Double NGD! Gibson ES-125T's one very player grade another a nicer grade

[Ric Lee]

Very Player Grade Gibson ES-125T (possibly 50's era?):


I've heard some nice sounds out of Gibson ES-125T and I've always loved thinlines but fully hollow ones are a bit rarer with a nice vibe.

So after scouring around I found one player grade ES-125T for a reasonable price for what I've seen in the market and then lucked into one in better shape for a similar price! Going to AB and see which works better for me and sell or return the other(I'll recompense the seller for their time and shipping if I go that route).

From a purely aesthetic perspective I don't mind the wear too much though and some nice figuring the laminate on this one. I may have the finish touched up or just have a tech confirm not an issue with possible flaking off in the future. Non-original pickup (a handmade brand from Croatia called Q that has some love on forums) along with replaced knobs, tuners, tailpiece, pickguard.

No serial number on headstock and seller couldn't find a FON inside the f hole on the back so it may be early Gibson before the serial on the lower models or the FON could have faded. I'll take it to Gruhn's or Carters here in Nashville for dating help if I have some trouble. I got both guitars for a comparable price to calculate repair work as if I get along with it I'm going to keep either one!




And the second contender better grade (possibly later year 1966 but I haven't confirmed from serial #):



Believe still Brazilian rosewood fretboard in 1966 from a look online, seems to be in much better finish condition. Was advised it's the original pickup(possibly a big plus in my book?)
Non original but still nicer pickguard, from the old catalogs those knobs don't appear to be original as from what I've seen this didn't come stock with the gold or silver tophat TONE and VOLUME but instead the tophats with clear tops but I'm not a gibson expert for that period.

Both about the same price to purchase for me so I'll guess I'll have to get both in hand to decide. Maybe the first one with replaced pickup can get a new pickup mounted like a mountable thin humbucker?

Any thoughts? I haven’t really been in a situation with the same instrument from possibly different time periods and conditions. This will be the first vintage guitar I’ve ever owned as well.

Unplayed I'm favoring the 2nd one with original pickup which I'll confirm and the better grade.

[wzpgsr]

Take care to eyeball the fretboard for a drastic hump above the neck join. My mid-1960s 125T had a slight hump but was quite playable with sufficiently low action, but I understand other 125Ts can suffer more severely from this.

[Ric Lee]

Take care to eyeball the fretboard for a drastic hump above the neck join. My mid-1960s 125T had a slight hump but was quite playable with sufficiently low action, but I understand other 125Ts can suffer more severely from this.

Definitely, thanks! I've seen that on other archtops and acoustics of the time so will keep an eye out for it.

I got them both cheap enough that could do a fretboard plane and refret and neck reset for still under 2,000 total cost to own for either one. Whichever one I really vibe with I'm going to keep and put the in the sunk cost work indicative of permanent ownership.

[burchyk]

Congrats! Love those designs.

My project idea is to get one "player grade" with worn frets or a minor neck hump. Refret with vintage size stainless. Replace the bridge with a Faber. Take out and save the electronics without desoldering anything. Put this pickup in Humbucker under P90 Dog Ear - Seymour Duncan Custom Shop.

[burchyk]

How are the neck profiles? I've tried one that was full-depth from the 50s, the neck was absolutely massive, felt close to 1" thick at the 1st fret.

[Ric Lee]

How are the neck profiles? I've tried one that was full-depth from the 50s, the neck was absolutely massive, felt close to 1" thick at the 1st fret.

Still waiting on them to arrive. One of them gets her tomorrow and other gets here Saturday. I’ll let you know and do some measurements!

[Swede]

Congrats! Love those designs.

My project idea is to get one "player grade" with worn frets or a minor neck hump. Refret with vintage size stainless. Replace the bridge with a Faber. Take out and save the electronics without desoldering anything. Put this pickup in Humbucker under P90 Dog Ear - Seymour Duncan Custom Shop.

I have a 1961 levin 330 sunburst fully, acoustic, Vintage Guitars, SWEDEN - Levin Model 330 information. Bought it in the early 90´s in an auction. As far as I know Im second owner, first owner had been an acclaimed folk music violin player.

