Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Guitar Amps
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Artist news
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Software & Apps
  • Drums
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • You Oughta Know
  • Fake AI band
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Wrecking Crew
Recommended reading
On the left, a Gibson Les Paul Standard Double Cut, solid-bodied, in Vintage Cherry Sunburst, it looks like the archetypical singlecut. On the right, the new Les Paul Parlor, a guitar that applies the LP aesthetic to a small-bodied acoustic.
Guitars Gibson has just unveiled a new Les Paul like no other
Epiphone goes high-end with its Inspired By Gibson Custom 2025 collection: [from left] the '63 Firebird in Polaris White is joined by a 1959 Les Paul Standard, a '64 SG Standard, a 1960 Les Paul Special in TV Yellow and a 1962 ES-335 reissue.
Guitars Epiphone expands and upgrades Inspired By Gibson Custom range with 8 stunning "reissue" electrics
Harley Benton HBJ-45E SBK
Guitars Harley Benton unveils dreadnought inspired by a classic workhorse – and it is crazy affordable
Gretsch Limited Edition Jim Dandy Parlor Solid Top
Guitars Gretsch drops two limited edition Jim Dandy acoustics with solid spruce tops and off-the-charts mojo
Epiphone Jeff Beck Oxblood 1954 Les Paul
Artists Epiphone unveils Inspired By Gibson Custom version of Jeff Beck’s iconic 1954 Oxblood Les Paul
Jackson Pro Plus Pure Metal Series: the new limited range strips the Soloist, Rhoads and Kelly down with a single Fishman bridge humbucker, Floyd Rose and black finishes as standard
Guitars Jackson unveils stripped down single-pickup shred classics in ltd edition Pro Plus Pure Metal range
Gretsch Broadkaster Jr LX Center Block with Bigsby
Guitars Gretsch’s unveils new MIJ high-end semi-hollows with redesigned bodies and Pro Twin Six humbuckers
  1. Guitars

NAMM 2016: Epiphone unveils Ltd. Ed. EL-00 PRO Mahogany and EJ-160E acoustics

News
By Guitarist, Total Guitar ( Total Guitar, Guitarist ) published 21 January 2016

A 'blues box' and a 'rock classic'

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Introduction

Introduction

NAMM 2016: Epiphone has revealed two new limited edition electro-acoustics, the EL-00 PRO Mahogany and EJ-160E.

The EL-00 PRO Mahogany is rooted in the 'golden age' Epiphone acoustics of the early 20th century. It swaps out the spruce and adds a solid mahogany top to the 'select mahogany' back and sides of the production run model.

Meanwhile, the Ltd. Ed. EJ-160E, sees Epiphone adopting parent company Gibson's iconic J-160E electro-acoustic - a model first debuted in 1954 that became favoured by John Lennon, Elvis Costello and Lightnin' Hopkins. The new model emulates the solid spruce top and mahogany body of Gibson's original and augments it with an Epiphone Stacked P-100 humbucker, as opposed to the uncovered P-90 single-coil.

Both models will be available "for a limited time only" from Epiphone dealers.

Page 1 of 3
Page 1 of 3
Epiphone Ltd. Ed. EL-00 PRO Mahogany

Epiphone Ltd. Ed. EL-00 PRO Mahogany

PRESS RELEASE: The Epiphone Ltd. Ed. EL-00 PRO Mahogany Acoustic/Electric is a new addition to the classic line of flattops that trace back to the first golden age of Epiphone in the 1930s.

The smaller "parlor" or "blues box" style acoustic guitar is favored by blues players of all eras for its woody tonal quality, short scale, and comfortable weight which makes it ideal for fingerpicking or the bark of a bottle neck slide.

And the new Ltd. Ed. EL-00 PRO Mahogany not only features the warm, expressive sound of a solid Mahogany top but now you can plug in with the Fishman™ Sonitone™ soundhole preamp and Fishman™ Sonicore™ system for pro acoustic/electric sound.

Solid Mahogany Top

The Epiphone Ltd. Ed. EL-00 PRO Mahogany Acoustic/Electric features a Solid Mahogany top with 3-ply Ivory and Black color binding and is available in a classic Mahogany finish or Vintage Sunburst. Mahogany has long been a favored "tonewood" revered for its ability to sound "played in" from the first note.

The EL-00 body features select Mahogany with elegant single-ply Ivory binding on the back and single ply Black binding on the fingerboard. The combination of Mahogany for the neck and body along with a Mahogany top gives the Ltd. EL-00 PRO Mahogany a tone you might think could only come from a guitar that's been played for decades.

