Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

2017 "1962 LE" J160E truss rod cover - factory mistake?


fazeka

Recommended Posts

Hi,

I have always wondered why the truss rod cover on the 2017 run of the 1962 J160E has only one top screw securing the truss rod cover. Anyone know? Was Lennon's/Harrison's like this? I never noticed this on any (vintage) Gibson, ever.

Was it an error of the particular run?

If I were to put on a two-screw truss rod cover, would it have wood there for the lower screw to bite into?

roz6jduexqm9yplho3ha.jpg

owfsrwvfxja0avp8befc.jpg

f0sgwicuwrkxeehppxoq.jpg

Edited by fazeka
added some more...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me thinks that if 2017 was the year of Gibson’s Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, one of their creditors probably repossessed the second screw.  😊

But, seriously, I looked in Andy Babiuk’s Beatles Gear book and it shows a photo of a 1962 J160 and it only has one screw at the top of the truss rod plate.

QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff

Edited by QuestionMark
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

Look at the pic in the link I posted. No second screw in the pic of the guitar.

I couldn’t enlarge the photo in the link, but saw that in Babiuk’s book a 1962 J160 has only one screw.  I was correcting my post as a result when you just wrote.  
 

QM aka “ Jazzman” Jeff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, QuestionMark said:

I couldn’t enlarge the photo in the link, but saw that in Babiuk’s book a 1962 J160 has only one screw.  I was correcting my post as a result when you just wrote.  
 

QM aka “ Jazzman” Jeff

I just looked at my Beatles Gear book too, and yep one screw.

Edited by Sgt. Pepper
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, slimt said:

It also looks like its missing the bottom of the bell.  Its just flat with the nut.  Is it suppose to be like that?

If you look on line at a pic of JL's, yes it's like that.

Edited by Sgt. Pepper
Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, I did some research and the evidence is pretty clear. 

Gibson shipping records for June 1962 J160E's:

2_zpsfbd47952.jpg

George and John received 73157 and 73161.

As typical with Gibson and other manufacturers, Gibson made guitars in batches. They had a whole batch of J160E's made, at least 10 that shipped 6/27/62 with one shipping 7/20/62.

So, I was interested to see if others in that batch that had the one-screw truss rod cover.

Sure enough, I found at least one from that batch with photos that are clear enough to show the one-screw truss rod cover, serial 73153:

headstock front:

o0600045013317713769.jpg

headstock back:

o0600045013317713765.jpg

serial detail:

o0600045011771721468.jpg

Still is a little screwy (sorry) to me that they would use only one screw on the TRC. Live and learn!

Cheers!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...