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Ok I checked. Mine's a D rather than C shape I see now. It's 2,5 cm thick measured on top of the fret at 1st, 2,5 cm at 5th and 2,6 cm at 9th fret. After that the heel is already starting: 3,3 at 11th.
At 1st fret it's 4,3 cm wide (3,67 cm string spacing), at 12th it's 5,15 cm wide (4,5 cm string spacing)
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11-22-2016 02:02 PM
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Top of the fret? At the first 2.2 cm thick, 2.2 cm at 5th, 2.4 cm at 9th, 2.65 cm at 11th .
Width 4.3 cm at 1st, 5.15 cm at 12th. String spacing E to e center to center 3.7 cm at nut, 4.5 cm at 12th, 5.2 cm at bridge.
Give or take a gnats hair on my figures, I eyeballed with a ruler. Any one with bigger frets is going to get taller measurements, I have stock frets.
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It's easier to make things worse. For me the hard part is interesting basket cases are harder to find and more expensive. My 125 pieces cost $10, the hardware was all gone but included I got bridges, Grover Imperials, a tailpiece and P90 coils from the same time period. This was 30 years ago from a repairman's estate sale. So there weren't any hang ups about modding, it was a resurrection. I think all of us wish we had a time machine for the deals we considered but passed on.
Originally Posted by oldane
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thats a nice sized neck. I have to have one! Where are they? Originally Posted by Little Jay
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They are attached to the older ES-125s, from '48 to early 50s (?). Originally Posted by Encinitastubes
You have to look, but they are still out there!
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I don't have a caliper, can try a guesstimate with eyeball and measuring tape, but that seems pretty unscientific. Originally Posted by Little Jay
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The following just happened and I thought it was worth mentioning:
A befriended guitar player just bought a '48 ES-125 (flatback, tapered headstock, flat pole P90) in a well known guitar shop in Amsterdam. He payed a firm price for a very battered and worn ES-125. It sounded gorgeous and played fairly well, except for a top nut that wasn't cut deep enough, which made playing in positions I to III very hard. Scratchplate was missing, electronics replaced as well as the tuners, but all the rest seemed original.
Ok, the old battered lady oozed tons of mojo and sounded great and he really really wanted an ES-125 so he bought it, inspite of suspecting a sunken top. Unfortunately he is not the most experienced guitar-buyer and I think his eagerness to own an ES-125 may have blinded his judgement a little bit.
So when he let me inspect it this afternoon, I was a little upset with what I encountered: the top had sunk indeed, and even so much that the outer edges of the f-holes were much higher than the inner edges.
Inspection of the inside with a mirror revealed that a sound post was placed to stabilize the sinking; not necessarily a bad thing and it actually works as I know out of my own experience. But much worse it was to see that the brace on bass side was broken thru completely and the brace on the treble side showed cracks as well. Clearly the cause of the sunken top!
In this case playability was still good and she sounded gorgeous but what upset me is that a renown guitar-shop would sell an instrument - that is obviously faulty and no longer original - for a very steep price in this condition without telling the buyer! I advised him to take it back and ask for a severe discount, a refund or a free repair of the bracing to stabilize the sinking. A real shame that these things happen!
(I will not reveal the name of the shop yet, I want to see first what solution they offer him.)
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Not sure of the year, but mine is a nice D shape neck and not too clubby at all. Some instruments seem to prefer one amp over another, but this one always sounds good through any decent amp.
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Beautiful! That knobs and scratchplate give it a somewhat more sophisticated appearance. Nice touch! Originally Posted by AlohaJoe
Not sure of the year, but mine is a nice D shape neck and not too clubby at all. Some instruments seem to prefer one amp over another, but this one always sounds good through any decent amp.
If you look through the treble-side f-hole you should be able to see a stamped FON (factory order number) on the back that should tell you the year of manufacturing.Last edited by Little Jay; 11-24-2016 at 04:24 AM.
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I like chicken head knobs and use them on three of my guitars.They make it easy to see (and feel in the dark) where the settings are at. Originally Posted by AlohaJoe
Not sure of the year, but mine is a nice D shape neck and not too clubby at all. Some instruments seem to prefer one amp over another, but this one always sounds good through any decent amp.
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Those stamps can be faded and hard to see. It is sort of a blue ink, mine is almost invisible these days. Originally Posted by Little Jay
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Or this one for EUR 2,300: http://www.marktplaats.nl/a/muziek-e...sPage=lr&pos=1
(originally advertised for 2,400 even....)
Exactly the same as mine, but I paid less than half of it (granted: with a butchered top to fit a HB).
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I am on the lookout now for a nice 125 for the friend who got the one with the collapsed top (he's trying to get his money back) and stumble upon some pretty crazy prices... how about EUR 3,250 for a thinline with tinkered electronics: Gibson ES125T (Vintage,Rare) - Kees Dee... oh boy
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Prices I've seen stateside recently seem to range 1,500 to 2,000 USD. Originally Posted by Little Jay
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Wow, that is a lot less! I know vintage guitars are usually more expensive over here, but dealers here are asking excessive prices. Individual sellers seem to take that as encouragement to drive up the non-Retail prices as well. A real shame. Originally Posted by pants
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Its a shame 125's have become fashionable !
cos i havn't found mine yet ...
one day I'll get a nice 125 , 150
old 175 , or a 300 would be great
i think rockers are buying em
it can't be be jazzers ... There arn't
enough of us !
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I have a ES-225 which is the thin body cutaway version. These are very nice guitar too and sell for reasonable prices.
Thanks John
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That ES-225 is a beautiful guitar as well, but I can imagine that as a thinline and with the different pickup placing it sounds a bit different.
Are they parallel braced like the 125 or do they have the same bracing as an ES-330 with the kerfed spruce liner block under the top?Last edited by Little Jay; 11-26-2016 at 07:17 AM.
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Ok my friend who bought the 125 with the collapsed top and broken tone bars returned it to the shop and they offered him a full refund, so no need to reveal the name of the shop :-)
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Yes, but if you import from US you have to pay shipping, insurance, customs and then VAT on all that.That way it adds up considerably. Originally Posted by Little Jay
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I've just purchased one of these great es 125 guitars. Plugged into my Princeton, it's sounds fabulous. It's an almost completely original 1952 (new tuners) with a very comfortable chunky C shape neck and the guitar is in amazing condition. It came with the original (I think) brown cardboard-like case. Pretty flimsy!
I need a better case. What do you recommend? Many thanks.
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Of course, yes. But some years ago you could find a nice 125 for around 1200 bucks overhere as well, and now they ask double that sometimes :-( Originally Posted by oldane
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Honestly, I'd be happy to see the price trend up. Mine was passed down from my dad, though not really in a sentimental way since he never played and paid I think $200 for it (plus a crappy practice amp) back in the late 80s. Will likely look to leverage it into a bigger purchase someday, though I am enjoying it in the meantime. Originally Posted by Little Jay
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There is a Hiscox case made for dreadnought acoustics, fits like a glove and it's a really nice, solid case!
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When I was young and foolish I had a 125, and couldn't or wouldn't appreciate it and it got traded on some more inspiring plank to suit my "style".
Much later on as I and my playing mellowed out I had an opportunity to play one much like the one the OP found. I played and played it and it touched me like few I have played. Like an ass I let a few hundred bucks difference in price I was willing to pay, and the asking price it was bought by someone else.
Never again will I let that happen.
Garnoth, You really have a jewel. A great git will make you want to play more, and maybe what you said will take a LOT less time :-)
". Now I only have to practice a million years to get the quality of playing to match the sound..."
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