We love the original Gibson J-35 in any form & this final year 1942 example is one fantastic pre-war Gibson Jumbo ! This is an example of a late style J-35 w/the ultimate optional “Opaque Blonde” finished top that would be an additional color option from a Natural top finish 1st cataloged in 1939. The neck still carries the fairly chunky 1930s soft V profile with the transitional smaller heel. Other original features include the “firestripe” tortoise celluloid pickguard and silkscreen white script Gibson logo on the headstock. She’s got the last iteration w/2 non-scalloped lower braces. Its Kluson tuners are a very rare & special set of 3-on-a-side strip units w/cool see thru Amber buttons w/unusual enclosed metal covers like we’ve not seen before on a Gibson J-35. The J-35 was Gibson’s “working man’s” Jumbo flat-top in the 1930s and early ’40s. Selling on introduction for under forty dollars, it was intended as a direct competitor to Martin’s D-18, and has since been similarly recognized as one of the all time classic flat-top designs. This is a guitar to be reckoned with, extremely light and very responsive that’s either a good flat-picker or a very nice finger-picking guitar as well. This particular J-35 has a powerful but very even sound making an excellent recording or performance guitar. This J-35 is very original. The finish shows checking overall and numerous dings overall but no large areas of loss. The bridge and small maple bridgeplate are original. The guitar has likely had a neck reset some time ago, cleanly done with very little evidence left behind besides an excellent playing angle. There are some shallow fingernail divots in the fingerboard in the lower positions. This is the rarest of the rare…a very beautiful Opaque Blonde J-35 in Excellent condition overall w/no major repairs ready for its next 80 years w/its next caretaker. She comes equipped w/her factory Black Tolex hard case.