1936 Gibson EH-150 7-String

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1936 Gibson EH-150 7-String

The successor to Gibson's cast aluminum EHG (Electric Hawaiian Guitar) produced from 1935 to very early 1936, the EH-150 holds the distinction of being the company's first commercially successful electric guitar manufactured from traditional materials, i.e. wood. With its sunburst finish over a maple top, the EH-150 aligned much more closely with the aesthetic of Gibson's lineup than the metal EHG had. It is worth noting that the EH-150 was the first production Gibson instrument to feature a Sunburst finish over a flamed maple top, suggesting that Ted McCarty and his team drew inspiration from these guitars when revamping the Les Paul Model in the late 1950s.

Built in the model's first year of production, this EH-150 is a particularly rare example of the guitar as it features a 7-string configuration. Available shipping totals suggest that no 7-string EH-150s shipped until 1937; however, the factory order number points to a 1936 manufacturing date. Available literature also suggests that of the roughly 2100 EH-150 steels produced between 1936 and 1942, only 307 feature the 7-string configuration.

This example is in very good shape and functions properly. There are a few extra holes on the instrument's top by the control knobs from previously mounted numbered rings, but the instrument appears otherwise original. All seven tuning machines are original to the guitar, a noteworthy point as many pre-war lap steels have been robbed of their parts. The original bar magnet pickup reads 2.9K, a typical measurement for these early pickups, and it sounds absolutely wonderful. The guitar features two early versions of the No.504 control knobs which were exclusively molded in black plastic and have a tiny white index on the side. In mid-1937, these knobs were updated to feature an embossed arrow on the domed top, with each set being made up of one black and one brown knob.

With original hardshell case.
1936 Gibson EH-150 7-String
  • 1936 Gibson EH-150 7-String
  • 1936 Gibson EH-150 7-String
  • 1936 Gibson EH-150 7-String
  • 1936 Gibson EH-150 7-String
  • 1936 Gibson EH-150 7-String
  • 1936 Gibson EH-150 7-String
  • 1936 Gibson EH-150 7-String
  • 1936 Gibson EH-150 7-String
  • 1936 Gibson EH-150 7-String
  • 1936 Gibson EH-150 7-String
  • 1936 Gibson EH-150 7-String
  • 1936 Gibson EH-150 7-String
  • 1936 Gibson EH-150 7-String

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