The j45 is seldom mentioned in the context of such gibson classics as the super 400, es335, flying v, les paul standard, f5 mandolin and mastertone banjos. Gibson produces a standard j160e and a john lennon j160e peace model, based on the j160e he used during the bedin days of 1969. The gibson j160e is one of the first acousticelectric guitar models produced by the gibson guitar corporation. In 1962, john lennon was still an upandcoming artist, and though one of two main singersongwriters at the heart of the beatles, was scraping by on the little money the band was bringing in at that time. Its importance in beatles history cannot be overstated. Ej160e features an epiphone stacked p100 humbucking pickup at the end of its fingerboard. Gibson j 160e 1964 sunburst guitar for sale retrofret vintage.
For the first time in gibson s history it was under the control of college educated bean counters rather than guys who knew the business of designing and building. Sep 01, 2007 this book covers the first 70 years of gibson electric guitar history. The adjustable bridge probably dosent help on the volume either. Mar 15, 2014 the gibson j 160e is one of the first acoustic electric guitars produced by the gibson guitar corporation. The number one source of guitar and amplifier pricing and information so you can find the price and value of your used guitars and amplifier. It looks like ren brought them back around 199093 does anyone know how many were made these years and some history. The serial number is 8419xx, but it doesnt have the made in usa stamp.
How to date a gibson using serial numbers, fons and. The guitar in question a gibson j160e happened to belong to john lennon. Maybe this accounts for lennon and harrison ending up with their j160es. I have a gibson j160e from the 60s that has seen quite a bit of playing. The new epiphone ej160e is a limitededition version of the legendary gibson j160e, which was popularized by john lennon and george harrison in the beatles.
Because it was used extensively by george harrison and john lennon on an incredible series of innovative recordings by the beatles during the 1960s and early 1970s. One of the most famous beatles guitars, used on the recording of every beatles album ever made. I just bought a 1992 gibson advanced jumbo off reverb and im not finding much info or history online. The j 160e was gibson s second attempt at creating an acousticelectric guitar the first being the smallbody cf100e. The gibson j160e is one of the first acousticelectric guitars produced by the gibson guitar. The gibson montana j 160e is possibly the most important acoustic guitar of all time. Buy gibson j 160e standard acousticelectric guitar. I have a book, beatles gear that lists every piece of equipment ever used by.
John lennons 1962 gibson jumbo j160e guitar the daily beatle. In 1962, john lennon was still an upandcoming artist, and though one of two main singersongwriters at the heart of the beatles, was scraping by. This guitar features two control knobs, a mahogany body, spruce top, and rosewood fingerboard with trapezoid in. In the 1950s, the gibson company manufactured its first electric ax, the gibson les paul, named after the jazz and blues guitarist who helped design it, les paul. The sj200 studio is the lowest model in the line, featuring walnut rather than maple back and sides, chrome hardware, a plain pickguard, natural finish and no fingerboard binding, but it retains the inlays and electronics of the j 200 standard. The author has based the book on gibson production, shipping and accounting records, old sales literature, and interviews with former employees, so the book is well researched or at least as well researched as possible for a company that has changed ownership several times and a company that is notorious. Orville gibson began handmaking acoustic guitars and mandolins in 1902. Gibson currently makes many variations of the j200. This is the year maurice berlin retired and his son arnie berlin the in in norlin took over cmi. Although the gibson j160e was made famous by the beatles it does not have that. Studio still life of a 1962 gibson j160e acoustic guitar. Gibson acoustic john lennon j160e peace acousticelectric guitar.
Unfollow gibson j160 e to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. It had the look of a regular slopeshouldered gibson, like a j 45 or southern jumbo, but was specifically engineered for optimum use as an electric. If the ink stamped number consists of 5 digits, there will be a space between the first and second numbers separating the last digit of the year from the actual serial number. Its a rock solid guitar, stays in tune, built like a train. Naturally, as a true beatles fan, babiuk took the opportunity to play a number of beatles songs on the instrument. Orville by gibson j160e electric acoustic guitar the beatless john lennon 1964.
The j160 is functional both as an acoustic and electric instrument. View online or download gibson john lennon j 160e imagine owners manual. And even among its fellow flattops, it doesnt have anywhere near the notoriety of gibsons j200 and advanced jumbo. The story of john lennons lost gibson j160e acoustic. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images. The gibson j160e is one of the first acousticelectric guitars produced by the gibson guitar corporation. Made around the end of production for the original style, rounded shoulder j160e, this guitar offers the authentic beatle vibe at a lower price than those from the early 60s. The first year of gibson solidbodies was 1952, and gibson didnt use any serial number in 1952. Guitars, blue book of electric guitars, and blue book of guitar amplifiers. Gibson les paul traditional pro v flame top electric guitar. Jul 26, 2018 i just bought a 1992 gibson advanced jumbo off reverb and im not finding much info or history online.
