Jaco Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Just thought to share pictures of this lovely 60's Gibson ES-5 that has arrived earlier today to the shop I'm working in for restoration. Neck detached, electronics do not work, some cracks at the back and sides... Was found in estate sell by our client. Did you guys find any interesting gem lately? J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Just thought to share pictures of this lovely 60's Gibson ES-5 that has arrived earlier today to the shop I'm working in for restoration. Neck detached, electronics do not work, some cracks at the back and sides... Was found in estate sell by our client. Did you guys find any interesting gem lately? J Interesting way to get compression on the neck during a re-set, or is something else going on here? The old ways still do the job. Nice Switchmaster! That's one of those dream finds, PAF's and all. What year?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 SWEET! I am in love.... I am in awe of the 'tonal possibilities'.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Are you sure that's a 1960 Switchmaster? Judging by the P-90 dogear mounts for the pickups, I suspect it's from the 50's. They only made the venetian cutaway for part of 1960 before switching to the florentine cutaway. The fretboard looks like a replacement (no block inlay at first fret; no binding "point" at the end of the board). The control knobs look like replacements also, as Gibson was using bonnet knobs by the time the Switchmaster appeared in 1956. Looks like the finish is still in pretty nice shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaco Posted December 2, 2011 Author Share Posted December 2, 2011 Our luthier came from violin and cello work so his ways seem odd, but he is good in what he does. Regarding the year unfortunately the sticker is a long gone, pots have been replaced, pickups are patent #... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfox14 Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 I would agree that the guitar appears to be a late 1950s ES-5 and not a 60s guitar. My understanding is Gibson discontinued the Switchmaster around 1961-62, and the 1960 version did not have the dogear mounts. Either way it is a very cool guitar. See if there is a serial # stamped inside the body, which should be visible through the treble side f-hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Just to drive home the point... who would take a guitar with original humbuckers and install P90 dogeared mounts? Probably nobody, which means the guitar originally had P90's (which should be brought back, in my opinion), which means it dates to the years before humbuckers were introduced on the Switchmaster, which means it dates from '56 up to late '57. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaco Posted December 2, 2011 Author Share Posted December 2, 2011 Just to drive home the point... who would take a guitar with original humbuckers and install P90 dogeared mounts? Probably nobody, which means the guitar originally had P90's (which should be brought back, in my opinion), which means it dates to the years before humbuckers were introduced on the Switchmaster, which means it dates from '56 up to late '57. you've got a point there... I'll solve this riddle on Monday. Will take the pots off and hopefully we'll have a date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The RandyMan Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Original or modified, anyway I look at it, it is a stunning guitar! Man, I wouldn't mind slingin' that thing over my shoulder . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfox14 Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Also the pole pieces on the bridge pickup are on the wrong side. Should be closet to the bridge. Weird. Wonder if the pickups are in fact original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaco Posted December 3, 2011 Author Share Posted December 3, 2011 Not likely to be original...they're pat# , also the covers were moved sometime in it's past Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Wonder if the pickups are in fact original. Why would somebody put in P90 mounts under original humbuckers? Makes no sense. Somebody dropped some humbuckers in and left the dogears there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 the covers were moved sometime in it's past I don't understand what you mean by this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaco Posted December 3, 2011 Author Share Posted December 3, 2011 The pickup covers were taken off of the pickups...solder joints are new Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Okay, thanks. Just wasn't sure what you meant by "moved". :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaco Posted December 3, 2011 Author Share Posted December 3, 2011 Well the word moved wasn't quite right...I somehow forgot the 're' that should have came before it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfox14 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 SO, DO WE HAVE A CONFIRMATION OF DATE OF MANUFACTURE? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaco Posted December 6, 2011 Author Share Posted December 6, 2011 SO, DO WE HAVE A CONFIRMATION OF DATE OF MANUFACTURE? haha Just to more days my friend... I was off of work for the past few days (finally) and I'll see this beautiful lady on Thursday, as soon as I disassemble the potentiometers I will let you know (; J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaco Posted December 9, 2011 Author Share Posted December 9, 2011 Well folks here's the story. Pat# pickups non original potentiometers sticker isn't there anymore so there's no serial number The guitar was bought in a pawn shop in England on 1978, second hand. the guy at the shop said it was from the 50's that's all... Fantastic sounding guitar I must add!!! I'll upload some sound samples to this sound sample and guitar addicts site www.tonepedia.com so stay tuned if you're interested. have great weekend everyone. J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfox14 Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 That's too bad. I was hoping to lock down the year it was made. Are you sure there's no numbers stamped inside the body? Just want to make sure. I would be really surprised if there wasn't any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaco Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 That's too bad. I was hoping to lock down the year it was made. Are you sure there's no numbers stamped inside the body? Just want to make sure. I would be really surprised if there wasn't any. Yeh brother nothing inside the guitar. hat's a shame i know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaco Posted December 19, 2011 Author Share Posted December 19, 2011 Just for closure, I recorded the guitar few seconds before it's owner came and took it for good :( uploaded it to www.tonepedia.com (Dated it as 56 since it's the best assumption) tried to convince him selling but he didn't even wanna hear me out....smart guy! So there you go, not the best recording gear (had to use my phone's built in microphone) but that's what this ES-5 switchmaster sounds like: 1956 Gibson ES-5 @ Tonepedia Goodbye stunning guitar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Just for closure, I recorded the guitar few seconds before it's owner came and took it for good :( 1956 Gibson ES-5 @ Tonepedia Goodbye stunning guitar... Sweet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Those are sweet tones that you coaxed out of her, Jaco... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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