Gibson Reissue Out-of-production Archtops

[Doctor Jeff]

I think there's a market for the ES-135 and 137 and it's unfortunate they're no longer in production. Of course, there are a lot of thinline hollows and semis out there to choose from these days, but the 135 is a particularly nice guitar that's very versatile and would check a lot of boxes for lots of folks (rockers, bluesers, jazzers, even country...).

I realize this is a different direction than the unique guitars mentioned above, but I think Gibson could actually make money on the 135.

[nopedals]

Well ... I just learned in the Dave Barbour thread that single pickup ES-5s did exist, at least as a special order, since he had one.

[bananafist]

Very interesting to see how many people suggest Daniel Slaman as an alternative source for replicas of these guitars. This is in line with my own thinking and in fact I ordered a DS350T from Daniel just before Christmas. My build will have 16 1/4" body 2" deep, 24.75" scale and 1 3/4" nut width, to work with 11-50 strings, and an SD staple P90 - all my spec. I previously owned a Slaman built for another UK forum member, and finally decided to pull the trigger on a build of my own.
I've had an on/off relationship with various Gibsons over the years, as well as Fender and Gretsch, but I find 1 11/16" just too tight for my hands, especially now I'm old.
Just 11 months to wait now!

[Fred Archtop]

Just to contribute to the high appraisal of Daniel Slaman work, here are some pics taken 1 year ago at his workshop, during my last visit to him.

The "Garland" is a tribute to Hank Garland's special Gibson. The 2 CC equipped ES 250 is a reinvention of Alvino Rey's guitar. The LP shaped are of his own.




Cheers

[oldane]

Having been searching an ES350 for years and not found one in a reasonable condition at a price I was willing to pay, I took the case in my own hands and ordered a customized P-350 from Tom Painter when he still made guitars. The custom features was a 1.75" fretboard, a reduced 2.5" body depth and a HCC pickup with Alnico II magnets placed close to the neck. In some ways it resembles an ES350T in it's later iteration from the 1970s and 1990s. A very nice guitar which I have really bonded with.





BTW, as I read the story, the "ES350" with block inlays pictured in post #10 higher up in this thread was actually made as a custom order at a time when Gibson made a small reissue series of the ES5 Schwitchmaster. Now that Gibson was at it, the customer had Gibson make one with two P90 PUs, thus the block inlays. But of course, for all practical purposes it's a 350 less the block inlays. IMHO, it's a most handsome and tasteful looking instrument.

[pingu]

Hi Fred,

I see the Les Paul style guitars have
Adjustable CC pickups
(as on Daniel's Pat Metheny's Slaman guitar)

Do you know if these as available anywhere
as separate items ?
Are they made by 'CC pickups' in the UK ?

[Fred Archtop]

Hi Fred,

I see the Les Paul style guitars have
Adjustable CC pickups
(as on Daniel's Pat Metheny's Slaman guitar)

Do you know if these as available anywhere
as separate items ?
Are they made by 'CC pickups' in the UK ?

I think they are made by CC UK upon request by Daniel. I don’t think you can get them outside Daniel’s workshop. Recently I’ve tried to get in touch with them for CC PU in a P90 format but they haven’t answered.

Cheers.

[Burrellesque]

I voted for an ES-250. With a CC pickup of course. I think I will have to look at the Daniel Slaman option, they look very nice!

I already have an ES-350N and L-7C.

I think the vintage L-7s are very good value. You see plenty for $3000 - $4000. For a carved archtop Gibson that is basically an L-5 with less trim, I think thats pretty reasonable.

I used an online inflation calculator on the original retail price of a Gibson L-7C from the 50's. It came to $3000 in todays money.

SaveSave

[darkwaters]

Hey Gibson ! Can I have one of these please ?

[nopedals]

As a starting point, I think you want an RI to be as good as, and cheaper than a clean original. It would be silly to pay 2K for a reissue ES125 when clean originals are available at hundreds of dollars less. That's why RI D45s and Les Pauls sell well. Most vintage archtops are cheaper than a Gibson RI would be.

[Gitfiddler]

Hey Gibson ! Can I have one of these please ?

Sweet!

Not affiliated with the seller, but have you seen this...?

1969 Gibson ES-125 C, Sunburst, w/Original Chipboard Case | Reverb

[icr]

unfortunately there's probably a better chance for this 70's v2 to be reissued before any of those archtops!! hah




cheers

So true, because Gibson DID reissue this:

I can't be too condescending, because I own an original 1990s MIII and quite like it.