One of gibsons early attempts at a production acousticelectric guitar, the j160e was a roundshouldered dreadnought with a singlecoil pickup installed at the end of the fingerboard. The gibson version is head and shoulders better than the epiphone version, btw. Its dosent have the volume of the solid wood j45, or the cf 100e in acoustic mode. But i do miss the j 160e and its vibe occasionally. This illustrious guitar, which model is associated with john lennon, is a very clean, first year example of gibsons second foray into the electricacoustic flattop guitar market the smaller body cf100e cutaway came out in 1951. Brief epiphone history epiphone acoustics gibson brands. They have a very unique tone for a gibson imoas does the j200and the original ones are highly prized guitars. Gibson j160e john lennon peace acoustic guitar natural finish. Gibson john lennon j 160e imagine pdf user manuals. Epiphone makes an ej160e john lennon replica signature model. It became even more popular when the beatles chose to use it professionally. We find out how john lennons gibson j160e acoustic guitar, which was used to record some of the beatles legendary early hits, resurfaced in california last year, solving a. Lost for over 50 years, john lennons beloved gibson j160e was. Find the current blue book value and worth of your new and used guitars, both acoustic, electric and amplifier.
Then, one fine day, he discovers he has in his possession one of the most important lost guitars in rock history. View online or download gibson john lennon j160e imagine owners manual. Vintage guitars info gibson collecting vintage gibson guitars. Unlike that guitar and all other period gibson flat tops the j160e features a laminated spruce top with a ladderbraced design, gibsons engineers having found that the decreased top resonance helped reduce feedback when amplified. Epiphone limited edition ej160e acousticelectric guitar. Over the years, it has also been called a thistle because of the group of flowering plants with the sharp prickles, though gibson has preferred to call it a. One of the most iconic of all gibson guitars, this model is associated with john lennon of the beatles, who used it considerably and to good effect on the bands recordings. We find out how john lennons gibson j160e acoustic guitar, which was used to record some of the beatles legendary early hits, resurfaced in california last year, solving a 50year mystery. The gibson j series is a line of jumbo acoustic guitars manufactured by gibson guitar corporation.
Can you give me a little history on the j160e and what its value is today. After the war, the j45 flourished on the market and was a favorite of blues players, flat pickers e. George martin and epstein managed to book another recording session at emi. I played a couple of vintage j185s and a few j200s and the j185 is perhaps a more versatile guitar than the j200 imo.
Or an electric that looks an feels like an acoustic. Acousticelectric guitars free delivery possible on eligible purchases. Early60s gibson catalogues list the j160e as the electric jumbo model hence the j and the e. The sj200 studio is the lowest model in the line, featuring walnut rather than maple back and sides, chrome hardware, a plain pickguard, natural finish and no fingerboard binding, but it retains the inlays and electronics of the j200 standard. May 27, 2016 then, one fine day, he discovers he has in his possession one of the most important lost guitars in rock history. Studio still life of a 1962 gibson j160e acoustic guitar owned by george harrison and used in the beatles, photographed in the united kingdom.
I ended up getting a proper j 45 actually, in the interest of full disclosure, a j 45 rosewood. The gibson j 160e was originally introduced in 1954 and lennons 1962 model featured a laminated sitka spruce top with mahogany for the back, sides and neck image credit. Starting in 1953, the first number is the last number of the year. The story of john lennons lost gibson j160e acoustic guitar. I woundnt recommend this guitar to any one looking for a good acoustic guitar. A sacred artifact of pop and rock n roll history, lost forever. John lennons give peace a chance 1964 gibson j160e acoustic guitar history. Apr 01, 2017 this feature is not available right now. John lennons give peace a chance 1964 gibson j160e. The guitar will be featured on the cover of the new beatles gearthe ultimate edition book with a scheduled release date of october 27, 2015. Contrary to what many players say, i think this guitar sounds great as an acoustic. Gibson reasoned that they could come out with a larger bodied model based on the combination of the j45 acoustic guitar and the trapezoidal fingerboard inlays of.
