VINTAGE VAULT
1949 Gibson ES- 5
Serial Number A-3943
When Ted McCarty started at Gibson
in 1948, one of his first concerns was to
develop and enlarge Gibson’s line of electric
guitars. Among these new electrics was
the ES- 5, introduced in 1949. The ES- 5 was
intended to be, according to Gibson litera-
ture at the time, “the supreme electronic
version of the famed Gibson L- 5.”
Apart from the name, body dimensions,
and fingerboard inlay, the ES- 5 was very
different from the L- 5. A 1949 ES- 5’s
features included: a 17"-wide body with
laminated maple top, back and sides, pearl
crown inlay on the headstock, rosewood
fingerboard and unbound f-holes (until
1950). The most exciting part of the guitar
was of course its three pickups. These P-90s
were controlled by three individual volume
knobs and one master tone.
This guitar was originally owned by a guitar
teacher in Texas named Leroy Millican—
that’s him in the framed photo, taken in
1949 just after he purchased the guitar. The
original Lifton hardshell case was included
along with a five-page instruction manual
explaining how to operate the electron-
ics. More detailed information on the
ES- 5 and other Gibson electric guitars can
be found in Gibson Electrics: The Classic
Years by A.R. Duchossoir. Serial numbers
of vintage guitars made by Gibson and
other top brands can be found in Guitar
Identification, also by A.R. Duchossoir.
Dave's Guitar Shop
Daves Rogers’ collection is tended to by
Laun Braithwaite and Tim Mullally
Photos and words by Tim Mullally
Dave’s collection is on display at:
Dave's Guitar Shop
1227 Third Street South
La Crosse, WI 54601
davesguitar.com
