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I would say it would be very difficult to find an ES-150 in decent condition now. I would think that whoever bought them back then must have been professional musicians as it would have been an expensive item and not really something just to play at home.

I've been following the vintage market closely for over 20 years, and it always surprises me how many 150's actually come up for sale. They're really not as elusive as some people would have you think. I think part of it was the declining demand for archtops for many years, particularly non-cutaway archtops. Now an ES250 is another matter altogether. Those are extremely rare. I think a lot of people confuse the two.

Did you or Jim R ever play an ES - 5?

I had one back in the mid-80's, which I traded a couple of guitars for at a shop in SF. It was a '53 (pre-switchmaster), sunburst, and a beautiful, clean, all original example. It played and sounded fine, but I eventually traded it for a '51 ES350 (two pickup version) plus an amp. The 350 was more practical for my purposes (I tend to prefer just using the neck pickup on most multi-pickup guitars), and played and sounded even better than the ES5.

Does anyone remember the Gibson ES350? I hope I'm getting it right. One pickup, pretty sure it was a carved top. I had one in the late 70s and got rid of it soon thereafter. I bet it would be worth money today. Does anyone know this guitar? It was carved, not laminated, right? I seem to remember it looked a bit like a 175 (which is laminated).

Never been a big Gibson fan, to be honest. But I did fall in love once: Lorelei was a 1929 L4 acoustic, and it was wonderful. Alas, love was unrequited, as I put my down payment in and could not raise the necessary remaining cabbage. But the owner let me apply my down payment towards an amp.

OK, so it was an AER which I came to despise...................

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I would say it would be very difficult to find an ES-150 in decent condition now. I would think that whoever bought them back then must have been professional musicians as it would have been an expensive item and not really something just to play at home.

I've been following the vintage market closely for over 20 years, and it always surprises me how many 150's actually come up for sale. They're really not as elusive as some people would have you think. I think part of it was the declining demand for archtops for many years, particularly non-cutaway archtops. Now an ES250 is another matter altogether. Those are extremely rare. I think a lot of people confuse the two.

Did you or Jim R ever play an ES - 5?

I had one back in the mid-80's, which I traded a couple of guitars for at a shop in SF. It was a '53 (pre-switchmaster), sunburst, and a beautiful, clean, all original example. It played and sounded fine, but I eventually traded it for a '51 ES350 (two pickup version) plus an amp. The 350 was more practical for my purposes (I tend to prefer just using the neck pickup on most multi-pickup guitars), and played and sounded even better than the ES5.

I think Tal had a lovely ES - 350, the one that had the P90 at the bridge and the CC pickup at the neck, I think it was a 350 any way, you can kinda see it in these pics.

farlow_tal~_thisistal_101b.jpg

27836136-3047-4f52-88a7-583a905a58b2.jpg

P34210UBPDX.jpg

51QGHEK2Z7L._SS500_.jpg

Mind you Tal did have quite a few nice Gibsons over the years.

Jim you should post a few pics of some of your collection, sounds like there are some beauties there.

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I would say it would be very difficult to find an ES-150 in decent condition now. I would think that whoever bought them back then must have been professional musicians as it would have been an expensive item and not really something just to play at home.

I've been following the vintage market closely for over 20 years, and it always surprises me how many 150's actually come up for sale. They're really not as elusive as some people would have you think. I think part of it was the declining demand for archtops for many years, particularly non-cutaway archtops. Now an ES250 is another matter altogether. Those are extremely rare. I think a lot of people confuse the two.

Did you or Jim R ever play an ES - 5?

I had one back in the mid-80's, which I traded a couple of guitars for at a shop in SF. It was a '53 (pre-switchmaster), sunburst, and a beautiful, clean, all original example. It played and sounded fine, but I eventually traded it for a '51 ES350 (two pickup version) plus an amp. The 350 was more practical for my purposes (I tend to prefer just using the neck pickup on most multi-pickup guitars), and played and sounded even better than the ES5.

Does anyone remember the Gibson ES350?

:blink::huh::unsure:

:)

I hope I'm getting it right. One pickup, pretty sure it was a carved top. I had one in the late 70s and got rid of it soon thereafter. I bet it would be worth money today. Does anyone know this guitar? It was carved, not laminated, right? I seem to remember it looked a bit like a 175 (which is laminated).

350's originally (and generally, throughout the years they were produced) had laminated maple tops, but they did make some (between '52 and '56, apparently) with laminated spruce tops. They were never carved, though, unless somebody did a special order or something. They originally had just one pickup, but soon went to two.

