Yusuf / Cat Stevens: Legendary Troubadour Partners With Gibson Acoustic For Gibson Cat Stevens J-180 Collector’s Edition, Offered For The First Time

For 128 years, Gibson has shaped sound across generations and genres of music, becoming one of the most relevant, played, and loved guitar brands around the world. The Gibson Acoustic Custom Shop is proud to introduce the Cat Stevens J-180 Collector’s Edition, which is created from the original guitar that helped produce the iconic acoustic sound of the seminal Tea For The Tillerman and Teaser And The Firecat albums. The Cat Stevens J-180 Collector’s Edition is available now at select global dealers and worldwide on Gibson.com.

“I really turned a corner when I got my hands on a black Gibson Everly Brothers J-180” says Yusuf / Cat Stevens. “It was my favourite guitar, and it had a very easy action. I played it almost percussively, and that sound gave real character to my recordings. It looked amazing too! Handling the new model is like going back in time to when I first started playing.”

Watch and share the interview with Yusuf / Cat Stevens for the new Gibson Cat Stevens J-180 Collector’s Edition acoustic guitar, HERE.

With his long dark hair and beard, slender frame, and black Gibson J-180, Cat Stevens stood as the embodiment of the 1970s singer-songwriter, a modern troubadour on a quest for spiritual enlightenment through music. Many of his all-time classic songs were written and recorded on his Gibson J-180 including “Wild World, “Peace Train,” “Father and Son,” and more.

Above: the Gibson Cat Stevens J-180 Collector’s Edition with custom case.

Yusuf / Cat Stevens originally bought his J-180 in London’s famous Selmer’s Music Shop in 1969. Drawn to the J-180’s slim and elegant style, the guitar’s natural percussive quality soon became an essential component of the intimate sound of his first three albums of the 1970s, Mona Bone Jakon, Tea For The Tillerman, and Teaser And The Firecat. Near the end of decade, Yusuf / Cat Stevens sold all of his musical equipment, including his J-180 with the proceeds going to charity. In the years since, he has been reunited with the original guitar and has also acquired a second vintage model as a backup that is used for worldwide touring.

Limited to only 50, the Gibson Acoustic Custom Shop Cat Stevens J-180 features a thermally aged Sitka spruce top, mother-of-pearl moon and star headstock and graduated star fretboard inlays, and an interior label hand-signed by Yusuf / Cat Stevens. A custom Cat Stevens J-180 hardshell case is included. The package includes a Certificate of Authenticity and a selection of patches, pins and stickers inspired by the artist’s iconic artwork.

Above: the Gibson Cat Stevens J-180 Collector’s Edition with custom case.

Check out the Gibson Cat Stevens J-180 Collector’s Edition below and on Gibson.com.

Above: the Gibson Cat Stevens J-180 Collector’s Edition in ebony.

Above: the Gibson Cat Stevens Collector’s Edition J-180 headstock.

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About Gibson:

Gibson, the leading iconic guitar brand, has shaped the sounds of generations of musicians and music lovers across genres for 128 years. Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Nashville, Gibson Brands has a legacy of world-class craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships, and progressive product evolution that is unrivaled among musical instrument companies. The Gibson Brands portfolio includes Gibson, the leading guitar brand, as well as many of the most beloved and recognizable music brands, including Epiphone, which has been on every stage since 1873, Kramer, the original MADE TO ROCK HARD guitar brand, MESA/Boogie, the home of tone, and KRK, behind great music for over 30 years, and Maestro, the founder of effect pedals. Gibson Brands is dedicated to quality, innovation, and sound excellence so that music lovers for generations to come will continue to experience music shaped by Gibson Brands. Learn more at Gibson.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Gibson TV, and Instagram.