Instruments
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1935 Gibson Nick Lucas, Maple/Adirondack Spruce
The Nick Lucas model is consistently sought out as one of the finest sounding and exclusive vintage Gibsons in existence, having only been made from 1928 to 1941, and in that time undergoing a number of transformations. What began as a 12-fret flattop with a 13 1/2” lower bout eventually settled in 1935 as the 14-fret powerhouse with an extra inch across the lower bout and a 4 5/8” body depth, resulting in an injection of extra power and bass response into an otherwise warm, intimate voice. This guitar sings like a big guitar but in a small package–there’s a reason why so many modern builders have attempted to recreate the Nick Lucas model. The V neck is chunky and familiar in hand, and is largely mark free, as is the rest of the guitar. This Gibson comes to us all the way from 1935, approaching a hundred years old, but is remarkably well preserved. Aside from the frets and case, all the components appear to be original, and we don’t believe the neck has been reset before (in spite of the fact that the setup is still easy on the hands, with good break angle at the saddle). Vintage Gibsons have a reputation of not weathering the years very well, but this ’35 Nick Lucas is the exception.
The sunburst is darker and tighter than we what we’d expect from a flattop of this period, which leads us to guess that it may have been a custom order at the time of construction. However, the figure of the Maple still manages to shine through the back and sides, especially at the waist, and ditto for the incredibly tight-grained Adirondack Spruce top.
It’s vintage guitars like this Nick Lucas that get us out of bed in the morning. They’ve been around long enough to really wake up and have something to say, and we cherish the time we get to visit with them. But, this Gibson needs to find its new home, and we fear it won’t be with us. Do reach out if you’d like to discuss this piece with us, we’re more than happy to answer any questions you have.Other keywords: gutiar, 14 fret, blues guitar, flat top, adriondack, red maple, shade top, sun burst
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.75 in Nut Width 1.813 in String Spacing 2.375 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Maple 
1936 Gibson Advanced Jumbo, Indian Rosewood/Adirondack Spruce
If we’ve played a finer vintage Gibson, we can’t remember when. This 1936 Advanced Jumbo is just incredible—plays like butter, rings out like so many bells, mostly original and with a clean bill of health from our repair folks. Gibson only built about 300 of these their cream of the crop slope shoulder dread; quite the upgrade from their “workingman” Jumbo model. The AJ features a slim neck profile for fast playability, and a 1 11/16” nut width to boot. 25.5” scale length, enlarged 4” soundhole, and a slightly tighter waist further separate the AJ from the standard Gibson Jumbo of the era, as well as the diamond and arrowhead fingerboard inlay pattern.
We love this guitar for so many reasons, it’s hard to settle on one. So we won’t! It plays great—has a powerful and woody voice that’s been well seasoned for the past 85 or so years—is in great shape for more music-making—it’s got the right amount of play wear and mojo to really look the part of a proper prewar Gibson—and it’s one of approximately only 300 built before Gibson revived the model in 1990.Other keywords: gibson guitar, vintage, pre-war, sloped shoulder, adriondack, adirondack, shade top, sunburst
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.5 in Nut Width 1.68 in String Spacing 2.125 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Rosewood - Indian 
2012 Gibson Collector’s Choice #4 “Sandy”
The Les Paul from 1959 is one of the most sought-after electrics of all time. And Gibson’s Collector’s Choice series is the most faithful reproduction of this legendary instrument. Here we have #4 from 2012, “Sandy,” an exacting copy of a ’59 LP that had cream of the crop traits: tightly flamed Maple top, faded “dirty lemon” sunburst, zebra-coil humbuckers, low neck pitch and butter-smooth playability. In order to recreate this LP down to the tiniest details, Gibson’s team went so far as to digitally scan the entire original for its neck and top carves, even the grain pattern of the Flame Maple top and play wear patterns.
This work of art is more than a simple reissue, it’s more than a relic’d reproduction. It’s the recreation of a piece of electric guitar perfection, right down to the studs.SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.625 in Nut Width 1.68 in String Spacing 2 in Woods Maple - Figured, Mahogany 
1939 Gibson SJ-100, Mahogany/Adirondack Spruce
Big boy, big sound, big personality! 1939 Gibson SJ-100, anybody? Adirondack Spruce over Mahogany, 5-piece Maple neck, and a unique set of appointments and design features that step the SJ-100 outside the bounds of a regular Gibson Super Jumbo flattop. For the early 1939 SJ-100, Gibson used a mustache bridge with individual saddles, stairstep headstock, triple bindings on top, and butterfly Kluson tuners. 17 inches across the lower bout for a thunderous bass response, precisely what you’d expect from a flattop this fierce, and this beauty is only a little over five pounds in weight; easy to keep on playing. Original case, original components, and our repair shop went over the SJ-100 from tuner to tail to make sure it’s up to snuff and ready for action. They confirmed that the finish is original to boot, with some finish repairs over the years.