It looks lovely, good condition, with org case. Mine has dot fretmarkers and no binding on the neck and f-holes.The leaflet in the link says "hand carved top" but I have not checked if its correct for my model, top is quite thin. The thick neck is mahogany with truss rod. Its bolted and the bolts (Ive read) can be reached with a special tool (that I dont have) from the hole under the tail piece strap button. It has a hardly noticeable hump around the 14th fret. Its totally playable but will eventually need a neck reset. How can such a hump be corrected? Could leveled frets be the cure? Or a replacement neck? Would it be worth the effort?

I hardly use the levin since I have an ibanez AK95 that i really like, recently modded with a P90 SD phat cat neck pickup, so Ive been thinking about selling the Levin.

[Ric Lee]

How are the neck profiles? I've tried one that was full-depth from the 50s, the neck was absolutely massive, felt close to 1" thick at the 1st fret.

So the first one the player one I think needs a neck reset for sure, though I was able to get it to play very nicely by putting on a very low height bridge on it. The fretwork is actually really good and the neck seems straight, looks like an old possible repair to the heel that was possibly not done correct(looks like wood glue in the joint to plug a separation but not a full neck reset as it needed). The finish looks like a redo possibly but it's actually a nice burst other than the checking on the edges and the figure in the top laminate is very nice.

It's got smaller vintage frets and a beefy neck probably close to that 1" at the first fret and I have small hands but it actually plays really well with the smaller height bridge but I'd rather not have a neck reset waiting on the horizon and the G tuner needs replacement the shaft is slipping right off the gear when I try and tune to g but it stays stable when tuned whole step down. I am holding my breath that the 2nd one I'm waiting on won't need that work done!

Overall I actually like the vibe other than the obvious issues. If I just had this one I'd probably grab some tuners have a neck reset done at Gruhn's and call it a day.

[burchyk]

... It has a hardly noticeable hump around the 14th fret. Its totally playable but will eventually need a neck reset. How can such a hump be corrected? Could leveled frets be the cure? Or a replacement neck? Would it be worth the effort?
...

I've had a Heritage H575 with a minor hump. The luthier did plane the fretboard during refret at no extra cost and it was perfect after. As long as the fretboard thickness vs the hump allows it should not be a problem.

[Little Jay]

The ES-125 is a great guitar (still love my 1950 to death!).

The T’s are known to fail at the neck joint (although some do and some don’t), so quite possibly a repair was done. But when done right, it will last you forever.

The 1st one already has the 20-fret neck, so it’s from after ‘53 (or maybe ‘54, I forgot). The neck definitely is refinished, they never had black finish on the back, just the dark brown mahogany. So maybe the whole guitar is a refin? It does have the dark sunburst with the wider black rim which was typically early fifities until 54/55, after that the black edge became thinner. I have never seen sunburst on the back and sides of a 125T either, which strengthens my suspicion it’s a complete refin/overhaul.

With a neck reset and a good P90 and the right pots it can be all the guitar you’ll ever need!

I tried a Lolar 50ies underwound in mine (I got it with a humbucker installed) and liked it a lot. But from JGF member Sam Sherry I was able to purchase an original 1947 P90 with harness. The latter did sound better to my ears: cleaner and more transparent.

I have an SD Antiquity P90 in my DIY ES-330 that I like a lot as well. Although not tried out in the same guitar, I feel the Antiquity sounds more like the original ‘47 P90.

[Ric Lee]

Well it's here.

The 2nd ES-125T has arrived and has a much better neck angle and the playability is great without any low bridge shenanigans. Condition is very good with tasteful finish checking. It may have had a neck reset already but I'll have a tech check it out.

Finding that I'm playing it with a bit more acoustic guitar feel with the p90 pickup which sounds great. Very thin fast neck on this 66', feeling like the octopus Tal Farlow on this neck. Tempted to do some recordings but we'll see.

[Little Jay]

Pics or it didn’t happen…..