ES5?

[kidblast]

Wife and I took a quick trip up the southern Maine this weekend (Ogunquit).

 

We stopped at a place down in Perkins Cove for lunch on Sunday. (a place called MC's)

 

they do a Sunday Brunch with a Jazz Duo. (sax/guitar) They really worked well together.

 

The guitar players Gibson caught my attention. From where we sat, it looked like he had an L5 but, it had three P90 pickups.

[i thought right away, this could be one for L5Larry]

 

My curiosity got the better of me. they were just coming back from break as we were leaving, so I stopped over and asked him about it.

 

Turns out it was a 1950 ES5 (I don't think it was a switchmaster). and it was in pretty remarkable shape too. Some checking but the finish which was a vintage or antique burst, seemed to have held up very nicely. I guess had to have been refretted at some point the neck was just looked too clean and perhaps the tuners were "newish" but the rest of it looked all stock.

 

gotta wonder the worth of that one..

[Danny W.]

Not to hijack the thread, but when we lived in New England there was hardly a summer weekend that we didn't stop in Ogunquit and take a walk on the Marginal Way or have a lobster roll at Johnny's Oarweed. Haven't been there in fifteen years, but miss it still.

 

Danny W.

[L5Larry]

The guitar players Gibson caught my attention. From where we sat, it looked like he had an L5 but, it had three P90 pickups.

[i thought right away, this could be one for L5Larry]

 

Turns out it was a 1950 ES5 (I don't think it was a switchmaster).

 

Thanks for thinking of me.

 

Years ago, as I was getting serious about shopping for a big Gibson jazzbox, I did look at the ES-5 Switchmaster model. At the time they were going for about half the price of an L-5, and the one I looked at had a beautiful flamed maple top. It was a REALLY nice guitar, but...... I had my mind set on (and could afford at the time) an L-5.

 

As for the Switchmaster, non-Switchmaster thing, it's my understanding that the original ES-5 (non-Switchmaster) had a master tone knob on the cutaway bout, and three volume knobs on the body in the regular position. The ES-5 transitioned to the "Switchmaster" model around '55/'56, with six knobs on the body, and a four-way blade switch on the cutaway bout (each pickup individually or ALL THREE at once). So switch = "Switchmaster", Tone knob on the bout = "regular" ES-5.

[kidblast]

when we lived in New England there was hardly a summer weekend that we didn't stop in Ogunquit and take a walk on the Marginal Way or have a lobster roll at Johnny's Oarweed.

 

We go there all the time Danny it's sort of like the "home away from home"... The Oarweed is still there, so is Barnacles, across the street. There is a newish pub that Barnicals added, I don't know if it was there 15 years ago. (the owner "Billy" passed a few years ago)

 

it's my understanding that the original ES-5 (non-Switchmaster) had a master tone knob on the cutaway bout, and three volume knobs on the body in the regular position.

 

yes, you're right Larry, That's how I recall this one was, (non-switchmaster). for a guitar that was over 70 years old, great condition. But as I mentioned, I don't think it was ALL original, he sounded fantastic - great player. Using a Headroom amp that looked like a knockoff of a Princeton.

[skilsaw]

Not to hijack the thread, but when we lived in New England there was hardly a summer weekend that we didn't stop in Ogunquit and take a walk on the Marginal Way or have a lobster roll at Johnny's Oarweed. Haven't been there in fifteen years, but miss it still.

 

Danny W.

 

Speaking of hijacking the thread, I live on the west coast and I like walks along the water too. There is a good fish and chips shop floating by a dock down at Fisherman's Warf. ;.)