The smaller body (15.5" wide at lower bout) and straight Rosewood bridge also influences the Ltd. Ed. EL-00 PRO Mahogany's tone, which is slightly warmer and less forward than a dreadnought and is perfect for both solo singers and even slide guitar. The 24.75" scale Mahogany neck has a SlimTaper™ "D" profile with a 1.68" imitation bone nut and is set with a hand-fitted dovetail neck joint using premium Titebond™ glue.

The Rosewood fingerboard has a 12" radius, 19 medium frets, and pearloid dot inlays. The classic "Tortoise" style pickguard has a vintage metal "E" and the straight Rosewood bridge also features a compensated imitation bone saddle like Epiphone's acclaimed Masterbilt series.

Fishman™ Pickup System

The Ltd. Ed. Epiphone EL-00 PRO Mahogany Acoustic/Electric comes with the superb Fishman™ Sonitone™ preamp and Fishman Sonicore™ pickup system. Fishman™ is an industry leader in bringing a guitar's true acoustic tone to bigger stages.

The Sonicore™ pickup is set underneath the saddle. The Sonitone™ sound-hole preamp is an active preamp mounted in the soundhole with easy-to-access mounted rotary controls for Master Volume and Tone adjustment. Now you can make your adjustments during soundcheck and even fine adjustments on-the-fly during your set. No more running back and forth to your amp or the soundboard!

Finally, your tone is in your hands right where you need it. A single 9-volt battery powers the active preamp. And you can connect your Epiphone Ltd. Ed. EL-00 PRO Mahogany to a PA or amp of your choice with a standard 1/4" instrument cable. Batteries typically last up to 100 hours.

Page 2 of 3
Page 2 of 3
Epiphone Ltd. Ed .EJ-160E

Epiphone Ltd. Ed .EJ-160E

PRESS RELEASE: Epiphone presents the new Ltd. Ed. EJ-160E Acoustic/Electric, one of rock n' roll's most revered guitar designs now featuring a Solid Spruce top with an Epiphone Stacked P-100™ Humbucking pickup and available in two beautiful color finishes--Natural and Vintage Sunburst.

The original "J-160E" was one of the first acoustic/electric guitars on the market when it was released in 1954. Over the decades, the "J-160E" has been embraced by a wide range of artists like Lightin' Hopkins, Paul Weller, and of course John Lennon.

In fact, the "J-160" acoustic/electric was the only guitar to appear on every Beatles album from Please Please Me through Abbey Road. Now with the new Ltd. Ed. EJ-160E Acoustic/Electric, the "House of Stathopoulo" brings this vintage and hard-to-find classic into the 21st century with a Solid Spruce top, the King of Tonewoods.

Solid Spruce: The King of Tonewoods

Just like the original, the new Epiphone Ltd. Ed. EJ-160E has the same profile of the industry standard "Southern Jumbo" acoustic and features a Solid Spruce top with a Select Mahogany body. Solid Spruce is the "top" of choice for premier acoustic guitars.

The more you play your EJ-160E, the more open and expressive the tone. The body top has 5-ply Ivory/Black binding while the Select Mahogany back has single ply Ivory binding. The pickguard is imitation tortoise with the 60s era "E" metal logo.

The EJ-160E bridge is made from Rosewood and has the reverse belly design familiar to "J-160E" collectors and features a compensated bone saddle.

The Select Mahogany neck has a comfortable "1960s" SlimTaper™ D-profile and is glued to the body using a Dovetail joint. The neck has a 24.75" scale with a Rosewood fingerboard with vintage style pearloid "Trapezoid" inlays just like the original models. The fingerboard has single ply Ivory color binding and features a 12" fingerboard radius, 20 medium frets, and a bone nut along with the Epiphone classic Sloped Dovewing headstock.

Revolutionary Electric Sound

What made the original J-160E so renown was its unique pickup system. And to bring that sound back to life for the 21st century, the new Epiphone Ltd. Ed. EJ-160E features an Epiphone Stacked P-100™ humbucking pickup at the end of fingerboard.

The Epiphone Stacked P-100™ pickup is seated discreetly between the end of the guitar's fretboard and the sound hole. Master Volume and Tone controls feature Top Hat knobs with metal inserts and pointers--just like vintage models--and are located on the guitar's lower bout. And each volume and tone control use full-size 500K potentiometers.

Page 3 of 3
Page 3 of 3
Total Guitar
Total Guitar
Social Links Navigation

Total Guitar is Europe's best-selling guitar magazine.

