Used Vintage Gibson 1951 ES-5C – Brazilian Rosewood

Sonic Evaluation

This ES-5C is proof that there is indeed magic in an old Gibson! It's hard to explain the tone of this guitar any other way. When I first plugged it in, it immediately gave me goosebumps. It has a beautiful bouquet of complex overtones, and it's one of the most harmonically lively guitars I've ever played. Truly special vintage hollowbodies always have an acoustic-like touch-sensitivity, and this serial carries that hallmark of greatness as well. Playing this guitar is such a wonderfully dynamic, expressive experience that you can't help but get lost immediately. Physically, I was at Wildwood in my office, but mentally, I was off in ES-5C Land, a mythical place where the next note is all that matters.

In more concrete terms, this guitar sounds as big and rich as the early-oughts country duo Big and Rich, yet it maintains crystalline fidelity and clarity. The bridge pickup has a beautiful sparkle and chime, with surprisingly robust low-end and a complex midrange. The neck pickup is fat and sweet, with outstanding depth and fullness. The out-of-phase settings also sound really cool--they kind of make this guitar sound like a great old Gretsch.

This ES-5C is a truly marvelous instrument, and I have no doubt it will transport you to a mythical musical landscape just like it did for me!

Condition Report

This ES-5C is in fantastic shape for its age! It shows typical vintage wear, and it has had one small crack repaired on the back, which we needed a blacklight to find. Everything except for the switch some modified wiring looks original. A previous owner wired this guitar for a 3-way switch and added a volume knob that adds the middle pickup to any position. The pickups, however, are original, although there are some phasing issues between the middle and neck pickup, as they seem to be out-of-phase when at full volume. Output-wise, the neck pickup measures 7.51k, the middle 5.89k, and the bridge 6.93k.

A previous owner also installed an aftermarket bone nut, although the original is in the case. The frets look original, and have been dressed at some point. They show light wear, and they measures .071 inches by .026 inches. The tuners are original, too. Finally, the tone knob is cracked but still fits on the pot shaft. It comes with its original hardshell case, too!