J160e String Question

[Aaresz]

I own a J160e Peace and was told to get a close "Beatles" tone to use Pyramid flat wound electric strings, which is what Lennon & Harrison used. I found someplace to order these rare strings from but they are only available in 11's or 13's. I understand my guitar was made with 12's and don't wish to changhe the set up too much.. What are your thoughts on using the 11's or 13's?

[rar]

I own a J160e Peace and was told to get a close "Beatles" tone to use Pyramid flat wound electric strings' date=' which is what Lennon & Harrison used. I found someplace to order these rare strings from but they are only available in 11's or 13's. I understand my guitar was made with 12's and don't wish to changhe the set up too much.. What are your thoughts on using the 11's or 13's?[/quote']

 

Referring to the claim that Lennon and Harrison used Pyramids, John Hall, CEO of Rickenbacker, said "I really hate to mention it but there's some really totally unsubstantiated marketing baloney out there about who used what strings when." E.g., I've seen on-line claims that clerks at Hessy's in Liverpool recall selling the Beatles Gibson flatwounds -- the most expensive strings in the store, which makes the story a little more plausible. (If a Beatle wandered into your music store, asked for strings, and responded to your "What kind?" with "Long, shiny ones", what would you sell him?) Plus, it is unlikely that the specs and construction techniques for the Pyramids are the same after almost half a century -- there have been a lot of advances in guitar string technology over the years.

 

Anyway, I don't think there's any reason to believe Lennon stuck with a single brand, or gauge, or even type of strings on that guitar. The reason to go with flatwounds is mainly that they sound right (although really, really dead roundwounds work fine too). So, if you want to stick with .012s, which is sensible, just buy some random brand.

 

-- Bob R

[drathbun]

+1 I believe John Hall when he says Pyramids are not the same company or string they were in the 60's. The strings are not the same construction or tension. Put some nickle flats on it like D'Addario ECG25 Chromes Stainless Steel Flat Wound Electric Guitar Strings Regular Light .012-.052.

[tedkul]

I agree that there's little probablity that Lennon/Harrison (who both owned & played J-160Es) stuck with ONE brand of string. In fact, it seems like a safe bet that their guitars had different brands/gauges of strings on them at the same time. Probably sometimes a mix of flats and rounds.

 

As a one guitar, Beatles-spec J-160E owner who's experimented with a LOT of different strings, I'm fairly certain of the following:

 

1. 63-65 Beatles acoustic sounds are best rendered with Pyramid 12s. I've tried the Thomastik-Infields and the D'Addario Chromes. TIs are easier to play, but don't nail the tone, D'Addarios play pretty much the same as Pyramids (maybe a touch easier) and come a bit closer in sound than the TIs, but not quite and they don't last as long.

 

2. 66 onward--I hear flats on some songs, rounds on others. Ballad of John & Yoko? Rounds. I'm Only Sleeping? Flats. A Day in the Life? Dunno?

 

3. The Beatles guitar tone cannot be nailed with the reissue Tusq saddle that comes stock. Find a vintage ceramic through your luthier or ebay.

 

4. You've got to strum at the midway point between the soundhole and the bridge to get that Beatles sound. Try to dig in a little bit on the D and G strings on your downstrokes.

 

5. This guitar is VERY limited in what it can do well:

 

a) Recording rhythm acoustic guitar. It's got a very even balance string to string, and projects very little, so you can really dig in! With hard strumming you get a strong attack, quick decay, NO SUSTAIN. It's like a quiet archtop. Mic it up with a large diaphragm condenser and you can drive it cross-country.

 

:D Plug in the P-90 and run it through the right amp and the whole Please Please Me album becomes your oyster. Not to mention I Feel Fine. It's a decent Jazzy electric guitar (the pickup/wiring assembly is identical to the ES-125 and the Les Paul Jr., but because it's a hollowbody, it feedsback if you try to do the Billie Joe Armstrong LP Jr. thing).

 

c) Sit around by yourself and play A Hard Day's Night through Rubber Soul songs and marvel at how you're getting that distinctive acoustic sound.

 

That's ALL this guitar can do. It is not what one would consider a "good all-around" acoustic. Personally, I'm going to be buried with mine, but I can see why it disappoints some people.

 

As far as marketing baloney goes, John Hall is no slouch either. I mean no disrespect--I use marketing baloney in my business all the time too. It's practically a prerequisite of doing any kind of business nowadays. John Hall has reasons for saying what he does, and others have reasons for saying what they do. Try different things and trust your ears.

 

But if you're going to be changing strings to flatwounds, change the setup, because they have different tensions than rounds. I use 11s personally, and have no complaints.

[Aaresz]

Thanks for the wealth of information!

 

The "Beatles sound" was my reason for the purchase, therefore my quest for strings. Thanks again!

[drathbun]

+1 on the different tension on the flats.

[tedkul]

The "Beatles sound" was my reason for the purchase' date=' therefore my quest for strings.[/quote']

 

If the Beatles' sound is a thing for you, can I recommend you register at www.beatgearcavern.com , there's a wealth of information there, but it's guaranteed to give you G.A.S.!!