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1952 Gibson ES-150
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Factory order #: Z2941-12, stamped on back inside treble soundhole.
Body size at lower bout: 17" Scale length: 25 1/2" Nut Width: 1 11/16"
Materials: Arched slab-cut maple top, back, and sides; solid Honduras mahogany neck; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard; polished aluminum nut.
Hardware: Original nickel hardware includes Kluson Deluxe tuners, raised diamond trapeze tailpiece; original P-90 single coil pickup, gold tall barrel tone and volume knobs, master volume and tone pots, compensated adjustable rosewood bridge. Vintage correct aged 5-ply beveled black pickguard and bracket.
Notes: Debuting in 1936, the ES-150 was the instrument Charlie Christian made famous: the first commercially successful electric guitar. Originally a 16" guitar, the ES-150 was upsized after the war to L-5 dimensions, with a 17" lower bout and the longer 25 1/2" scale. This noncutaway model assumed its final version in 1950, with the bound fingerboard and trapezoidal inlays.
With it's larger body and longer neck, the 150 is one of very few electric guitars that can hold its own both amplified and unplugged. Larger and more costly than the ES-125, the 17" ES-150 is also much scarcer, produced only between 1947 and 1956. (In the last year of production just 6 ES-150s were built, in contrast to some 1273 ES-175s and a whopping 3090 of the ES-125.)
This fine example has been maintained in wonderful condition, with a figured slab-cut arched maple back, and all original Cremona sunburst finish remarkably free of, pick, buckle, or fingerboard wear. Apart from a few incidental lacquer nicks, and a bit of light normal checking, the guitar looks much as it did when it left the factory almost 7 decades ago.
Gibson's soundboard and back plates in this era are a fraction of the weight of later models, and at just 5lb. 10 oz. this guitar has a surprisingly robust acoustic voice. The electronics are all original, with a clear, detailed P-90 at the neck, factory pots and cap, and master tone and volume controls with original tall barrel knobs.
The action is low and smooth with fine original fretwork, and a high-precision setup over the generous C profile neck. The voice is pure '50s: from bop to rockabilly and back. Vintage tone and performance, at a true player's price. 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: Original deluxe arched brown plush lined hardshell case.
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