Gibson J-160E
Encyclopedia
The Gibson J-160E is one of the first acoustic-electric guitar
models produced by the Gibson Guitar Corporation
.
A major problem with playing an acoustic guitar in live settings is that it is often quite difficult to hear. Some guitarists get around the problem by playing their acoustic guitars into a microphone; however, there are several drawbacks to this approach, such as the leaking of other (louder) instruments into the microphone, and restricted movement away from the microphone. Thus, many guitar manufacturers have tried to create acoustic-electric guitars as a solution to this problem.
The J-160E was Gibson
's second attempt at creating an acoustic-electric guitar (the first being the small-body CF-100E). The basic concept behind the guitar was to fit a single-pickup (and associated electronics) into a normal-size dreadnought acoustic guitar. The J-160E used plywood for most of the guitar's body, and was ladder-braced, whereas other Gibson
acoustic models were X-braced. The rosewood
fingerboard featured crown inlays, and the guitar featured an adjustable bridge. For amplification, it featured a single-coil pickup (an uncovered P-90 pickup) on the top of the body at the edge of the fingerboard (similar to "floating" pickups on some arch-top acoustic guitars), with one volume knob and one tone knob.
While the J-160E was not popular with all guitarists, John Lennon
and George Harrison
of The Beatles
frequently used this model, both on-stage and in the studio. Gibson
currently produces a standard J-160E and a John Lennon J-160E Peace model, based on the J-160E he used during the Bed-In
days of 1969. Epiphone
currently produces an "EJ-160E" John Lennon replica signature model that is currently produced in Indonesia
: while structurally closer to the original (for example with the knobs position),it has a longer scale length and a different colour than the earlier Korean-made
Epiphone EJ-160E.
Bluesman Sam Lightnin' Hopkins
played a J-160e which is on display at the Rock Hall of Fame.
Semi-acoustic guitar
A semi-acoustic guitar or hollow-body electric is a type of electric guitar with both a sound box and one or more electric pickups. This is not the same as an electric acoustic guitar, which is an acoustic guitar with the addition of pickups or other means of amplification, either added by the...
models produced by the Gibson Guitar Corporation
Gibson Guitar Corporation
The Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names...
.
A major problem with playing an acoustic guitar in live settings is that it is often quite difficult to hear. Some guitarists get around the problem by playing their acoustic guitars into a microphone; however, there are several drawbacks to this approach, such as the leaking of other (louder) instruments into the microphone, and restricted movement away from the microphone. Thus, many guitar manufacturers have tried to create acoustic-electric guitars as a solution to this problem.
The J-160E was Gibson
Gibson Guitar Corporation
The Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names...
's second attempt at creating an acoustic-electric guitar (the first being the small-body CF-100E). The basic concept behind the guitar was to fit a single-pickup (and associated electronics) into a normal-size dreadnought acoustic guitar. The J-160E used plywood for most of the guitar's body, and was ladder-braced, whereas other Gibson
Gibson Guitar Corporation
The Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names...
acoustic models were X-braced. The rosewood
Rosewood
Rosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues. All rosewoods are strong and heavy, taking an excellent polish, being suitable for guitars, marimbas, turnery , handles, furniture, luxury flooring, etc.In general,...
fingerboard featured crown inlays, and the guitar featured an adjustable bridge. For amplification, it featured a single-coil pickup (an uncovered P-90 pickup) on the top of the body at the edge of the fingerboard (similar to "floating" pickups on some arch-top acoustic guitars), with one volume knob and one tone knob.
While the J-160E was not popular with all guitarists, John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
frequently used this model, both on-stage and in the studio. Gibson
Gibson Guitar Corporation
The Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names...
currently produces a standard J-160E and a John Lennon J-160E Peace model, based on the J-160E he used during the Bed-In
Bed-In
During the Vietnam War, in 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono held two week-long Bed-Ins for Peace in Amsterdam and Montreal, which were their non-violent ways of protesting wars and promoting peace...
days of 1969. Epiphone
Epiphone
The Epiphone Company is a musical instrument manufacturer founded in 1873 by Anastasios Stathopoulos. Epiphone was bought by Chicago Musical Instrument Company, which also owned Gibson Guitar Corporation, in 1957. Epiphone was Gibson's main rival in the archtop market...
currently produces an "EJ-160E" John Lennon replica signature model that is currently produced in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
: while structurally closer to the original (for example with the knobs position),it has a longer scale length and a different colour than the earlier Korean-made
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
Epiphone EJ-160E.
Bluesman Sam Lightnin' Hopkins
Lightnin' Hopkins
Sam John Hopkins better known as Lightnin’ Hopkins, was an American country blues singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional pianist, from Houston, Texas...
played a J-160e which is on display at the Rock Hall of Fame.