1949 Gibson ES-300
Gibson’s ES-300 was reintroduced right after WWII and was positioned in the price list as the company’s flagship electric archtop. It featured a 17” wide non-cutaway body of figured maple, long 25.5” scale, a single P-90 pickup in the neck position, and lavish appointments. With the ES-125 and ES-150 also introduced in 1946, and the immeasurably popular (and less expensive) ES-175 arriving on the scene in 1949, the ES-300 proved to be an expensive instrument that didn’t perform well in sales, and was dropped from the catalog in 1952, shortly after the more ornate L5CES and Super 400 CES were introduced. Gibson produced fewer than 600 of this model in total, a third of which were shipped in the first production year.
In near-mint condition, this ES-300 is a fabulously attractive 17” archtop guitar. It’s big and beautiful, completely original, and sounds great. The neck carve is round with a standard medium/deep feel, and the set up is comfortably low at 5-6 64ths. The guitar’s finish is nearly flawless, frets show very little wear, electronic components are factory stock, bridge is unmodified, and tailpiece is unbroken. The original pickguard is starting to show some light decomposition, which is also the cause for the oxidation visible on the original Kluson tuners. The pickguard’s celluloid mounting feet have crumbled and have been replaced with wood.
17” Laminate figured maple body with parallel braced top, multi-bound body, bound fingerboard and headstock. Crown headstock inlay, split parallelogram fingerboard inlays, trapeze tailpiece, clear tall barrel knobs. Gloss lacquer finish with sunburst on all sides.
With original hardshell case in similarly fine condition.
In near-mint condition, this ES-300 is a fabulously attractive 17” archtop guitar. It’s big and beautiful, completely original, and sounds great. The neck carve is round with a standard medium/deep feel, and the set up is comfortably low at 5-6 64ths. The guitar’s finish is nearly flawless, frets show very little wear, electronic components are factory stock, bridge is unmodified, and tailpiece is unbroken. The original pickguard is starting to show some light decomposition, which is also the cause for the oxidation visible on the original Kluson tuners. The pickguard’s celluloid mounting feet have crumbled and have been replaced with wood.
17” Laminate figured maple body with parallel braced top, multi-bound body, bound fingerboard and headstock. Crown headstock inlay, split parallelogram fingerboard inlays, trapeze tailpiece, clear tall barrel knobs. Gloss lacquer finish with sunburst on all sides.
With original hardshell case in similarly fine condition.