Vinniealbs Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 I just inherited a what I believe is a 1956 Gibson archtop ES-125. it was left to me by my grandfather that purchased it new in Germany while serving in the Army. I recently brought it to a guitar store to be identified. The person told me it had all of the characteristics of a ES-125 except for the fact it has the pearliod trapezoid inlays, binding on the fingerboard, individual tuners (rather then the connected tuners) and a different pickguard. I am new to the guitar world, therefore i am taking the stores word, but other then this one, i have never seen another 1956 with the these option. for example i have only seen non binded fretboards and dotted inlays.. The clerk at the store told me Gibson as a company has been very inconsistent over the years and all though he himself has never seen one but he believes it is not far fetched that at the time this specific guitar or batch was built in the factory that they decided to go with these options , just because. I have heard of this by doing research with the serial and FON numbers being inconsistent but not so much as far as style and add ons. the only guitars that i have seen that i believe fits the discription is the ES-130 and or the ES-135, i have never seen either of these in person but have seen them on the computer and i know they did start making them in 1956. there is no serial number that i can find on the guitar, just a FON number I found inside the guitar by looking through the f holes. I guess what im asking is if anyone could tell me if this is indeed a ES-125 or maybe another model. And if it is a 125 if maybe i have something special in example , only a limited amount were produced or if it is a different type of a 125 kinda like a 125t or 125c. The FON number is V4945-30 . Thank you very much for your time!!! ( I also have this posted under the vintage Gibson forum section under the same topic title name, please go there to see blown up Pictures of the guitar, I could not load them in a bigger size here) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 What you have there looks to be an ES-150 from 1956! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 What you have there looks to be an ES-150 from 1956! I believe Larry is right, as usual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 It's kind of confusing and distracting to have multiple threads about the same thing. This topic has gotten off the ground in the vintage forum, where it belongs: http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/97859-1956-es-125-need-help-identifying-might-be-special/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinniealbs Posted February 12, 2013 Author Share Posted February 12, 2013 Thank you for your suggestion, this afternoon I was doing a bit more research and realized a couple more differences such as binding on the fretboard, individual tuners rather then the 3x3, and a different pickgaurd. I have only seen the tortoise and i may have seen a all black one but mine has the white stripes.I know these differences are minute but at the same time theres a couple differences that i have not seen on another one and i know for fact its all original, my grandfather bought it and put it up maybe 3 months later and never touched it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1934 L00 Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I'm looking at my '56 125 now - No binding on the fretboard, dot inlays, connected tuners, black pick guard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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