Gibson ES-120T Thinline Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1962)
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Item # 9221
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Gibson ES-120T Model Thinline Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1962), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, laminated maple body, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.
The Gibson ES-120T was the least expensive hollow-body guitar the company offered in the early 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 to 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 mounted on a hollow-body instrument.
Other features are typical for the period including the adjustable rosewood bridge, trapeze tailpiece, and Kluson Deluxe strip tuners. The modular construction (the pre-wired electronics unit dropped onto the body) allowed this guitar to be built to a relatively low price, but it still upholds Gibson's usual standards and is a super friendly guitar to play.
Although designed for students, 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 built in decent numbers (about 1500 in this introductory year 1962) but this is one of the nicer ones we have had.
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 25 3/4 in. (654 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This is a nice all-original example showing just some light wear and tear, not heavily played over the last 55+ years. The finish shows very fine checking with some minor dings, scratches, and dents. There is a small crack repair to the pickguard unit at the foremost screw, solid but visible. The frets have a bit of wear but nothing major, and there are no other repairs or alterations. While this model is an admittedly plain and simple electric guitar built to a price, it remains a very nice-playing and sounding instrument, with more acoustic tone than one would expect and its own funky-but-chic vibe. Includes a modern Epiphone HSC. Excellent Condition.
The Gibson ES-120T was the least expensive hollow-body guitar the company offered in the early 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 to 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 mounted on a hollow-body instrument.
Other features are typical for the period including the adjustable rosewood bridge, trapeze tailpiece, and Kluson Deluxe strip tuners. The modular construction (the pre-wired electronics unit dropped onto the body) allowed this guitar to be built to a relatively low price, but it still upholds Gibson's usual standards and is a super friendly guitar to play.
Although designed for students, 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 built in decent numbers (about 1500 in this introductory year 1962) but this is one of the nicer ones we have had.
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 25 3/4 in. (654 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This is a nice all-original example showing just some light wear and tear, not heavily played over the last 55+ years. The finish shows very fine checking with some minor dings, scratches, and dents. There is a small crack repair to the pickguard unit at the foremost screw, solid but visible. The frets have a bit of wear but nothing major, and there are no other repairs or alterations. While this model is an admittedly plain and simple electric guitar built to a price, it remains a very nice-playing and sounding instrument, with more acoustic tone than one would expect and its own funky-but-chic vibe. Includes a modern Epiphone HSC. Excellent Condition.