I have a gibson j160e from the 60s that has seen quite a bit of playing over the years. They look basically the same as the vintage ones, but they are constructed quite differently, and do not sound at all the same. Description one of gibsons early attempts at a production acousticelectric guitar, the j160e was a roundshouldered dreadnought with a singlecoil pickup installed at the end of the fingerboard. Epiphone brings back the j160e acoustic pmt online. Unfollow gibson j 160 e to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. Gibson guided fitness journal, 8 12 x 6, 160 pages see more like this new c. Revolutionary electric sound what made the original j160e so renown was its unique pickup system, and to bring that sound back to life for the 21st century, this epiphone ltd. Jun 05, 2015 naturally, as a true beatles fan, babiuk took the opportunity to play a number of beatles songs on the instrument. Excerpt from the new beatles gear the ultimate edition book that will be out october 2015. The gibson montana j160e is possibly the most important acoustic guitar of all time. It had the look of a regular slopeshouldered gibson, like a j45 or southern jumbo, but was specifically engineered for optimum use as an electric. Gibson j160e news newspapers books scholar jstor january 2017 learn how and when to. Dating a gibson by factory order number fon gibson has historically used two different alphanumerical formats to catalog its instruments.
That new j 45 was a dreamguitar,perhaps one of the finest sounding acoustics ive ever played. The 70th anniversary john lennon j160e is built in the exacting image of the groundbreaking original j160e of the 1950s and 60s. Ive compared my 1971 j50 to a modern brand new gibson j45. John lennon with his 1964 gibson j160e acoustic guitar, replete with two. This book covers the first 70 years of gibson electric guitar history. That new j45 was a dreamguitar,perhaps one of the finest sounding acoustics ive ever played. Use this site for a pricing guide and source of information on all guitars. The gibson j160e is one of the first acoustic electric guitars produced by the gibson guitar corporation. For the first time in gibsons history it was under the control of college educated bean counters rather than guys who knew the business of designing and building.
Studio still life of a 1962 gibson j 160e acoustic guitar owned by george harrison and used in the beatles, photographed in the united kingdom. Its a gibson montana j160e a beautifully rich and robust acoustic guitar, but with an included stacked p90 pickup. The gibson j 160e is one of the first acousticelectric guitars produced by the gibson guitar corporation. Made around the end of production for the original style, rounded shoulder j 160e, this guitar offers the authentic beatle vibe at a lower price than those from the early 60s. May 30, 2011 comparison of the sound of ej 160 and j 160 e. While there are some minor changes that differentiate this from the 1961 models played by both john lennon and george harrison namely, a different style pickguard and a double ring soundhole rosette, this guitar is.
Andy babiuk of beatles gear book fame, recently discovered john lennons. Gibson j160e acousticelectric guitar with hard case john lennon. Description one of gibson s early attempts at a production acousticelectric guitar, the j 160e was a roundshouldered dreadnought with a singlecoil pickup installed at the end of the fingerboard. A guy, who was an unabashed gibson j45 fan had a writeup on the history of the guitar as part of his thesis for why they were so great. Left handed gibson j160e vintage sunburst, solid spruce top, rosewood back and sides. The j160e was gibson s second attempt at creating an acousticelectric guitar the first being the smallbody cf100e. Much as with the design of the archetypal jazz guitar, the es175, just a few years before, gibson applied a great deal of forwardlooking, outofthebox thinking to the design of the j.
One of gibson s early attempts at a production acousticelectric guitar, the j 160e was a roundshouldered dreadnought with a singlecoil pickup installed at the end of the fingerboard. Gibson introduced the j160e in july 1954 as its second electrified flattop guitar. The basic concept behind the guitar was to fit a singlepickup into a normalsize dreadnought acoustic guitar. The epiphone ej160e and modern gibson j160e are both very different animals than the 60s j160es used by lennon and harrison. The gibson company offers electric guitars, acoustic instruments, as well as music accessories. Read more about the history of lennons and george harrisons 1962 gibson j160es here.
Its dosent have the volume of the solid wood j 45, or the cf 100e in acoustic mode. One of the most significant dates in gibsonepiphone history, however, is 1965. Gibson currently makes many variations of the j 200. Before mid1950, most gibson headstocks were thinner at the top when looked at from a side profile. Gibson put the first crown peghead logo on an es300 back in 1940, and it has graced the headstocks of many legendary gibson guitars ever since, including todays john lennon j160e peace. Ive compared my 1971 j 50 to a modern brand new gibson j 45. Sep 12, 2016 gibson introduced the j 160e in july 1954 as its second electrified flattop guitar. Epiphone has resurrected one of gibsons most iconic acoustic guitars the j160e, made famous by john lennon and the beatles. The gibson j 160e is one of the first acousticelectric guitar models produced by the gibson guitar corporation. I ended up getting a proper j45 actually, in the interest of full disclosure, a j45 rosewood. The j160e was, from 1954, one of the earliest viable and successful electricacoustic guitars of the 20th century. Oct 21, 2008 the epiphone ej160e and modern gibson j 160e are both very different animals than the 60s j 160es used by lennon and harrison. Andy babiuk, author of the book beatles gear all the fab fours. Doc watson, et al and working musicians of all ilks.
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