Archtop

Gibson L5 Archtop ES5 Conversion Sunburst, 1948

On November 18, 2019 /

The Gibson L5 was the premiere cutaway archtop for jazz guitarists – in fact it was originally named the Premiere – from its 1939 introduction. Close on its heels, though, the 1949 ES-5 offered three P-90 pickups but was built with laminates instead of solid woods for the body, all to reduce feedback. Here we’re looking at a Gibson L5 built during 1948, and some time later converted to an ES-5 configuration, with three P-90 pickups, but wired as other Gibson models – four controls and a switch – and not the six controls of the ES-5.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

Sold‼️ Gibson L5 S Custom Natural Maple, 1979

On November 14, 2019 /

The Gibson L5 S is loosely based on the classic, top of the line Gibson L-5 CES arched top, Cutaway Electric Spanish with a full size acoustic body. That model was played by many serious players, who often are basically forgotten as part of a big band, but have included Wes Montgomery, Scotty Moore, Tuck Andress, Pat Martino, Lee Ritenour, Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Keith Richards, and Ron Wood.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

PRS Swamp Ash Special Trans Whale Blue, 2006

On November 6, 2019 /

Built from 1996 to 2009, the PRS Swamp Ash Special features a solid Swamp Ash body with the trademark PRS contouring, a 22-fret bolt on neck and a center single coil pickup. Based on a built up, carved top block of Swamp Ash paired with a bolt on Maple neck, the Special is a straightforward model. A pair of humbuckers bracket a Seymour Duncan Vintage Rail single coil format pickup, with a pickup selector, master volume and push/pull master tone control providing coil tap options.

Used

This instrument has sold

Gibson F2 Mandolin Black, 1911

On November 6, 2019 /

Built from 1904 to 1934, the Gibson F2 mandolin featured the stylized ‘F’ body with scrollwork, but also an oval sound hole rather than F-holes. Oval sound holes seem to provide a bit more sound to the player, while F-hole models tend to project their sound outwards, further. It’s always fascinating to see an instrument like this Gibson F2 mandolin, now over a century old and still in good playing condition.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

No Longer Available – Gibson ES330 Thinline Archtop Cherry 1969

On November 6, 2019 /

Built from 1959 to 1972, the Gibson ES330 is essentially the same as the 1961 ES-230 Epiphone Casino, a double cutaway, fully hollow model with a pair of P-90 pickups. From a short distance, the Gibson ES330 looks very much like the ES-335 models, but there is a key construction difference in the lack of the center block. The body is otherwise similar, with Laminate Maple for the top, back and sides, with Mahogany for the neck and a bound Indian Rosewood fingerboard.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

Gibson Les Paul Axcess Custom Ebony, 2015

On October 23, 2019 /

There have been many incremental changes to the Les Paul over the years, but the Gibson Les Paul Axcess Custom – and Standard – represents one of the most radical enhancements to the core design. While the Les Paul Axcess Custom shares the basic construction concept of a carved Maple cap on a Mahogany body with a Mahogany neck. Standard Gibson BurstBuckers (depending on year) feed through individual volume and tone controls, which also provide coil splitting. On the Custom, the fingerboard is Richlite. And as a Custom model, all the metal parts are gold plated.

Used

This instrument has sold

Archtop

Gibson L5 Archtop ES5 Conversion Sunburst, 1948

Sold‼️ Gibson L5 S Custom Natural Maple, 1979

PRS Swamp Ash Special Trans Whale Blue, 2006

Gibson F2 Mandolin Black, 1911

No Longer Available – Gibson ES330 Thinline Archtop Cherry 1969

Gibson Les Paul Axcess Custom Ebony, 2015

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