SO MY NEIGHBOR ASKS IF I'D RESTRING HIS 60s GIBSON ES-120T . . .
Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2023 1:26 pm
by toomanycats
Needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity to play this vintage instrument. Realizing I might never have another chance to have one of these in my possession, I decided to make a short video.
Re: SO MY NEIGHBOR ASKS IF I'D RESTRING HIS 60s GIBSON ES-120T . . .
Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2023 2:14 pm
by BatUtilityBelt
Wow, very cool.
Re: SO MY NEIGHBOR ASKS IF I'D RESTRING HIS 60s GIBSON ES-120T . . .
Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2023 5:29 pm
by tonebender
Very nice guitar!
Re: SO MY NEIGHBOR ASKS IF I'D RESTRING HIS 60s GIBSON ES-120T . . .
Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2023 9:11 am
by tlarson58
Love the guitar and vid. Thanks!
Re: SO MY NEIGHBOR ASKS IF I'D RESTRING HIS 60s GIBSON ES-120T . . .
Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2023 10:34 am
by andrewsrea
Great video and nice guitar. The resonance and the necks are an indescribable treat, but then again, I am biased as it is the type of guitar I grew up on.
Smart to be ginger with those Baklite tuner buttons -the crumble like you explained. I still have teh originals on my ES-125 (full 3.5" depth) that I've pinned down to being a 1949 to 1951 model:
Re: SO MY NEIGHBOR ASKS IF I'D RESTRING HIS 60s GIBSON ES-120T . . .
Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2023 10:48 am
by toomanycats
andrewsrea wrote: ↑Sat Oct 21, 2023 10:34 am
Great video and nice guitar. The resonance and the necks are an indescribable treat, but then again, I am biased as it is the type of guitar I grew up on.
Smart to be ginger with those Baklite tuner buttons -the crumble like you explained. I still have teh originals on my ES-125 (full 3.5" depth) that I've pinned down to being a 1949 to 1951 model:
20190127_114230.jpg
Like I said in the video, I was expecting to see a P90 on my neighbors guitar and was surprised when I opened the case and saw the single coil. Do you know anything about the single coil neck pickup on the ES-120T? Is it designed like a fender single coil with rod magnets, or is there a bar magnet underneath?
I can't believe what good condition your ES-125 is in. I love the pickguard.
Re: SO MY NEIGHBOR ASKS IF I'D RESTRING HIS 60s GIBSON ES-120T . . .
Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2023 12:21 pm
by andrewsrea
toomanycats wrote: ↑Sat Oct 21, 2023 10:48 am
Do you know anything about the single coil neck pickup on the ES-120T? Is it designed like a fender single coil with rod magnets, or is there a bar magnet underneath?
I can't believe what good condition your ES-125 is in. I love the pickguard.
My Dad bought the ES125 NOS in early 1951 with a Champ type amp Alimo amp, from the inventory of a Philadelphia string band. He took great care of it as have I, when he gave it to me. The PG is Bakalite and has shrunk, but thankfully has not cracked as they do. The tuner buttons are visibly dried out and fragile. I am thinking of replacing them, just to reduce the likely hood of them breaking
I am pretty sure the PU in your guitar is a PU380, which is essentially like one bobbin of a Firebird with the bar magnet running in the center - but the bobbin is bigger to hold more windings. Where a FB pickup is two bobbins with a center magnet and wound to approximately 4.7K each, the PU380 is wound to about 7K. Most notably found in the Gibson Melody Maker and laet 60's juniors, but in many of the Kalamazoo line and in Gibson's pedal steels.
Re: SO MY NEIGHBOR ASKS IF I'D RESTRING HIS 60s GIBSON ES-120T . . .
toomanycats wrote: ↑Sat Oct 21, 2023 10:48 am
Do you know anything about the single coil neck pickup on the ES-120T? Is it designed like a fender single coil with rod magnets, or is there a bar magnet underneath?
I can't believe what good condition your ES-125 is in. I love the pickguard.
My Dad bought the ES125 NOS in early 1951 with a Champ type amp Alimo amp, from the inventory of a Philadelphia string band. He took great care of it as have I, when he gave it to me. The PG is Bakalite and has shrunk, but thankfully has not cracked as they do. The tuner buttons are visibly dried out and fragile. I am thinking of replacing them, just to reduce the likely hood of them breaking
I am pretty sure the PU in your guitar is a PU380, which is essentially like one bobbin of a Firebird with the bar magnet running in the center - but the bobbin is bigger to hold more windings. Where a FB pickup is two bobbins with a center magnet and wound to approximately 4.7K each, the PU380 is wound to about 7K. Most notably found in the Gibson Melody Maker and laet 60's juniors, but in many of the Kalamazoo line and in Gibson's pedal steels.
Thanks. I knew that you'd know what that pickup was.
Re: SO MY NEIGHBOR ASKS IF I'D RESTRING HIS 60s GIBSON ES-120T . . .
Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2023 1:41 pm
by tonebender
When you spoke about it being to a 335 what a LP Jr is to a Les Paul, it just reminded me of how much I love my Junior. The last 4-5 gigs I have played nothing but the Junior. I am trying real hard not to conclude I like it better than my Goldtop but I am finding it to be difficult. My Goldtop is my favorite all time guitar.
Re: SO MY NEIGHBOR ASKS IF I'D RESTRING HIS 60s GIBSON ES-120T . . .
Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2023 10:15 am
by LightWingStudios
toomanycats wrote: ↑Fri Oct 20, 2023 1:26 pm
Needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity to play this vintage instrument. Realizing I might never have another chance to have one of these in my possession, I decided to make a short video.
