1934 Gibson TG-50E

ARCHIVED • SOLD

1934 Gibson TG-50E

FON 798. For a short period in 1934 and early 1935 the TG-50 and related L-50 models featured a 14-3/4" wide L-00 sized body with a braced flat back, and a carved top with a round sound hole. By late 1935, the Gibson catalog pictures these instruments with the larger and more common 16" body. Also in 1935 Gibson introduced its first production electrics - the Electric Hawaiian - a lap slide guitar fitted with the earliest version of what we today commonly call the Charlie Christian pickup. A year later, this pickup was fitted in a pair of newly introduced slide models, and by late 1936 the first Gibson Electric Spanish, the ES-150, was offered, complete with a variant of the same pickup. Gibson employed this pickup on its EH and ES series electrics until 1940, when it was retired in favor of the metal-covered, smaller magnet units which would forbear the venerable P-90. The pickup fitted into the TG-50 pictured here was known as the ES-96. This unit, and a simpler version of it (the ES-75) were listed in the 1936 Gibson Catalog on the same page as the new ES-150. It sold for a whopping $35, while the TG-50 sold at $50 (imagine buying a pickup worth 70% of your guitar's value today!). It is identical in construction and dimensions to the earliest EH-100 pickups, with large and heavy bar magnets, slip-over bobbin, and lowish DC resistance; but is fitted in a circular nickel-plated disk which also features a smartly configured volume control. When we acquired this instrument, the pickup wire dangled loosely from the tail-piece; we removed the 15 feet of original cord and hard-wired an output jack in the tail-piece (no modification to the tailpiece, but we did widen the hole in the endblock to accommodate the 1/4" jack). We also mounted an 1/8" quick-connect jack to the pickup for easier removal. This pickup can be removed for shipping, or for installation in another instrument; it can be used in a 6 string acoustic as well.
The TG-50 is a beautiful guitar, with carved Red spruce top, braced flat maple back and sides, cream bindings. Ebony fingerboard and adjustable bridge. It is fitted with Grover # 79 geared pegs, pearl Gibson headstock logo, bone nut, truss-rod and nickel-silver tailpiece. It originally was fitted with an elevated pickguard, but its removal would have been necessary for the use of the soundhole pickup. The guitar is crack free and in excellent condition but for some pick wear near the sound hole and the usual assortment of dings and scratches. It is well set-up and very playable. This Gibson, complete with its period pickup and original red-line hard shell case is beautiful - and very useable vintage package.
With original hard shell case
SOLD
1934 Gibson TG-50E
  • 1934 Gibson TG-50E
  • 1934 Gibson TG-50E
  • 1934 Gibson TG-50E
  • 1934 Gibson TG-50E
  • 1934 Gibson TG-50E
  • 1934 Gibson TG-50E
  • 1934 Gibson TG-50E
  • 1934 Gibson TG-50E
  • 1934 Gibson TG-50E
  • 1934 Gibson TG-50E
  • 1934 Gibson TG-50E
  • 1934 Gibson TG-50E
  • 1934 Gibson TG-50E

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