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Am I crazy? I thought Gibson recently (in the last... 10-15 years maybe?) reissued the ES-125, for a very short time. I swear I remember looking at a Gibson website page on that guitar... I forget if they called it a "reissue" or "historic" or what... but I can find no evidence of it online. Am I crazy?
The reason I'm asking is, I was curious on the fretboard radius and nut width of ES-125s. It seems over the years they were inconsistent, some were 1-3/4, some were 1-11/16, some were V-profiles, some were round, Can't find ANY info on fretboard radius... I figured it would be easy enough to find the specs on the reissue... but I can't even find the guitar.
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05-07-2023 08:39 AM
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I'm going to say they didn't, because if they did, there's no way I would have resisted getting one.
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Confused with the Epiphone Century maybe?
Epiphone Inspired by '66 Century Archtop | Reverb
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No, definitely not the Epiphone. Maybe I'm just mis-remembering....
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You are talking about years when I have been interested in that guitar too and I have never, ever seen a reissue of ES125. Always wondered why, there has been a lot of interest in Gibson P90 jazz guitars.
Closest I have found is ES175 reissue 1954. At first it was crazy expensive… but then I found an used one and bought it! Super happy!
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Epiphone issued a made in China George Thorogood ES-125TC that was white to the bone.
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Maybe you saw an original one on a site like guitarsn'jazz.com:
1953 es125. $2995
25 3/4 scale
Nut Width 1 11/16
Neck Depth .91/1.00 1st/10th fret
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There was an ES 225T reissue. Maybe you’re thinking of that?
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This !
Originally Posted by lammie200
And a Sorento 50th anniversary in 2012, which looks a little like an ES125TDC but with mini humbuckers
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The Heritage H-525 was another updated version of Gibson's ES-225. Could that be the model being confused with the ES-125?
Here's a standard H-525:
H-525 Custom:
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May be you saw a Gibson 1934 L5 reissue?
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My 1966 ES125T has a 9.5" radius and a 1 9/16" nut width. I bought it 35 years ago and will never sell it; best guitar I've ever had.
The reason I'm asking is, I was curious on the fretboard radius and nut width of ES-125s. It seems over the years they were inconsistent, some were 1-3/4, some were 1-11/16, some were V-profiles, some were round, Can't find ANY info on fretboard radius...
I recently bought a new Guild T-50 as a substitute because the Gibson needed some work. Great guitar, almost identical specs except with a 1 11/16" nut width and higher frets. From what I can tell it's the closest you can get to an ES125T these days when buying new.Last edited by Tim Clark; 05-07-2023 at 04:25 PM.
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Maybe the inconsistancy is one reason to NOT to make a reissue, there is not one specific guitar to copy. Originally Posted by ruger9
And that’s why my quest for an ES125 slowed down: I would like a 3-tone burst BUT that finish came in 1956 and in those years the nut width is narrower than earlier versions. Or so I have read somewhere, they are so rare birds in my woods that I have played only one or two whole ones and one or two thin ones.
The other reason for stopping the quest is that their prices has rocketed. Slowly, but any way. And paying several grands for a guitar with a possible top collapse is too exciting for me!
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As John A. said, there was a ES-225 reissue. I played one and it felt exactly like my 1959 ES-225. The reissue sure did not stay around for long.
Thanks John
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They're cool but somehow I don't think Gibson is about to reissue a non cutaway student level guitar.
But we are talking about Gibson, so who knows.
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It wasn't the thinline or the 225. But these replies show me I must be mis-remembering. So for a real 125, it's vintage or nothing.
It is odd that Gibson never did a reissue of that one, considering all the famous guitars they HAVE reissued.
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That is so true! Originally Posted by Herbie
I was on the hunt for an ES 125 for quite a while and couldn't find one for a reasonable price.
Then this beauty popped up for 1/4 of what I was willing to pay for a gibson, and I couldn't be happier!
I know they are built a bit different, but it still gets the vibe!
Paul
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The Loar LH309 is pretty similar. It’s a “hand-carved top”. Only $750 on Sweetwater.
Then of course there are the Godin Kingpins that capture the spirit if not the exact sound of the 125.
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yeah... those are the 2 I've been considering for awhile... but I've been through enough gear over the decades to know, when you want SOMETHING, it's generally only that very something that will cure the GAS; imitators are just a delay and a way to lose money. Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff
BUT... the cheapest current ES-125s on reverb are 1800+... many are much more than that. Just not sure I can drop that much coin on a guitar that is not my primary instrument. So I guess I'll go back to considering the Loar and Godin. I've read all about them; reviews are mixed on the Loar, but I've seen plenty of good ones. I'd have to purchase both to know if one of them has what I am after. I have played a Godin- but it was years ago. Too long ago to use memory as a guide.
That Eastman certainly looks interesting!
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I played two different 309's a few years ago, thought they were absolutely terrible guitars. Weak pickups with loud buzzes, sharp fret ends, dead frets, bad intonation, you name it.
Kingpin, not totally the same, but a pretty cool guitar. I should play mine. Think I will.
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Yes, I've read your reviews here. Everywhere else, the reviews seem to be more good than bad. I wonder if maybe the ones you got were early in their development, before the manufacturing kinks had been worked out? Either that or just shoddy QC, because I've read plenty of good reviews on the 309s as well. Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
The Godin reviews are definitely more consistent, but Godin has been around a long time and has a rep for good, consistent instruments, so no surprise there.
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I think you'd enjoy it! It has been discontinued, but you should be able to track one down, especially in the US. Originally Posted by ruger9
So far, that guitar has been such a joy to play, I'm not sure I'd trade it for a gibson.
Paul
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Can you tell me the actual model number, so I can put up a search on eBay and reverb? Originally Posted by Webby
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Sure! Originally Posted by ruger9
It's AR 405E. At least here in europe I've See them sell in the range from 700-1000€
Paul
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Yes, I see there are currently 3 on reverb. Trying to find the specs of this model now, primarily nut width and fingerboard radius... Originally Posted by Webby
Damn... Cream City Music sold a BRAND NEW one only 3 months ago. At least they posted the specs: 12" neck radius (yay!!) and 1-3/4" nut width.
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