Is this a 1939 Gibson ES-150 ?

[Kalifornia Karl]

Anyone familiar with the Gibson ES-150 1939 Sunburst? Just bought this guitar and I can't confirm the inlay parallelgram pattern was on any ES-150 from the pre ww2 era. Perhaps it was a custom order or maybe a conversion? What are your thoughts.

Thanks, Kalifornia Karl

[Zephyr690]

I’ve not seen anything like it, is there a fon legible in the lower bout f hole?


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[Fred Archtop]

AFAIK, prewar ES-150 have dot inlays. I have a '38 ES-150 model and a '37 L50. Obviously the hardware was changed on your guitar (mic's, bridge, tuners).

Best.

[zizala]

Its a confusing mix....

My first quick guess would be a circa '46 L-4 converted at a later date with more recent CC styled pickups.
Wartime Gibsons often have confusing mixes of features.
The plain unbound headstock kind of throws that idea out.....(maybe).

The slender f-holes sure look 30's though....does it have an elevated fretboard extension?
Do I detect a back inside cross brace through the treble side f-hole? Could be I'm seeing something else....
But if it does I'd expect it to have a flat back?

Second guess....A late 30's L-50 conversion with recent CC styled pickups and a replacement fretboard.

If it has an oval paper label a serial number would be useful to know....or as Zephyr690 requested you could also look for a FON viewed on the back through the treble side f-hole.

[icr]

L4 might have thicker binding on the body and a headstock inlay. The guitar in the OP could have a replacement fingerboard in addition to the other anomalies. The neck pickup is mounted with ears, I suspect to cover original P90 mounting holes.
Here is an original L50 fingerboard with some deep grooves from playing. Some could be worse.

[Kalifornia Karl]

Here are more pictures of the mysterious 1939 ES-150
I purchased this week but have not received it yet. Here are some more pictures to help the detectives here determine if it is indeed a 1939 ES-150.

Gibson ES 150 1939 Sunburst | Addictive Sounds & | Reverb

[Hammertone]

Obviously a replaced fretboard - gotta love the 20th fret placement.
It's a very charming mutt.
I'd get a set of conversion bushings and Waverlys onto it and play, play, play!

[old tube]

Looks like the number stamped on the back of the peg-head is the FON number, that would decode as F=1940 G=Gibson and the 4 number the manf. sequence number. Looks like Gibson stamp; perhaps done when the fret-board was replaced?

[wintermoon]

does it have the cup and tailpiece jack or side mounted jack?

[zizala]

On March 1, 1940, ES-150 FG-2203 was shipped to Music Mart, a Gibson dealer in Sandusky Ohio.

So it was an ES-150 all along!

It likely had the conventional single neck oriented CC pickup and and dot inlayed fretboard at the time and modifications including bridge pickup came later.
There are no references to it being a custom or special item....(and one rarely finds any of those in the shipping ledgers).

Here's the ledger page and detail.

[Kalifornia Karl]

does it have the cup and tailpiece jack or side mounted jack?

Hey winter moon I have not gotten the guitar yet to be able to say. I should be getting it next week

[Kalifornia Karl]

On March 1, 1940, ES-150 FG-2203 was shipped to Music Mart, a Gibson dealer in Sandusky Ohio.

So it was an ES-150 all along!

It likely had the conventional single neck oriented CC pickup and and dot inlayed fretboard at the time and modifications including bridge pickup came later.
There are no references to it being a custom or special item....(and one rarely finds any of those in the shipping ledgers).

Here's the ledger page and detail.

wow this is an incredible find to have it appear in the ledger. BTW yes the seller said the bridge pick up is actually a fake pick up so it was added by one of the previous owners. I don’t know why he did that if I went through all the trouble of adding a fake pick up I would’ve gone ahead and add a real one. Wouldn’t you?

[zizala]

Its a fake bridge pickup?.....hopefully its just held on to the top with low tack adhesive tape!
I just hope the neck pickup isn't fake too!

I'm sure you'll let us know.....but if he cut a hole in the top for the fake bridge pickup, then it would seem you have a free rein to do what you want.

[Kalifornia Karl]

Its a fake bridge pickup?.....hopefully its just held on to the top with low tack adhesive tape!
I just hope the neck pickup isn't fake too!

I'm sure you'll let us know.....but if he cut a hole in the top for the fake bridge pickup, then it would seem you have a free rein to do what you want.

Thats what the description said in the sale post. Here’s the full post:

Sweet vintage sounding Charlie Christian model. Bought many years ago after begging seller to let it go out of his collection. Seller reported that neck pickup was a Charlie Christian type but not the original. No pickup on the bridge. Bought as a piece of history and enjoyed playing for many years. Very sweet warm pickup. Solid little guitar I always wanted and enjoyed playing. Having trigger finger issues so can’t keep. Selling at a lower price because of minor modification. Excellent piece of history that sounds beautiful. Seller opened for reasonable bids. Price dropped again. Guitar plays lovely and has a gorgeous presence. A masterpiece of history in someone’s collection. Original case is brown in color.

Here’s the full post: