Here's a really nice and clean example of a vintage 1957 Gibson ES-125. This guitar was produced at the original Gibson factory in Kalamazoo Michigan U.S.A. What a year! So many things going on in 1957. It needs to be said that this guitar is super-solid: it has no breaks cracks or repairs and is structurally in amazing condition with an excellent neck angle. The guitar is all-original with the exception of the vintage-style tuners and the potentiometers/tone cap are newer units. There are no creaks or squeaks or any other funny business. This guitar has been professionally set up and is ready to go-it needs nothing.
The body is the typical Electric Spanish 16.25" wide silhouette with the 3.5" depth. The scale length is 24.75". The guitar is double-bound and the binding is in very good condition. The original Sunburst finish has an excellent coloring that is vibrant and unfaded. There is typical line checking all over the guitar and the finish is still nice and glossy. The body is the standard 3-ply Maple/Poplar/Maple laminate construction. As previously mentioned-the body is super solid with no issues whatsoever. The neck joint is an excellent fitment and the neck angle is superb.
The neck itself is straight and very smooth. It is a Mahogany construction and has a Chunky C-shaped profile; consistent with later 1950's Gibsons-some of the best feeling necks ever made! The neck width measures 1.68" wide at the nut and the neck depth measures .909" at the 1st fret and 1.021" at the 12th fret. The original tuner buttons had left the chat-in their place are some vintage reissue Kluson Deluxe tuners that look the same with the nice white buttons. The headstock and logo display excellent. The Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard has a beautiful grain-see photos and it is very clean, with a nice soft feel. The frets have been professionally leveled, crowned and polished and look super-crisp; see photos. The action is set low for an easy and fast playing experience. The string height currently measures .010" at the 1st fret and .055" at the 12th fret. The adjustable bridge can easily be raised if you prefer a taller action. As it is-it plays excellent with a light touch. It plays like butter up and down the fingerboard with no issues.
The original "Dog-Ear" P-90 pickup has an excellent signal and the tone is exactly what you'd want in a 50's P-90 Gibson hollow body: Warm, resonant, articulate with a 'woody Jazz' tone. The pickup measures 7.81 ohms. The controls all function smoothly and quietly. As previously mentioned-the potentiometers and tone capacitor were replaced with vintage-spec newer units. The pickgurad is in excellent condition and has a beautiful coloring-see photos. The original bridge is Aldo in excellent conditon-as is the original trapeze tailpiece.
The guitar is lots of fun to play and very comfortable. It only weighs 5.87 lbs. so you can play this baby all night and forget all about shoulder/neck fatigue. It is really resonant and sounds nice even unplugged...plugged in with any quality tube amp, it has an electrifying vibe and just sounds so vintage.
Comes complete with a quality newer hardcase for protection.
