1952 GIBSON ES-125

1952 Gibson ES-125, in very good condition, both preserved and playable.

This is a superb example typical of the early 1950s. Introduced in 1941, it complemented the line of early Electric Spanish models manufactured in Kalamazoo, previously represented by the ES-150, ES-250, and ES-300. The ES-125 offered an affordable option for more modest budgets while retaining all the quality of a professional model. Production was suspended the following year, as was the case for most electric models due to the war, and resumed in 1946. From then until its withdrawal from the catalog in the late 1960s, the ES-125 constituted the bulk of electric guitar production—in total, nearly 34,000 units left the Kalamazoo factory, including 3,134 instruments in 1952. This is clear proof that Gibson had mastered the formula combining simplicity and build quality, the same formula that ensured the success of other lines, such as the LG-1 flat-top and the solidbody Les Paul Junior.

The instrument presented here is typical of the hollowbody electric guitar kept to its essence: a laminated maple body, a single P-90 pickup in the neck position… everything needed to produce an instantly usable sound once connected to an amplifier. The Sunburst finish is superbly preserved, with some marks consistent with use and age—the guitar is otherwise free of any defects. With the exception of the tuners, which are Kluson repros, all of the original hardware is present, including the pickguard, the adjustable Brazilian rosewood bridge, and the electronics. The instrument has been fully optimized for playability in our workshop, including fret levelling, crowning and polishing; crafting of a new bone nut; full adjustment of the neck, as well as action and intonation setup at the nut and bridge—enough to restore 100% of the playability of this 70+ year old instrument!

Sold in a modern hardshell case.