Instruments
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Add to Compare1979 Gibson Johnny Smith, Maple/Spruce
Certifiably cool, calm, and collected: our 1979 Gibson Johnny Smith cuts a fine figure in your hands, and dresses your tone in pure velvet with a Kent Armstrong humbucker. Our repair team recently went over this archtop from tuners to tailpiece, removing the original corroded pickguard and pickup and replacing the former with a matching vintage guard, and the aforementioned Armstrong humbucker. Vintage vibe is further maintained with the inclusion of an 1/8” jack for the pickup, mounted right to the pickguard with volume and tone knobs (cable included).
We’re talking serious juice. The trebles are dripping with it, and the bass does some kind of miracle work with note definition that cuts cleanly through the mix with smoothness and expansiveness. The setup? Butter is tough by comparison. Such a well-preserved Johnny Smith is not to overlooked!
Other spellings: gibsen, givson, johny smith, jonny smith
Add to Compare1936 Gibson ES-150 Charlie Christian & EH-150 Amp
Once again Al Petteway landed a king-size catfish, and now he’s passing the fork (two forks in this case) onto you guys. We’re talking about the deadly combination of a 1936 Gibson ES-150 and a 1936 Gibson EH-150—both original, both Charlie Christians, both the perfect complement to the other.
The ES-150 is in great shape with a fast setup and hard V neck. That Charlie Christian pickup gives up the equivalent of a 32oz porterhouse steak in juicy tone. All the knobs work fine, only a minimum of play wear on the top (considering this beauty is over 80!), and it even comes wrapped up in its original case. When plugged in to the EH-150, you better be prepared for a goosebump-raising experience. Al’s had this amp for almost four decades, and it’s still going strong.
We hate breaking up siblings, so these two are being sold as a pair. A rare opportunity to get both parts of the Gibson Charlie Christian package at the same time!
Add to Compare1934 Gibson L-50 Maple/Spruce
If you’ve got an ear for fine vintage guitars, this 1934 Gibson L-50 rings right as rain. What would you expect from a guitar out of Al Petteway’s personal collection? The voice is two parts Maple, one part Spruce, and an extra dollop of crunchy, woody tone in the mids. The setup is dialed into that fine line between fingerstyle and flatpicking, and lends itself to either discipline.
Flatpicking fiddle tunes or country blues in the key of Mississippi John Hurt, we found the response of this L-50 to be big, quick, and well-defined. Lots of archtop pop, and if you dig in a bit with a pick there’s an incredible amount of projection that’ll come belting out of this slice of Gibson history.
If it’s good enough for Al, you know it’s got the mojo. This 1934 Gibson L-50 more than fits the bill.
Add to Compare1938 Gibson L-Century, Maple/Spruce
What a gorgeous piece of Gibson history! We’ve had several L-Centuries come through the shop, but this one is in the best shape we’ve seen yet, and it’s got a killer woody voice to match. Maple back and sides and Spruce on top, crisp sunburst and tiger stripe pickguard, original bridge, bridge plate, and tuners—even the setup is perfect. Dialed in to the sweet spot that’s great for fingerpicking but with just enough string height for the occasional slide number to ring without the rumblestrip effect of bouncing across the frets.
Take this beauty in standard tuning, or down to Open D or Open G! The voice has split wide open and you’ll be surprised just how much volume this little L-Century from 1938 can churn out at will. We really can’t say enough about the tone: crisp and responsive, and so lively! It’s an instrument that’s incredibly fun to play. Gibson only made these mother-of-pearl(oid)-bedecked gems for a few years, and they’re each a collection-worthy find. This one happens to be both essentially all-original and in incredible playing shape.
Add to Compare1926 Gibson L-1, Mahogany/Spruce
Nothing beats holding a piece of history in your hands, especially when that piece of history sounds as good as this 1926 Gibson L-1. As you’d expect from a 90-year-old vintage box, the L-1 might be small but it packs a lot of voice in its little package! This was the year that Gibson would introduce the L-1 model (and it would enjoy but a brief 11-year lifespan before being discontinued in 1937) with Mahogany back and sides, Spruce top, and Ebony bridge and fingerboard. Some of America’s biggest music legends have played L-1s. Remember that photo of Robert Johnson in pinstripes and hat with Gibson in hand? Yup. Or Norman Blake, whose collection includes a 1930 L-1.
There are miles and miles of dry, woody tone waiting to be explored in this Gibson. Short scale and a wide fingerboard make for great fingerpicking times in open tunings; holds up loud and clear to flatpicking too. These early Gibson flattops have thinner tops and braces which make for great volume and a colorful response. A sweet piece of history indeed, with tone and character to spare.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.25 in Nut Width 1.875 in String Spacing 2.375 in Woods Spruce, Mahogany 
Add to Compare1942 Gibson J-45 Banner, All-Mahogany
You gotta love that vintage guitar smell–decades of good tunes under the hood mixed with a little blood, sweat, and tears. This 1942 Gibson Mahogany J-45 is a beast from yesterday! One of the loudest Banner J-45s we’ve had in the shop, this Gibson has the iconic Louisville Slugger neck and a killer woody tone that really speaks to its impressive age.