Every month we feature interviews with the biggest names and hottest new acts in guitar land, plus Guest Lessons from the stars.

Finally, our Rocked & Rated section is the place to go for reviews, round-ups and help setting up your guitars and gear.

Subscribe: http://bit.ly/totalguitar

Stay up to date with the latest gear and tuition. image
Stay up to date with the latest gear and tuition.
Subscribe and save today!
More Info
Read more
On the left, a Gibson Les Paul Standard Double Cut, solid-bodied, in Vintage Cherry Sunburst, it looks like the archetypical singlecut. On the right, the new Les Paul Parlor, a guitar that applies the LP aesthetic to a small-bodied acoustic.
Gibson has just unveiled a new Les Paul like no other
Epiphone goes high-end with its Inspired By Gibson Custom 2025 collection: [from left] the '63 Firebird in Polaris White is joined by a 1959 Les Paul Standard, a '64 SG Standard, a 1960 Les Paul Special in TV Yellow and a 1962 ES-335 reissue.
Epiphone expands and upgrades Inspired By Gibson Custom range with 8 stunning "reissue" electrics
Harley Benton HBJ-45E SBK
Harley Benton unveils dreadnought inspired by a classic workhorse – and it is crazy affordable
Gretsch Limited Edition Jim Dandy Parlor Solid Top
Gretsch drops two limited edition Jim Dandy acoustics with solid spruce tops and off-the-charts mojo
Epiphone Jeff Beck Oxblood 1954 Les Paul
Epiphone unveils Inspired By Gibson Custom version of Jeff Beck’s iconic 1954 Oxblood Les Paul
Jackson Pro Plus Pure Metal Series: the new limited range strips the Soloist, Rhoads and Kelly down with a single Fishman bridge humbucker, Floyd Rose and black finishes as standard
Jackson unveils stripped down single-pickup shred classics in ltd edition Pro Plus Pure Metal range
Latest in Guitars
Fender Custom Shop Ariel Posen Stratocaster: Posen's new signature model was inspired by the Jazzmaster and has custom-wound AP-90 pickups. Check out those cupcake-style control knobs.
Ariel Posen’s new Custom Shop signature Strat is A) stunning and B) inspired by a… Jazzmaster?
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC++: the super-rare holy grail metal amp used by the likes of Vivian Campbell and Metallica has been officially released by the Gibson-own amp brand.
‘Crunch Berries’ are on the menu! Mesa/Boogie releases holy grail Mark IIC++ Metallica amp
Strymon EC-1 Single Head dTape Echo: the metallic gray box has cream dials, an LED that lights up blue and/or red, and is photographed here against a wooden background.
“A perfect melding of vintage sound with modern practicality”: Strymon EC-1 review
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: It's your last chance to grab a Prime Day deal on gear from Fender, Roland, Casio, Yamaha, Toontrack & more - but you'll have to be quick
Darkglass Electronics Kaamos: this high-end twofer is a hard-working addition to any bass player's pedalboard, and features a comprehensive suite of controls.
“A versatile overdrive and a high-quality octaver – two pedalboard mainstays in one box”: Darkglass Electronics Kaamos review
Ernie Ball Music Man Pino Palladino StingRay: the bass legend's new signature model is offered fretted or fretless, and in a deep and luxurious 79 Burst finish.
Pino Palladino teams up with EBMM for a signature StingRay inspired by the bass that started it all
Latest in News
Miley Cyrus performs during Miley Cyrus Billions Club Series Paris at Maxim's on June 18, 2025 in Paris, France
“I have the physical ability. I wish I had the desire, but I don’t”: Miley Cyrus explains why she's not touring
Fender Custom Shop Ariel Posen Stratocaster: Posen's new signature model was inspired by the Jazzmaster and has custom-wound AP-90 pickups. Check out those cupcake-style control knobs.
Ariel Posen’s new Custom Shop signature Strat is A) stunning and B) inspired by a… Jazzmaster?
Daron Malakian of System of a Down performs live in a wide-brimmed had with a custom Flying V with an open-book Gibson headstock.
Daron Malakian on how synth leads the guitar on his new album and why he doesn’t stick to one style
Spinal Tap, with David Kaff, centre
“He always had a kind word and a quick wit”: Bandmates pay tribute to Spinal Tap’s David Kaff
Fred Armisen
Fred Armisen says that the late Steve Albini was “instrumental” in the creation of his new album
Damon Albarn performs with Africa Express at Pohoda Festival on July 10, 2025 in Trencin, Slovakia
“I’ve been incredibly busy making music...”: Damon Albarn teases a new Gorillaz album

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...