guitarfool2002 Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 These two photos are of the Beach Boys performing at Ithaca College, November 22, 1966. What caught my attention was the Gibson acoustic/electric which Al Jardine is playing. It looked to be a standard J-160E which would make sense for 1966, but notice there are clearly four knobs shown in the close-up of Al with the guitar, and in the side shot you can see a second pickup just above the bridge. Note also what appears to be a pickup selector switch installed underneath the soundhole, just beneath the pickguard...very unusual. Definitely not a standard J-160E! Could this have been a custom order that came from the factory with two pickups and four knobs to accommodate them? It doesn't look like an amateur modification, and to my eyes it appears to have been built that way at the factory. Was this possibly a custom, one-off request from Jardine himself in the mid 60's? I can't think of any other photos where he is shown playing this Gibson, and he usually favored other acoustics or ones "electrified" by the usual DeArmond. I don't even think he has mentioned owning such a guitar in various interviews, so could he possibly have borrowed it from another musician who may have been touring with the group in '66? If so, is anyone known to have played a four-knob, two-pickup J-160E custom job? Any help is appreciated in ID'ing the model and origin of this seemingly rare variation of the J-160E. Photos: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerwagonjohn Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I don't know anything about the J-160E but I can't help notice the mid 1960's Guild Starfire VI. That is one nice guitar. I have a 1973 Starfire IV. Thanks John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCBirdMan Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Very cool pix. Not sure where you found them..sometimes college yearbooks had pix of various concerts. Beach Boys were known as Fender guys, but Carl Wilson/Al Jardine branched out a bit later, say by 1965. It's certainly possible that a 2 pickup J 160E could have been made. Although I missed it, an authentic early 60s LG-1 with same pickup and knob arrangement as J 160e went on ebay for only $700! So yes, there were these one-off things. I guess it's like custom orders today -- if you offer enough money they'll make it! I did read an interview back a ways back with Carl Wilson saying they got the latest amps from Fender as soon as they came out .. bigger the better. They didn't care that the large piggyback didn't have reverb (until 1968) These two photos are of the Beach Boys performing at Ithaca College, November 22, 1966. What caught my attention was the Gibson acoustic/electric which Al Jardine is playing. It looked to be a standard J-160E which would make sense for 1966, but notice there are clearly four knobs shown in the close-up of Al with the guitar, and in the side shot you can see a second pickup just above the bridge. Note also what appears to be a pickup selector switch installed underneath the soundhole, just beneath the pickguard...very unusual. Definitely not a standard J-160E! Could this have been a custom order that came from the factory with two pickups and four knobs to accommodate them? It doesn't look like an amateur modification, and to my eyes it appears to have been built that way at the factory. Was this possibly a custom, one-off request from Jardine himself in the mid 60's? I can't think of any other photos where he is shown playing this Gibson, and he usually favored other acoustics or ones "electrified" by the usual DeArmond. I don't even think he has mentioned owning such a guitar in various interviews, so could he possibly have borrowed it from another musician who may have been touring with the group in '66? If so, is anyone known to have played a four-knob, two-pickup J-160E custom job? Any help is appreciated in ID'ing the model and origin of this seemingly rare variation of the J-160E. Photos: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarfool2002 Posted August 1, 2014 Author Share Posted August 1, 2014 I did more research and found out the guitar actually belonged to Chad And Jeremy! They were on tour as a supporting act for the Beach Boys at that time, and it looks like Al Jardine borrowed it from them at that show where the photos were taken, November 1966. It does appear to have been a custom order, and I found some additional photos of Chad And Jeremy from 1966 which also show what looks like another matching electric/acoustic Gibson, two pickups/four knobs, and with a very unique design. They were also known for playing a Gibson doubleneck on stage, and that is seen in the photos as well. C&J were known for playing the J-160E and it's on some of their album and single cover photos, but these guitars were definitely out of the ordinary, not the usual J-160E. The "matching" guitar to the J-160E custom is seen in the photos being played by James Guercio, who would go on to produce Chicago, The Buckinghams, and other familiar acts in the late 60's and 70's. At this time he was touring as a guitarist and bassist for Chad And Jeremy, and I believe he was also acting as a musical director or bandleader for these live shows since he had produced some of their recordings. Could these matching Gibsons have been a custom order specifically for Chad And Jeremy, where the similar look and the same custom options were designed and built to "match" for the duo? Whatever the case, it wasn't Al Jardine's guitar after all, and that cutaway model Jim Guercio is playing is a great looking guitar, especially the 175 style cutaway and the SJ-200 style bridge. Here are the photos from 1966-67. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naedoba Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 Great post! I just picked up The Very Best of Chad & Jeremy on CD this week, and as a fan of The Buckinghams, I had no idea of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Cool guitar. I would love to get a gander at the cutaway J-160E Chad and Jeremy also had around 1966. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojoworking Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Marc Bolan also had a J-160E with cutaway. Here he is playing it on the Cilla Black show in 1971. This was the only one I'd ever seen until the Chad & Jeremy pic was posted here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerwagonjohn Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I don't know anything about the Gibson but I am really digging the Guild Starfire 6 Thanks John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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