Jeff DePetro

1961 Gibson ES-5 Switchmaster #A36092

This rare Gibson archtop was one of eleven natural ES-5 Switchmasters made in 1961. The ES-5 (ES standing for “Electric Spanish”) was renamed the ES-5 Switchmaster in 1956 with

This rare Gibson archtop was one of eleven natural ES-5 Switchmasters made in 1961. The ES-5 (ES standing for “Electric Spanish”) was renamed the ES-5 Switchmaster in 1956 with the introduction of the new 4-way pickup selector switch, labeled “1, 2, 3, ALL” and a Telecaster-style switch tip. Three individual tone knobs were added alongside three volume controls, allowing for precise control of the three PAF humbucking pickups that replaced the P-90 pickups used on pre- 1957 models. 1961 also introduced the sharp single cutaway found on the ES-5 Switchmaster’s body. A maple plywood top and strong internal bracing was used to limit feedback and increase durability.

This Switchmaster’s serial number can be located on an orange label inside the body’s bass-side bound f-hole. The ES-5 Switchmaster also features a pointed-end rosewood fingerboard with 5-ply binding, large block fingerboard inlays, single bound pegheads with crown peghead inlay, goldplated components, including a gold Tuneo- matic ABR bridge and a three-piece neck consisting of two pieces of maple with a thin layer of wood between them. This Switchmaster has a Bigsby vibrato and Grover tuners along with the brown Lifton hardshell case. Gibson’s ES-5 Switchmaster was discontinued 1962.

Dave''s Guitar Shop
Daves Roger’s Collection Is tended to by Laun Braithwaite & Tim Mullally
All photos credit Tim Mullally
Dave’s Collection is on dispay at:
Dave''s Guitar Shop
1227 Third Street South
La Crosse, WI 54601
608-785-7704
davesguitar.com

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1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard Serial #9 1942

Imagine answering the telephone and the person on the other end says, “We have an old guitar we would like to sell.” When asked to describe the guitar, they

Imagine answering the telephone and the person on the other end says, “We have an old guitar we would like to sell.” When asked to describe the guitar, they answer, “It’s a Gibson electric bought new around the late ‘50s. It’s yellow in color with a red outside edge, and it’s a Les Paul model.” After a road trip through the countryside, we were soon in front of a well-known vintage brown case about to be opened.

Inside was an all-original, one-owner 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard (#9 1942) with a flame-maple top and sunburst finish. This guitar was originally purchased for $260, including the hardshell case, from a music store in Iowa on July 1st, 1960. All of the original purchase agreements, strap and adjustment instructions were also included. The Lifton-style five-latch case had a “Stone case company in Brooklyn, NY” badge on the inside neck pocket. The Gibson nameplate was not on the outside of the case near the handle.

This guitar weighs nine pounds, with a slightly slim C-neck profile, while the PAF humbucking pickups have double black bobbins. The neck pickup measures 8.6 Ω while the bridge pickup measures 8 Ω. Many of the late 1950s cherry sunburst Les Paul finishes faded over time, and this one is no exception, fading to an iced tea color with a dark hue located near the toggle switch. Gibson offered the Les Paul model in sunburst finish from 1958 thru 1960, switching to the SG body style in 1961. Today, the 1959 Gibson Les Paul is considered to be one of the most highly collectable guitars in the vintage market. The Les Paul can be heard on some of the most historically significant and popular recordings, and many highly informative books and online forums have studied this instrument down to the smallest detail. As often as we walk through our vintage collection room, it’s almost impossible not to glance at the 1959 Les Paul and remember how excited we were on the return trip back to the guitar shop. We still feel very thankful to have experienced this rare purchase opportunity and are proud to display this iconic instrument in our vintage showroom.

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Fender 1957 Stratocaster #20869

Dave''s fave from Dave''s Guitar Shop''s great collection.

One of the questions most frequently asked by people visiting our vintage showroom – which features over 300 original vintage guitars – is “What is Dave’s favorite guitar?” The answer is this rare 1957 Fender custom color Taos Turquoise Strat. This was the first guitar in the collection and was purchased in 1982 for $1,350 from a sound reinforcement store in Iowa.

The guitar was originally listed for sale in our first inventory-mailing flyer for $2,995. When a check arrived for the purchase of the guitar, the decision was made to start a collection.

This 1957 Fender Stratocaster, serial number 20869, is in a very rare custom color option called Taos Turquoise. By 1956, nonstock finishes were specified in Fender literature and in 1957 Fender began to offer a larger array of official custom colors. The Stratocaster in sunburst finish was $249.50 without tremolo and $274.50 with tremolo. Fender also added an extra 5% for a DuPont custom color or a blonde finish and $49.50 for a hard case. The guitar weighs a lightweight 7.7 lbs and the alder body has a Desert Sand finish as an undercoat, which was a stock color used on the Duo- Sonic model.

The maple medium V-shaped neck with the original 7.25” fingerboard radius has the spaghetti Fender logo with “butterfly” or string tree guides for the B and treble E strings. This 1957 Strat has a 3-way pickup selector, and the single ply pickguard is held in place by eight Phillips head screws. As we are celebrate our 25th anniversary, we wanted to pay tribute to this special guitar; the Fender Custom Shop has created 25 Dave’s Guitar Shop 25th Anniversary Reissue 1957 Stratocasters in Taos Turquoise.

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Gibson 1954, 1956 & 1957 Les Paul Goldtops

Three Classic Goldtops: What Makes Them Special

“1957 was also the last year Les Paul Standard Models would receive the Goldtop finish.” This 1954 Les PauI model, serial number 43427, weighs in at 8.6 pounds and has the stop tailpiece/bridge combination known as the wraparound bridge, which was Gibson’s solution to their problematic trapeze tailpiece. This guitar also features a rare, all-gold finish, covering the entire guitar rather than the top only.

The 1956 Les Paul Model, serial number 614014, weighs 8.8 pounds, and has the ABR-1 bridge which has adjustable saddles for more accurate intonation and easier height adjustment, and an aluminum stop bar tailpiece. This Les Paul’s volume and tone knobs also have the new shape that is referred to as “Top Hat” style.

1957 was the first year for humbuckers, and this Les Paul Goldtop, serial number 76172, features two “Patent Applied For” pickups, measuring 7.8 ohms at the neck position and 7.6 ohms at the bridge. Replacing the P-90s of previous years, the dual-coil, hum-canceling humbucker proved to be quieter and produced a tone that has become highly desirable, creating a high demand for original PAFs.

1957 was also the last year Les Paul Standard Models would receive the Goldtop finish. This particular Goldtop has a darker finish than usual on the back and sides, which is chocolate brown in color, yet still translucent enough to see the grain pattern. This “brown finish” was dark enough to sometimes be used to cover imperfections in the wood grain. The yellow ink stamped serial number was also common on dark-back models. This guitar is a very lightweight at 7.7 pounds and has a rare and unusual mahogany top under the gold finish, instead of the more typical maple top.

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