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Vintage ES-295

hogy

Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2005
Messages
715
I have a '52 ES-295 I've owned for a number of years. It came to me with a Bigsby installed and I'm trying to put it back to stock with the original trapeze wraparound tailpiece. It's been quite difficult trying to track down a tailpiece, but I might finally have a lead on one from an ES-225.

Here's what I'm confused about, my 295's stock Kluson tuners are gold plated. Looking at vintage 295s online, I only see guitars with nickel trapezes. Did Gibson ship those guitars with a gold plated trapeze, or nickel? Anybody here know for sure?

Thanks!
 

Wilko

All Access/Backstage Pass
Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
20,853
I've never seen other than nickel on that tailpiece.
 

Frutiger

Active member
Joined
Oct 17, 2007
Messages
727
The tailpiece should be gold too - or at least every 295 I've seen in person has had a gold tailpiece (I think I've seen about 10 of them, including one with PAFs).

The gold plating looks to wear off these easily though, so you only see proper gold left under the bar, on the feet, hinge and the nuts that hold the tailpiece together.

I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of them look like nickel in pictures.


EDIT: this is what I'm talking about http://www.folkwaymusic.com/museum/gibson-guitars/54-gibson-es-295-0113/

Hope that helps!
 

hogy

Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2005
Messages
715
The tailpiece should be gold too - or at least every 295 I've seen in person has had a gold tailpiece (I think I've seen about 10 of them, including one with PAFs).

The gold plating looks to wear off these easily though, so you only see proper gold left under the bar, on the feet, hinge and the nuts that hold the tailpiece together.

I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of them look like nickel in pictures.


EDIT: this is what I'm talking about http://www.folkwaymusic.com/museum/gibson-guitars/54-gibson-es-295-0113/

Hope that helps!


Yes, in case anybody digs this thread up years from now. Frutiger answered it correctly. I should have done my homework before posting here.

ES-295 trapeze originally was gold plated.

Thanks!
 
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