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Any ES-125 T owners out there?


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Not at the moment, but I had a 1960 125TDC back in '85 and around 2003 I briefly owned a '57 125TD. Come to think of it, I owned a 120 for a while in the late 80s, which wasn't a lot different.

 

Be very mindful of the neck set. They weren't all that rugged and many need resets. Beware if the action is on the high side and the bridge is all the way down. Look before you swipe the card.

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Not at the moment, but I had a 1960 125TDC back in '85 and around 2003 I briefly owned a '57 125TD. Come to think of it, I owned a 120 for a while in the late 80s, which wasn't a lot different.

 

Be very mindful of the neck set. They weren't all that rugged and many need resets. Beware if the action is on the high side and the bridge is all the way down. Look before you swipe the card.

Among the many Gibson hollowbodies I've owned, the closest thing I had to this specific model was an Epiphone Century that I picked up for almost nothing at a local flea market back in the 80's (in fact, I bought two that were almost identical). They were both playable, but would have benefited (and probably did after I sold them) from neck resets. So... good advice from ksdaddy.

 

As for what kind of music you can play on them... I generally don't subscribe to that way of thinking. You're only limited by your imagination.

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A few years ago I was sold a 1959 ES-125T basket case. It had been refinished badly. I made all sorts of plans for it but ended up just stripping the varnish off it and leaving it stained dark with no finish whatsoever. It was an outstanding guitar, with the fatter 1959 frets. I sold it and I've questioned that move ever since. It had absolutely no collector value but it was a great utility instrument.

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  • 3 months later...

I bought a ‘58 125T fifteen years ago. It had been through the wringer over the decades. The seller was going to hang it on his wall as deco. 
 

It had a poorly -done cutaway. An access hatch slightly smaller than a large county in Texas had been cut in the back. An EMG humbucker (with coil split) had replaced the P90 (which was fortunately in the case). The bridge was glued AND screwed to the top. It sported a nylon-saddle tunomatic. It had some mystery inlay added to the peghead. A bigsby had been mounted at some point. And then removed. The pots and jack were shot and unsalvageable. The tuners had been replaced, and several of the replacements were broken. It was a mess.

I cleaned it up, put the P90 back in, and made it playable . Eventually, since it has zero collector value, I added a bridge P90, using the coil-tap hole for the switch.

It’s by far my favorite guitar. I can get any and everything I want out of it . What a great guitar  

 

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  • 1 year later...
On 11/2/2020 at 7:24 AM, stevo58 said:

I bought a ‘58 125T fifteen years ago. It had been through the wringer over the decades. The seller was going to hang it on his wall as deco. 
 

It had a poorly -done cutaway. An access hatch slightly smaller than a large county in Texas had been cut in the back. An EMG humbucker (with coil split) had replaced the P90 (which was fortunately in the case). The bridge was glued AND screwed to the top. It sported a nylon-saddle tunomatic. It had some mystery inlay added to the peghead. A bigsby had been mounted at some point. And then removed. The pots and jack were shot and unsalvageable. The tuners had been replaced, and several of the replacements were broken. It was a mess.

I cleaned it up, put the P90 back in, and made it playable . Eventually, since it has zero collector value, I added a bridge P90, using the coil-tap hole for the switch.

It’s by far my favorite guitar. I can get any and everything I want out of it . What a great guitar  

 

This used and vintage guitar site I keep up with  is selling a '59 ES-125T with two P90s. Is this the similar to how yours is set up? By their description, it seems like this one also went through some pretty extensive refurbishing, but it looks sweet now. Any thoughts on how this one is set up?

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  • 1 year later...

I’ve got a 125T. It was gifted to me when my house burned destroying all my guitars (17). The man that gave it to me was given the instrument as a gift  in’63, put it under the bed,  and hadn’t touched it since. The case contained the original tag and sales receipt. I had it set up and cleaned up and it plays like a dream. Amazing 50 years of aged wood tone! I’ve been a professional guitarist (mostly jazz) for a little over 50 years and this guitar’s tone will bring tears to your eyes.

Dobrojazz

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