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c.1946 Gibson ES-300

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Body size at lower bout: 17". Scale length: 25 1/2" Nut Width: 1 11/16" Neck Depth: .80/.99 1st/10th fret

Materials: Arched figured Honduras mahogany top, back, and sides; solid Honduras mahogany neck; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge.

Hardware: Original hardware includes nickel Kluson trapeze tailpiece; adjustable P-90 pickup and electronics; compensated adjustable Brazilian rosewood bridge; bound tortoise pickguard, clear gold 5/8" barrel tone and volume knobs; adjustable truss rod. Period style 15:1 nickel Kluson Deluxe tuners installed.

Notes: Debuting in 1940, the ES-300 was Gibson's top-of-the line electric guitar. Originally sporting a huge 7" diagonally oriented pickup, the electronics were changed the following year to a smaller diagonal pickup in the bridge position. Revived in 1945, the ES-300 was fitted with a single P-90 pickup, originally without adjustable polepieces, and was built only until 1948, after which the model was refitted with twin pickups. The ES-300 was also the first electric to be inlaid with double-parallelogram fingerboard inlays, original to the prewar L-12, then ubiquitous on Gibson electrics to this day.

Examples from the postwar era bear neither label nor factory order number, but this instrument may be dated closely by its unique combination of features. Built circa 1946, it would have been one of the last with the prewar narrow Gibson peghead logo, and the bound tortoise pickguard which was replaced the following year as well. Of particular note is the body of figured Honduras mahogany, a rare feature of the earliest postwar examples. At a mere 5lb. 10oz, this rare postwar variant is notably light weight, with a warm, mellow voice.

The guitar has been maintained in fine shape, with all original nickel hardware and electronics, including one of the earliest P-90 pickups to be fitted with adjustable polepieces. With its subtly shaded original Cremona sunburst finish, the instrument is free of pick, buckle or thumb wear, with only some fine lacquer checking and a few scattered finish nicks to show for its age. The neck shows finish of a more recent decade, and has a remarkably slim gentle D profile, in contrast to the heavy C necks common in this era. Even the area around the output jack is remarkably free of stress cracking.

The action is low and inviting, with a fresh high-precision setup over all-original fretwork on the solid Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, with a fresh high-precision setup. The original P-90 pickup is clear and detailed, and the full depth, long scale 17" L-5 style body produces one of the finest acoustic voices to be found on any electric guitar.

One of the rarest Gibson electrics, this ES-300 offers classic tone, with easy, modern playability. One only: call now.

Setup: This instrument is strung with medium gauge nickel roundwound strings (.012-.054). The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 4/64" to 5/64" 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: Deluxe black arched plush lined fiberglass hardshell case.

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