ES175's are smaller (16 1/4" body, as opposed to 17" on a 350), and 175's have sharp cutaways.

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I think Tal had a lovely ES - 350, the one that had the P90 at the bridge and the CC pickup at the neck, I think it was a 350 any way, you can kinda see it in these pics.

Yep, a 350 with a CC added in place of the neck P90. Barney Kessel's beloved Gibson was also a 350 with a CC in place of a P90. Barney modified/altered his a lot more, though.

Jim you should post a few pics of some of your collection, sounds like there are some beauties there.

I think I have a few beauties, but there are a LOT more beauties that I had to sell or trade in order to get the next beauty I wanted. Still married to my high school sweetheart, though. ^_^

I'll try to get a photo up for you. :)

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I think Tal had a lovely ES - 350, the one that had the P90 at the bridge and the CC pickup at the neck, I think it was a 350 any way, you can kinda see it in these pics.

Yep, a 350 with a CC added in place of the neck P90. Barney Kessel's beloved Gibson was also a 350 with a CC in place of a P90. Barney modified/altered his a lot more, though.

Jim you should post a few pics of some of your collection, sounds like there are some beauties there.

I think I have a few beauties, but there are a LOT more beauties that I had to sell or trade in order to get the next beauty I wanted. Still married to my high school sweetheart, though. ^_^

I'll try to get a photo up for you. :)

Please do, the more the merrier. :tophat: :tophat: :tophat:

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I still love the Gibsons, though, especially my Gobel (which has almost become part of my body over the years) and the L5N/CC (my avatar). Don't play the Johnny Smith or the Super 4 much these days.

What's the vintage of your L5N/CC??? And what are those CC pickups really like???

My L5 is a '66, which was special-ordered with the CC.

CC's are somewhat tricky animals to control, but to me, even if you have to sacrifice some aspect of the sound to control noise, they're still magical. I recommend this article: http://www.kokomomusic.com/pages/corner.html

also interesting: What makes a Charlie Christian pickup a Charlie Christian pickup?

Thank you for posting that link. I've literally been scraping together bits and pieces of technical information about CC's for years, and this will add nicely to what I already had. :tup By the time I get it all figured out, I'll probably be playing another instrument... like a harp. ^_^

Best Charlie Christian pickup.......?

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I would say it would be very difficult to find an ES-150 in decent condition now. I would think that whoever bought them back then must have been professional musicians as it would have been an expensive item and not really something just to play at home.

I've been following the vintage market closely for over 20 years, and it always surprises me how many 150's actually come up for sale. They're really not as elusive as some people would have you think. I think part of it was the declining demand for archtops for many years, particularly non-cutaway archtops. Now an ES250 is another matter altogether. Those are extremely rare. I think a lot of people confuse the two.

Did you or Jim R ever play an ES - 5?

I had one back in the mid-80's, which I traded a couple of guitars for at a shop in SF. It was a '53 (pre-switchmaster), sunburst, and a beautiful, clean, all original example. It played and sounded fine, but I eventually traded it for a '51 ES350 (two pickup version) plus an amp. The 350 was more practical for my purposes (I tend to prefer just using the neck pickup on most multi-pickup guitars), and played and sounded even better than the ES5.

Does anyone remember the Gibson ES350?

:blink::huh: :unsure:Not that I care if a guitar is carved or not once in my hands, mind you. In fact my preference is for laminated. They amplify better, sound better (in my experience) and---the beauty part----are cheaper. The sound is just as fat with less feedback.

I have a cheap Godin now as my main squeeze. Crazy 'bout it (see aforementioned reasons) and probably will get those removable foam inserts for the F-holes to kill and bury feedback once and for all. If anyone can recommend good ones and where they might be gotten by all means do.

:)

I hope I'm getting it right. One pickup, pretty sure it was a carved top. I had one in the late 70s and got rid of it soon thereafter. I bet it would be worth money today. Does anyone know this guitar? It was carved, not laminated, right? I seem to remember it looked a bit like a 175 (which is laminated).

350's originally (and generally, throughout the years they were produced) had laminated maple tops, but they did make some (between '52 and '56, apparently) with laminated spruce tops. They were never carved, though, unless somebody did a special order or something. They originally had just one pickup, but soon went to two.

ES175's are smaller (16 1/4" body, as opposed to 17" on a 350), and 175's have sharp cutaways.

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I would say it would be very difficult to find an ES-150 in decent condition now. I would think that whoever bought them back then must have been professional musicians as it would have been an expensive item and not really something just to play at home.

I've been following the vintage market closely for over 20 years, and it always surprises me how many 150's actually come up for sale. They're really not as elusive as some people would have you think. I think part of it was the declining demand for archtops for many years, particularly non-cutaway archtops. Now an ES250 is another matter altogether. Those are extremely rare. I think a lot of people confuse the two.

Did you or Jim R ever play an ES - 5?

I had one back in the mid-80's, which I traded a couple of guitars for at a shop in SF. It was a '53 (pre-switchmaster), sunburst, and a beautiful, clean, all original example. It played and sounded fine, but I eventually traded it for a '51 ES350 (two pickup version) plus an amp. The 350 was more practical for my purposes (I tend to prefer just using the neck pickup on most multi-pickup guitars), and played and sounded even better than the ES5.

Does anyone remember the Gibson ES350?

:blink::huh: :unsure:Not that I care once and for all. If anyone can recommend good ones and where they might be gotten by all means do.

:)

I hope I'm getting it right. One pickup, pretty sure it was a carved top. I had one in the late 70s and got rid of it soon thereafter. I bet it would be worth money today. Does anyone know this guitar? It was carved, not laminated, right? I seem to remember it looked a bit like a 175 (which is laminated).

350's originally (and generally, throughout the years they were produced) had laminated maple tops, but they did make some (between '52 and '56, apparently) with laminated spruce tops. They were never carved, though, unless somebody did a special order or something. They originally had just one pickup, but soon went to two.

ES175's are smaller (16 1/4" body, as opposed to 17" on a 350), and 175's have sharp cutaways.

Not that I care if a guitar is carved or not once in my hands, mind you. In fact my preference is for laminated. They amplify better, sound better (in my experience) and---the beauty part----are cheaper. The sound is just as fat with less feedback.

I have a cheap Godin now as my main squeeze. Crazy 'bout it (see aforementioned reasons) and probably will get those removable foam inserts for the F-holes to kill and bury feedback once and for all. If anyone can recommend good ones and where they might be gotten by all means do.

Well, that came out kind of nutty. I was responding to the answer about 350s being mostly laminated...................

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Well, that came out kind of nutty. I was responding to the answer about 350s being mostly laminated...................

Your quoting technique could use a little work. ;)

Btw, the funny faces above were just me having a little fun with the fact that you asked if anyone knew the 350 pretty much immediately after I had mentioned that I had a 350. :)

I had two 350's, one with two P90's, and one with a CC and a P90. They were both fantastic guitars, not necessarily "better" than the carved tops I've had, but by no means inferior. To me, every archtop (carved or laminate, full depth or thinline, full scale or shorter scale...) is different, has its own personality, and should be met on its own terms. That's one thing I loved about trying out different guitars. It was like getting to know a different person each time, and learning to enjoy them for what they were. I know... sounds corny. ^_^

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The three I play most these days:

post-83-1255543710_thumb.jpg

My two Fender American Deluxe Jazz Basses (rosewood lined fretless, maple fretted fingerboards) and my '59 Thin Skin Jazzmaster reissue.

Hey Lon, not to overlook that trio of Fenders, but... what's the story on the upright bass (string bass, double bass, bass viol, contrabass... just wanted to make sure I had all my basses covered ^_^ ).

Maybe the story has been told, but I must have missed it (or forgot it!).

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I bought that about 21 months ago from a bassist friend. It's not a great one, but it's a full size and it plays! I like it. It's so different from the bass GUITARS and yet similar to the Wishbass fretless and this Jazz fretless, similar enough that I don't get TOO disoriented going back and forth.

I've been focusing on the guitars lately but had a long run on the violin for a while, and it will call me back soon. Fun to play. Hard on the fingers because. . . different contact areas, especially the right hand.

post-83-1255559276_thumb.jpg

Edited by jazzbo
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Well, that came out kind of nutty. I was responding to the answer about 350s being mostly laminated...................

That's one thing I loved about trying out different guitars. It was like getting to know a different person each time, and learning to enjoy them for what they were. I know... sounds corny. ^_^

That doesn't sound funny at all, that's what I like about quality instruments.

There are some that I wish I hadn't met, and some that I can't be without.

Like the Wishbass.post-83-1255559487_thumb.jpg

Edited by jazzbo
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Or my three Fender Jazz brothers.

post-83-1255559571_thumb.jpg

Cool- must be a nice change of pace. Do you have/use a bow? I always kind of fantasized about getting a cello, but I probably could never afford the type of instrument that would really appeal to me.

I have tried the bow. I can make some nice moaning sounds. :D It's something that does not come natural to me and I have to make another concerted effort to master it in the future.

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