Chinese pop icon WoWkie Da's first signature guitar brings premium tonewoods, bold aesthetics, and a longer scale length to the Inspired by Gibson Custom lineup.
Epiphone has just dropped the WoWkie Da J-180, marking the brand’s first signature collaboration with one of China’s most influential contemporary artists. Built on the Inspired by Gibson Custom J-180 LS platform and developed using original Gibson Custom designs, this striking acoustic represents a significant milestone as Epiphone expands its global artist roster and deepens its connection with the Chinese music community.
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WoWkie Da’s career spans decades as a singer, songwriter, guitarist, composer, producer, and television personality. Rising to prominence in the late 1990s as frontman of The Flowers, widely regarded as China’s first nationally recognised teenage band, he’s since released 193 solo singles, sold over five million records, and earned major honours including Top 10 Songs of the Year, Most Popular Male Singer, and All-Around Artist of the Year. High-profile appearances on CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala and as a judge on programs like The Big Band and Rap of China have cemented his cultural impact.
The signature J-180 stands out with a 25.5-inch scale length, delivering greater projection, enhanced clarity, and a more powerful low end compared to traditional short-scale acoustics. Premium all-solid construction includes a thermally aged Sitka spruce top paired with solid mahogany back and sides, ensuring rich, resonant tone suited for both studio and stage work.
A one-piece mahogany neck with a comfortable Rounded C profile offers smooth playability across the ebony fretboard, while the L.R. Baggs Element Bronze VTC pickup system handles amplified performance duties. Visually, the guitar is unmistakably WoWkie Da, with a full-gloss ebony black finish providing the foundation for his signature logo on the top, complemented by distinctive mother-of-pearl star inlays on the fretboard and bridge. His signature also graces the truss rod cover as a final personal flourish.
Available exclusively in China through Gibson and Epiphone-authorised dealers and online via T-Mall, the WoWkie Da J-180 arrives with a hardshell Epiphone Custom guitar case and a signature strap. For a devoted Gibson and Epiphone artist who’s shaped multiple generations of Chinese pop music, this collaboration feels like a natural evolution, and a fitting tribute to both his legacy and ongoing influence.
Head to Epiphone to learn more.
