Gibson ES-150 Arch Top Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1937)
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Item # 11838
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Gibson ES-150 Model Arch Top Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1937), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 1208C-7, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, maple back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
This is a somewhat worn in but nicely original example of the early Gibson ES-150, simply one of the most important electric guitars of all time. Associated practically from the beginning with Charlie Christian, this model was the first truly commercially successful electric Spanish guitar and the progenitor of the entire Gibson Spanish electric line. While many early electric guitars from the 1930s have a rather mongrel look, the 150 has a beautifully understated elegance that undoubtedly helped it gain acceptance on the formal bandstands of the time.
This ES-150 is a very early model from 1937, the first year it was officially cataloged for sale though a few may have been shipped in late 1936. The spruce top is carved, while the maple back is flat. The guitar mounts the first "Spanish" version of the famous bar magnet pickup featuring a single-bound top edge and a straight un-notched blade under all the strings. It is controlled by a set of "radio" style tone and volume knobs. The jack is cleverly hidden in the tailpiece, something that was not popular at the time reportedly because it prevented easily resting the guitar upright on the bandstand! The dark sunburst top, fingerboard, tortoise celluloid pickguard and plain back are single-bound in white celluloid. A small pearl script Gibson logo adorns the headstock.
The most amazing thing about this guitar is how modern it still feels, despite its deco-era origins. The neck has a fairly sharp "V" profile that was common in the 1930s, but is not as chunky as some while the rest of the design hardly feels dated at all. The pickup is not the quietest but has a sound sought after and imitated right down now well into the 21st century. This ES-150 has had some wear and tear but remains a great example of this rare and perennially sought-after Gibson, a fine player's instrument even closing in on 90 years along.
Overall length is 40 1/4 in. (102.2 cm.), 16 1/16 in. (40.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This guitar shows signs of fairly heavy use but long ago remains original and in good playing condition. There is a decent amount of finish wear over the entire instrument with dings, scratches and scrapes; most notable is some fairly heavy pick wear on the top near around the fingerboard and pickup, something very common on this model. The top also has some noticeable scratching around and below the controls and the edge of the lower F-hole. Some lacquer is worn through on the back of the neck with a couple of feelable dinks in the lower positions.
The back has some heavy scratching but no cracks, which are often found on these arch-top but flat-backed solid wood models. There are actually no cracks on the instrument at all, somewhat miraculous considering the fairly heavy use it appears to have seen. All hardware appears original including the tortoise celluloid pickguard (usually replaced by now) and the openback Grover tuners, one of which has marks under it indicating something else was once mounted there. The all-important pickup and attendant wiring remain original including the knobs with delicate arrows engraved in the tops.
The frets appear original or more likely an early refret with wire that is period spec; the nut is original as well. They show some very light wear, but still play fine. Overall this is a cool early example with the expected unique sound, housed in a worn but original 1935-6 style red-line Gibson case. Overall Very Good Condition.
This is a somewhat worn in but nicely original example of the early Gibson ES-150, simply one of the most important electric guitars of all time. Associated practically from the beginning with Charlie Christian, this model was the first truly commercially successful electric Spanish guitar and the progenitor of the entire Gibson Spanish electric line. While many early electric guitars from the 1930s have a rather mongrel look, the 150 has a beautifully understated elegance that undoubtedly helped it gain acceptance on the formal bandstands of the time.
This ES-150 is a very early model from 1937, the first year it was officially cataloged for sale though a few may have been shipped in late 1936. The spruce top is carved, while the maple back is flat. The guitar mounts the first "Spanish" version of the famous bar magnet pickup featuring a single-bound top edge and a straight un-notched blade under all the strings. It is controlled by a set of "radio" style tone and volume knobs. The jack is cleverly hidden in the tailpiece, something that was not popular at the time reportedly because it prevented easily resting the guitar upright on the bandstand! The dark sunburst top, fingerboard, tortoise celluloid pickguard and plain back are single-bound in white celluloid. A small pearl script Gibson logo adorns the headstock.
The most amazing thing about this guitar is how modern it still feels, despite its deco-era origins. The neck has a fairly sharp "V" profile that was common in the 1930s, but is not as chunky as some while the rest of the design hardly feels dated at all. The pickup is not the quietest but has a sound sought after and imitated right down now well into the 21st century. This ES-150 has had some wear and tear but remains a great example of this rare and perennially sought-after Gibson, a fine player's instrument even closing in on 90 years along.
Overall length is 40 1/4 in. (102.2 cm.), 16 1/16 in. (40.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This guitar shows signs of fairly heavy use but long ago remains original and in good playing condition. There is a decent amount of finish wear over the entire instrument with dings, scratches and scrapes; most notable is some fairly heavy pick wear on the top near around the fingerboard and pickup, something very common on this model. The top also has some noticeable scratching around and below the controls and the edge of the lower F-hole. Some lacquer is worn through on the back of the neck with a couple of feelable dinks in the lower positions.
The back has some heavy scratching but no cracks, which are often found on these arch-top but flat-backed solid wood models. There are actually no cracks on the instrument at all, somewhat miraculous considering the fairly heavy use it appears to have seen. All hardware appears original including the tortoise celluloid pickguard (usually replaced by now) and the openback Grover tuners, one of which has marks under it indicating something else was once mounted there. The all-important pickup and attendant wiring remain original including the knobs with delicate arrows engraved in the tops.
The frets appear original or more likely an early refret with wire that is period spec; the nut is original as well. They show some very light wear, but still play fine. Overall this is a cool early example with the expected unique sound, housed in a worn but original 1935-6 style red-line Gibson case. Overall Very Good Condition.