Recording King made by Gibson Model 1285 1937, Sunburst

The 1937 Recording King Model 1285, crafted by Gibson for Montgomery Ward, is a 16-inch archtop guitar that showcases Gibson's renowned pre-war craftsmanship. Featuring a carved Adirondack spruce top and flamed maple back and sides, this instrument delivers a rich, resonant tone with enhanced bass response, attributed to its deeper body design. The guitar is adorned with checkerboard purfling, multi-ply binding, and fan-shaped fingerboard inlays, reflecting a level of ornamentation surpassing that of Gibson's own L-50 model. While it lacks an adjustable truss rod, it includes a non-adjustable steel neck reinforcement, a common feature in Gibson's house-brand instruments of the era. For the full repair history, check out the Specs tab. Includes the original red-line hardshell case.