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c.1946 Gibson ES-300

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Body size at lower bout: 17". Scale length: 25 1/2" Nut Width: 1 11/16" Neck Depth: .88/.98 1st/10th fret

Materials: Arched figured Honduras mahogany top, back, and sides; solid Honduras mahogany neck; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge.

Hardware: Vintage Gibson P-90 pickup and electronics, original compensated adjustable rosewood bridge, adjustable truss rod. Vintage correct aged nickel hardware includes 15:1 Kluson Deluxe tuners, triple parallelogram trapeze tailpiece, bound tortoise pickguard, clear gold barrel tone and volume knobs.

Notes: Debuting in 1940, the ES-300 was Gibson's top-of-the line electric guitar. Originally sporting a huge 7" diagonally oriented pickup, the electronics were changed the following year to a smaller diagonal pickup in the bridge position. Revived in 1945, the ES-300 was fitted with a single P-90 pickup, and was built only until 1948, after which the model was refitted with twin pickups. The ES-300 was also the first electric to be inlaid with double-parallelogram fingerboard inlays, original to the prewar L-12, then ubiquitous on Gibson electrics to this day.

Examples from the postwar era bear neither label nor factory order number, but this instrument may be dated by its prewar narrow Gibson peghead logo. Of particular note is the body of figured Honduras mahogany, a rare feature of the earliest postwar examples. With its subtly shaded original Cremona sunburst finish, the instrument shows fairly extensive age checking and playwear, mostly around the soundholes and switch.

A close inspection reveals a Gibson factory wiring harness with black Spague capacitors, indicating that this guitar must have been sent back to the factory sometime in the 50's for installation of the second P-90 pickup at the bridge. Aged vintage correct hardware includes the Kluson Deluxe tuners, triple parallelogram trapeze tailpiece, bound tortoise pickguard, and the clear gold barrel tone and volume knobs, with a beveled 5-ply jack plate installed as well.

The action is low and inviting, with a fresh high-precision setup over fine recent fretwork on the solid rosewood fingerboard, with a fresh high-precision setup over the traditional gentle C profile neck. The vintage P-90 pickups are clear and detailed, and the full depth, long scale 17" L-5 style body produces one of the finest acoustic voices to be found on any electric guitar.

One of the rarest Gibson electrics, this ES-300 offers classic tone, unmatched versatility, and easy, modern playability. One only: call now.

Setup: This instrument is strung with medium gauge nickel roundwound strings (.012-.054). The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 4/64" to 5/64" at the 12th fret, with moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.

Case: Deluxe black arched plush lined hardshell case.

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