An ES-125?? From when?

[blainifer6]

 

This is a guitar I've received for free recently. I got it from my grandmother who has had it in her house for a long time and she simply needed to get rid of it.

Despite the picture, this is, in fact, right handed.

And the holes for the knobs are on the right side if you look at it from the front.

My MacBook just mirrors the picture.

 

My questions are:

1. Did Gibson make this guitar (what I'm pretty sure is an ES-125) with 2 pickups or just 1? Or did some idiot cut another hole in it to retro-fit a pickup.

2. What's the range of how much this could be worth WITH and WITHOUT electronics? In other words, what would you pay for it with electronics? What would you pay for it without electronics?

 

I apologize for the vagueness and general lack of specifics with this post, I don't own any other Gibsons (no $$$) and don't know much about Gibson in general.

 

Let me know if any more pictures or more specific information about the physical condition of this guitar would lead you to a better estimate.

 

Thanks much for your consideration and patience.

Blaine

[ksdaddy]

It looks like a 1955 or newer ES-125 that someone cut out for a second pickup. The hole near the neck looks like a standard P-90 size, which is the one pickup it would have come with. The second hole near the bridge appears to be humbucker size.

 

No idea as to value. I would only be speculating and I could easily be proven wrong (either up OR down!).

[blainifer6]

Between the time I posted this and when you responded, I did find that ES-125s didn't originally have 2 pickups, so you're right, good call.

 

Upon closer inspection, the hole was cut out manually (and very poorly).

[ksdaddy]

It has the potential for a good utility instrument but I'm afraid the collector/vintage value is gone.

 

The ES-125 came in many forms, one pickup, two, thin body, thick body, cutaway, non cutaway, and about any conceivable combination thereof.

 

They did make an ES-125D but it would have had two P-90s and two sets of volume/tone knobs, plus a switch on the upper bass bout.