50s Gibson ID

[Brad Little]

I've asked this question on both Flatpick-L and the Gibson forum with no response, so I figured I'd give it a go here. I was looking through a mid-50s country song roundup magazine and came across a picture of Kitty Wells playing a Gibson dreadnought size guitar with J-200 mustache bridge, pickguard and neck inlays. Anybody know if this was once a production model or if it is more likely a custom shop job?
Brad

 

[Frosty]

Brad - I can't find any such in Gibson's Fabulous Flat Top Guitars. My guess is it was a custom appendage of J-200 bling onto a production dread body.

 

[Brad Little]

My guess is it was a custom appendage of J-200 bling onto a production dread body.

Yeah, that makes the most sense. I'd be interested in whether it was mahogany or rosewood.
Brad

 

[Frosty]

I'd be interested in whether it was mahogany or rosewood.

I wonder. The slope-shoulder Gibson dreadnought design included the 24.9" scale J-45 and J-50 (mahogany) and the 25.4" scale Advanced Jumbo (rosewood).

 

[plaidseason]

I don't know a ton about Gibsons, but I do know that made a production model called the Jumbo 55, which doesn't fit your description perfectly, but it may have served as a base for the model your speaking of:

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson6.html#j55
http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/20U-12663.htm

Chris

 

[Brad Little]

made a production model called the Jumbo 55, which doesn't fit your description perfectly, but it may have served as a base for the model your speaking of:
Chris

That's a good bet, bridge and body shape are right, so just have to have had custom inlay and pick guard.
Thanks.
Brad