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New EJ-160E from Sam Ash - how defective?


may1620

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Hi,

 

Long time reader and first time posting.

 

My new EJ-160E JL last arrived last night from Sam Ash, and unfortunately there was a heavy metal bar rattling around loose inside the guitar. I managed to get the bar out and it is heavy metal, magnetic, sharp edges, and about 3 inches long. The outside of the guitar looks OK, but I have played it very little - assuming I was going to return it in otherwise new condition. There is definitely some pickup to amp activity, though weaker than I would have expected, compared to other electric/acoustics.

 

Spent a half hour on the phone with Sam Ash detailing all this, only to learn that they insist on charging me for all shipping, in order to get a (partial) refund on the return. My second order with them, and likely my last.

 

So my question is, did this big metal bar come from the guitar itself, and if so what is it and where does it go? And could this heavy bar rattling around inside done damage to the pick-up, wiring, or anything else?

 

Thank you in advance!

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Hi Pete,

Thanks for the quick reply.

I believe that yes there is some amplification on every string - though I will check this carefully tonight.

I don't know this type of pickup well, so I'm not sure what in the wiring, tuning knobs etc could have been damaged, or quite how I might detect it.

Very magnetized, yes, and roughly the same length dimension as the pickup (or saddle).

Made in China model, if that matters.

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The EJ160 comes with a P100 stacked single coil pickup.

The piece your describing sounds like the aluminum backing plate portion of the pickup.

This plate should have a braided silver colored wire soldered to it.

This could probably be repaired fairly easily by a local guitar tech if you don't

want to return it.

Personally , I would return it. Always check return policies of online retailers.

Some of them are not consumer friendly. In addition, a lot of retailers simply

ship guitars as they got them from the factory. Reliable dealers, like Sweetwater setup and

inspect all guitars before shipping.

Good luck.

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Is it really a P100 pickup on the $500 IB JL though? Epiphone calls it "the same style of mini-humbucker pickup as the vintage models" and "Mini Acoustic Humbucker" but I see no mention of p90 or p100.

 

In that picture, the "Alnico Magnet" looks pretty close to the piece in question.

 

So I am actually in the return process after all. Once given the choice, I ended up electing an exchange, and will report back on how that goes.

 

Thanks for all help and info!

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Is it really a P100 pickup on the $500 IB JL though? Epiphone calls it "the same style of mini-humbucker pickup as the vintage models" and "Mini Acoustic Humbucker" but I see no mention of p90 or p100.

 

Yes and no, by that description.

 

A P-100 is a "Stacked" mini-humbucker, arranged so that it's in the "style" (or form factor) of the original, single-coil P-90 pickup that would have been included on a '60s Gibson J-160E. When Gibson reintroduced the J-160E as the J-160E Standard in 1991, it was given a P-100. I wouldn't call that vintage, though. With its x-bracing and solid top, the Epiphone EJ-160E is actually a version of this guitar (the Standard as introduced in 1991), and not really very much like the P-90 equipped ones that Lennon and Harrison had, which had laminated tops and ladder bracing to control feedback. Epiphone's description combines the two designs in a mash up.

 

More recently, (I forget the exact year just now, but in the mid/later 2000's), Gibson gave the Standard a P-90 again. '60s spec Gibson J-160E's (like the Lennon signature models) always got a P-90 as far as I know.

 

Red 333

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