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#1
01-23-2022, 04:38 PM
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Help Identifying Gibson Archtop
I met a lady who asked me to help her identify a Gibson Archtop. She thinks it’s a 1942 model. I am posting photos of it, but the photo of the model number in the bass soundhole is very hard to see. There is definitely a 17 in the treble soundhole. Any help will be appreciated.
Clifford     
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Recording King RD-318 Bedell TBAC-28-SB Jeff "Skunk" Baxter 
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#2
01-23-2022, 04:48 PM
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A ES 125. A 16” wide. Lower bout. You should have a nother set of numbers inside on the neck block. By the looks of the guitar and case. Im guessing 1948ish to 55
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1946 D-18 1956 D-28 Santa Cruz VA Gibson SJ200
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#3
01-23-2022, 05:18 PM
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While I know squat about Gibson electric archtops, as far I do know Gibson shut down production of all pickups and amps during WWII to concentrate on electronics production needed for the war effort. If nothing else the P90 pickup was not introduced until after the War while what looks in the photo be a block letter logo would indicate the guitar was built after 1946.
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"You start off playing guitars to get girls & end up talking with middle-aged men about your fingernails" - Ed Gerhard Last edited by zombywoof; 01-23-2022 at 06:38 PM.
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#4
01-23-2022, 05:23 PM
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It is a Gibson ES125....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibson_ES-125 Here is my 1952 ES125:  BluesKing777.
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#5
01-23-2022, 05:30 PM
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That model is pretty common - it was Gibson’s least expensive electric guitar, and they sold a lot of them. When I was in my twenties a lot of the people I knew had one of those.
whm
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#6
01-23-2022, 06:00 PM
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I have no idea about other ES125s, but mine has the very chunky 50s Gibson neck and was a surprise when I tried it when buying (at a pawnshop quite a few years ago now) - AHA! I thought - this is easy to fingerpick, especially compared to later 'thinline' 60s version with very skinny necks......
And the P90 pickup sounds great! (In my Mesa Boogie amp!  )That said, I have not touched mine in absolute years...it is taking up storage space behind other failures! I am not interested in electric guitars and have a 1935 Gibson archtop that I love ....when I am in an archtop mood. (those that have played an acoustic archtop know what I mean.  BluesKing777.
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#7
01-23-2022, 07:13 PM
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Thanks to all who posted, and for the photo. I can now tell her with certainty what she has, and now I will let her know what it might be worth. I knew all my fellow AGF’ers could help me out.
Clifford
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Recording King RD-318 Bedell TBAC-28-SB Jeff "Skunk" Baxter
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#8
12-19-2022, 09:47 PM
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I’ve got a 1963 ES125cd with the dual Humbuckers. Awesome guitar! My father played it with nickel flat wounds but they were very old, corroded, and just too dull for my personal taste. I swapped them for some Martin phosphor bronze round wounds. Much louder and brighter. Won’t sound as jazzy through the pickups but I haven’t plugged in an amp in years anyway. 😊
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1937 L50, 1948 L48, 1963 ES125CD, 1969 L7C, Epiphone Joe Pass EmperorII (all carved top/back), plus Taylor, Ibanez-Starfield, Yamaha, Washburn, Seagull 6 and 12s. Several tenor Banjos including 1924 Gibson, 1930 Vegaphone Professional, 1963 Mastertone.
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