Gibson Thin line Guitar Models

[Doug B]

What thin line Gibsons were made over the years? I know I've seen pictures of a couple of L5 thin lines. They may have been custom made, I don't know. Also ES 125 and Byrdland. BTW, I didn't mean ES 335 type guitars, but more models that were originally full jazz guitars.

Doug

[Jx30510]

Hi.

If I understand well you're asking for full hollowbody thinlines. ES330, and ES275 come to mind. While in the ES range. Apart from these I don't find others..

[Stringswinger]

Gibson has done thinline ES-175's, ES 350's L-5's and Super 400's along with the Byrdland and ES-125. There may be others.

[Danny W.]

Disclaimer--I no longer own any of these guitars:

1960 Gobel:


1994 Gobel


more modern L-5 thinlines:



Danny W.

[bananafist]

There were also the ES-275 thinline hollowbody range, which came and went in 2-3 years. I personally liked them, except for the too narrow for me neck. The signature L5s were nice too. The only Gibson neck I get on with is the 1 3/4" wide ones on the Atkins guitars.

[Tal_175]

ES 225:
The history of the ES-225 – the last affordable 1950s Gibson guitar? | Guitar World

[jads57]

Well Danny W. sure has owned some of the most beautiful Gibsons ever produced!

[hotpepper01]

Most were already mentioned. I can add ES390 a hollowbody small size guitar, ES135 and ES225 all not specificly made for jazz. As far as I am concerned, L5CT is king. Never liked the ES135, still have to try a ES125TDC since I liked the 62 Epi Sorrento with the mini Gibson HBs and a full hollow body...

[customxke]

I’ve had these:
1957 Byrdland

1963 ES-350TDN

[Gregc57]

Don't forget the 330, and all its various forms.
Gibson ES-330 - Wikipedia

[Bach5G]

I wish I hadn’t sold my thinline 175.

[Gregc57]

That's a 125TDC in my photo up in the corner. Long gone, I'm afraid, and stupidly so. It belonged to my brother, and he moved it on after a needed neck reset, which was expertly done, back in the day. What did we know? He bought a Gibson Marauder with the $$$$. I do remember us trying to play loud rock with it, and it would howl like an SOB, LOL! We knew little to nothing. This was in the early 70's. That guitar was beautiful and I remember going shopping with my Dad to buy it new, as a birthday gift for younger brother. We both now miss it dearly. Larger photo attached here:

[Gitfiddler]

Well Danny W. sure has owned some of the most beautiful Gibsons ever produced!

Very true! And Danny didn't post pics of his amazing thinline Gibson Johnny A. Signature gits. They're one of my favorite guitars.

[Gregc57]

Love the Johnny_A guitars., I bought one, sold it; missed it terribly, bought another, and then sold that one too. There's definitely something wrong with me Now. the buy-in number just boggles my mind on those.

[Doug B]

Wasn't the George Gobel model a thinline L5? Or do I have that wrong?

Doug

[jads57]

Correct the George Gobel was originally a Thinline L-5C acoustic model with either 24&3/4” or regular 25&1/2”scale length. Back in the mid 1970’s I had a guitar teacher who an electric version from the 1960’s Red with double Humbuckers. Can’t remember the scale length on his, probably 25&1/2”

They were reintroduced in the 1990’s in both versions and I believe with the longer scale length as well. Beautiful guitars!

[Doctor Jeff]

Gibson ES-135–it’s not fully hollow, but with the balsa wood block it is very resonant.

Same body dimensions as the 175, though neck joint location is a little different.

No problem playing jazz or any form of rock n roll for that matter.

The only sort-of criticism I have is that it’s a fairly heavy sumbitch—the internet says 8 lbs, though feels like more. Not an issue playing sitting down.



Too bad Gibson didn’t go in more for the thinlines. It’s a very ergonomic design for a lot of people.

[omphalopsychos]

L5 CTN Wes. This guitar rules.

[Marty Grass]

Here's some blasphemy.

If you like the feel of a thinline, is there enough tonal difference to justify the cost of using carved woods? The laminates sound good amplified in a ES-175. There are some great players who used a ES-330.

[omphalopsychos]

Here's some blasphemy.

If you like the feel of a thinline, is there enough tonal difference to justify the cost of using carved woods? The laminates sound good amplified in a ES-175. There are some great players who used a ES-330.

Yes. A Byrdland and an ES 350T sound very different for example. I had one of each from 1958 for a bit. The byrdland was much nicer sounding for jazz.

[Hammertone]

Gibson ES-195. Came in black or in Gertsch Orange.
It's a thinline ES-175 with a Trini headstock and a Bigsby (easy replaced with a standard tailpiece if desired). Has single coil pickups that fit in humbucker housings for dead-easy pickup swapping.
Still pretty cheap used and very much worth it.

[Jx30510]

Well, to stretch a bit, the Epiphone Casino USA made IS actually a Gibson
Wonder how it compares with a 330 for jazz by the way?

[Cunamara]

And in action, an L-5 thinline played by Steve Jordan:

[pingu]

Most were already mentioned. I can add ES390 a hollowbody small size guitar, ES135 and ES225 all not specificly made for jazz. As far as I am concerned, L5CT is king. Never liked the ES135, still have to try a ES125TDC since I liked the 62 Epi Sorrento with the mini Gibson HBs and a full hollow body...

I had a 60's Sorrento , quite nice ....
Surprisingly loud acoustically

A little bright sounding for me ....
(fine for any normal player
but I do like a dull thud of a sound)

[gggguitar]

This is my beloved ES-330L. The neck meets the body at the 19th fret instead of the 15th as with a traditional ES-330. Basically a fully hollow ES-335 with P90's.