The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    Is it real? Is it a great bargain or a total rip? Is it a potentially great guitar or a total dog? Here's the description:


    Gibson ES-350 (circa 1952), full hollow body with original Gibson P90s. Guitar was completely refinished for the original owner at the Gibson factory in the 1970s, neck was reset and fingerboard was exchanged for one for the J200 (pointy end, crown inlays, Brazilian rosewood). Very good condition, looks great, plays well, no issues, a great blues guitar. w/Gibson case from the 1970s when guitar was factory refinished.

    Thoughts on this Gibson ES-350 mongrel?-1951gibsones-350028_zps0huzrkde-jpgThoughts on this Gibson ES-350 mongrel?-1951gibsones-350050_zpscvqtomrb-jpgThoughts on this Gibson ES-350 mongrel?-1951gibsones-350013_zpsrpafofxl-jpg

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    It seems like it would be great! How much are they asking for it?

  4. #3

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    Those are old photos from Nationwide Guitars' Gallery of sold guitars 1951 Gibson ES-350 .

    Is someone else using the same photos in a sale? I would ask for current photos to avoid being scammed.

  5. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
    Those are old photos from Nationwide Guitars' Gallery of sold guitars 1951 Gibson ES-350 .

    Is someone else using the same photos in a sale? I would ask for current photos to avoid being scammed.
    The guitar Historian at his best - what a resource of knowledge. Jabs your amazing !

  6. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by QAman
    The guitar Historian at his best - what a resource of knowledge. Jabs your amazing !
    Google is my friend. After haunting ebay for over a decade, I recognise certain backdrops that characterise certain resellers. That looked like Nationwide Guitars'...and so it was.

  7. #6

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    $3650 and the seller is reasonably well known with a decent reputation. It makes sense that those are dealer photos. He's selling a bunch of expensive guitars and the rest of the photos are clearly amateur seller photos while these are obviously from a pro. On the other hand, with a major dealer already having sold this guitar, I'd feel a bit more comfortable about its provenance.

  8. #7

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    If I were playing 17" 25.5 guitars I would be all over that in a heartbeat. I especially like the earlier control arrangement instead of the 4-knob w/toggle setup. But I'm not that educated about a price for a refin. BUT IF THE NECK IS PERFECT, who cares?

  9. #8

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    Jim I thought you had health issues that precluded you playing larger 17"x3" body guitars? Hopefully that's not the case and you are either all better or I was misinformed!

  10. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by jads57
    Jim I thought you had health issues that precluded you playing larger 17"x3" body guitars? Hopefully that's not the case and you are either all better or I was misinformed!
    I'm not really sure what I can play anymore. I changed my playing position pretty radically last year when I started using the Dynarette. I have two sizes of the fusion and it allows me to adjust the guitar to my body much better than I could when it was sitting directly on my leg. I've had no back problems at all since I started using that so maybe I could play something like this.

  11. #10

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    Looks great to me. $3650 is a pretty good deal. The refinish looks very well done and a neck reset will make it play as it should for a good number of years. I am not looking at it as a collector but as a playing gigging guitar that looks great to boot.

    In 2014, I had a chance to pay $3700 for a 2000 Gibson ES5N with AlNiCo V Staples. This 1951 ES350 is no worse than than a Nashville made Gibson Custom Shop ES5/ES350. I would prefer it to a Nashville Gibson ES5/ES350. If that is worth $3700, this one is easily worth at least that much.

    Can't beat old 50s Gibson laminate archtops.

    I like it very much actually. Even if I were to own it for $3650 and be able to sell it for $3000 to $2500 later on, I would consider it money well-spent.

    I believe that original condition 1950s ES-350s with the 25.5" scale length and full-depth rim are asking for about $5000 these days. Whether $5000 is the actual transacted price is another matter.

    I don't find $3650 outrageous. YMMV.

    Rainbow Guitars just sold this asking for $4899 Gibson Custom Shop ES-5 Switchmaster Antique Natural | Rainbow Guitars . That is the closest modern Gibson equivalent if you are buying a non-vintage piece today.