There’s more vintage mojo at work here than you can swing a baseball bat, or this Gibson Banner neck, at. By all appearances, the neck has never been reset, but there’s still lots of life left to the saddle height and it’s set up as a loud strummer right now. For such a big body, the weight is surprisingly light. The singer songwriter will love the volume and woody response, especially if you like to croon Townes Van Zandt or Steve Earl tunes. Outfitted with an L.R. Baggs Lyric pickup, this vintage Banner J works further miracles on stage, too!
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.75 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.125 in Woods Mahogany, Mahogany 
Add to Compare1933-1935 Gibson L-Century Maple/Adirondack (Red)
There aren’t too many Gibson L-Centuries lying around which sound this good or play this smoothly–the middle registers are warm and cozy, sandwiched between crisp bass notes and trebles with an extra helping of sustain. This Gibson has been played in nicely, and is still in wonderful shape. Wrapped up in a Calton flight case, you can be sure that no harm will ever come to this feat of Mother of Pearloid, Maple, and Adirondack Spruce.
Add to Compare1962 Gibson RB-250 Mastertone Mahogany/Fiber Head
This Gibson is formal enough you could wear it around your neck for a banquet–or at least the bowtie inlays across the fretboard. It’s the real deal, all-original and playing like a professional: a 1962 Gibson RB-250 Mastertone. Other than the addition of a few railroad spikes, this Banjo remains untouched, and only bears light evidence of play wear on its head and frets. In case you were wondering, yes–this Gibson is fearsomely loud! But the setup feels so lovely it’s easy to miss the fact that you’re playing with the volume at 11.
We really can’t say enough good things about this Mastertone, except to marvel at its condition and soak up all the vigorous, juicy tone of this RB-250.
Add to Compare1957 Gibson J-50 Mahogany/Spruce
1957 was a good year for the folks at Gibson–and this J-50 is here to prove it. We’re looking at a dynamite Dreadnought here, with more dry, hearty Mahogany punch than you can shake a fist full of picks at. With an excellently opened-up Spruce top for projection, and a smooth C profile neck, this is one J-50 fit to bring the house down! And speaking of houses, when it came in ours we were (happily) surprised to find that it has an excellent neck angle, mimimal fret wear, lots of saddle–and it doesn’t appear to have ever had a neck reset! Considering this instrument is just shy 50 years old, that isn’t something you see every day. Moreover, the previous owner had an L.R. Baggs Lyric microphone pickup installed, so you can take this vintage gem on the road and on the stage as easily as plugging in a 1/4″ cable.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.625 in Nut Width 1.69 in String Spacing 2.13 in Woods Spruce, Mahogany 
Add to Compare1947 Gibson J-50 Mahogany/Spruce
All the innovations of modern guitarbuilding can’t quite match the tone of a guitar which has seen decades and decades of play. Our J-50 from 1947, accordingly, makes new guitars sound like toys by comparison. Whoever was working on the line at Gibson when assembled the Mahogany-and-Spruce body had the magic touch–and whoever’s played it for the past 60 years has also had that magic touch. The trebles have that elusive bell-like quality, glassy and sweet, which you only find but rarely, and the low-end is warm, resounding, and broadcasts right into your face.
One strum, and you can tell that this is one guitar that’s been played for thousands and thousands of hours. As a result, the voice has enormous sustain, and a vigorous, ecstatic tonality. We’ve got some road rash here (but what vintage Gibson doesn’t?), but is in excellent playing condition, with lots of saddle to keep it that way for a long time to go, brand new frets, and a reslotted nut for perfect intonation. Complete with its vintage leather hardshell case, this guitar makes a statement with its looks alone, exuding confidence from decades of making music
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.75 in Nut Width 1.69 in String Spacing 2.13 in Woods Spruce, Mahogany 
Add to Compare1954 Gibson Southern Jumbo Mahogany/Spruce
Oh, the heyday of big-bodied, big-voiced Gibsons–it’s a blessing we still have some beautiful survivors singing in the aisles! We’ve got one of the flagships of the 1950s in the store today, looking great and still churning out great music. This 1954 Gibson Southern Jumbo may have some finish crazing (but what 60-year-old guitar doesn’t?), but it’s in great playable condition, capable of howling runs on the treble strings that hang in the air.
