❌SOLD❌ Gibson ES 150D Double Cutaway Archtop Electric Walnut, 1972

Here’s a rarity – the Gibson ES 150D, a double cutaway, full depth hollow body archtop electric built around 1972 at the Kalamazoo plant during the Norlin years.

Drawing inspiration from the venerable ES-150 model – introduced in 1936 with the ‘Charlie Christian’ pickup and built until 1956 – the Gibson ES-150D is unusual. In 1958, the all-new thinline, semi-hollow ES-335 and 345 were introduced and started the final decline of the popular full depth archtop. The larger, hollow guitars were hard to control at increasing stage volumes and the thinline concept solved that very real problem. Only a few of the traditional models remained, particularly the ES-175 and L-5. The Barney Kessel (built from 1961 to 1974), and the Trini Lopez (1964-1970) models were two of the very few other full body models introduced.

Here we’re looking at a Gibson ES-150D double cutaway archtop electric. It was built between 1970 and 1972, and bears the small square Norlin ‘Union Made’ label, with the marking ES-150D. It’s also known as the ES-150DC, or ES-150 DW with the W indicating the Walnut stain finish. The body construction is Maple laminate, with an ES-335 shape but 3 inch depth. The top is braced with a pair of tone bars. The body blocks and neck are Mahogany, with an Indian Rosewood fingerboard. A pair of humbucking pickups are wired with a pickup selector, individual volume and tone controls, and a master volume on the lower cutaway. Tuners are Kluson Deluxe type with plastic Keystone buttons. The bridge is an ABR tune-o-matic and the tailpiece is a traditional, simple trapeze.

This Gibson ES-150D example is in quite good condition, with very little finish wear or lacquer checking. It has just been refretted and set up by The Twelfth Fret Repair Shop, and is ready to go. It’s got a full, solid jazz tone, and provides good access to the upper frets.  Typical of late 1960’s to early 1970’s Gibson models, the fingerboard width at the nut is a fairly slim 1.6 inch or 40mm.  

The original hard shell case is included.