The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    £3000 1947/48 Gibson ES125 with rare inlays, once you go down the rabbit hole, you will find that Gibson made these with inlays for a short while. It’s not an ES-150.

    I have this guitar with me 30 train ride from London if you want to come check it out, it’s a great player and quite a rarity. Was for sale here a few month back but indecision mate me take it down, grab it before I change my mind again!

    Comes with a tired old mono Gig bag.











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    Last edited by 55bar; 08-27-2024 at 10:37 AM.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by 55bar View Post
    UK Sale.

    Hi Bought this of a forum member a couple of years ago go but since then I found a Borys in the uk and this lovely guitar hasn’t been played, a 50’s sold recently for 3k I’m asking £2900, comes with a Hiscox case, looks like the tuners are non original and likely the bridge. Plays great.









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    And just when I've decided to save for a prewar L5!!!
    How far are you from South Wales ?

  4. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by garybaldy View Post
    And just when I've decided to save for a prewar L5!!!
    How far are you from South Wales ?
    Send you a DM


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  5. #4

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    Definitely a relic of the 40's. Gibson's numbering scheme for this period was abysmal, but it's pretty obvious a very early model and typically the tuner buttons and pick guards have either rotted and have been replaced, or are in poor condition. I have one like this on which I've replaced them. That P90 is amazing. Those knobs are very rare, being tall and without anything in them and that version of the P90 really date this guitar, and I bet the back is flat.
    Nice guitar. GLWTS.

  6. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by skykomishone View Post
    Definitely a relic of the 40's. Gibson's numbering scheme for this period was abysmal, but it's pretty obvious a very early model and typically the tuner buttons and pick guards have either rotted and have been replaced, or are in poor condition. I have one like this on which I've replaced them. That P90 is amazing. Those knobs are very rare, being tall and without anything in them and that version of the P90 really date this guitar, and I bet the back is flat.
    Nice guitar. GLWTS.
    Thanks for the fantastic info


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  7. #6

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    Isn't that an ES135? I don't remember inlays on a 125; surely they have dot markers..?

    A quite rare guitar; a UK forum member I know had one a few years ago

  8. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Franz 1997 View Post
    Isn't that an ES135? I don't remember inlays on a 125; surely they have dot markers..?

    A quite rare guitar; a UK forum member I know had one a few years ago
    For a year, 1948 maybe? They put inlays in. The Es150 is 17” this is 16”


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    Last edited by 55bar; 06-22-2024 at 04:44 PM.

  9. #8

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    The seller is a stand up gentleman, who I have had the pleasure of meeting in person.

    I would have no hesitation in doing business with him, which I have in the past.

  10. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Archie View Post
    The seller is a stand up gentleman, who I have had the pleasure of meeting in person.

    I would have no hesitation in doing business with him, which I have in the past.
    Thanks Archie, that means a lot.


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  11. #10

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    as a side issue
    are you loving your Borys ?
    is it a B120 ?

    If i ever had that kind of money
    I’d like a B120 one day

  12. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by pingu View Post
    as a side issue
    are you loving your Borys ?
    is it a B120 ?

    If i ever had that kind of money
    I’d like a B120 one day
    I’m loving it.


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  13. #12
    Just thought I try and clear a few thing up, as far as I know, and I’m obviously happy to change my mind. This is what I’ve discovered.

    A lot of people have messaged me saying the guitar isn’t a 125 it’s a ES-150.

    The bout measurement on this guitar is 16” about 17” and it doesn’t have bound F holes or fingerboard.

    A good friend and forum member also kindly messaging suggesting it may be a 135 I’m not so sure here are some descriptions.

    125

    1946, a few models were produced with an all-mahogany body. Also in 1946, a black P-90 pickup with non-adjustable pulls in the neck position, a tortoise shell pickguard, trapeze tailpiece with a raised diamond, single bound top and back, unbound fingerboard, pearloid trapezoid inlay, and Sunburst finish were introduced as standard on this model. By 1950, a plain tailpiece and dot fingerboard inlays were introduced, in addition to a standard P-90 pickup. In 1955, a 14/19-fret fingerboard was introduced.


    135

    - archtop, bound maple body, single bound top/back and fingerboard, f-holes, laminated raised black pickguard, mahogany neck, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl trapezoid inlays, trapeze tailpiece, decal logo on headstock, 3-per-side tuners with pearl buttons, chrome hardware, one P-90 single coil pickup mounted one inch from fingerboard, volume/tone controls, 16.25 in. wide, 24 3/4 in. scale, available in Sunburst finish, mfg. 1956-58.


    Can of worms opened.


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  14. #13

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    I've read that the ES-135 has a balsa wood center-block. Is this true?

  15. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by jazzshrink View Post
    I've read that the ES-135 has a balsa wood center-block. Is this true?
    Very interesting.


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  16. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by jazzshrink View Post
    I've read that the ES-135 has a balsa wood center-block. Is this true?
    Gibson used the Es-135 name for two
    Completely different guitars: a full-depth archtop in the 50s and semi-hollow in the late ‘90s and early 2000’s. The latter had a balsa block.

  17. #16
    Decided to keep this. No longer for sale


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  18. #17
    Bump. Back for sale, I’m 30 mins train from London Euston.


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  19. #18
    Love MVI, transcribed a lot of his solos


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  20. #19

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    I once owned this guitar- it s a great one

  21. #20
    It really is, playing it now and it’s a tough decision to sell.


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  22. #21

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    the es 135 - which I happily own - has a cool bound pick guard and bound neck as well as the inlays

    they made a semi - much later - which they called a 135 too - but this is an entirely different sort of instrument

    its an incredible guitar - big sound box - amazingly dynamic and fresh without loosing the dark smokey vibe one loves so much

    GLWS

  23. #22
    Yeah they are beautiful guitars, thanks 1946-48 Gibson ES-125


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  24. #23
    Price drop £2700


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  25. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by 55bar View Post
    Price drop £2700


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    £2500


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