Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I believe that the current J-160E has gone back to using an actual P-90, not the P-100 stacked humbucker.

David is correct on the P-90 for the new J-160E.

Randy, I put Thomastik-Infeld Jazz/Swing .11-.47 Flats on both the 160 and EJ; I think they feel and sound great!

Bill

>>>>Most of the recording that was done with the J-160E at Abbey Road, though, was done acoustically (mic'd up, not plugged in

Thats an excellent point for those of us who have tried (with limited success in my case) to catch some of that great Beatles sound.

I've seen it pointed out in other threads that on some of the early songs, where they DID play the J-160E plugged in, that you can also hear it acoustically because it's being picked up by the U-47 vocal mikes. So, it almost sounds like 3 -- or even 4 -- guitars. "Ask Me Why" sounds to me like an example of that. While George is playing electrically (I believe on his J-160E), it sounds to me like there's both an acoustic and electric rhythm guitar in the background. The theory is that it's John, playing his J-160E thru the amp, but while singing, so you get to hear it acoustically too.

The J160E recorded songs on the album "Please Please Me" are a near 50/50 acoustic/electric. Some of the J160E recorded songs has Lennon playing acoustically while Harrison is plugged up.

The original J160E is essentially an ES125 electric guitar with a P90 at the neck. Ply top, ladder braced but with an acoustic bridge and sound hole instead of 'f' holes and float bridge. Not really an acoustic but records well as one.

+1 on the DR Zebra strings for these guitars - great for both acoustic and plugged-in playing. And yes, Gibson confirms that the current J160E's have a true P90.

"Gibson confirms that the current J160Es have a true P90"...

Ah! That would explain the hum. I thought I had a bit of small grounding problem. Glad to hear this!!!

I actually use flatwound electric strings on my J-160. I saw a picture a couple of years ago, and it looked like John was using flatwounds on it. I could be a million miles off of the mark, but to my ears, it's much more Beatlesy.