[icr]

Nice guitars, too bad his shop is half-way around the world. I'm only a few hours from Nashville, but why do I envy Fred Archtop....
I'm also interested in what the guitar building expert is reading. I notice "Gibson Electrics" in his library. I used that book as the reference for my L50 project. I'm not familiar with some of the other titles, I'll have to check them out.

[darkwaters]

Sweet!

Not affiliated with the seller, but have you seen this...?

1969 Gibson ES-125 C, Sunburst, w/Original Chipboard Case | Reverb

Oh my, isn't she pretty. A real closet classic. But $4,496.43 CAD + Shipping. Whew.

[Herbie]

Well, the ES-175 seems to be out of production. Reissue of it would be great!

For example with P90 pickup(s). I don’t need the bridge pu in my jazzer but a myriad if rockabilly guys and blues players might dig the 2 pu version.

[jazzbow]

While on the subject of Gibson corporation reissuing guitars how about Epiphone taking up the task at a more cost effective level.

I have a suggestion...


The totally unique banana head


Or the ultra rare bat wing.
(How facetious)...

Seriously though, Epi are up for it..


Just place your P90/CC/PAF in the appropriate place...

[73Fender]

Whatever they reissue I would ask that they not use the, what I assume are, period correct latches on the period correct looking cases. Please give us pull latches that close securely and not the "push on and pray they hold" latches. I assume these latches are recent as my Reissue cases from a few years back all had good latches.

And if they do reissue the archtops I assume they still have guys who know how to build them considering the recent layoffs.

Sorry for being somewhat negative, I wish Gibson well, I'm a fan.

[Dennis D]

As a starting point, I think you want an RI to be as good as, and cheaper than a clean original. It would be silly to pay 2K for a reissue ES125 when clean originals are available at hundreds of dollars less. That's why RI D45s and Les Pauls sell well. Most vintage archtops are cheaper than a Gibson RI would be.

I agree with your conclusions concerning the 125, to a point. In the 60's 125's were even cheaper than 175's, which weren't exactly flying off the shelves anyway. In its' day it was a student level guitar.
I don't know what D-45's are priced at now, but I'm pretty sure I'd rather have a '60's one than a current one, and would be really surprised that a '60's models would be less money. Are D-45's the same spec's these days ? Don't really know, so you may be correct.
But, if we look at the '34 L-5 RI's vs the vintage '34 L-5 , no way does $3000-to-even $5000. buy you an original '34 L-5, in average to decent condition. I am pretty sure you don't have to pay $5000. for an L-5 RI, and you may not have to pay $4000.

Just MHO

[Bluedawg]

So true, because Gibson DID reissue this:

I can't be too condescending, because I own an original 1990s MIII and quite like it.

LOL I had one of those briefly ... traded it ... either for a Gibson J-100 acoustic or a PRS CU-24 ... can't remember which


Kind of wish I still had the MIII

[Bluedawg]

unfortunately there's probably a better chance for this 70's v2 to be reissued before any of those archtops!! hah




cheers

I thought those were rather nice guitars

For some reason Flying Vs actually sound good to me

[Bluedawg]

As for Slaman ...

His website now says you will have a 2 year wait

I figured this would happen once he became associated with Metheny ....

Not many of us here can afford a Linda Manzer guitar

[Easy2grasp]

None of the above.
I would like to see a Billy Bean ES-175 model. A single humbucker at the very end of the fretboard with a 25 1/2 inch scale neck. That is how he modified his guitar and it worked out very nicely. It could be a popular ES-175 variation.

[nopedals]

A 1934 RI is a good example of why Gibson RIs are a bad buy. Loar makes the same guitar at a fraction of the price.

[customxke]

A 1934 RI is a good example of why Gibson RIs are a bad buy. Loar makes the same guitar at a fraction of the price.

Hardly.

[Greentone]

Hmm? At its price range The Loar LH-300 is a good buy. At its price range (which is used, of course) The '34 L-5 reissue is a good buy.

They are both excellent guitars. The Loar is the least expensive carved top archtop that I know of. It serves its owner well. I recommend it to anyone looking to enter the world of acoustic archtops. However, I consider it a worthy successor to the L-50 Gibson, not the L-5.

Now, I would MUCH rather have a 20s-30s L-5 than a '34RI. However, the RI is a worthy effort from the post-Norlin Gibson folks. It is a very nice L-5-ish.