Up for sale, a rare first year 1954 Gibson J-160E in stunning collector-grade condition and in perfect working order. This es from the introductory year, which is particularly impactful on this model as it was the only year that this guitar was offered with a solid spruce top and solid mahogany back (by mid-1955 this model had transitioned to a laminate top and back). Essentially an electrified version of the enduringly popular J-45 slope shoulder dreadnought, the J-160E was unique in that it was the first model to offer an adjustable ceramic bridge (with two large thumbwheels on the Brazilian rosewood base), and also due to its ladder braced construction. Stunningly clean and crack-free, this guitar is truly a collector's piece that as the old adage goes 'sounds as good as it looks'.

This guitar is a prime example of a first-year J-160E with a sound that later iterations simply can't match. The guitar has a distinctive bark and power with chords that have good note separation and clarity. The low end has focus and presence without getting too boomy and the top end is particularly warm and clear. Of course the main impetus for owning a J-160E is the unique sound of the pickup, which is simply a P-90 minus the cover, for a rich and cutting single coil tone that delivers a unique range of tonalities with bronze strings and a fully hollow dreadnought body. Of course the The J-160E is forever connected with the Beatles as well, as both John and George used their J-160Es extensively on stage and in the studio and it's certainly a sound that you simply can't capture with any other instrument!. Professionally setup this Gibson is dialed in fortable action and 12-54 phosphor bronze strings.

The one-piece mahogany neck has a classic mid '50s Gibson profile, with a well rounded medium C shape that is substantial without treading into baseball bat territory. The profile has generous shoulders and gets deeper as you move into the higher registers of the fretboard filling the palm and chording very easily. The neck joint is unique to this model, as the neck meets the body at the 15th fret and has only 19 frets total to make room for the pickup in front of the soundhole (models from '55 and later would have a 20 fret neck, and thus different pickup placement as well). The Brazilian rosewood fretboard sports the original lightly aged cream binding, as well as original pearloid trapezoid inlays. The original slender banjo frets are in truly remarkable shape, retaining their full original height with well rounded fret crowns. The frets show only a hint of wear on the crowns of frets 1-3, with virtually no wear up the neck and no buzzing or dead spots. The neck is straight with ideal relief and meets the body at the factory angle having never needed to be reset. Of course the bridge is adjustable and the action could go even a bit lower if desired, but currently sits at 1/8 on the bass side at the 12th fret, and just a hair under 3/32 on the treble side measured at the same fret. The nut is intact and measures 1 11/16 wide.

The headstock has the classic Gibson open book shape, with the original Kluson Deluxe tuning machines. The transparent tulip buttons are clean and show no signs of shrinkage and the tuners still turn very smoothly and hold pitch as they should. There is light surface patina on the tuner gear housings, and on the inlaid Gibson logo, the very tip of the letter B has flaked off, as the inlay was very shallow. These of course are very minor considerations on a nearly flawless instrument.

The electronics work as they should, with original, untouched solder joints and Volume and Tone controls with their original gold bell knobs. The Brazilian rosewood bridge bases on the early J-160E models are notable for being fairly thin, perhaps to allow for the functionality of the adjustable saddle. The large nickel thumbwheels turn smoothly and the bridge adjusts as it should, with stock bridge pins. The sunburst finish on the top is rich and un-faded with a vibrant shade of orange at the center, fading to deep black at the edges. There is moderate lacquer checking across the top and sides of the guitar, with almost no checking on the back. The guitar is crack-free, the ladder braces are all solid, and the guitar shows only a few tiny nicks and finish scratches in the clear coat of the nitro lacquer, mostly relegated to the back of the guitar. The nitro lacquer finish has zero touchups or overspray, and simply put, this is the just about the finest and earliest J-160E for sale today.

The original brown chipboard case with plush red interior is included. The case is in similar condition to the guitar, with a clean exterior, intact leather binding, working latches, and original handle.

Gibson only made around 300 of these each year. This guitar factory order number is number '3' of this particular factory order number. (FON: X8847-3)
***Serious enquiries only***

[Sorry no trades / Couriers / Lowball offers will be ignored as there is no rush to sell