Gibson ES-125T Restoration (1959)

Hello People!
This 1959 Gibson gets a makeover: Neck reset, electronics, body realignment, binding repair and fret leveling
Say Thanks:
venmo.com/u/Harpeth-Guitar
cash.app/$HarpethGuitar
Cheers,
Scotty D.,
Harpeth Guitar Restoration, LLC.
Nashville, Tennessee

[@golds04]

So wonderful. Just got a 53 es 150 and now have a better idea of its internal glory. 🎉

[@christophersambuco9414]

Thanks for putting out this video. It's super interesting to see what's involved in this kind of job, and it's great to see a master at work.

[@bryantcrawford5664]

Good Lord how am I just now finding your channel. Great content. 👍

[@harpethguitar]

Welcome Bryan!

[@TheWGLOVER]

Me too. Just apeared a few days ago. Love this stuff.

[@harpethguitar]

Thanks William!

[@sjk254]

My '52 ES175 had an end pin. I'm pretty sure that was factory and somebody glued it in later.

[@jjmuni]

I have a ES125 tc from 1960 it also has the plastic end pin just pressed it. Works fine.

[@davidgrant440]

The plastic bone endpin was original equipment. It helped to fix the position of the tailpiece.

[@harpethguitar]

Thanks David!

[@richyp7126]

Nice view with some useful stuff!

[@CA10Z]

That was my first electric in 1963....

[@antoine2333]

Hi Scotty, super nice job, very clever and well done ! Thank you for this excellent video !😁

[@Ukedc259]

Good video - appreciated you explaining the calculations too. Subbed 👍🏻

[@joemcgraw5529]

you Have some very nice jigs there Scotty ,I watched the first Es125 neck reset you did few years pror to this one and really like the paste wax idea,I guess the foam cutter heaters like Ted uses wouldnt work for this guitar ,im planning on getting some very soon ,nice repair as always and also love your refinishing skills ,not to many guys want to try it especially on a gem like this guitar ,you should concider doing a Patreon or member thing to share the products you use to repair finish issues and such ,I would definately join up

[@harpethguitar]

Thanks!

[@e4tm333]

Great video thanks 🙏

[@chrishartz2397]

Excellent video by a true artisan/craftsman..

[@terrydunne100]

Great video. Nice guitar and excellent job on your part.

[@bricktop201]

Had several opportunities back in the day to pick one of these up for less than 4 bones, wish I’d pulled the trigger back then. Of course, I was dead broke back then, so that probably had something to do with it...

[@user-gr3by6nx2c]

really nice good job and your sense‼️form Japan🇯🇵🌏

[@buffdoc46]

Great attention to detail. I have a blonde 56 225td that needs a neck reset. Its great for slide but lower frets strings are high.

[@lodollar23]

I really enjoyed this video. Thank you

[@harpethguitar]

I'm so glad!

[@gs3173]

Magnificent. God bless you

[@user-vy9ev3bc6j]

Great job!!

[@harpethguitar]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@sidyal]

Nice👍

[@Iazzaboyce]

Enjoyed this thanks. If you really wanted a 'radius iron' you could use a piece of 1/4" thick sheet lead and bend it to the fretboard then place the iron on top - keeping the iron on low to not risk melting the lead. You could use a router to make channels for the frets to apply heat directly to the fretboard and the lead could be sized to keep direct heat away from fretboard binding. Though the flat iron seemed to work OK.

[@vadenk4433]

I don't know why Gibson used those plastic end pins on all the ES guitars back then. Even the high dollar ES guitars had them. Definitely an improvement going with a metal strap pin

[@DanDjurdjevicplus]

Excellent work mate. Subbed. Greetings from Downunder!

[@harpethguitar]

Thank You. 👋

[@stevenedwards4470]

Super.I almost had my hands on a 59 husk of that model. I hesitated and she was gone. It still stings. 🙄 I could live without the tone bypass.

[@ziggylayneable]

If those 3 way switches were ordered from the factory( on the upper bout),the nut on them would be round.not hex nuts

[@rodneykroetsch2924]

I hardly think Gibson did that work. It is an odd addition though. Necessitated the removal of the pickguard also. Still a pretty guitar!

[@BillBrown101]

Great video. I’ve seen you do a few ES125s now. Sometimes you’ve removed the wedge under the fretboard overhang and this one you didn’t. Is there a reason? Or a need to remove it? Thanks

[@harpethguitar]

Thanks! After doing a few, I prefer to leave the maple spacer attached to the body.

[@tedrowland7800]

I love your work. I have watched a few videos of yours and figure it is time to subscribe. May I ask a question? Why does the tailpiece need to be grounded? I thought only the output jack had to be. I want to add a Fender pickup to an old Silvertone, (1953), that attaches to the neck via a bracket made into the pickup.

[@harpethguitar]

Thanks Ted! On most electric guitars the strings are incorporated in the circuit by means of attaching a wire to the metal tailpiece. If you experience a lot of white noise in your circuit it might be something to consider.

[@tedrowland7800]

@@harpethguitar Thank you. I had a lot of repair and I have not glued the top back on so I will run the ground wire now. I guess you solder it to the tailpiece.

[@guitarsofold100]

👍

[@edwardpetersen4309]

Great job! Beautiful tutorial! When I was starting out in the 80s, there were no videos like this. Question. Did you ever do a fret job on a Richlite fretboard? Got one coming up and I wondered about chip-out etc.

[@harpethguitar]

Thank You Ed! Yes, Richlite is great stuff. I’ve had no problem with Chip out but just to be cautious, I would hydrate it with some finger board oil a few days before you pull the frets and have the soldering pen ready to help release the glue if there is any glue in the fret slots

[@edwardpetersen4309]

@@harpethguitar Thanks. Will do. I usually score at an angle along side of the fret as well with a #11 exacto blade before pulling them out. Seems to help with chip out

[@stealingtomorrowband]

Been watching your channel for a year and half. Good stuff. What did you do before you got into repair?

[@harpethguitar]

Thanks Bun! I did lots of stuff but mostly I work in Plywood and lumber sales, office work and a few attempts as a semi pro musician.

[@jukejointjack]

Was it common for these bridges to moveable or would Gibson glue them in place? I’ve got a a62/63 and it needs the bridge to be replaced and I’m not sure I wanna glue it. The original bridge has some glue residue on it but I’m thinking this is something the owner did. Lmk what you think thanks

[@harpethguitar]

If anything “pin” it in place. I have a video called “fretboard divot repair” right towards the end of the video I pin one with success 😇

[@jukejointjack]

Thanks for the tip man

[@michaelknight4041]

Wouldn't moving that bridge effect the intonation? I'm guessing you weren't talking about moving it much?

[@harpethguitar]

Intonation is the reason I needed to move the bridge. Sometimes I forget to mention the obvious. (And yes, it moved just a skosh)

[@michaelknight4041]

@@harpethguitar Ah I see! I wasn't doubting you, just curious. Also cool that you mentioned Charlie Powers, I live in central WV and He's kind of a legend in these parts, top notch work if you're in the area. Take care man.

[@paularcherfiddle0351]

Great video! Why take out the 13th fret?

[@harpethguitar]

I had to remove the frets before drilling the holes for the heaters

[@paularcherfiddle0351]

@@harpethguitar I understand taking out the 15th fret for the heaters but why the 14th?

[@harpethguitar]

@@paularcherfiddle0351 Gibson puts glue between the sides and the neck heel on this style of short dovetail guitar so it good to get heat at the neck to body joint as well as the dovetail pocket 🤓

[@YellowJello57]

What's with the constant ticky/chirpy sound in the audio?

[@harpethguitar]

I think it might be the auto focus lens thingy. I just started noticing that.

[@guymandude999]

What a dreamboat gitter. I hate to be that guy, but to get the nut off of the jack, what aboot zip cutting notches on either side to accept a flathead, or a fine point if it's recessed Please forgive if I'm asking dumb questions, this stuff gets my blood pumping Is that brazillian, or Indian, or...walnut? So many variations

[@harpethguitar]

That sounds like it would work. I figured there must be a better way.

[@firebird74521]

You show the tone controls out of the guitar but not how to get them out.. I watched to see how to get them out when there appears to have no openings big enough to remove them.

[@harpethguitar]

Everything was pulled through the pickup route. Switches, pots, ground wire etc