clarkuss Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 What's the best way to make this a playable guitar live? It sounds horrible plugged in. I'm debating whether to replace the pick up, get a microphone put in it or just buy some sort of pedal to boost the EQ and volume! Any ideas? I think it sounds great unplugged, looks great, feels nice and has the stylistic features I love (knobs on the body, sunburst, no cutaway) although the lennon sig looks a bit tacky! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnMcClane5000 Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 What's the best way to make this a playable guitar live? It sounds horrible plugged in. I'm debating whether to replace the pick up' date=' get a microphone put in it or just buy some sort of pedal to boost the EQ and volume! Any ideas? I think it sounds great unplugged, looks great, feels nice and has the stylistic features I love (knobs on the body, sunburst, no cutaway) although the lennon sig looks a bit tacky![/quote'] I'm with you on the John Lennon sig... less is more... Sorry, can't help you on this one, 'cause I don't know how it sounds plugged in. Maybe an EQ Pedal should do it (there are cheap ones made by Byang on ebay, great little pedals)... It's definitely better than having that cheap-looking plastic crap on the side of the guit with the volume knob and the eq... JM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGuitarPlayer Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Well...depending on how much you want to spend I'd suggest getting an acoustic pre-amp/DI box like the LR Baggs PARA DI box seen here: http://www.lrbaggs.com/html/products/preamps_paradi.shtml Or you can also spend about $30 on the Behringer ADI 21 preamp/DI box seen here: http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/ADI21.aspx Other than changing the pickup that's what I'd suggest I like those EJ160's too and wanted to buy one but the one I had my eye got sold before I had a chance to put a deposit on it. I did luck into a very well made used Epi Hummingbird instead for $250 with a new setup with a tusq saddle and nut. I hope you can get the EJ160 working for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubstar Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 are you using electric strings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted March 11, 2009 Author Share Posted March 11, 2009 Thanks for the advice. With my last one I only used acoustic strings. Do you think a switch to electrics would be an improvement? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGuitarPlayer Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 are you using electric strings? This is a good question that I forgot about. Apparently for this pickup to function properly you have to use nickle wound strings. This might be your least expensive solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxman Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Do you think a switch to electrics would be an improvement? Dude, the guitar was made to play with electric strings! Of course it will sound right when you put electrics on it. I have D'Addario flatwounds on mine now, but the guitar sounded better when I had D'Addario EXL115Ws - the set with a wound G. The flats are not as bright as those 115ws; with the 115Ws I was getting EXACT Beatle sounds. (I do have to add I was playing through a VOX AC30. If you really want to make this guitar sound fantastic, get yourself a VOX AC30 and play through that.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt the Cat Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Another alternative is to fit an under-saddle pickup routed through the strap jack. Then you have the choice of one or the other or maybe even combining the signals? Also, try DR Zebra strings. Might work nicely for both acoustic tone and amplified. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stone1281734000 Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Thanks for the advice. With my last one I only used acoustic strings. Do you think a switch to electrics would be an improvement? Yes. The EJ160E has an electric guitar pickup. A mini humbucker, I believe, on the Epi version. The Gibson version has a P-100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted March 11, 2009 Author Share Posted March 11, 2009 *walks away sheepishly to the guitar shop in his cuban heeled beatle boots* :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stone1281734000 Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 *walks away sheepishly to the guitar shop in his cuban heeled beatle boots* :D No big deal. Let us know if there's any improvement with the electric strings. Beatle purists seem to prefer Pyramid flatwounds, but that's up to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I use Gibson Masterbuilt phosphor bronze 80/20s on both my Gibson and Epiphone J160's, and they sound fine amplified. They both came set up that way from the factory, as well. Yours is acommon problem, though. I have a friend who can't get a good amplified tone with his Epi unless he uses electric strings. I don't know what type of acoustic strings he tried, but their composition does vary, and maybe one kind or another works better with the PUP in the J160E. I've strung the Epi with electric strings, but to me, it hurts the acoustic tone too much. It does give you a more electricy tone amplified, which may be what you're after. I think you're just going to have to try a few different sets in order to find what works with how you intend to play the guitar most often, and for your rig. You could also call Gibson Customer Service and see what they recommend. By the way, Gibson resumed using a P90 in the J160e Standard a couple of years ago (they were using a P100 before that, though, except on the '60s spec versions). Red 333 Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stone1281734000 Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I use Gibson Masterbuilt phosphor bronze 80/20s on both my Gibson and Epiphone J160's' date=' and they sound fine amplified. They both came set up that way from the factory, as well. By the way, Gibson resumed using a P90 in the J160e Standard a couple of years ago (they were using a P100 before that, though, except on the '60s spec versions). Red 333 Red 333 [/quote'] I have a 2002 Gibson J160E. I keep it strung with Martin acoustic strings and it sounds great both acoustically and plugged in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyroadman Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Hi - I played this guitar a few weeks ago at a local GC, and was amazed how it sounded so much like the early Beatle recordings. It was just unpacked from the shipping box, and had nickel or steel electric guitar strings - the set-up was spot-on. It sounded so different from the other Epiphone's that I played that day, as well as the Gibson's and Martin's. I can only attribute that unique sound to the strings, and as mentioned above, using a Vox amp would have been "Abbey Road". Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted April 2, 2009 Author Share Posted April 2, 2009 So I've bought another one of these guitar. I shall let you know what I think about it WITH the electric strings. If I still don't like it I'm going to get the Piezo fitted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sangemon1281734057 Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 You could sell it and get a guitar that you like.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted April 3, 2009 Author Share Posted April 3, 2009 I do like this guitar. I love it but the first one I had wasn't very functional for me but now I've discovered why that might be. I thought it was great unplugged and aesthetically it's bang on. Controls on the front of the body, long headstock, the shape and the finish. The lennon sig can be covered up by a sticker or something... I was just never so keen on the sound when it was amplified but obviously I was missing the point of the humbucker by using acoustic string. I've already got a couple of Electro acoustics so getting another one wouldn't really do anything for me because I don't have the money to by anything that will surpass my takamine at the moment. I've found one in Germany that was made in 98 in the Peerless plant and the man selling it has already installed a Piezo transducer with an EQ and separate jack so I can choose what i prefer (electric strings/humbucker or acoustic/Piezo) or maybe mix up both sounds. It's also got upgraded schaller tuners. I'm paying for it on monday so when i get them both I'll decide which one I prefer and sell the other one. Here's a pic of both of them. The one I've just bought first. The one I'm buying on monday second. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted April 6, 2009 Author Share Posted April 6, 2009 Very strange that these come stock with acoustic strings if they are supposed to be played with Electric strings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beatles Sound Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 She's mine ... Made in Korea Unplugged it's good Plugged ... amplifier depends Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted April 6, 2009 Author Share Posted April 6, 2009 What strings do you use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byrds1965 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 What strings do you use? To get the guitar to sound right you need to use electric strings. I have tried them all and the GHS White Bronze offer the best combination between making the guitar sound like an acoustic unplugged and an electric plugged in. I use the 12 guage set. The mods I have had done to mine are as follows: PU pulled and rebuilt by Duncan with Alnico magnets. Pots replaced, knobs replaced, Gibson tuning keys, blank Gibson truss rod cover and tusq bridge pins. That said, it is never going to sound like a Gibson J160E or not the Beatles J160Es. The current Gibson J160Es don't sound like J160Es except for the 60s reissue one or the Lennon with the laminate top, ladder bracing and P90. Except for the first 2 albums forget about the Vox AC30s. The only way to get the "I Feel Fine" tone is a plywood top J160E, P90 PU, and a Vox AC100, an AC50 would work also. The AC30s are EL84 based amps and the AC50s and 100s EL34 based amps. Totally different tones. An all tube Marshall 50 watt or 100 watt head clean will get you in the ballpark if you are talking the famous "I Feel Fine" tone. The Epiphone EJ160E is something different and nice with a cool vibe. It should be looked at as a John Lennon signature model and things he would have requested if he was alive, but it is not a J160E. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted April 10, 2009 Author Share Posted April 10, 2009 Hey Byrds, Thanks very much for your info. I'll be sticking some electric strings on as soon as this guitar arrives and trying it out. I'm not so bothered about the Beatles sound as much as just getting a sound I like through a guitar that I think looks the business. I guess I'll just have to play around with my options and see what I prefer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fridaHund Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 What do you want it to sound like? Acoustic? Mount a fishman pickup. That´s better than investing in pedals, strings etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stone1281734000 Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 A couple of good places to check out for good tips and discussion of the EJ160E and J160E and all other things Beatle are VoxTalks and BeatGearCavern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byrds1965 Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Hey Byrds' date=' Thanks very much for your info. I'll be sticking some electric strings on as soon as this guitar arrives and trying it out. I'm not so bothered about the Beatles sound as much as just getting a sound I like through a guitar that I think looks the business. I guess I'll just have to play around with my options and see what I prefer.[/quote'] The GHS White Bronze sets do the best job at both acoustic and electric IMO. I have tired them all Zebras, flats, electrics etc. The EJ160E sounds more like an acoustic unplugged than a real J160E which is more like playing a Casino unplugged. The stock mini HB on mine was pretty bright and mine is a good Peerless model. The new Indonesian ones I have tried at SA and GC the PUs are pretty bad and one the the pots stuck and knobs could not be moved. The PU came back from Duncan very full sounding and twice as loud but still very bright some must have been the alnico mags too. I had the pots replaced with 250k pots and the guy who did it said the ones in there where no names with no values on them. The 250k pots took some of the shrillness out of the tone. I mainly use mine through a Fender Twin or my Dual Showman, same amp more or less, and it sounds like a good electric fat hollowbody. The closest way I can describe the tone of a real J160E is a strat on the neck PU but woody. The EJ160E comes close to that sound now but with more of the solid top and the brightness of the longer 25.5" scale coming through. For an true acoustic sound you are going to have to go with one of under saddle PUs or wire it so you can have some blend with the neck Mini. Give the GHS White Bronze strings a try though. They seem to work the best in covering both bases. The tusq bridge pins also help with the acoustic tone, deeper bass tone. Some guitars they make no difference on, this one they do. Good luck trying things out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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