A powerhouse to be the gem of your Gibson collection!Other keywords: gibson guitar, SJ 100, sunburst, tiger stripe, ohsc
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.68 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Mahogany 
1963 Gibson ES-335
A sweet piece of vintage finery! We’ve landed a gorgeous Gibson ES-335 from 1963 in cherry finish, nylon nut and saddles, and the chunkier neck profile desired by collectors and players alike. Additionally, the pickup configuration on this ES-335 is one of the rare PAF transition versions: the neck pickup is PAF, the bridge pickup patented.
Slinky setup, and weighing in just over eight pounds, this 335 is heaps of fun to play. We love the cherry finish; it’s got the marks to prove it’s been making lots of good music for decades, with the finish worn down on the neck for that smooth, smooth feel.Other keywords: gibson guitars, semihollow, semi-hollow, patent applied for, kluson
1944 Gibson Southern Jumbo (Banner), Mahogany/Adirondack Spruce
The banner Gibsons are among the most revered vintage pieces, and we’ve landed a fantastic example of a 1944 Southern Jumbo to prove the point. In particular, this piece has an Adirondack Spruce top, rather than the more common all-Mahogany SJs of the time. This one’s seen its fair share of action across its almost eighty years of living, but our repair maestros have gone over it tailpiece to tuners and give it a clean bill of health. This vintage Gibson is ready for more action, and boy is it itching for strumming (or flatpicking, or fingerstyle for that matter). And it’s got a James May Ultra Tonic pickup to carry you right onto the stage for accurate, acoustic amplified tone.
Other keywords: gibson guitar, dreadnought, slope shoulder, 4-piece, only a gibson is good enough, shade top, sunburst
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.75 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.125 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Mahogany 
1982 Gibson D’Angelico #2166S, Maple/Spruce
A special piece, this one. We’ve got a 1982 Gibson/D’Angelico, #2166S. This archtop was commissioned by Gordon Poland, and built by Gibson’s master luthier Aaron Cowles out of his own home, one of only two D’Angelico replicas Cowles built. Here, the guitar was built from various specifications and dimensions of Johnny Smith’s original 1955 D’Angelico Excel 1000—and Cowles had direct access to this very instrument for this purpose.
Cowles acquired a tailpiece in the D’Angelico style from the original company John used, you’ll find a D’Angelico stamp on the inside of the instrument and “IHJD” inlaid on the back of the headstock, “In Honor of John D’Angelico.”Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, guitarbuilding, jazz guitar, dangelico, d’angelico guitar, d’angelica, johny smith, new york
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.875 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.0625 in Woods Spruce, Maple 
1984 Gibson Les Paul Custom
We’ve got a powerhouse all-black Gibson Les Paul custom from 1984 that’s looking sharp and singing sultry. All original components, PAF pickups with gold tremolo bridge, Ebony fretboard, the original Gibson case, and MOP fretboard position markers to boot. This Les Paul Custom is very clean, with only faint fret wear from the b and e strings, and some light scratches on the pickguard.
other keywords: gibson guitars, lp, custom guitar, electric, solidbody, solid body, trem bridge, cutaway
1956 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop
An all-original Gibson Les Paul goldtop from 1956. Need we say more? One of the most iconic electric guitars of all time, and this example is a breeze to play and more fun than we could hope to describe. Our repair shop has gone over it in painstaking detail to verify that everything is in tip-top and original shape—and everything lines up except the high e saddle adjustment screw. The P-90s roar, and all the hardware and electronics work like a charm.
A goldtop this sweet is, to smudge a phrase, as good as gold. For both collectability and playability. And what more could you want?Other keywords: gold top, lp, p90, les paul model, cutaway, rock
1958 Gibson ES-175
Man oh man, this is a fun one. We’re talking about a virtually all-original 1958 Gibson ES-175 (right down to the curlicue pickguard) with the original Gibson Lifton case, PAF pickup, tuners, bridge—on and on. We’ve gone over this one with a fine tooth comb to make sure everything is in order, and we’re very happy to say this one is on the up and up! It plays like butter with a chunky C neck, and the PAF screams when you dig in, and purrs when you don’t. More mojo than you can shake a pick at! It’s in amazing condition to boot (but please, keep those boots away from this vintage ES-175).
