ES-100 Electric Archtop
Available: 1938 to 1941
Collectibility Rating: D (an early, but plain and small, electric archtop model).

1938 ES-100 introduction specs:

14 1/4" wide, flat back, blade pickup with white rectangular housing in neck position, jack on side, some with 2 sound posts inside, single bound top and back, rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, silkscreen logo, no peghead ornamentation, sunburst finish.

1940 ES-100 specs:

Retangular pickup with metal cover and adjustable poles, pickup in bridge position.

ES-100 model name changed to ES-125 in 1941. Production ceased for WWII in 1942. Re-introduced in 1946 (see ES-125 below).

1957 ES-125 thick body,
with 1 P-90 pickup and
hang tag.

ES-125 Electric Archtops.
Available: 1941 to 1970
Collectibility Rating: D- (a student model at best).

1946 ES-125 specs:

16 1/4" wide, approximately 3.5" thick body, one non-adjustable P-90 pickup with "dog ears", pickup in neck position, tortoise grain pickguard, trapeze tailpiece with raised diamonds, single bound top and back, pearloid traezoid fingerboard inlays, silkscreen logo, sunburst finish.

1950 ES-125 specs:

dot fingerboard inlays, plain tailpiece, P-90 pickup with adjustable poles.

ES-125 discontinued 1970. Note thinline ES-125T, ES-125TC, ES-125TCD versions available starting in 1956 and 1960, respectively.

ES-130/ES-135 Electric Archtops.
Available: 1954 to 1958
Collectibility Rating: D+ (cutaway, slightly-better-than student model).

1954 ES-135 specs:

16 1/4" wide body, one or two P-90 pickups with "dog ears", sharp cutaway, one pickup models had pickup in neck position, 3.5" thick body, laminated beveled-edge pickguard, trapeze tailpiece with raised diamond, single bound top, back and fingerboard, dot or pearloid traezoid fingerboard inlays, decal gold logo, Kluson strip tuners, sunburst finish. Basically a thick body version of the 1960s Gibson ES-125tc or ES-125tdc.

ES-130 introducted in late 1954.

Renamed ES-135 introducted in mid-1956.

ES-135 discontinued 1958.

ES-135 reissued in the 1991 with different specifications.

1955 ES-140

ES-140 (3/4) Electric Cutaway Archtop.
Available: 1950 to 1957.
Collectibility Rating: C- (much like a mini kid-sized 3/4 ES-175 with short scale).

1950 ES-140 specs:

12 3/4" wide full depth body, 22 3/4" short scale, pointed cutaway, one P-90 pickup with "dog ears" in neck position, tortoise grain pickguard, single bound top and back, dot fingerboard inlays, silkscreen logo, sunburst finish.

1955 ES-140 specs:

Natural finish available.

ES-140 discontinued 1957. Note thinline ES-140T 3/4 version available starting in 1956 which replace the thick body model.

1938 ES-150

ES-150 Electric Archtop
Available: 1936 to 1956
Collectibility Rating: Pre-WWII models: B+, Post-WWII models: D-.

1936 ES-150 introduction specs:

16 1/4" wide, X-braced, flat back, slender F-holes, Charlie Christian pickup with single bound blade, 3 pickup adjustment screws thru top, 2 knobs, jack at tailpiece base, trapeze tailpiece with raised diamond, single bound top, back, pickguard and rosewood fingerboard, dot fingerboard inlays, pearl logo, sunburst finish.

1938 ES-150 specs:

notch on pickup blade under B-string.

1939 ES-150 specs:

single pickup blade for bass strings, 3 blades for treble strings.

1940 ES-150 specs:

arched back, rectangular metal-covered adjustable pole pickup near bridge, jack on side, unbound fingerboard. Production halted for WWII in 1942.

1946 ES-150 specs:

17" wide, P-90 pickup in neck position, dot fingerboard inlays, laminated beveled edge pickguard, silkscreen logo.

1950 ES-150 specs:

Trapezoid fingerboard inlays, bound fingerboard.


ES-150 Discontinued 1956.

ES-150DC available 1969 to 1974:

thick body, double rounded cutaways, two humbucking pickups, four volume/tone knobs plus a master volume knob on treble bout, triple bound top, single bound back, bound fingerboard with small block inlays, peghead crown inlay, available in walnut, cherry or blond finish.

ES-250 Electric Archtop
Available: 1938 to 1940
Collectibility Rating: A.

