The Gibson ES-125

[DB's Jazz Guitar Blog]

That guy could make a twig with a string sound great. I don't know where I've been, but MVI is one of the best, period.

Never heard him earlier? He's BIG. Pete Bernstein loves him and plays with him regularly. Russell Malone came to see him play at Birdland a few weeks ago.

I have written about him a lot on my Blog.

DB

[ruger9]

Over here in Europe asking prices are mostly between 2 - 2.5k euro. In the US (sometimes way) under 2k dollar I'd think. Reverb shows a price range that seems ridiculously low to me.

DB

Hmm... well I do see several under $2K US... but others up at $4K, for no apparent reason! But I seem to see this with ALL items in recent years.... a $200 pedal being sold used for $100, and also new for $400.... it's nonsensical!

But yes, it seems $2K to be about the "going rate" here for one in good shape, and all-original. Which doesn't seem ridiculous, considering you can't buy a new one, and so many new guitars these days are WELL over $2K...

[Michael Neverisky]

... but others up at $4K, for no apparent reason..

I agree that $4k seems overpriced, but the value of a musical instrument to a player can never be accurately assessed from photos and a spec sheet.

I'm an amateur old-time fiddler and in the violin community the violin that has had cracks cleared and the pegbox filled and redrilled is often the better musical instrument than the pristine "all original" fiddle. Why? Because it sounded so good previous owners played the hell out of it and thought it worth repairing.

Note in the video of MVI above... that guitar has replacement tuners that don't even try to look original!

[Little Jay]

Amongst the younger generation jazz guitar students in my area (Netherlands: Rotterdam, The Hague, Amsterdam), the ES-125 is quite popular. I know at least 5 conservatory students or recent graduates playing one. Martijn is probably responsible for that ;-)

[DB's Jazz Guitar Blog]

Amongst the younger generation jazz guitar students in my area (Netherlands: Rotterdam, The Hague, Amsterdam), the ES-125 is quite popular. I know at least 5 conservatory students or recent graduates playing one. Martijn is probably responsible for that ;-)

Quite so. That was already the case in 1998 when I bought my first ES 125 at the String in Amsterdam. The owner of the store told me the 125 was popular among jazz guitar students ... I sold this one later.

I bought my second one in the same store by the way. He often has one for sale.

DB

[Little Jay]

Quite so. That was already the case in 1998 when I bought my first ES 125 at the String in Amsterdam. The owner of the store told me the 125 was popular among jazz guitar students ... I sold this one later.

I bought my second one in the same store by the way. He often has one for sale.

DB

The String has a '54 for sale at the moment: https://www.marktplaats.nl/a/muziek-...reviousPage=lr

€2.295, which is not a bargain I think, but it´s what the market seems to dictate.

[DB's Jazz Guitar Blog]

The String has a '54 for sale at the moment: https://www.marktplaats.nl/a/muziek-...reviousPage=lr

€2.295, which is not a bargain I think, but it´s what the market seems to dictate.

I paid:
1998 1136 euros
2017 1800 euros

These days they are all 2k+ in Europe.

DB

[vinlander]

I paid mine 2200 canadian $ in march last year which translated to about 1700 us$ at the time.
Original electronics and P90, I only had the input jack changed as it was having bad contact.
It was also missing the pickguard and the TP was not original, fretboard had been planed and freshly refretted by luthier. It is in excellent playing shape and cosmetically quite nice.
Since then I could source an original TP and have a pickguard made for it.

Note in the video of MVI above... that guitar has replacement tuners that don't even try to look original!

Unless mistaken, I recall having read somewhere MVI's 125, which use to belong to Wim Overgaauw, was a '56 .
It appears the original tuners have been changed for Kluson Deluxe double rings and the fret board probably was planed as its dot inlays appear bigger than usual

[ruger9]

Any of you buy them online (sight unplayed)? Or MUST they be played, to be sure of playability, etc?

Forgive me, I'm used to solidbody electrics, which are much more forgiving, and higher-end NEW electric archtops (like Gretsch) where QC is consistent. As for vintage gear, I've played gems and I've played DOGS. As much as I'd love to jump on an ES-125 someday, it's a bit scary to buy sight unplayed.... I realize certain things can be a given... perhaps it needs a fret dress, or a new nut, or maybe the 70-year-old volume pot is scratchy... but I'd hate to get on that maybe needed a neck reset or something...

[AlohaJoe]

I keep coming back to the simple, no bs, ES-125. It's got the sound. This one is very clean with very little wear and is set up well. Over the years many guitars have come and gone but this one stays... within reach. Everything is original other than the warped guard, replaced with a spare I had for my old same-size L4 trimmed around the pickup, and the knobs are bakelite pointers. I run it through a rehabbed vintage '65 PR, which to my ears is a great tonal combination for the right size venue.

