Calling 50's Gibson archtop fans: help with guitar ID

[beNsteR]

hi guys, i need help ID'ing this guitar being sold in my hometown on yahoo auctions. the guy doesn't seem to know what model this guitar is. any of you familiar with this guitar? is it a safe buy?

link: http://auctions.yahoo.com/sg/auction/97413515

[BPlexico]

This looks like an ES-125 to me - I have an early 60's ES-125T (which is the thinner bodied version).

I paid $650 USD for mine last year - used of course....the thicker body ones are worth more ...

-- Barr

[cbperkins]

Looks like late 1940s early 50s ES150s I 've worked on before. Cool guitars but the starting price seems a little steep.

Erick

[terrasbeest]

hi guys, i need help ID'ing this guitar being sold in my hometown on yahoo auctions. the guy doesn't seem to know what model this guitar is. any of you familiar with this guitar? is it a safe buy?

link: http://auctions.yahoo.com/sg/auction/97413515


http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson4.html

If it's a Gibson maybe you can find it here.

[terrasbeest]

Looks like late 1940s early 50s ES150s I 've worked on before. Cool guitars but the starting price seems a little steep.

Erick

These are SINGAPORE Dollars ( value about 2/3 of a USD-just to give you an idea, check it with your bank before you actually bid)

[beNsteR]

Yup those are Singapore dollars, it would be US$1500. How's the price?

Guess i'll have to arrange to see the guitar in person when i'm free. Singapore is a small country. :D

[John Phillips]

It's a 50s ES150 as the seller says. The 125 only had a 19-fret neck, and no fingerboard binding. The 150 had dots until 1951, and a pearl logo until at least then. The body size is also definitely ES150 - the 125 is smaller.

However it does appear to have a 125 non-adjustable-pole P90, so it may be a replacement or made when left-over parts were being used up.

All this is in the very good Duchossoir 'Gibson Electrics' book BTW. I once owned a mid-50s ES125 and it definitely wasn't the same as that one.

[BPlexico]

I stand corrected - good eyes John - I missed the binding - inlays - and a few of the other details - including the tuning keys - though my ES-125T does have a 20 fret neck...

[John Phillips]

I think the Ts aways did have 20 frets - I had one of those too, a '57 (non-cutaway as well). For some reason most of my old Gibsons were '57s! I had the 125, a rare blonde single-pickup 225 (original tailpiece missing, so I fitted a Bigsby :eek: ), a LP Junior and a Special with a cracked headstock. The ones I miss the most are the 225 and the LP Special, but I wish I hadn't sold any of them... at least because I could have sold them today now they're worth far more! I miss the deep 125 too, but not the frustrating lack of a cutaway...

One day I will have another.... I really want a single-P90 175. It's for when I get old and take up jazz ;) :p.

[BPlexico]

Actually either an old ES-295 or as you noted a single P-90 ES-175 would be on my "for when I get old" list as well...

-- Barr