J-180 Everly Brothers Model (serial no. 10677)
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.The Everly Brothers built their musical identity around their familial relationship. They appeared on stage and screen with matching outfits and Gibson acoustic guitars, performing country-western-style popular songs in their famous close harmony. This pair of instruments was designed for the duo’s performance needs, featuring double tortoiseshell pickguards to protect the tops of the guitars from the brothers’ powerful rhythmic strumming and adjustable string-through bridges—designed by their father, country-western entertainer Ike Everly—that enabled them to easily change broken strings.
Technical Description:
Flat spruce top with round sound hole, mahogany back and sides, rosewood fingerboard; 24¾ in. scale; black finish with white binding; set neck with mother-of-pearl star inlays and white binding; truss rod cover inscribed “EVERLY,” inlaid mother-of-pearl Gibson logo and star on headstock; oversized rosewood bridge with adjustable string-through saddles and mother-of-pearl dots, nickel Kluson tuners, symmetrical celluloid tortoiseshell double pickguard
Technical Description:
Flat spruce top with round sound hole, mahogany back and sides, rosewood fingerboard; 24¾ in. scale; black finish with white binding; set neck with mother-of-pearl star inlays and white binding; truss rod cover inscribed “EVERLY,” inlaid mother-of-pearl Gibson logo and star on headstock; oversized rosewood bridge with adjustable string-through saddles and mother-of-pearl dots, nickel Kluson tuners, symmetrical celluloid tortoiseshell double pickguard
Artwork Details
- Title: J-180 Everly Brothers Model (serial no. 10677)
- Artist: Gibson (American, founded Kalamazoo, Michigan 1902)
- Artist: Don Everly
- Date: ca. 1962
- Geography: Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States
- Medium: Spruce, mahogany, rosewood, nickel, celluloid plastic, mother-of-pearl
- Dimensions: Length: 41 3/4 in. (106 cm)
Width: 17 in. (43.2 cm)
Depth: 4 7/8 in. (12.4 cm)
Weight: 4-6 lbs. (1.8 - 2.7 kg) - Classification: Chordophone-Lute-plucked-fretted
- Credit Line: Collection of Don Everly
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments