Gibson ES-125TC (1960)

Often overlooked but never under-appreciated, the earliest versions of Gibson's thinline hollowbody electric bring the classic workingman's 125-style guitar into a slim, comfortable, and lightweight playing electric.

What To Know

Gibson's ES-125 enjoyed incredible success among working musicians for its no-frills feature set and rich sounding electric hollowbody tone since its release in 1941. This second version "T" style (T for thinline) that came along in the late 50s took its queues from its bigger brother ES-225, offering a slimmer, lighter option of the P90-equipped compared to the larger original style along with a cutaway option that encouraged more upper fret playability.

This 1960 Gibson ES-125TC is a fabulous example, completed early in the year with the highly desirable '59 specs like the larger rounded C neck profile and Amber bonnet knobs. It's in stunning condition with very little to show for its age beyond typical lacquer checking and patina on the original nickel-plated hardware. Tonally, it aims right at the 125 sound but with a quicker, snappier response that tightens up the lows while keeping all that great woodiness intact. While there's no question this is a formidable jazz instrument, it easily reaches into the Blues, Rockabilly, and Americana genres as both a rhythm and lead guitar.

If you're looking for signature P90 neck pickup tone in a hollowbody package that rivals the weight of some flattop acoustic guitars, you'll find it in this Gibson!