This is the kind of Gibson history you want to keep close at hand, at all times.SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.625 in Nut Width 1.72 in String Spacing 2 in Woods Mahogany, Mahogany 
1944 Gibson LG-2 Banner, All-Mahogany
Banner Gibson, anyone? We’ve got a lovely 1944 Gibson LG-2, all Mahogany, available now. Gorgeous burst, finish checking in true vintage style, and a thunderclap voice that’s two parts Mahogany crunch and two parts Mahogany rumble. Our repair shop has gone over it with their fine-tooth luthier’s comb and given it a clean bill of health after refretting the fretboard, and it’s got an L.R. Baggs Lyric pickup for onstage work, and a Calton case (plus padded case cover) for the road. The original tuners are included with the case, and there are fully functional replacements currently installed for convenient tuning.
Other keywords: LG2, LG 2, gibson banner, banner years, ’44, sunburst, flight case
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.875 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.15 in Woods Mahogany, Mahogany 
1979 Gibson Johnny Smith, Maple/Spruce
Certifiably cool, calm, and collected: our 1979 Gibson Johnny Smith cuts a fine figure in your hands, and dresses your tone in pure velvet with a Kent Armstrong humbucker. Our repair team recently went over this archtop from tuners to tailpiece, removing the original corroded pickguard and pickup and replacing the former with a matching vintage guard, and the aforementioned Armstrong humbucker. Vintage vibe is further maintained with the inclusion of an 1/8” jack for the pickup, mounted right to the pickguard with volume and tone knobs (cable included).
We’re talking serious juice. The trebles are dripping with it, and the bass does some kind of miracle work with note definition that cuts cleanly through the mix with smoothness and expansiveness. The setup? Butter is tough by comparison. Such a well-preserved Johnny Smith is not to overlooked!
Other spellings: gibsen, givson, johny smith, jonny smith
1936 Gibson ES-150 Charlie Christian & EH-150 Amp
Once again Al Petteway landed a king-size catfish, and now he’s passing the fork (two forks in this case) onto you guys. We’re talking about the deadly combination of a 1936 Gibson ES-150 and a 1936 Gibson EH-150—both original, both Charlie Christians, both the perfect complement to the other.
The ES-150 is in great shape with a fast setup and hard V neck. That Charlie Christian pickup gives up the equivalent of a 32oz porterhouse steak in juicy tone. All the knobs work fine, only a minimum of play wear on the top (considering this beauty is over 80!), and it even comes wrapped up in its original case. When plugged in to the EH-150, you better be prepared for a goosebump-raising experience. Al’s had this amp for almost four decades, and it’s still going strong.
We hate breaking up siblings, so these two are being sold as a pair. A rare opportunity to get both parts of the Gibson Charlie Christian package at the same time!
1934 Gibson L-50 Maple/Spruce
If you’ve got an ear for fine vintage guitars, this 1934 Gibson L-50 rings right as rain. What would you expect from a guitar out of Al Petteway’s personal collection? The voice is two parts Maple, one part Spruce, and an extra dollop of crunchy, woody tone in the mids. The setup is dialed into that fine line between fingerstyle and flatpicking, and lends itself to either discipline.
Flatpicking fiddle tunes or country blues in the key of Mississippi John Hurt, we found the response of this L-50 to be big, quick, and well-defined. Lots of archtop pop, and if you dig in a bit with a pick there’s an incredible amount of projection that’ll come belting out of this slice of Gibson history.
If it’s good enough for Al, you know it’s got the mojo. This 1934 Gibson L-50 more than fits the bill.
1938 Gibson L-Century, Maple/Spruce
What a gorgeous piece of Gibson history! We’ve had several L-Centuries come through the shop, but this one is in the best shape we’ve seen yet, and it’s got a killer woody voice to match. Maple back and sides and Spruce on top, crisp sunburst and tiger stripe pickguard, original bridge, bridge plate, and tuners—even the setup is perfect. Dialed in to the sweet spot that’s great for fingerpicking but with just enough string height for the occasional slide number to ring without the rumblestrip effect of bouncing across the frets.
Take this beauty in standard tuning, or down to Open D or Open G! The voice has split wide open and you’ll be surprised just how much volume this little L-Century from 1938 can churn out at will. We really can’t say enough about the tone: crisp and responsive, and so lively! It’s an instrument that’s incredibly fun to play. Gibson only made these mother-of-pearl(oid)-bedecked gems for a few years, and they’re each a collection-worthy find. This one happens to be both essentially all-original and in incredible playing shape.