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1938 Gibson ES-150

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Serial #: DGE-5422

Body size at lower bout: 16". Scale length: 24 3/4" Nut width: 1 3/4"

Materials: Solid carved spruce top; solid figured mahogany back and sides, solid one-piece mahogany neck, solid Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, pearl script logo and fingerboard inlays; bound body.

Hardware: Original adjustable Brazilian rosewood bridge, original Grover open back tuners with oval keys; original nickel trapeze tailpiece with chrome raised diamond crossbar, original Gibson bound tortoise pickguard; original single coil blade pickup w/endpin jack, original volume and tone controls with brown bakelite arrow knobs.

Notes: For the first decade of the Big Band era, orchestra guitarists chopped chords quietly in the rhythm section. This guitar changed that overnight.

Announced late in 1936, Gibson's groundbreaking ES-150 ("Electric Spanish') model was Gibson's first 6 string guitar to be fitted with a magnetic pickup, and almost instantly became the world's first commercially successful electric guitar. Quickly championed by pioneering jazz guitarist Charlie Christian, the ES-150 became indelibly identified with the artist, who almost single-handedly invented modern solo jazz guitar. The 150 has been known to players as the "Charlie Christian model" ever since, despite the fact that the manufacturer has never referred to it as such to this day.

With its massive bar magnet and smooth hornlike tone, the ES-150 pickup captivated an entire generation of formative jazz plectrists, including Barney Kessel, Jimmy Raney and legions of others. This remarkable example has the original design pickup with the straight blade, and has the triple bound bobbin introduced this model year, along with the medium-script peghead logo and original knurled brown bakelite pointer knobs.

Preserved in astounding condition, the guitar is without cracks, pick, buckle, thumb or fingerboard wear, and the solid carved spruce top and flat maple back show gleaming all-original sunburst finish. The guitar is equipped with its original Grover tuners, adjustable Brazilian rosewood bridge, and innovative nickel tailpiece with built-in endpin jack, the first of its kind. With the exception of the diamond crossbar on the tailpiece, all hardware appears original, including the signature notched bound tortoise pickguard, still in wonderful condition, and a stunningly handsome original striped tweed "aircraft cloth" case. The neck has the classic prewar Gibson "V" profile, the Brazilian rosewood fingerboard is impeccably straight, and the fretwork is impeccably installed, ready to play with smooth low action.

The tone is unique and inimitable, like an old 78 brought to life. Sparkling clear at full output, the pickup rolls off to the warm glow of an old console radio. We've never been able to keep up with demand for these classic boxes, and have never found one even close to this lustrous beauty. Don't wait for Airmail Special. Call now.

Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, recrowned and polished; trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation set; string slots at nut and bridge inspected and recut as necessary; bridge foot contour inspected and fit to top as necessary; bridge radius inspected and recurved as necessary; bridge wheels and tuners lubricated; fingerboard and bridge oiled; body and neck cleaned and hand polished.

This instrument is strung with medium gauge bronze strings (.013-.057). The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 5/64" to 6/64" at the 12th fret, with moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.

Case: Original striped tweed hardshell case.

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