Gibson ES ?

[Jpaul]

Hi Everyone,

Can anyone help is identifying my Gibson ES series guitar.  It looks like an ES125 but has split inlays found on the ES300 but no crown inlay or headstock binding.  pots date to 59 but no serial number can be found inside the guitar.  Any information would be appreciated.

 

Edited August 1 by Jpaul

[jdgm]

One for @ksdaddy  I think!

[JimR56]

It does indeed look like an ES-125 body.  20 fret neck, so 1955 or later.   The double parallelogram inlays could be the result of an aftermarket modification; or, it could have been assembled by a Gibson employee as a personal instrument, or (less likely, I would think) a custom order.  The fact that it has an added tune-o-matic bridge and changed vol/tone knobs make me suspect that the fretboard was also an aftermarket modification.  At any rate, it catches the eye as interesting and unusual.

If you find any stamped numbers inside the body (try shining a light through the treble side f-hole), let us know.

[Jpaul]

I have the original bridge, I added the current one for better intonation. I have the knobs as well but didnt want to lose them so I have those on it.  I had this guitar lightly restored and the fretboard is original no mods and that is whats confusing me.  My luthier and I have looked through the inside and no numbers can be found.  The pots date to 59

[JimR56]

On 8/10/2023 at 7:38 PM, Jpaul said:

My luthier and I have looked through the inside and no numbers can be found. 

This may increase the likelihood that it was an employee-assembled instrument, and never included in Gibson's logs.  Hard to be sure about that, of course.