70s Gibson acoustic ID

[Axelorox]

Any idea what this Gibson acoustic is? This video is from 1971. I originally thought a Hummingbird until I saw the pickguard.

[Tom Wittrock]

Gibson J-160E, possibly new for that date.

[Axelorox]

Gibson J-160E, possibly new for that date.

What gives it away - the knobs? The pickguard has thrown me off on identifying this one but it seems a lot of Gibson acoustics have changed pickguard shapes over the years.

[chasenblues]

I'd bet it was either a restrung loaner/or bought used and restrung lefty looking at the amount of wear under the top strings by the sound hole-bridge area.(And the missing knobs)

[Tom Wittrock]

What gives it away - the knobs? The pickguard has thrown me off on identifying this one but it seems a lot of Gibson acoustics have changed pickguard shapes over the years.

All the features, like the pickup and controls, and then all the inlays.
Actually, very simple to identify ... there's nothing else like that in their catalogs of that era and earlier.

[Axelorox]

Awesome analysis! I didn't even notice the wear patterns. Definitely a restrung righty guitar. It seems to have taken Paul several decades before he could find a factory lefty acoustic guitar.

[Wilko]

Gibson J-160E, possibly new for that date.

Yep. Later model with square shoulders.

[chasenblues]

It seems to have taken Paul several decades before he could find a factory lefty acoustic guitar.

From what i've read Macca is/was known to be rather tight when it comes to spending money..I'd think that from roughly mid/late 1963 onward he could afforded anything he wanted. If he wanted a lefty bad enough he could've ordered one from the factory.(Or shopped around till he found one)

[Wally]

That pickguard was introduced circa 1969 along with the belly below the bridge. The adjustable bridge/saddle there...IF I see things correctly from that glimpse...indicates the guitar was made prior to 1970. IF that is a non-adjustable bridge, then it is 1970 or later. That pickguard was changed to a teardrop pickguard sometime in the early '70's.

[Tom Wittrock]

That pickguard was introduced circa 1969 along with the belly below the bridge.

That pickguard was introduced earlier than that.
I sold an all original 1965 B-25 with that pickguard today at the Texas show.