1938 Gibson ES-150 with EH-150 Amplifier

Since we started our Catch of the Day column we’ve looked at various early electric guitars like the 1932 Rickenbacker A-22 Frying Pan, the 1935 Rickenbacker Ken Roberts, the 1941 National New Yorker Electro Spanish and the 1935 Gibson E-150 Hawaiian Guitar. All of those instruments were important to the development of the modern electric guitar but I think I can safely say that they are dwarfed in importance by today’s Catch, a very nice 1938 Gibson ES-150. Gibson introduced the ES-150 in 1936 and you can tell by its plain appearance that they were a little unsure of what kind of reception it would get from players. Rather than add fripperies like fancy binding, an ebony fretboard, ornate inlays and an arched back, Gibson opted for a stripped down look that kept the cost down in an attempt to lure in players. In 1936 the ES-150 had a list price of $77.50 while the matching EH-150 amp sold for $75. By comparison, the L-5 sold for $275 and the Super 400 went for $400.

Gibson didn’t need to be concerned about their new guitar, though. A young guitarist named Charlie Christian started playing one and quickly figured out that amplifying a guitar didn’t just make it louder, it opened up a new world of tones and techniques. Christian discovered that rather than just being relegated to a percussive rhythm role in a bag band, he could produce single note lines that were as expressive as the melodies played by saxophonists and trumpeters. Before his untimely death in 1942 Charlie Christian rewrote the rule book for guitar players and he couldn’t have done with this guitar. This particularly nice guitar and amp combo is priced at $6500 at Gruhn Guitars.