Gibson ES-150 Model Arch Top Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1938), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, maple back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, black period hard shell case.
The early Gibson ES-150 is one of the most important electric guitars of all time, and still an exceptionally fine player's instrument 80 years on. Most associated with Charlie Christian, this model was the first truly commercially successful electric Spanish guitar and the progenitor of the entire Gibson electric line. This particular guitar is a fairly early model with the first "Spanish" version of the famous bar magnet pickup featuring a single-bound top edge and a straight un-notched blade under the strings. A well-used but great-sounding, fine playing example of this rare and much sought-after instrument.
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 has seen some moderately heavy use but remains in good playing condition overall. There is moderate finish wear overall; most notable to the back of the neck and edges of the top, especially the armwear area. The top has a couple of repaired cracks, one running from the top of the pickup to the edge by the neck block and one behind the treble side F hole back to the edge that have been sealed and touched up, but are still visible. An area of the flat back has been neatly replaced and the area finished over and onf of the adjacent back braces is only partially present. The repair is quite clean and does not affect functionality at all. Most of the fittings are original including all but one of the lovely early Grover tuners, the tortoise celluloid pickguard, and the rare trapeziodally ornamented tailpiece. The bridge is newer, the pickup and wiring are original including the period 2-color knobs (one brown, one black). Overall this is a cool player's example with the expected fantastic sound and great funky character! Very Good + Condition.
