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The Red Thread: Factory Red Gibsons from the Golden Era

j45

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Joined
Jun 14, 2002
Messages
9,081
Here's a photo that a friend sent me last July. He took this shot at a show in the Philly area. Anybody know anything about this Switchmaster? Refinned? It's a '58, and that's about all I know. Don't know who was selling it, or the price.

58%20Red%20Switchmaster_zpsib0nsmrm.jpg


Wow.... Pretty cool, I'd guess original custom color finish. Not very easy to refin a stained / sunburst plywood top...unless it was natural which would be as rare.


This thread has really strayed. :wah

Yep, as I understood it was intended for unusual custom color / special order red guitars, not run of the mill guitars that normally come stock in cherry finishes.
 

JimR56

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Joined
Oct 20, 2012
Messages
588
IMG_2031_zpssmsglhhg.jpg


'59 Gobel @ recent Dallas show (photo by member 4string). I'll never get tired of looking at these...
 

Greasy G

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May 6, 2013
Messages
285
p1_uf2bitua3_so.jpg


Isn't it gorgeous? Link

Quote: "Stupidly RARE 1957 Gibson ES-175D in Original Factory Cherry Red Finish and Early PAF Pickups with No Stickers. Condition is VG with Play wear and possible replaced pickguard but you probably won't find another Cherry Finish 175D from 1957!! I've seen one from 1959 and a few in the early 60's but thats it! This could be the earliest 50's Cherry Red Gibson Electric!!"

Now that's something I wouldn't mind hanging on my wall.
 

JimR56

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2012
Messages
588
p1_uf2bitua3_so.jpg


Isn't it gorgeous? Link

Quote: "Stupidly RARE 1957 Gibson ES-175D in Original Factory Cherry Red Finish and Early PAF Pickups with No Stickers. Condition is VG with Play wear and possible replaced pickguard but you probably won't find another Cherry Finish 175D from 1957!! I've seen one from 1959 and a few in the early 60's but thats it! This could be the earliest 50's Cherry Red Gibson Electric!!"

Now that's something I wouldn't mind hanging on my wall.

Ooooh! Yes, gorgeous. Also, perhaps historic if in fact that finish is original. This isn't the first time we've seen somebody offer a pre-'58 Gibson in cherry, in fact I think it was Craig Brody (Guitar Broker, Fla) most recently, who had a '53 or '54 (ES-295?) that he listed as original cherry. Kind of hard to believe that one, imho. I also saw a photo of a '55 295 in cherry that was claimed to be original several years ago. Duchossoir's book only mentions a '59 among 50's custom cherry 175's. At any rate, I'd love to know if in fact this thing is the first cherry Gibson. Anyway, this one may deserve its own thread.
 

hogy

Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2005
Messages
715
That factory red '59 175 is mine. As for as I know, it's the only one. I'd love to have that '57 to make it a pair.

Mine isn't quite as cherry, more of that typical blood orange red you seem to only see in '59. Here it is next to a 345 from the same year.


412713741.jpg
 

Greasy G

New member
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May 6, 2013
Messages
285
I remember Guitar Broker's 1953 "special order" cherry ES-295. It's no longer up on his site, but I found a picture on Pinterest:

59ab15a14e23d7a32351fa9a4097b415.jpg


<strike></strike>Love the colour on your ES 175, Barbarossa!
 

brandtkronholm

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Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
2,737
That factory red '59 175 is mine. As for as I know, it's the only one. I'd love to have that '57 to make it a pair.

Mine isn't quite as cherry, more of that typical blood orange red you seem to only see in '59. Here it is next to a 345 from the same year.


412713741.jpg

:XRE:XRE:XRE:XRE:XRE
 

brandtkronholm

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
2,737
Here's a Byrdland picture I found on the web! Whoa!
1960, red, Varitone and Bigsby! What more could you need?

ae131005-_1500_1.jpg
 

El Gringo

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Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
Just came across a clip from this video on a tv ad tonight, so I looked it up on Youtube. The music isn't for me, but you don't see a guitar like this every day (custom Super 400C in sparkling burgundy):

my compliments , this is the best music i have heard today !:jim
 

JimR56

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2012
Messages
588
^^^^^

No offense, but I think we're getting a little off-track here. Love the 330, but cherry was a standard finish on those. If you look at the OP, this topic was originally intended for custom/unusual/rare examples of red finishes on Gibsons. I honestly love looking at things like that 330 too, but this thread could get pretty diluted if all red Gibsons were included.

Nice 335, though. :salude
 

WBailey

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Joined
Apr 23, 2015
Messages
1,131
I know this thread is for " golden era " instruments.

But, this was just too cool not to share.

Saw it at Rumbleseat, lookin at a burst :hee
16GibsonL5CTRed.jpg
 

57gold

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2005
Messages
692
Some 1959 redness...with that cool fade builders are trying to replicate:

IMG_0556_zpsdhnomnx7.jpg


This back shot has me drooling and I own the instrument:

IMG_0562_zpscoyx13pc.jpg



Kinda sad to say she hasn't been played lately, very strong double whites...sign of too many guitars and not enough time to play'em.
 
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