Help to id an old Gibson

[wmachine]

Grandson has a friend who has this Gibson, "has been in the family forever". Told him I'd try to help them id it and possibly get some idea of the value.
Couldn't get a pic of the inside, but says there is "0003" stamped inside.
Here's a start:

[vinlander]

I am far from a specialist but that guitar is most definitely post war if Gibson at all...first cutaway was on 175 right?
Would be tempted to say the logo doesn't belong on what appears to be a 125C.
The pickup is also unusual.
I will let the real specialists chime in!

[KirkP]

Here’s lots of info on Gibson ID.
Vintage Guitars Info - Gibson collecting vintage gibson guitars

My wild guess is that the body is an ES-175 (or a copy), but someone replaced the neck (as ES-175s don’t have dots) and did a poor job of scabbing a pre-WW2 logo on the headstock. The tuners could have come from an ES-175.

I don’t think Gibson ever used a lipstick pickup in Charlie Christian-style surround. I’ve never seen a pickup like that on any guitar. Lipstick pickups weren’t on the market until Danelectro first produced them in 1954. (I suspect the covers were actually made from bullet-styled cigarette lighters, not lipstick tubes.)

[Retracted]
It’s not an ES-140 since they are 3/4 size.

This google search will show you a bunch of vintage Gibson archtops. I don’t think you’ll find anything close to your friend’s.
site:archtop.com gibson - Google Search

[vinlander]

...It’s not an ES-125 since they are thinline...

not accurate as 125C did exist in full hollow
1965 Gibson ES-125C

[KirkP]

not accurate as 125C did exist in full hollow
1965 Gibson ES-125C

Thanks! So it could be an ES-125C, but why would someone change the headstock logo and where did they get that pickup? The tuners are also a much different design.

[Fred Archtop]

but why would someone change the headstock logo and where did they get that pickup?

Looks like someone wanted to retrofit a postwar Gibson into a prewar-like model. Never seen a microphone like this. Probably a homemade copy.


Cheers.

[Jabberwocky]

Rather cool pawnshop vibe to it. It does look like a Gibson though.

Looks like a dogear P90 cover into which someone implanted a lipstick pickup, and decided to dress up the border.

I bet a standard dogear P90 fits into it. It probably plays very well and sounds great. The ES-125C is rare and in original state may fetch more than $2000. In its current state, I guesstimate about $1000 provided nothing else is spoilt. Well, to me, it is worth about $1000. A dogear P90 could drop right in with no further modification, I bet. The lipstick pickup could sound great. Those Reflector knobs look original which dates it as a 1965 ES-125C as indicated above.

I would buy it as a player and not worry about the old style retrofitted Gibson MOP logo to "class it up".

[ugarte]

. . .and yet another antiques-roadshow fantasy is foiled.

[wmachine]

. . .and yet another antiques-roadshow fantasy is foiled.

Not unless it is your fanatasy. Just on a fact finding mission here. No fantasies, no expectations. Actually, the owner isn't the one that really wants to know.

[Jabberwocky]

1965 Gibson ES-125 CD "Sunburst" | Rumble Seat | Reverb

This is one with 2 pickups.

[Jabberwocky]

Those Double Ring Kluson Tuners (with ferrules and screws) as a set, if original, may be worth this:

Vintage 1960 Kluson Single Line, Double Ring Tuners for | Reverb

[customxke]

Those Double Ring Kluson Tuners (with ferrules and screws) as a set, if original, may be worth this:

Vintage 1960 Kluson Single Line, Double Ring Tuners for | Reverb

Those tuners are not the same.

[vinlander]

Double rings Kluson with double rows might indicate 1969-74 according to
Kluson Deluxe Tuners 1940s to 1960s used on Fender and Gibson Guitars - Vintage Guitars Info

[wmachine]

So it appears we have an ES-125 with a replaced pup and tuners replaced with old Double Ring Kluson Tuners. And something done with the logo. Does the headstock itself look correct for a 125?
For my own curiosity, I'll try to get a better look at the logo and tuners. And the back. I can find a similar logo, but not exactly the same. But not for a guitar like this.
Unfortunately, I won't be able to put my hands on it and will have to rely on pics and third person communication.