The bass is a complete package: boom-chuck, rattle-n-roll–perfect for thumbpicks and flatpicks both. The balance is superb! We wish more contemporary guitars sounded as rich and opened-up as this one. Mahogany back and sides and a Spruce top do this 1954 SJ justice; she’s got a big heart that’s still beating with vigor.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.75 in Nut Width 1.69 in String Spacing 2.13 in Woods Spruce, Mahogany 
Add to Compare1957 Gibson Country Western Mahogany/Spruce
Would that Mississippi John Hurt were still alive–the tunes he’d croon with this baby tucked under his arms! We’re looking at the real deal here, folks: true vintage: a 1957 Gibson Country Western. Mahogany back and sides, Spruce top, Ivoroid bindings, upside down Rosewood bridge. Fingerpicking blues or country tunes, and you’ll get a feeling for what they sounded like 60 years ago, when they were being written! The bass is huge and fat and balanced with trebles that are clear–the perfect combination for Travis-style picking. You’ll find this Country Western has that classic Mahogany bark in spades, coupled with a great, warm sustain that hangs in the air like smoke in a raucous barroom. This Gibson has been well taken care of all these years: after our very own Ken Jones reset the neck and refretted the Rosewood fingerboard, it’s as though we just picked it up off the rack in 1957–and it’s ready to make tunes for another 30 years, no problem. You’ll be very hard-pressed to find many other vintage Gibsons that are in as good of shape as this here Country Western!
SOLD Sale! Read moreScale Length 24.88 in Nut Width 1.69 in String Spacing 2.19 in Woods Spruce, Mahogany 
Add to Compare1950 Gibson J-45 Mahogany/Spruce
Perhaps Gibson’s most iconic acoustic guitar, the J-45 has a long and immensely celebrated career, and we see many of these “workhorses” come through the shop. Some are beautiful and pristine, some road-weary with scratches but tonally sublime. Occasionally, we get a J-45 which combines the two, and is as beautiful to behold as it is to play–and this 1950 J-45 is just such an instrument. Gibson’s practically trademark tone–rich, fat, loud–comes pouring out of the soundhole from the first chord to the final note. The trebles are sweet and bright as candy canes, and the bass is well-defined and present. Clearly, this Dreadnought has been lovingly played for the past six decades, and it’s soaked up years and years of music between its birth in 1950 and its golden age today of 66. The Mahogany back and sides combine with the Spruce top in a voice which sings as though from another era, a happier and brighter place. The craftsman who carved this neck was brilliant: the profile is perfectly rounded and easy on the hands, which is perhaps why Chet Atkins himself signed the top–a sign of respect for the instrument’s capabilities. Safely protected in a new Guardian hardshell case, this J-45 is ready for another 60 years of great tunes.
Watch these videos below to see Cliff Eberhardt singing with this very same J-45:
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.75 in Nut Width 1.69 in String Spacing 2.13 in Woods Spruce, Mahogany 
Add to Compare1956 Gibson J-50 Mahogany/Spruce
Gibson has made many, many spectacular guitars in its lengthy career, and continues to do so today. But rewind the clocks back to 1956, and you find yourself in the company of a legendary model of this monolithic company: the J-50. The J-50 is considered by many to be Gibson’s most popular acoustic guitar of all time, and it’s obvious why–the J-50 is the perfect size guitar for pretty much any application, and it has a voice which is instantly recognizable for its strength and projection. Everyone at Dream Guitars is always excited when we get one in the shop, but this 1956 J-50 in Mahogany and Spruce has far exceeded our already high expectations. This particular J-50 is explosive! The vigorous, charged voice has an energetic warmth, and the middle register in particular pops off the strings. The completely opened up Spruce top gives the guitar a monstrous projection and responsiveness, and you can thank the decades of players who have lovingly strummed this guitar to help achieve that opened up sound. Of course, this J-50 has some play wear befitting its almost six decades of life, but the guitar is still in prime playing condition, and has a very confident vintage look to it. The neck has been reset, and the original adjustable bridge has been replaced with a fixed bridge, which means that this particular J-50 is in perfect fighting shape and should continue to play amazingly for many more decades to come! When we say this guitar is perfect for pretty much anything, we mean it: this J-50 glows when flatpicking American Traditional or even Irish music, but also has the balanced tone and string to string articulation that fingerstylists pine after. For any guitarist seeking an instrument which will shine in a variety of applications, this is the J-50 for you.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.625 in Nut Width 1.63 in String Spacing 2.13 in Woods Spruce, Mahogany 
Add to Compare1992 Gibson BB King Lucille Maple (Laminate)/Maple (Laminate)
The late B.B. King is, and will always remain, one of the household names in blues. No less can be said for his guitar, Lucille, or Gibson’s long line of semi-hollow body ES345 guitars of the same name. We have here an excellent member of that long line of excellence: a 1992 Lucille in cherry red with Ebony fretboard and Gibson Humbucker pickups. As per B.B. King’s specifications, this beast of a guitar is made of laminated Maple, with a 3-piece Maple neck and carved Spruce toneblocks for extra sustain. The setup is stellar, and the guitar is in overall mint condition, aside from some light scratches on the pickguard. The classic Gibson Varitone is installed, which attenuates the low frequency spectrum as you cycle up through its settings, yielding a variety of different textures yo can add to your sound. This guitar comes with the original hardshell case.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.75 in Nut Width 1.69 in String Spacing 2.13 in Woods Maple - Laminate, Maple - Laminate