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The Red Thread: Factory Red Gibsons from the Golden Era

captaincanada

Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2004
Messages
599
After seeing J45's pictures of his red hollowbodies in another thread, I was inspired to start a thread on these red beauties. Please add any pictures you may have of factory red Gibsons from the 50s and 60s.

I'm not really talking about the common examples like cherry SGs and ES-335s, I'm talking about models that don't usually come in red, or custom examples like Sparkling Burgandy, Cardinal Red...

I'll start with a few:

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Custom175.jpg


sburgardySG.jpg

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SWEETCHERRY-2.jpg
 

JimR56

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2012
Messages
588
I've visited these forums a number of times, and I was going to register anyway, but this thread motivated me to finally do it. Let's just say I've always had a weakness (maybe lust is a better word) for cherry red Gibsons from the golden era. I've had my '63 L5CT (see below) for over 20 years, and even before that I lusted for a cherry L5, Super 400, or a Johnny Smith. I've seen a few in photos, on tv, and online. I saw a Super 400C in cherry many years ago in an old video on one of those country music channels (TNN, I think). There are a few beauties in the Tsumura book (a Crest, a 400CES, and a Johnny Smith). I also have a "Vintage Gallery" magazine from the mid-90's that included an Epi Emperor electric in cherry. Unfortunately, I had a hard drive crash a few years ago and lost a bunch of cool photos I had found online over the years.

Anyway, love this thread. I can't add a lot, but here are a few things...

'62%20Sheraton%20(V%26R)%20full.JPG.540x540_q85_autocrop.jpg

'62 Epi Sheraton (pretty rare to find one this early in cherry)

'63%20L5CT%20%40W'hurst%20%20copy.jpg.540x540_q85_autocrop.jpg

'63 L5CT (one of the last ones shipped, modified with hb's in the '60's)

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Gobel with a Christian pickup... my dream guitar for many years.

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'65 Super 400 (found this image online... wish it was larger)

Now, back to the hunt!
 
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JimR56

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2012
Messages
588
17322_Gibson_48894b.jpg

Another 175, this one from '62

$T2eC16N,!zEE9s3!WpIbBQb,+ji11g~~60_1.JPG

'66 Trini Lopez (not sure how rare these are in cherry, but it's cool)
 

ZZ Not

Active member
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
744
Welcome to the Forum, JimR56. A grand entrance with the L5CT.

I had to sell this Ruby LP Studio Gem as it was so mint I worried about messing it up every time I played it.

Oldones459.jpg
 

JimR56

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2012
Messages
588
Thanks, ZZ, good to be here.

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Very unusual Epi Sheraton from the Gibson era (it's a '67), in burgundy.
 

captaincanada

Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2004
Messages
599
Welcome JimR56! Your L-5 is stunning! Please show more pictures of it if you can:salude

Is the Gobel yours also?
 

JimR56

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2012
Messages
588
Welcome JimR56! Your L-5 is stunning! Please show more pictures of it if you can:salude

Is the Gobel yours also?

Hi CC, thanks for the welcome. This should be fun (I post on a few other guitar forums, but some of them are pretty slow at times).

The '63 L5CT, aka "George Gobel" model (modified with two humbuckers) is mine. The L5CT/Gobel with the Charlie Christian pickup is not mine (unfortunately), and the L5CES sold by Skinners is not mine. The only guitars of mine that I posted photos of here are the L5CT and the Epi Sheraton.

A few more views of my L5CT:

DSCN3384.jpg

DSCN3413.jpg

63L5CTWhurst.jpg

63L5CTWhurstrear2.jpg
 

captaincanada

Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2004
Messages
599
That is simply outstanding! Just the sort of guitar I was hoping to unearth in this thread..
Do you play jazz?
 

JimR56

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2012
Messages
588
That is simply outstanding! Just the sort of guitar I was hoping to unearth in this thread..
Do you play jazz?

Yes, mainly jazz for about the last 30 years (not professionally, though). The L5CT is without doubt one of my favorite guitars I've ever owned, and I've had a lot of archtops (mostly vintage Gibsons) over the years. That guitar just sings. Very comfortable, very resonant, and mine has the 24 3/4" scale, which I love. By the way, it's the same guitar pictured in Adrian Ingram's L5 book (there are two photos of it in there- both in black and white, unfortunately).
 

Michael Minnis

Active member
Joined
Feb 12, 2004
Messages
1,597
Hi CC, thanks for the welcome. This should be fun (I post on a few other guitar forums, but some of them are pretty slow at times).

The '63 L5CT, aka "George Gobel" model (modified with two humbuckers) is mine. The L5CT/Gobel with the Charlie Christian pickup is not mine (unfortunately), and the L5CES sold by Skinners is not mine. The only guitars of mine that I posted photos of here are the L5CT and the Epi Sheraton.

A few more views of my L5CT:

DSCN3384.jpg

DSCN3413.jpg

63L5CTWhurst.jpg

63L5CTWhurstrear2.jpg

Beautiful guitar. Thanks so much for sharing!
 
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