Are the P90's in this 1950 ES-5 original? Please advice!

Hi there,

I'm thinking of buying an old early 50's ES-5 and I've found one nearby...but it seems to me that the pickups are not original to the guitar because they don't have gold pole pieces. They are from the correct early 50's 'smaller' P90 type though. And I'm also having doubts about the originality of the tailpiece and the knobs (they don't glow under blacklight). Apart from that, the complete harness has been removed (still with the guitar!) and replaced. The wiring was unsoldered at the pickups, not at the pots. Please take a look, what do you all think? It's a beautiful guitar though, in great condition and great playing and sounding!

Lovely guitar! I don't see anything out of the ordinary regarding the pick-ups; I don't think they should have gold pole pieces. I checked a number of ES-5s on Gbase to be sure. Why do you think the tailpiece might be unoriginal?

ES-5's always have gold plated metal hardware as far as I know...on top those polepieces often have faded and don't look gold anymore but if you turn the pickup you ought to see fresh unfaded gold polepieces. I owned a '54 and that one had the gold polepieces.

Anyone? They should be gold, right? Or am I mistaken?