Orville by Gibson J-160E: solid or laminated?

sumitagarwal · #1 05-18-2022, 07:53 AM

I've been very happy with my ObG archtop, bass, and Les Pauls and I've been considering a flattop.

I've seen conflicting reports regarding their J-160E, whether it has the traditional laminated ladder-bracing or the 1990's Gibson solid top with X-bracing.

I'm looking for something that sounds good acoustically, and as an electric playing the extra fret of clearance is attractive. Plus I just really like the brand.

Anyone know if these are solid or laminated tops?

Osage · #2 05-18-2022, 08:03 AM

I believe both were made. They were made simultaneously at the Terada and Fuji-Gen factories so the specs can differ on a certain model, even in the same year.

sumitagarwal · #3 05-18-2022, 08:57 AM

Interesting, I feel like I've never seen an acoustic ObG with a Fujigen serial number.

I have Fujigen and Terada ObG electrics, and the Fujigens are usually built a little "better" but the Teradas have a thinner more traditional finish.

sumitagarwal · #4 05-19-2022, 04:02 PM

I'm looking at this guitar, which judging from the photos looks to me like laminated wood around the soundhole, but I'm not sure: https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/...gest_buyee_top

It's my understanding that the Gibson USA solid-top J-160E's had a strap pin jack instead of a side jack, is that correct? And if that's the case I would tend to think that would probably be the same for the Orville solid tops as well.

I'm surprised just how many small variations of Orville by Gibson models there are. I've seen SJ-200's with fixed bridges and with tune-o-matic bridges, with fret edge binding and without fret edge binding. And of course the electric side of things is far more varied still.

Wade Hampton · #5 05-19-2022, 06:45 PM

Sumitagarwal, it looks like a laminated top to me. My understanding is that the bulk of J-160E’s that Gibson has made for the Japanese market, both in Japan and in the USA, are all-laminate.

The ones that the Beatles played were all-laminate, so those are more sought-after in Japan.

Hope this helps.

whm

sumitagarwal · #6 05-19-2022, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Sumitagarwal, it looks like a laminated top to me. My understanding is that the bulk of J-160E’s that Gibson has made for the Japanese market, both in Japan and in the USA, are all-laminate.

The ones that the Beatles played were all-laminate, so those are more sought-after in Japan.

Hope this helps.

whm

Thank you.

I feel like I'll end up going for a solid-top Gibson USA J-160E or an ObG J-45.

I would be more interested in the other ObG acoustics but I'm looking for a 24.75" scale.

EDIT: hah, I just looked at used Gibson J-160E pricing and I think I'll probably stay the Orville by Gibson path. I've enjoyed owning Gibsons in the past, but the Orville by Gibson value proposition, even with overseas shipping, is just much more compelling

sumitagarwal · #7 08-03-2022, 12:28 PM

Well, I decided to give this guitar a shot. Plays real nice and is in pretty minty shape. The sound is decent with the existing strings and I will have to soon see what sound I can get with a fresh set, but I took a bunch of close ups of the soundhole and it looks like 3 ply.

It's an interesting J-160E since it has the laminate top, but it has a more traditional acoustic x-brace instead of the J-160E sound deadening ladder brace. So ultimately the construction is more like a budget acoustic than a J-160E.

This is despite the fact that the Orville catalogues appear to list the J-160E as having a solid top... or at very least to my American eyes the catalogues have the same top specs for the J-160E as for the Hummingbird of the J-45.

SpruceTop · #8 08-03-2022, 02:09 PM

It looks like a solid top to me, at least right at the edge of the sound hole.

Wade Hampton · #9 08-03-2022, 03:34 PM

No, it’s got a laminated top. This is especially clear in the photo that shows the pickup, the third photo from the bottom. The outer layer of wood is quite thin compared to the middle layer.

whm

SpruceTop · #10 08-03-2022, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

No, it’s got a laminated top. This is especially clear in the photo that shows the pickup, the third photo from the bottom. The outer layer of wood is quite thin compared to the middle layer.

whm

Wade, yes, I see what you're pointing out to me, but it looks like the biggest (only?) section of what I'm looking at in most of the views of the soundhole is decently quarter-sawn spruce or some mystery wood, I guess. Don't know, maybe ...

High_Colorado · #11 08-03-2022, 04:07 PM

So pleased you posted the "Rest of the Story" and great photos! Many congrats, I have been enjoying this thread!

sumitagarwal · #12 08-03-2022, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by High_Colorado

So pleased you posted the "Rest of the Story" and great photos! Many congrats, I have been enjoying this thread!

Glad you're enjoying it! It's a good guitar, although the laminate is a slight disappointment. I'll probably continue to look for a J-45 or Hummingbird.

To truly complete the story I'll include my research materials... these are from the 1991, 1992, and 1993 Orville by Gibson catalogues. I can't read the Japanese, but I can tell that it specifies the same type of top for the J-160E as it does for the J-45 and Hummingbird (with the exception of number of plies for the binding).