Name that guitar.

[Lee]

I went to a jazz cafe in my home town the other night, and a guy was playing a guitar I've never seen before.

He told me what it was, but I can't remember what he said.

It was a Gibson, and was almost certainly an L5 as far as the body goes.

The differences were:

It had 3 pick-ups.

3 volume and 3 tone controls.

Instead of a toggle switch at the top of the guitar, it had a slide selector at the bottom near the cut-out.

He said they were pretty rare in the UK - so what was it?

Any ideas?



Lee

 

[stratsandaks]

Re: Name that guitar.

Gibson Switchmaster?

http://www.philbrodieband.com/1959GibsonES5Switchmaster.htm

 

[Lee]

Re: Name that guitar.

Yup. That is the one, same colour and everthing. Any idea on it's value? Did they only make them in '59?


Lee

 

[stratsandaks]

Re: Name that guitar.

Last one I saw was $9,500, very nice one at that, but way out of my price range

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Name that guitar.

Yup. That is the one, same colour and everthing. Any idea on it's value? Did they only make them in '59?


Lee

No, they were made from 55-62

BUT: when introduced in 55, they had p-90s. in ´56 the tailpiece in the photo was introduced, mid 57 or so they switched to humbuckers. From about late ´60 toll the end the cutaway was pointier.

SOOOO, the axe in question, if identical with what we see here, was made between mid 1957 and late 1960

BTW, the Proper model name is ES-5 Switchmaster, the original ES-5 was introduced in ´49. (Side note 2) these got Tune-o-matics around 55, they had ebeony bridges before that IIRC

 

[Lee]

Re: Name that guitar.

Actually, now I think of it, I think the cut-away was slightly more pointy - so it must have been the later series.


Lee

 

[stratsandaks]

Re: Name that guitar.

Yeah, what Zerb said.

Now I can stop looking for my copy of Tom Wheeler's American Guitars.

I prefer the looks of the later, sharper cut away as well.

The Switchmaster has been one of my dream guitars for a long time.

 

[Wattage]

Re: Name that guitar.

http://www.epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=12&CollectionID=1

While not a direct copy of the Switchmaster these are nice knock-offs.