DESCRIPTION:
Here’s an always-fun guitar – a Gibson ES-125TDC Cherryburst 1966, thinline cutaway archtop electric guitar with a pair of P-90’s. This guitar plays very well, and like the double-cutaway ES-330 or Epiphone Casino, is very light and very versatile.
Over the years, it has had some work done, including a neck reset, refinish to the top, sides and neck, and new Schaller M4 tuners. One knob has also been changed, and the installed ABR-1 adjustable replaced the original Rosewood part, for more precise intonation. The trapeze tailpiece is of the original style but may be newer; sometimes these develop an internal rattle that is fixed by replacement. Older style Dunlop strap locks are installed. There is a small side crack near the output jack.
These are great guitars to play and sound really good. Though originally targeted towards the entry level to advancing player, they work well for many genres and their light weight is a definite positive aspect.
As stock, the Gibson ES-125TDC – ES stands for Electric Spanish (as opposed to Hawaiian) and the TDC initials expand to Thinline, Double Pickup and with a Cutaway has a pair of P-90 pickups with ‘Dog Ear’ covers, indicating the screw tabs used to mount the cover and pickup to the guitar top. Like most other Gibson archtop electrics, the body is Laminate Maple, with a Mahogany neck and Rosewood fingerboard and bridge. In 1966, this meant Indian Rosewood; the use of Brazilian had ceased the year before.
An ABR style ‘Tune-O-Matic’ bridge has also been added in place of the original floating Rosewood part. The trapeze tailpiece looks like it was replaced, not recently, and the control knobs are not original. The faux-tortoise pickguard is original.
The nitrocellulose lacquer finish is in good shape. It is not entirely original; the top and sides, likely during a neck reset, while the neck has a much darker, likely overspray tint than the original red. The back finish appears to be original though it may be oversprayed.
This 1966 Gibson ES-125TDC is in good playing condition, and has a great feel and sound. Gibson’s of this era have somewhat narrower fingerboards, particularly compared to current models. The fully hollow body is quite light and is surprisingly loud acoustically.
This Gibson ES-125TDC is sold with a later, full size acoustic guitar hard shell case. Originally, this model would likely have sold with a ‘fiber’ or card board case, and these often have not survived the ravages of time.
Gibson introduced the ES-125 during 1941 as an entry level, non-cutaway, full body archtop with one or two P-90 pickups. By 1956, the ES-125T Thinline model appeared, still in non-cutaway form. For 1961, the cutaway was added and the model was available as the single pickup TC or the double pickup TDC, sometimes called the TDC with the same meaning. The model was discontinued in 1971.
Many non-professional Jazz and Blues players have used the various ES-125 models, and some professionals – George Thorogood, for example, is closely associated with the Gibson ES-125TDC.
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |
DETAILS:
- Instrument Model: ES_125TDC
- Instrument Manufacturer: Gibson
- Instrument year: 1966
- Instrument Finish: Cherryburst
- Instrument Class: Vintage
- Instrument serial number: 851812, built during 1966 at Kalamazoo Michigan
- Country of Origin: USA
- Instrument Condition: Good
- Right-handed
- CITIES Documentation Required: No
- Case included: Yes
- Case original: No
- Case Type: Hard
- Instrument Weight Imperial: 5.3 lbs
- Instrument Weight Metric: 2.4 kgs
- Scale Length Imperial: 24.6 in
- Scale Length Metric: 625mm
- Nut Width Imperial: 1.58 in
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Nut Width Metric: 40.1 mm
- Items in Case: N/A
- Consignment: Yes
- Product ID: 190104
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |