Handcrafted in Bozeman, these exceptional instruments highlight a family of American legends
Gibson Custom proudly announces the release of two exceptional guitars that pay tribute to the rich musical legacy of Johnny Cash and his daughter, Rosanne Cash. The Johnny Cash SJ-200 is a meticulously crafted recreation of the rare artist model made for Johnny Cash in the late 1950s, featuring his name inlaid on the fretboard in mother of pearl and a distinctive pickguard designed by Cash himself.
Limited to just 100 instruments, these guitars are handmade by the expert luthiers of the Gibson Custom Shop in Bozeman, Montana, as a fitting homage to Cash’s towering influence across multiple music genres.
In collaboration with Rosanne Cash, a cultural icon in her own right, Gibson Custom also unveils the Rosanne Cash J-185. This limited-edition guitar, designed with input from Rosanne and her husband, John Leventhal, resonates with the Cash family’s storied history and showcases a unique aesthetic inspired by Johnny Cash’s custom SJ-200 models.
As one of America’s preeminent singer-songwriters, Rosanne Cash’s versatility and artistry shine through in this instrument, making it a fitting tribute to her profound contributions to American music and culture.
Image: The Johnny Cash SJ-200 case candy and Certificate of Authenticity
The rare Johnny Cash SJ-200
In the late 50s, Gibson made two SJ-200s for Johnny Cash, featuring his name inlaid in mother of pearl on the fretboard and a distinctive pickguard designed by Cash himself. Gibson Custom is proud to release recreations of these guitars to honor his legacy. Only 100 of these beautiful and highly-requested instruments were handmade by the expert luthiers of the Gibson Custom Shop in Bozeman, Montana, as part of this remarkable limited run.
Johnny Cash profoundly impacted multiple genres, including country, rock ‘n’ roll, rockabilly, blues, folk, and gospel music. He sold over 90 million records and was inducted into the Country Music, Rock & Roll, Gospel Music, Rockabilly, Nashville Songwriters, and the Memphis Music Halls of Fame.
He received 13 GRAMMY® Awards, including a 1999 GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award and nine CMA awards, and was a recipient of Kennedy Center Honors and the National Medal of Arts.
Image: The Johnny Cash SJ-200 features Johnny’s name inlaid on the fretboard in mother of pearl
Highlighted features of the Gibson Custom Johnny Cash SJ-200, Vintage Cherry Sunburst
Only two original Johnny Cash SJ-200 guitars were made by Gibson in the late 1950s for Johnny Cash and have never been reproduced by Gibson—until now. Only 100 of these highly-requested instruments were made by the expert luthiers of Gibson Custom, making each one an instant collector’s item.
AAA flamed maple body
The Johnny Cash SJ-200 features a beautiful AAA flamed maple body with Gibson’s traditional hand scalloped X-bracing. The flamed maple not only looks beautiful but also adds a bit of brightness and attack to balance out the deep lows of the SJ-200 Super Jumbo body.
Distinctive pickguard shape
The Johnny Cash SJ-200 features the distinctive pickguard shape of the two original Johnny Cash signature models made in the late 1950s. Instantly recognizable, it was designed by Johnny Cash himself.
Johnny Cash neck inlay
Like the two original guitars that Johnny ordered in the late 1950s, the Johnny Cash SJ-200 features Johnny’s name inlaid on the fretboard in mother of pearl.
American legend Rosanne Cash and her J-185
Handcrafted in Bozeman, Montana, the Gibson Custom Rosanne Cash J-185 is a beautiful limited-edition instrument that resonates with the legacy of one of the most storied and influential families in music history. With a unique pickguard designed by multiple GRAMMY Award winner Rosanne Cash and her husband, musician and producer John Leventhal, the Rosanne Cash J-185 takes aesthetic inspiration from a pair of custom SJ-200 models made by Gibson for Johnny Cash in the late 1950s.
Image: Rosanne Cash is one of the country’s preeminent singer-songwriters
Rosanne Cash’s music incorporates elements of folk, pop, Americana, rock, and blues, so she requires a very versatile guitar that can follow her in any direction that her muse takes her. The new Gibson Custom Shop Rosanne Cash J-185 was made in collaboration with this legendary artist and delivers exceptional versatility.
Rosanne Cash is one of the country’s preeminent singer-songwriters, as well as the author of a bestselling memoir, “Composed.” She has released 15 albums of extraordinary songs that have earned four GRAMMY Awards and 12 additional nominations.
She is one of only a handful of women in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. She is the 2021 recipient of the prestigious Edward MacDowell Medal, awarded to an artist who has made an outstanding contribution to American culture. She is the first woman composer to receive this honor.
Highlighted features of the Gibson Custom Rosanne Cash J-185, Heritage Cherry Sunburst
This guitar features a flame maple body that is slightly thinner for superior playing comfort, a thermally aged Sitka spruce top, and a SlimTaper™ 24.75” mahogany neck with a rosewood fretboard that’s outfitted with 20 standard frets and mother-of-pearl parallelogram inlays.
The Gibson logo and Crown are also mother-of-pearl, as is the Cash logo on the unique-to-this-model pickguard, designed by Rosanne and her husband, John Leventhal, with inspiration from her father’s iconic SJ-200 pickguard shape.
An L.R. Baggs™ VTC under saddle pickup and preamp system makes this guitar ready for any stage or studio as soon as you take it out of the included custom Rosanne Cash hardshell case. Only 100 of these beautiful instruments will be made by the expert luthiers and craftspeople of the Gibson Custom Shop in Bozeman, Montana, as part of this very special limited run.
Image: The Rosanne Cash J-185 features a unique pickguard shape that was designed by Rosanne Cash and her husband, John Leventhal
Thermally aged Sitka spruce top
The Rosanne Cash J-185’s thermally aged Sitka spruce top gives this guitar the character and sound of a well-aged and seasoned instrument.
Flame maple body
The flame maple used for the Rosanne Cash J-185 body is not only beautiful but also contributes to the balanced tone, adding a bit of brightness and snappy attack to balance the deep lows of the Jumbo-sized J-185 body. The body of the Rosanne Cash J-185 is also slightly thinner from front to back than a standard J-185, making it easier to hold.
Artist-designed pickguard
The Rosanne Cash J-185 features a unique pickguard shape that was designed by Rosanne Cash and her husband, producer/musician John Leventhal, with inspiration from the pickguard on her father’s iconic SJ-200 pickguard. The pickguard also features Cash’s name inlaid in mother-of-pearl.
L.R. Baggs electronics included
The Rosanne Cash J-185 has an L.R. Baggs VTC electronics system preinstalled, complete with under-saddle transducer, built-in preamp, and soundhole-mounted volume and tone controls, making this guitar stage and studio ready from the moment you take it out of the included custom Rosanne Cash hardshell case.
