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J50E Info needed...


slimt

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Thanks for the Picture... that looks to be about 1952 ish..

 

The J50E is a 1956.. and is ladder braced and has a laminated top .. Pretty much a J160E .. acousticly it has that deep 50s tone. 15 frets to the body.. 20 frets total.. and its a Natural top..

 

I dont mind ingnorance.. Im pretty much in the same position with this one..

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Pardon my ignorance, but isn't that guitar pictured a J-160E in a natural finish?

 

Cool guitar! There is a thread about one of these somewhere else; I just can't think where. A similar, natural-finish J-160E showed up, marked inside as a J-50. Maybe it's the same poster (slimt) seeking additional input. If so, thanks for posting it here, slimt. If not, what a coincidence!

 

In the late 50's/early 60's, natural-finishes were a something of a rarity for Gibson, as they always were and continue to be. Since the J-50 was (I think) the only slope-shouldered to Gibson to come standard with a natural finish (it being the J-45's twin), my THEORY/GUESS is that whoever marked it at the factory wasn't sure what to call this particular guitar (which likely was a customer order J-160E).

 

slimt, does the guitar have a laminated top and ladder bracing (as a J-160E would in the 50's/60's), or does it have a solid top and x bracing (as would a J-50)? If the latter, that might make your guitar some kind of unique hybrid, and the forerunner of today's J-160E Standard (which is a solid topped, x-braced guitar), and also help explain why it's marked as J-50 instead of J-160E.

 

Very cool none the less.

 

Red 333

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Hi Red, yes it is the same poster posting... [smile]

 

This is a ladder Brace, Laminated Top.. Clearly Stamped as a j50E.. and serialed as a 56.. (V) . I was thinking the same thing about it being a back in the day Custom Shop or special order..

 

Why its marked as a J50 is Unusual.. beings it bares all the J160 Features..

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Hi Red, yes it is the same poster posting... [smile]

 

This is a ladder Brace, Laminated Top.. Clearly Stamped as a j50E.. and serialed as a 56.. (V) . I was thinking the same thing about it being a back in the day Custom Shop or special order..

 

Why its marked as a J50 is Unusual.. beings it bares all the J160 Features..

 

I guess that since the J-50 was a natural topped J-45, someone must've thought a natural topped J-160E was one, too! How'd you come by such an interesting model?

 

Red 333

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I aquired this from a Minister ( the Church Kind) about 1 month ago... it was in his possesion since 1961-2..

 

There is No stampings on the back of the peg head , Made in the USA.. so its not a made for export model..

 

Im up in Canada..

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