Gibson CF-100E Model Flat Top Acoustic-Electric Guitar (1958), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, mahogany body and neck, spruce top, original brown soft shell case.
Here is a fine example of an uncommon Gibson flattop from the 1950's, the CF-100-E. This is a most unusual guitar for its time, as the concept of a cutaway flattop with a factory pickup system guitar was still quite novel in the late 1950's. Though common today these features were radical for 1958, making this a guitar very much ahead of its time.
While the instrument is generally similar to the non-cutaway LG-2, it is considerably fancier in appearance and has a rather more upscale feel. The top is triple bound and the back and fingerboard are single bound. The headstock carries a pearl Gibson logo and crown inlay and the rosewood fingerboard is inlaid with pearloid trapezoids.
Gibson offered this model as either a straight acoustic guitar as the CF-100 or with an ingenious added magnetic pickup as the CF-100E. Both were sold in limited numbers throughout the 1950's but are fairly rare today. The larger J-160E which uses the same electronics on a non-cutaway Jumbo body is better remembered, mostly due to extensive use by The Beatles in the 1960's.
Today this very attractive, forward-looking guitar makes perfect sense, and we can only wonder why the players of the 1950's failed to warm to this excellent design.
Overall length is 39 1/2 in. (100.3 cm.), 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
Nicely original condition; tuners put back to original Klusons with replacement buttons. Light finish wear and dings overall; one short back crack near the upper waist and one small side crack. Plays extremely well; comes with original alligator-grained soft case. Excellent + Condition.
