not a bad steel to have handy either...... |
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TonyL
From:
Seattle. WA
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Posted 10 Jul 2001 2:32 pm
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| The pickup is the ES-300 pickup. I actually had a chance to buy an Eh-150 with the Charlie Christian, but preferred the sound and feel of the EH-185.. |
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Ian McLatchie
From:
Sechelt, British Columbia
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Posted 10 Jul 2001 8:57 pm
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| Tony: A lovely guitar, and much rarer than the 150's. What's the condition of the instrument? Most of the ones I've seen have been pretty scratched up. A clean 185 would be a very desirable instrument. I haven't had the chance to try either a 150 or 185 with the slant pickup, so was interested by your judgment. I take it they're also much quieter than the Christian pickups. That's the biggest drawback to my EH-150. Still a great sounding guitar, though. |
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TonyL
From:
Seattle. WA
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Posted 11 Jul 2001 7:56 am
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The guitar is actually in close to mint condition- as is the case!
As for the pickup, I found it to be much louder than the Charlie Christian. It has more of a Gibson "growl," than the EH-150's "wood" tone. Then again, the E-150 was waaay lighter...
Now if I could only find the matching amp for less than a zillion $$$... |
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Ian McLatchie
From:
Sechelt, British Columbia
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Posted 11 Jul 2001 10:40 am
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I see pre-war Gibson amps around here fairly often, but most are pretty bashed. I'll let you know if anything nice comes along. I only wish I'd been able to grab the 150 amp that showed up with my 7-string EH-150. The guitar's in great shape, but the amp was 100%
mint. It seemed like a lot of money at the time. If I only knew than what I know now, I'd've dug up the cash somehow. |
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