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Just inherited a Gibson ES-125 need help


brettyboy

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Just inherited a beauty of a guitar, it's an ES-125. It was my great grandfathers, then my grandfathers, then my uncles, and now mine. I polished it up, restrung it, and bought a case for it today. I'm trying to figure out the exact year and I'm having trouble. I don't see any stamped FON on the back through the F holes. All I see is a hand written sequence that says 5G4486. I have it narrowed between 47-52 because of other characteristics like 19 frets, tapered headstock, non adjustable poles, and black cloth strips glued around the edges inside the body. Pictures attached, anyone have any ideas on that hand written number sequence? Picture of number inside is black and white so you can read it better. ggCo1zp.jpg

puZgAjz.jpg

pvIjSvn.jpg

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The tailpiece (no diamond) suggests 1949 or 1950 at the earliest. Not sure about the number.

 

 

Thanks, I think I've got it pretty narrowed to 1949. The pickup doesn't have adjustable pole pieces and the barrel knobs have no numbers they are just clear. Any other thoughts on this by anyone?

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The "5G4486" is a bit of a puzzler. 4486 would have suggested 1950 to me, but either way you're in the ballpark (good research on your part, by the way).

 

More important than figuring out whether it's 1949 or 1950 is the fact that this cool old Gibson was passed along in a family, and is now in the hands of someone who obviously appreciates it and will take good care of it. Congrats, and I hope you enjoy the hell out of it.

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I picked up an ES150 last week. The ink stamp seen through the treble F-hole starts with an Y so I'm assuming it's a '53. The back of the head stock is stamped 5G8995 ???? Plus it's lengthwise instead of widthwise.

 

5BA2E7D0-30CE-4F3B-BDA0-E87551F46C46_zpsdok1pey3.jpg

 

 

 

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The "5G4486" is a bit of a puzzler. 4486 would have suggested 1950 to me, but either way you're in the ballpark (good research on your part, by the way).

 

More important than figuring out whether it's 1949 or 1950 is the fact that this cool old Gibson was passed along in a family, and is now in the hands of someone who obviously appreciates it and will take good care of it. Congrats, and I hope you enjoy the hell out of it.

 

 

Thanks, yes absolutely. I've loved this guitar growing up visiting my uncles house. It's now my baby, I can feel the family history in it when I play it!

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  • 2 months later...
  • 2 months later...
  • 8 months later...

Nice guitar. I know this is an old post but was curious if the original poster could verify if the guitar back is flat (not arched)?

I had one of those years ago. I really liked the flat pole-pieced P90...!

Nice family piece!

 

 

Do Gibson P90 dogear pickups made today have a close sound to that 125 dogear?

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  • 5 months later...

 

1946

  • 16​14" wide
  • Approximately 3.5" thick body
  • Scale length 24​34
  • One non-adjustable P-90 pickup with "dog ears"
  • Pickup in neck position
  • Tortoise grain pickguard
  • Trapeze tailpiece
  • Single bound top and back
  • Pearloid circular fingerboard inlays
  • Silkscreen logo
  • Sunburst finish

1948

  • Dot fingerboard inlays

1950

  • Plain tailpiece
  • P-90 pickup with adjustable poles

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1946

  • 16​14" wide
  • Approximately 3.5" thick body
  • Scale length 24​34
  • One non-adjustable P-90 pickup with "dog ears"
  • Pickup in neck position
  • Tortoise grain pickguard
  • Trapeze tailpiece
  • Single bound top and back
  • Pearloid circular fingerboard inlays
  • Silkscreen logo
  • Sunburst finish

1948

  • Dot fingerboard inlays

1950

  • Plain tailpiece
  • P-90 pickup with adjustable poles

The original 1946-49 version can be found with either dot ("circular") or trapezoid fingerboard inlays.

The standard body depth was 3 3/8".

Also, the bodies of some of the early variants were made of laminated mahogany (flat back). Laminated maple (arched back) became standard in 1950.

A fairly confusing history on this model.

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