[ruger9]

She's a beauty! And I love those knobs, look much better than the original ones, imo.

[omphalopsychos]

The mahogany ones are especially sick.

[wzpgsr]

The mahogany ones are especially sick.

What’s going on with the fretboard inlays? Never seen a 125 without dots. Really nice!

[Little Jay]

What’s going on with the fretboard inlays? Never seen a 125 without dots. Really nice!

Between 46-48 they had trapezoids!

Those later returned shortly on the ES-135 (not the later reincarnation).

[Dedalus]

Love this thread. For me this has to suffice, at least for the time being, but this thread has given me serious GAS.
Thanks, DB.

[Little Jay]

Very early post war ES-125s have some different features:
- trapezoid position markers (until‘48)
- open tuners (closed Klusons after ‘50)
- a flat back braced like an acoustic (until about ‘50, but some laters have it and some earlier ones already have the arched back)
- tapered headstock (Taper gradually disappears after 51-52 or so)
- all mahogany laminates (until about ‘52)
- a flat pole (non adjustable) P90 (until ‘51 or so)
- different tailpieces before they switched to the ‘raised diamond’ type (until ‘51-52)
- clear perspex barrel knobs without numbers
- 19 fret fretboard (until about ‘53-54)
- solid foot bridge

After 1954 the ES-125 had evolved to its final appearance.

Mine has all the early features, but the tuners have been replaced for Klusons and it came with a humbucker (now replaced by a ‘47 adjustable pole pieces P90). Bridge and tailpiece are replacements as well.

[Little Jay]

Love this thread. For me this has to suffice, at least for the time being, but this thread has given me serious GAS.
Thanks, DB.

The Godin is a great guitar! But a 125 feels and sounds different.....

[Little Jay]

I paid:
1998 1136 euros
2017 1800 euros

These days they are all 2k+ in Europe.

DB

I paid €1200 including a €200 Hiscox case in 2015 but I got a low price because the P90 had been replaced by a humbucker (and the cutout was enlarged) and it had an incorrect Hofner tailpiece and a (vintage) Epiphone bridge.

I invested some €300 extra for a 1947 P90 and wiring harness, rosewood bridge and a period correct US-made tailpiece. (I really shouldn’t care for those things and just play the heck out of it.... but I can’t help myself.)

Btw, it sounded great with the humbucker as well!
(But I wanted a P90 guitar ;-)

[Just Russ]

Any of you buy them online (sight unplayed)? Or MUST they be played, to be sure of playability, etc?

I did. I had to fly to Arkansas for training and searched their Craigslist for one because I knew their chunky necks felt pretty great. A guy had a 1954 model and we met in a parking lot where his wife added commentary as he pointed out that it was all original and MOSTLY okay except for where the prior owner must have put out a cigarette or something (the wife was adding that the guitar had been an anniversary present and now he's selling it to her chagrin).

The burn isn't obvious from the crowd and it looks really good. It sounds good too, though it will sound better when I get it back (currently just about everything I own is on a boat to the mainland) and set it up with flats.

$1,400 well-spent.

[sgcim]

Never heard him earlier? He's BIG. Pete Bernstein loves him and plays with him regularly. Russell Malone came to see him play at Birdland a few weeks ago.

I have written about him a lot on my Blog.

DB

I had heard of him, and even have one of his albums downloaded that I wasn't aware of, but he's smart enough to not over record, and he said in his interview with you that he only comes over to the US once every decade, to check out what the guys in NY are doing.

[DMgolf66]

I had heard of him, and even have one of his albums downloaded that I wasn't aware of, but he's smart enough to not over record, and he said in his interview with you that he only comes over to the US once every decade, to check out what the guys in NY are doing.

Where is the interview? I'd love to hear it!

[grahambop]

Where is the interview? I'd love to hear it!

Probably this:

Dutchbopper's Jazz Guitar Blog: interview Martijn van Iterson

[2bornot2bop]

Damn, Martijn van Iterson can play! Thx for posting DB!

[DB's Jazz Guitar Blog]

I'm a bit surprised MVI still causes a stir. I thought every jazz guitar enthusiast would know his name by now. He's not just a decent player (there are a great many of those). Or even a good one. He's among the best of the best.

I recorded these myself many years ago at the Crow. Been following him since the mid 90s.

DB

[vinlander]

Jazzerman sold me on the Tal Farlow around 2005-6 with his youtube videos...I could only make it happen in 2015!
MVI pretty much did the same with his 125...fortunately it was much cheaper
Both are now keepers and in my book, best Gibson value in their own respective way!