Gibson Artist Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 I saw this ad on Craigslist. It looks like a fake, look at the back of the neck, why does the black line not matchup with the headstock?? Anyone with knowledge of these think this is real or fake? http://providence.craigslist.org/msg/4879428668.html Here are two pictures, if it is real, man is it beautiful! Gibson has some freaking gorgeous hollowbodies past and present. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody78 Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Difficult to tell from the photos, but it looks like it has had a neck/ headstock break that has been repaired at some point and that is why the black neck line doesn't match up. I'd have to check my reference books, but I think it was 1955 when they changed the electronics to the Switchmaster layout, so perhaps this is one of the last original style. I'm sure some others will help you with the authenticity of this guitar, but it looks real to me and I don't recall ever seeing a fake ES 5 so would imagine it's legit. I'll have a look up in some of my reference books for shipping totals of Natural ES 5's that year and post them when I get time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody78 Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Looked up some more info; In 1955 only 11 natural ES 5's were shipped, making them very rare. By mid 1955 they had been replaced by the second variant of the model. It would be easier to tell it's authenticity if there was a photo of the orange label w/ serial number, but from looking at the pics it seems to be period correct in other aspects, except maybe for the top hat knobs? Here's a 1951 ES 5 for you to compare: http://www.vintageandrare.com/product/Gibson-ES-5-1951-25059 Might be worth posting your original question in the vintage Gibson or ID section for more replies if you are considering buying it. $10,000 seems about right for vintage ES 5's, but worth getting an expert to verify if you are parting with that kind of money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 I see no reason to doubt it. Guitar had a stinger which looks like it's worn off or been chipped. I don't see that as a reason to think it's fake. Why would anyone fake it? There are more valuable guitars which are much easier to fake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson Artist Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share Posted February 22, 2015 I see no reason to doubt it. Guitar had a stinger which looks like it's worn off or been chipped. I don't see that as a reason to think it's fake. Why would anyone fake it? There are more valuable guitars which are much easier to fake. After looking at the pictures i think it is legit. I jus dont get why he said it was refinished but still wants 10k? That guitar worth that much even with a refinish? I thought most hollowbodies are/were much cheaper than their solid body cousins? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Yea, I can't see anything that looks fishy. Looks like someone has played it in the first position for 60 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 After looking at the pictures i think it is legit. I jus dont get why he said it was refinished but still wants 10k? That guitar worth that much even with a refinish? I thought most hollowbodies are/were much cheaper than their solid body cousins? It's craigslist. I rarely see anyone offering anything less that full retail on there. Sometime full retail plus about 10% and you have to go get it "NO LOWBALLERS!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson Artist Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share Posted February 22, 2015 It's craigslist. I rarely see anyone offering anything less that full retail on there. Sometime full retail plus about 10% and you have to go get it "NO LOWBALLERS!" Well, it's certainly very handsome. What a big beautiful guitar! Dont see many triple p-90 guitars out there do you? Only one i know of is the Epiphone Riviera with the p93s i think right? Found this video, the only really GOOD review as this guy actually gives the history. He says Gibson by putting this out in 1949, put out the first triple pickup guitars before Fender used them in stratocasters, i never knew! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson Artist Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share Posted February 22, 2015 Yea, I can't see anything that looks fishy. Looks like someone has played it in the first position for 60 years. The only thing id change is perhaps add a bigsby, not the biggest fan of trap tailpieces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody78 Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Well, it's certainly very handsome. What a big beautiful guitar! Dont see many triple p-90 guitars out there do you? Only one i know of is the Epiphone Riviera with the p93s i think right? Found this video, the only really GOOD review as this guy actually gives the history. He says Gibson by putting this out in 1949, put out the first triple pickup guitars before Fender used them in stratocasters, i never knew! Yes, the ES 5 was quite a ground breaking instrument. It was out before the electric versions of the L5 & Super 400 too. A very underrated and beautiful guitar that got overshadowed by the L5CES with carved solid woods construction as opposed to laminate on the ES 5. If you want to know more about the history of Gibson archtops you should find a copy of Gibson Electrics: The Classic Years by A.R. Duchossoir which is a wealth of information and there are other great books like Gibson Super 400: The Art of the Fine Guitar and a few others. They reissued the ES 5 in the 90's with the original 3 P-90 layout as well as the Switchmaster. I've got a 2010 ES-5 Switchmaster which is an amazing guitar with a big warm tone. I'd love the P-90 version too, but they discontinued it. Epiphone did make a Zephyr Blues Deluxe a number of years ago which was basically an ES 5 copy; http://www.gbase.com/gear/epiphone-by-gibson-zephyr-blues-deluxe-es-5-2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson Artist Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share Posted February 22, 2015 Yes, the ES 5 was quite a ground breaking instrument. It was out before the electric versions of the L5 & Super 400 too. A very underrated and beautiful guitar that got overshadowed by the L5CES with carved solid woods construction as opposed to laminate on the ES 5. If you want to know more about the history of Gibson archtops you should find a copy of Gibson Electrics: The Classic Years by A.R. Duchossoir which is a wealth of information and there are other great books like Gibson Super 400: The Art of the Fine Guitar and a few others. They reissued the ES 5 in the 90's with the original 3 P-90 layout as well as the Switchmaster. I've got a 2010 ES-5 Switchmaster which is an amazing guitar with a big warm tone. I'd love the P-90 version too, but they discontinued it. Epiphone did make a Zephyr Blues Deluxe a number of years ago which was basically an ES 5 copy; http://www.gbase.com/gear/epiphone-by-gibson-zephyr-blues-deluxe-es-5-2 Ah, i will look for that Epi, seems pretty rare. Thanks for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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