GIBSON ES 125 TCD, 1961

Light, simple, stylish and sporting two mean and nasty P90s, the ES-125 is a favourite among thinlines. The guitar in the pictures is a 1961 vintage and features all the elements typical to the model: shallow maple hollow-body, mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard and bridge. Cherry red finish on body back, sides and neck, and a cherry sunburst top. The original sunburst, which can still be seen when removing the pickguard and the pickup, has lost some of its red on the exposed areas and has faded to very pleasant amber shading.

The original hardware includes the trapeze tailpiece, the bridge, the gold "reflector" knobs, the single layer "tortoise" pickguard. A Bigsby was on the guitar for a short period, leaving no visible trace but only the Bigsby’s now plugged anchoring screw-holes, completely covered by the now reinstalled original tailpiece. The tuners are Kluson Deluxe 3x3, again typical to the model, but of a later vintage (1964-68, as "Kluson Deluxe" appears here on two lines, instead of the '61 vintage-correct single central line). Other traces concealed by the Kluson's plates show that Grover-type tuners were installed on the guitar for a while: the only – barely – visible marks appear at the ends of the plates and, of course, on the front of the headstock, where the Grovers' wider washers left their typical round imprint. The selector switch tip is non-original.

The pickups are completely original in every part, are well balanced and sound great. The fretboard wood shows some wear in the first positions but the frets are in great condition, making for a very fast feel, also thanks to an excellent action and a straight, no-issue neck.

The finish is completely original and shows normal wear, with nice checking all over but no heavily worn areas. Neck-body joint and headstock area are structurally sound.

The guitar comes with a nice non-original HSC, moulded to fit the guitar like a glove.

€ 2900