Gibson ES-120T Thinline Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1966)
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Gibson ES-120T Model Thinline Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1966), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 420736, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, laminated maple body, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, black chipboard case.
The Gibson ES-120T was the least expensive hollow-body guitar the company offered in the 1960s, when for a while EVERYBODY wanted to play the guitar. It is a thin (1 3/4" at the rim) fully hollow, non-cutaway f-hole guitar with one single coil pickup mounted in a large hollow molded plastic pickguard that also carries the controls and jack. This pickup is the same small-coil unit used in the Melody Maker series, but offers a bit more depth to the sound when used on a hollow-body instrument.
Other features are typical for the period including the adjustable rosewood bridge, trapeze tailpiece, capped gold knobs and Kluson Deluxe strip tuners. The top is the classic Gibson faded cherry sunburst while the back and sides are finished dark. The modular construction (using a pre-wired electronics unit dropped onto the body) allowed this guitar to be built to a relatively low price, but still uphold Gibson's usual standards so is a super friendly guitar to play. The neck is slim with the later '60s 1 5/8" skinnier nut width.
Although designed for student players, today the ES-120T makes a very good stage guitar for acoustic/electric playing. It has a distinct sound all its own, clearer and less bassy than many similar guitars but still with a warm edge, and less prone to feedback than many larger instruments. The ES-120T was sold in decent numbers; this was one of 1447 shipped in 1966. This one shows some light wear but is a fine playing example.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 15 15/16 in. (40.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This is a good all-original example showing some fairly minor wear and tear, but not too heavily played over the last not quite 60 years. The finish shows light broad checking with some minor dings, scratches, and dents, mostly on the headstock edges. There are a couple of feelable marks to the back of the neck behind the 7th and 9th frets. The plastic control shell has a crack on the lower edge between the volume and tone knob, visible but not impeding function.
The original frets show some light wear in the lower positions and appear to have been crowned down at some point. While this model is an admittedly plain and simple electric guitar built to a price, it remains a very nice-playing and sounding instrument. The ES-120T has a better acoustic tone than one might expect and carries its own funky-but-chic vibe. It includes a decently fitted '1960s chipboard case. Overall Excellent - Condition.
The Gibson ES-120T was the least expensive hollow-body guitar the company offered in the 1960s, when for a while EVERYBODY wanted to play the guitar. It is a thin (1 3/4" at the rim) fully hollow, non-cutaway f-hole guitar with one single coil pickup mounted in a large hollow molded plastic pickguard that also carries the controls and jack. This pickup is the same small-coil unit used in the Melody Maker series, but offers a bit more depth to the sound when used on a hollow-body instrument.
Other features are typical for the period including the adjustable rosewood bridge, trapeze tailpiece, capped gold knobs and Kluson Deluxe strip tuners. The top is the classic Gibson faded cherry sunburst while the back and sides are finished dark. The modular construction (using a pre-wired electronics unit dropped onto the body) allowed this guitar to be built to a relatively low price, but still uphold Gibson's usual standards so is a super friendly guitar to play. The neck is slim with the later '60s 1 5/8" skinnier nut width.
Although designed for student players, today the ES-120T makes a very good stage guitar for acoustic/electric playing. It has a distinct sound all its own, clearer and less bassy than many similar guitars but still with a warm edge, and less prone to feedback than many larger instruments. The ES-120T was sold in decent numbers; this was one of 1447 shipped in 1966. This one shows some light wear but is a fine playing example.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 15 15/16 in. (40.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This is a good all-original example showing some fairly minor wear and tear, but not too heavily played over the last not quite 60 years. The finish shows light broad checking with some minor dings, scratches, and dents, mostly on the headstock edges. There are a couple of feelable marks to the back of the neck behind the 7th and 9th frets. The plastic control shell has a crack on the lower edge between the volume and tone knob, visible but not impeding function.
The original frets show some light wear in the lower positions and appear to have been crowned down at some point. While this model is an admittedly plain and simple electric guitar built to a price, it remains a very nice-playing and sounding instrument. The ES-120T has a better acoustic tone than one might expect and carries its own funky-but-chic vibe. It includes a decently fitted '1960s chipboard case. Overall Excellent - Condition.