1938 ES-250 introduction specs:

17" wide, carved maple back, triple bound Charlie Christian pickup with 6 blades, jack at tailpiece base, plate tailpiece with pointed ends and raised diamond and arrows, triple bound top, back, and pickguard, single bound rosewood fingerboard, open-book fingerboard inlays, stairstep peghead, pearl logo, sunburst finish. Some variations such as single bound non-stairstep peghead, double parallelagram fingerboard inlays or fancy rectangular-enclosed inlays.

1939 ES-250 specs:

natural finish available.

ES-250 Discontinued 1940. But some post-war examples seen with newer logo and P-90 pickup. Apparently stock leftover from before WWII.

1952 ES-175, single pickup.

ES-175 Electric Archtop
Available: 1949 to present
Collectibility Rating: 2 pickup models: B, 1 pickup models: C.

1949 ES-175 introduction specs:

16 1/4" wide, pointed cutaway, one P-90 pickup in neck position, 2 knobs, trapeze tailpiece with pointed ends and 3 raised parallelagrams, laminated beveled-edge pickguard, triple bound top, single bound back and fingerboard, double-parallelagram fingerboard inlays, crown peghead inlay, sunburst or natural finish.

1953 ES-175 specs:

two pickup model available called ES-175D. Note some double pickup ES-175 models seen in 1951/1952 (without the "D" model indication).

1957 ES-175 specs:

Humbucking pickups replace P-90's February 1957.

1958 ES-175 specs:

tailpiece with "T" in center and zigzag tubes on sides. Seen on two pickup models first but both single and double pickup ES-175 guitars got this tailpiece sometime in 1958.

1971 ES-175d specs:

single pickup model discontinued.

ES-175d still available.

1956 ES-295.

ES-295 Electric Archtop
Available: 1952 to 1959
Collectibility Rating: B+ (essentially a fancy ES-175. The major problem this model has is it does not wear well due to the gold paint. Hence many collectors aren't interested in this model).

1952 ES-295 introduction specs:

ES-175 body and neck, 16 1/4" wide, pointed cutaway, 2 P-90 pickups with white covers, clear pickguard back-painted with white background and gold floral design, trapeze bridge/tailpiece combo with strings looping over bridge, triple bound top, single bound back and fingerboard, 19 fret fingerboard, double parallelagram fingerboard inlays, crown peghead inlay, gold plated parts, gold body and neck finish.

1955 ES-295 specs:

20 fret fingerboard.

1957 ES-295 specs:

Humbucking pickups replace P-90's.

ES-295 discontinued 1959. Re-introduced in 1994.

1940 ES-300 with 6.25" long pickup.

ES-300 Electric Archtop
Available: 1940 to 1952
Collectibility Rating: C (non-cutaway model. early examples with the long diagonal pickup are historically interesting, but sound terible!)

1940 ES-300 introduction specs:

17" wide, large 6.25" long slate-mounted oblong pickup with adjustable poles, jack on side, L-5 style plate tailpiece with center insert missing, triple bound top and back, maple neck, double parallelagram fingerboard inlays, crown peghead inlay, pearl logo, sunburst or natural finish.

1941 ES-300 specs:

smaller slat-mounted pickup, trapeze tailpiece with pointed ends and raised arrows. Production halted in 1942.

1946 ES-300 specs:

P-90 pickup in neck position, laminated beveled-edge pickguard, bound peghead and fingerboard.

1948 ES-300 specs:

2 P-90 pickups, 2 volume knobs on lower treble bout, master tone knob on upper treble bout.

ES-300 discontinued 1952.

1951 ES-350, second variant.

ES-350 Electric Archtop
Available: 1947 to 1956
Collectibility Rating: B- (1952 to 1956 models with spruce tops are more desireable because of the volume/tone control layout, but most have plywood maple tops and not spruce.)

1947 ES-350 introduction specs:

Originally called ES-350P (premier). Rounded cutaway version of ES-300. 17" wide, 1 P-90 pickup, trapeze tailpiece with pointed ends and 3 raised parallelagrams, laminated beveled-edge pickguard, triple bound top and back, single bound peghead and fingerboard, double-parallelagram fingerboard inlays, crown peghead inlay, gold plated parts, sunburst or natural finish.

1948 ES-350 specs:

2 P-90 pickups, 2 volume knobs on lower treble bout, master tone knob on cutaway bout.

1952 ES-350 specs:

standard Gibson 2-PU knob configuration of 2 volume knobs and two tone knobs and a 3-way switch.

1956 ES-350 specs:

Tune-o-matic bridge.

