Choose Your Language / Location
USA: 1-800-4GIBSON
Europe: 00+8004GIBSON1
GibsonProductsStoreNews-LifestyleLessonsCommunity24/7 Support
Products Acoustic Instruments Round Shoulder Gibson Acoustic
One Historic Acoustic, from One Legendary Artist, in Three Once-in-a-Lifetime Limited Editions


The 70th Anniversary John Lennon J-160E is built in the exacting image of the groundbreaking original J-160E of the 1950s and '60s. Much as with the design of the archetypal jazz guitar, the ES-175, just a few years before, Gibson applied a great deal of forward-looking, out-of-the-box thinking to the design of the J-160E in 1954. Prior to the arrival of this guitar, players of acoustic flat-tops struggled to be heard on stage, performing into inefficient microphones, or hassling with add-on soundhole pickups that usually faired little better.

To build one of the world's first truly successful electro-acoustic guitars, Gibson re-drew the blueprint: it crafted a three-layer laminated Sitka spruce top with ladder bracing specifically to resist feedback, used a mahogany back and sides for added warmth and richness, added an adjustable bridge, and installed a P-90 pickup (without traditional cover) beneath the top at the end of the fingerboard, along with a single volume and tone control and a 1/4" output jack. In addition, the guitar's solid mahogany neck was attached at the 15th fret to give performers plenty of access to the highest of the instrument's jumbo frets.

Other historically accurate details on the 70th Anniversary John Lennon J-160E models include its laminated Sitka spruce top, multi-ply top binding, single-ply back binding, traditional soundhole rosette, bone nut, comfortable rounded neck profile and period-correct adjustable acoustic guitar bridge. In remembrance of John Lennon, the guitars' headstocks are inlaid with John Lennon's signature, and their Indian rosewood fingerboards carry mother-of-pearl trapezoid inlays with Lennon's date of birth inscribed at the 12th-fret marker.

Production is strictly limited to 500 70th Anniversary Lennon J-160Es, 70 John Lennon "Imagine" models and 70 John Lennon Museum models. Each model comes with a special hardshell case, Certificate of Authenticity, an owner's manual and literature for Gibson's Gold Warranty.
Body and Finish
Styled after Gibson's classic round-shouldered dreadnoughts, the 70th Anniversary John Lennon models are built with a laminated Sitka spruce top with historically accurate ladder bracing and mahogany back and sides. The 70th Anniversary Lennon J-160E has a classic 1960s vintage sunburst lacquer finish, the Lennon "Imagine" model is customized with a soft white finish, and the Lennon Museum model has a very thin natural lacquer finish.
Click Here To Learn More Body Neck and Headstock
The guitar's neck and headstock are made much in the tradition of the original J-45, with the 24-3/4" scale length as featured on several classic Gibson flat-tops. Carved from a single piece of quarter-sawn mahogany to a comfortable rounded profile, and topped with an Indian rosewood fingerboard, the design incorporates Gibson's lauded 17-degree back-angled headstock, with John Lennon signature inlaid in mother-of-pearl (and abalone on the Imagine model).
Click Here To Learn More Neck and Headstock
Hardware
The 70th Anniversary John Lennon models carry an up-market hardware set, including vintage-style nickel tuners with keystone buttons, and belly-up rosewood bridge with adjustable saddle.
Click Here To Learn More Hardware Accessories
Each model comes with a special hardshell case, Certificate of Authenticity, an owner's manual and literature for Gibson's Gold Warranty. The Museum and "Imagine" models include a Special 70th Anniversary Certificate personally signed by Yoko Ono, delivered by Certified Mail.
Click Here To Learn More Accessories