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I would like very much to have an archtop guitar built in the year I was born, 1955. I would also accept 1954 since I was born in January 1955, figuring I was gestating away during 1954.
I'd prefer Gibson or Epiphone, and would like to keep the price under $1500. I recently saw a 1955 Gibson ES125 go for about that. Looked nice, but thought really, I'm not in a hurry on this, and why not ask the counsel of the sages and scholars on this fine forum?
What would you recommend, given the parameters I've indicated?
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05-23-2016 11:22 AM
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Lawson, Just be thankful you weren't born in 59. 4 years newer and 4 times the price..
I would recommend this one..
https://reverb.com/item/2050290-epip...FdgNgQodHpAKjg
But it has an ugly Gibson Solid Formed style pick guard on it..
My gut is telling me you might have to add a few bucks to the $1500 so you don't get someone elses problem. And you will be hard pressed to get a 61 year old guitar that looks as good as you do. Good Luck and have fun.
JD
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That's not strange advice.
I think around 2002 I decided to get myself a birth year guitar, I was born in 1946, November. That's wasn't THE greatest year to buy from because materials were still a little limited due to restrictions imposed during WWII... But I did end up buying a non cut Gibson L-7 that had be refinished to blonde some time in the 60s. It had a great tone unplugged, loud as heck actually, and I got an old Kent Armstrong hand wound Benedetto pickup for it. It had a pretty hefty neck on it though and eventually I let it go. These are the best shots I have of it, digital cameras weren't that great back then so my apologies in advance. I think I got it from Buffalo Brothers
Big
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I'm lucky if I decide I want a birth year Gibson, it's from the era "internet wisdom" tells everybody is crap.
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Lawson, consider yourself lucky to have been born pre-late 1957 (When I was born) or PAF's would be in the picture. (Actually we would both be lucky if like Mr. B, we were born in the Norlin era, for not only would our birth year Gibsons be more affordable, we would be younger.)
For a 1955 Gibson at 1500 bucks or under I would look for a mint L-50, a players grade L-7 or a good condition ES-150
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I second the recommendation of the 17" ES-150 or look for the rare bird 16" ES-135 whose inaugural year was 1955. The ES-135 was an ES-125 with fancy ES-150 inlays and binding.
https://www.gbase.com/gear/gibson-es...op-dark-back-a
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Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
Ah, child....
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well I am from the 70's too .... But luckily still found a nice example from my birth year Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
(although I didnt hear of the birth year thing until after I got it, and frankly, think it is a bit silly reason to get a guitar)
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I never understood the birth year thing either,
but ymmv....[and obviously does!]
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...or personalized guitars, especially if your name is....
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I remember a time when Dick meant a detective. And men called it a Cock. Gay was a synonym for joyous too. I want the time before there was Facebook back.
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Fws6, details. Lower bout? Scale length? Rim depth? Nut width?
What a beauty!
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My really snarky response deleted as the author of the above post also located an outstanding candidate for my "silly guitar" and so I became ashamed for having replied in such a tacky manner... Originally Posted by fws6
Last edited by lawson-stone; 05-23-2016 at 04:20 PM.
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Not silly at all, if this is what you want !
I have a '59 Gibson ES 125 T, which is fun to play, (nice neck, of course) and missed my birth year from just one year !
I wanted a cutaway one but they are out of my budget !
This one was within your budget 3 years ago.
Imagine if you were born 10 years later : you'd be 10 years younger BUT, you'd have to deal with these narrow Gibson necks !
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Fwiw I don't think it's silly at all and been wanting to do the same thing for my 50th. Originally Posted by lawson-stone
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No not disapprove , I said "just a bit silly". That didnt sound too negative did it ? And then again, any reason to get a nice guitar is a good one.
What about this contender ... https://reverb.com/item/693064-epiph...-original-caseLast edited by fws6; 05-23-2016 at 04:02 PM.
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I officially hereby retract my pissy retort to your post. That's a nice contender. So far I actually have 3-4 possibilities and I'm waiting for a deposit to "ka-ching" in my bank account before I seriously start dropping some cash. Originally Posted by fws6
That's a seriously nice instrument, assuming it's as nice as portrayed and described.
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Any excuse to buy a guitar that works is a good
excuse. I have a 1956 ES-225 and was born in Feb. 1957. I guess that makes it my gestation guitar. Thanks for that. John
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So here are a few of the guitars I'm looking at for my "birth year" guitar. I certainly won't be buying anything without further direct inquiry with the dealer, requests for more pictures, comments on action, etc.
If you have any observations or advice on any of these, or even other suggestions, I'd feel honored by your assistance! I'm hoping to pull the trigger around the end of this week.
A 1954 all-acoustic L50 that looks pretty solid:
https://reverb.com/item/406496-gibson-1954-l50
A 1954 Epiphone Zephyr, which also seems on the surface pretty nice:
https://www.gbase.com/gear/epiphone-...-1954-sunburst
Then this 1955 Epiphone Zephyr Regent, which has against it that it's a laminated top, though that's not fatal:
https://reverb.com/item/693064-epiph...-original-case
Last of all, this very affordable Gibson L50, missing the pickguard, but that's not fatal:
https://www.gbase.com/gear/gibson-l-50-1955-sunburst-1
A little out of my price range, but recommended by someone I certainly respect, this Epiphone Harry Volpe model:
https://reverb.com/item/2050290-epip...FdgNgQodHpAKjg
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never of fan of electric Epi's, and not because they're plywood, but those pickups are their weak point.
like others, I would highly recommend a Gibson 125 or 150, very underrated [although that's changing, you could get a minty one for around a grand a few yrs ago]
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Hey, Lawson, just change your birth date....if women can do this, why can't men?! (I bet in Kentucky if you went up to a woman you didn't know real well, and mentioned her actual date of birth, you might start the Hatfields and McCoys, Version 2.0.)
That way, you can look at guitars outside the single coil realm. Think hard....don't you remember some jazz records being played when you three years old?! I'm sure you must have a memory of them...perhaps you are suppressing the memory.
One of the things I learned from reading a biography of Mark Twain is that he never let the facts get in the way of a good story.
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That's a nice looking Gibson, the first one. I like the Gibsons. Check the seller's return policy on any of them, and ask the standard questions, e.g., relief, truss rod, etc. Good luck. It's always a bit of a gamble, and seller reputation is helpful.
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And the 1954 L50 it is. Ordered it this morning after a little haggling over price.
https://reverb.com/item/406496-gibson-1954-l50
I plan to put a neck-mounted floater on it, likely a single-coil.
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Now you've really started something. It's my 60th next year, so I'm already looking for something suitable of the '57 vintage.
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Here's the pickup I'm considering for this guitar:
https://reverb.com/item/1412133-dear...Iy4aArUP8P8HAQ
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