ES-350 Discontinued 1956. Replaced by the ES-350T thinline version.

1949 ES-5n, first variant.

ES-5 Electric Archtop
Available: 1949 to 1962
Collectibility Rating: B.
1955 to 1960 models are the more desireable because of the volume/tone control layout and the switch than 1949-1954 models. Second fanciest archtop by Gibson, just behind the L-5c. Made as a fully electric version of the L-5c. A maple plywood top was used (instead of solid spruce) to limit feedback. Unfortunately the plywood construction limits collectibility to some degree.

1949 ES-5 introduction specs:

17" wide, rounded single cutaway, three P-90 pickups, three volume controls, one master tone control on cutaway bout, trapeze tailpiece with pointed ends and three raised parallelagrams (like an gold ES-175 tailpiece), laminiated beveled-edge pickguard, bound F-holes (a few early model with unbound F-holes), pointed-end fingerboard with 5-ply binding, large block fingerboard inlays, single bound peghead, crown peghead inlay, gold plated parts, sunburst or natural finish.

1955 ES-5 specs:

Six volume/tone knobs (separate volume and tone for each pickup), 4-way slotted switch on cutaway bout with a Telecaster style switch tip (labeled "1,2,3,ALL"), gold tune-o-matic ABR bridge (with no saddle retaining wire) on a rosewood base.

1956 ES-5 specs:

5 ply top and back binding, tubular tailpiece with double-loop design.

1957 ES-5 specs:

Humbucking pickups replace P-90 pickups.

1961 ES-5 specs:

pointed sharp cutaway.

ES-5 discontinued 1962. Reissued in late 1990s.

1962 Tal Farlow

Tal Farlow Electric Archtop
Available: 1962 to 1971
Collectibility Rating: B+ (a cool model even though it's made from maple plywood).

1962 Tal Farlow introduction specs:

17" wide full depth body, deep rounded cutaway with binding material inlaid to simulate a cutaway scroll, 2 humbucking pickups, 4 point single bound pickguard, toggle switch just behind pickguard, tune-o-matic bridge, trapeze tailpiece with raised diamond, model name on wood tailpiece insert, triple bound top, inverted crown fingerboard inlay, bound peghead, double-crown peghead inlay, viceroy brown sunburst finish.

Tal Farlow discontinued 1971.

Barney Kessel Regular and Custom Electric Archtops
Available: 1961 to 1974
Collectibility Rating: D- (an ugly model, though those with spruce tops and P.A.F. pickups could be OK).

1961 Barney Kessel Regular specs:

17" wide, full depth body (some with laminated spruce tops), double pointed cutaways, 2 humbucking pickups, tuneomatic bridge, trapeze tailpiece with raised diamond and model name on wooden insert, laminated beveled edge pickguard, triple bound top and back, 25.5" scale, bound rosewood fingerboard with double parallelagram inlays, bound peghead, crown peghead inlay, nickel plated parts, cherry sunburst finish.

1961 Barney Kessel Custom specs:

Same as above but with "bowtie" fingerboard inlays, musical note peghead inlay, gold plated parts.

Both Barney Kessel models discontinued 1974.

Left: 1967 Trini Lopez Standard.
Right: 1966 Trini Lopez Custom (deluxe) model.

Trini Lopez Standard and Custom (Deluxe) Electric Archtops
Available: 1964 to 1971
Collectibility Rating: Standard model: D+, Deluxe model: D- (the standard model is a funky ES-335, but the full depth Deluxe model is just not desirable).

1964 Trini Lopez Standard specs:

ES-335 thinline body, 16" wide, double rounded cutaway, diamond-shaped soundholes, 2 humbucking pickups, tuneomatic bridge, trapeze tailpiece with raised diamond and model name on wooden insert, laminated beveled edge pickguard, single bound top and back, 24.75" scale, bound fingerboard with slashed diamond inlays, 6 on a side tuner configuration, decal peghead logo, cherry finish (also seen with Sparkling Burgundy or Pelham Blue metallic finishes).

1964 Trini Lopez Custom (Deluxe) specs:

Full depth body, double pointed cutaways (like a Barney Kessel), diamond-shaped soundholes, 2 humbucking pickups, 3-way switch on treble cutaway, standby switch on bass cutaway, tuneomatic bridge, trapeze tailpiece with raised diamond and model name on wooden insert, bound pickguard and peghead, triple bound top and back, bound fingerboard with slashed diamond inlays, 6 on a side tuner configuration, cherry sunburst finish.

Both Trini Lopez models discontinued 1971.