Sold - 1953 Gibson ES-350, P90's, original case, Bigsby

DB1

Ah - I love this guitar. It's just come back from a refret and the electrics have been serviced and cleaned. I'm just about to (well, I'm not, I'm just paying for it) embark on a bit of a house renovation project, so I'm anticipating some bills that will make my legs water.

As you've probably gathered, it's a beautiful Gibson ES-350 from 1953, and it plays brilliantly. The honk from the P-90's is straight back to 1952, not that I'm quite that old, and it makes a fantastic jazz, blues and rock and roll guitar, with a later (1960's) Bigsby added to give Gretsches a run for their money.

I only have one pic at the moment, but can take some more if there's any interest - my idea is for it to go off for a commission sale, but I thought I'd give it a couple of days or so on here.

What's right with it? Well, look at it. It's beautiful. It sounds fabulous, it's easy to play, the action's good and it's just been refretted. It's got it's original case, which is worth £350 plus by itself, bizarrely.

What's wrong with it? Well, nothing's WRONG with it. It's had a fretboard shave at some stage, and I suppose that was because years of playing that wore bloody big grooves into the fretboard. It means that the side dot markers are at fretboard height. On the plus side, it makes the neck slightly less chunky, although it's not a bat by any means. It hasn't got a pickguard. That's about it.

If anyone's interested, I can take more pics, but as you might be able to tell, I'm sulking a bit.

Drop me a message if you're interested - I don't really fancy trades due to the aforementioned bastard house costs, although I know it's a big chunk of cash, so you could try me.

I'm asking £5995, which is about £500 less than it will be advertised for on a commission sale, but happy to negotiate privately for Fretboard chums.

Now £5695 to Fretboard chums. Now £5250 this week

In the same vein, here's my 1959 ES-125. It's in glorious condition, with the only oddity being that someone decided to lacquer it some time ago. It's been refretted, I've sold it twice before and bought it back, and would like dibs on it again! It plays just as easily as a modern guitar, although it has a chunky (but not too chunk) '59 neck, as I suppose it would, being from 1959.

£2295 and I'll deliver it or meet up in areas with electricity and running water. North Yorkshire delivery also possible. It has a nice generic case with it.  I also have a lovely correct Lifton case as well, by separate negotiation.  I don't want to sell the case first, in case (sorry) someone wants the 'guitar/original case' package.

Happy to deliver or meet up, of course, but I'm a bit too fed up to mention the various and seedy meeting  areas of dubious morals which I normally delight in listing. Of course, I will though. I was going to take advantage of the eBay offer with this, but I'd prefer it to go to a forum member, so it's just on here for a few days.

PM me if it might be of interest. Or even about the meeting areas. You'll have to bring your own soap though.  And shorts.

AlexO

Incredible!!! 

Jalapeno

Wow !

danishbacon

Big wow. Tal’s weapon of choice 

DB1

danishbacon said:

Big wow. Tal’s weapon of choice 

Before anyone starts, Fred's referring to the guitar. At least I think so......  

DB1

1959 Gibson ES-125 added! Sob.

DrCornelius

Bloody Hell Dave, you do sell some proper keepers

DB1

I usually buy them back again though, Con.

slacker

DB1 said:

1959 Gibson ES-125 added! Sob.

I have a1952 es125 that I think of selling until I play it.

DB1

I've had to give you a 'wis' for that. They're fabulous guitars, and the only way to get into a 1950's Gibson for (relatively) not much money. If I sell another couple of bits and bobs, this will be staying, although a 1955 ES-175 suffices in its place.

DB1

Right, a few more of the ES-350. I've had a few questions about the fret wire size used etc, but I can't answer those just yet (I asked them to be sympathetic to the original specs and they are) because I need to talk to the chap that actually did them, but here's a few more pics. I have lots more now - a discussion about a potential sale is well under way with a fine gentleman of the forum as well, but I thought I'd upload a few pics, including the one that shows that the fretboard has had a haircut. This guitar must have been played and played. Which is what it's all about really.

DB1

And a few more of the ES-125.....

DB1

It's been brought to my attention that in one of the ES-125 pics, it looks as if I'm wearing a tennis skirt. This is, of course, nonsense.

It's a rounders skirt.

danishbacon

Can we see pics of the skirt?

DB1

PM'd.

lesyeuxnoirs

This is indecent, sir, and I shall report you to the mods

I am so glad that: 1) I’m not in the county and 2) the 350 has a bigsby…because that saves me the temptation. 

That 125 on the other hand….

ps - you’re asking too little for the 350 

Gassage

Everytime David slings a pic of the 350 up, I swoon and search for the DM button.

I then watch Scotty Moore videos and thankfully the skill levels terrifies me so much that I realise this would be wasted in my bear paws.

danishbacon

Gassage said:

Everytime David slings a pic of the 350 up, I swoon and search for the DM button.

I then watch Scotty Moore videos and thankfully the skill levels terrifies me so much that I realise this would be wasted in my bear paws.

Don’t be silly @Gassage, one of the greatest improvements to my playing and understanding of music came after getting into archtops and I don’t exactly have slender, agile fingers. 

Gassage

danishbacon said:

Gassage said:

Everytime David slings a pic of the 350 up, I swoon and search for the DM button.

I then watch Scotty Moore videos and thankfully the skill levels terrifies me so much that I realise this would be wasted in my bear paws.

Don’t be silly @Gassage, one of the greatest improvements to my playing and understanding of music came after getting into archtops and I don’t exactly have slender, agile fingers. 

This is unfair. I am now further tempted.

DB1

The Bigsby's apparently a 1960's addition, so quite interesting in it's own right. One of the draws of it (for me) was the Bigsby as it adds a rockabilly vibe - apparently it was played for years (along with a 1950's Cadillac Green Gretsch Country Club) in a rock 'n' roll band. I bet they looked ace.

It's got that lovely old P-90 restrained growl about it at low volume, and is great for warm, jazzy stuff, but gives that quintessential fifties honk at higher volumes - using the volume controls, not the amp necessarily. It's also a pretty awesome T-Bone Walker type of sound and feel without the bother of a third P-90 getting in the way.

As for Scotty Moore, well, that would be lovely, but I'm more Patrick Moore and I love them. It's the enjoyment of having them and getting a few decent notes out of them and feeling the spirit of them (look, I'm trying to avoid saying 'mojo' here, OK?).

I have fingers that are only good for eating honey out of a jar, but I still enjoy the guitars very much.

The ES-125 is - even though the neck is comfortably chunky - a cinch to play. As easy as a modern archtop. The ES-350, due to it's bulk, is more of an occasion to play - I don't mean 'play it occasionally', it just feels a bit special.

Price wise @EvansDrD - that's an interesting observation. It looks like £8,000 (by the time import duty and shipping has been paid) will get one from the USA, but they're pretty rare to find, so it's difficult to tell. I've taken into account the lack of pickguard and the fact that the fretboard has had a shave. It doesn't affect the playing of it, but but obviously the marker dots are a giveaway.

I think it will go up at about £6495-£6995 with a dealer, but not sure yet. It's a reluctant sale (as is the ES-125 which is beautiful), so it depends if something else sells.

Gassage

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