  12. #11

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    Refinish or not, it's a very handsome and tasteful guitar to look at. I find the ES350 together with the L5 to be the two best looking Gibson instruments where everything clicks in place aesthetically - shapes, proportions etc.
    Last edited by oldane; 11-25-2016 at 01:02 PM.

  13. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
    Those are old photos from Nationwide Guitars' Gallery of sold guitars 1951 Gibson ES-350 .

    Is someone else using the same photos in a sale? I would ask for current photos to avoid being scammed.

    is it just me or is this level of specialized knowledge a bit freaky? (in a very good way obviously)????

    btw if this was the real thing it is the holy grail as far as i am concerned (not sure why - because i'm a 175 nut - but there it is). i think its because this is basically barney's guitar.

  14. #13

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    Oh well, look at the asking...Gibson ES-350 Electric Guitar | Reverb

    The refinish and neck reset is priced in. Go for it!
    Last edited by Jabberwocky; 11-25-2016 at 01:09 PM.

  15. #14

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    I should probably add that I don't even know if I'm interested in buying any guitar right now. I've just gone through a really tough week of travel and stress dealing with serious personal issues. I had nothing to play but but my crappy travel guitar so I did a lot more guitar gazing on-line than actual playing. Lots of guitar thoughts floated through my mind, everything from a new arch top to selling my Godins and going back to my Soloway plank with the huge neck and wide spacing and putting together a Warmoth with a hard tail Strat body and a neck with a 1 7/8" nut. I even saw a living for PRS JA-15 (a guitar that's always appealed to me) in player's condition that looked interesting but tight now I'm just going to try playing for a few hours and see how I feel. (Or maybe I'll get an e-mail from Jon telling me that my new Mambo is ready to ship and all the gas will pass for a while).

  16. #15

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    Nice I lôve it

  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
    Those are old photos from Nationwide Guitars' Gallery of sold guitars 1951 Gibson ES-350 .

    Is someone else using the same photos in a sale? I would ask for current photos to avoid being scammed.
    In a sometimes crazy and mixed up world, it's great to have someone like Jabber around!!!

  18. #17

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    Good communications with the seller and he sent me his photos of the guitar. They're not nearly as good but it's clearly not a scam.
    Last edited by Jim Soloway; 11-25-2016 at 04:46 PM.

  19. #18

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    Lovely.

  20. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
    Good communications with the seller and he sent me his photos of the guitar. They're not nearly as good but it's clearly to a scam.
    Jim, I'm assuming you meant it was not to scam. Regardless, that is a nice looking guitar. I like the J200 neck in lieu of the stock neck. rob

  21. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by rob taft
    Jim, I'm assuming you meant it was not to scam. Regardless, that is a nice looking guitar. I like the J200 neck in lieu of the stock neck. rob
    Fixed. I really am starting to hate auto correct. And definitely not. He responded promptly and thoroughly and provided useful information.

  22. #21

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    I hear ya about auto correct. I posted a link about Al Caiola and when I went back to look after it posted it came out as Al Canola

  23. #22

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    Hi Jim, if you are going to take a pass on this one, would you PM the seller's email? I am interested in it. Cheerios!

  24. #23

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    A 17 inch body Gibson with long scale and P 90 pickups.. Very difficult to find at a reasonable price from my experience. I'd be very interested in this if I hadn't just bought AKA's Super V. Definitely can be jazzy to me, not just bluesy. I always think of Jake Langley when I see these:


  25. #24

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    Gorgeous and kind of unique guitar, prefect size and perfect scale in my book.
    Add to that the "non reverse" J200 inlays and no funny pickguard so the Tal esthetic detractors can't complain
    If the neck is straight and no loose brace that is an awesome bebop machine.
    The kind of guitar that gives me very intense GAS attacks, but I am then reminded how bad it is at the moment for us Canucks to get shaft by 28% can$ devaluation.

  26. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
    Hi Jim, if you are going to take a pass on this one, would you PM the seller's email? I am interested in it. Cheerios!
    I think it's probably a bigger guitar than I want to deal with so feel free. I don't have an e-mail address. We've been communicating through The Gear Page. He's actually selling several guitars and this one is just buried in the listing. There's also a re-issue ES-5 Switchmaster in the listing as well. Here's a link to the full listing.

    http://www.thegearpage.net/board/ind...#post-23011883