1956 Gibson ES-140: A Fifties Gibson For Under $5,000

BLAST FROM THE PAST. A guitar that came through our shop at 316 E 84th St, sold, and moved on. This instrument is no longer available.

A 1950s Gibson for under five grand. It does not happen often. It happens if you are willing to go smaller.

The ES-140 is a three quarter size archtop, built for students and for people with smaller hands. Which means it has spent seventy years being overlooked by collectors chasing full size boxes, and that is precisely why one can still be had at a sane number.

What it was

A 1956 Gibson ES-140 in classic sunburst, listed at $3,000.

• Scale length: 22.75 inches
• Nut width: 1 and 9/16 inches, so tighter string spacing
• Fingerboard: Brazilian rosewood
• Pickup: P-90, original
• Also original: tuners, bridge, pickguard
• Strung with: 12 gauge flatwounds when it left us

The honest history

The headstock was broken and repaired decades ago. It was still holding strong when it passed through us, and that repair is old enough to have proven itself several times over. Gibson headstocks break. It is the shape of the thing and the angle of the break. A clean old repair is not a red flag, it is a fact of the model.

A small pin had been added to the neck heel at some point to act as a strap button, and the wiring had likely been redone. Beyond that the guitar was as it left Kalamazoo.

Why the short scale matters more than you think

A 22.75 inch scale means lower string tension at pitch. Bends get easier, chords get softer under the hand, and with 12 gauge flatwounds on it the thing plays like butter while still moving enough air to sound like a real archtop.

Add a genuine 1956 P-90 and a Brazilian rosewood board and you have an instrument that punches enormously above its three quarter size reputation.

Common questions about the Gibson ES-140

What is a Gibson ES-140?
A three quarter size hollowbody electric archtop, introduced in 1950. Short 22.75 inch scale, narrower nut, single P-90 on the original version. Built as a student and small hands instrument.

What did this 1956 ES-140 sell for?
It was listed at $3,000 at Bros Guitar Shop in New York City. For a current figure on your own guitar, ask us for an appraisal.

Is a repaired headstock a dealbreaker on a vintage Gibson?
No, but it must be disclosed and it does affect value. Gibson headstock breaks are extremely common because of the neck angle and the scarf. A properly done repair that has held for decades is stable. Ask when it was done and look for movement, not just glue.

Is a short scale guitar harder to play in tune?
No. Lower tension makes bending and chording easier. Some players find the tighter fret spacing takes an hour to adjust to, and then they never notice it again.

Why is Brazilian rosewood a big deal?
It has been restricted under CITES since 1992, so instruments built with it before then are the only easy way to get it. It is also just beautiful, dense and oily.

Does Bros Guitar Shop buy vintage Gibsons?
Yes. We buy outright, take trades, and take consignments. Details below.

Where it went

Sold. Still wearing its flatwounds.

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Come see us at Bros Guitar Shop

We are a family owned guitar shop on the Upper East Side, and we do more than sell instruments:

• Buying, trades and consignment on used and vintage gear
• Repairs and setups at our bench
• Appraisals. Bring it in or send photos and we will tell you what you have
• Guitar lessons in the studio downstairs
• Pickup and delivery available for a fee. Give us a call and we will sort it out

Bros Guitar Shop
316 E 84th St, New York, NY 10028
646-559-8771 and brosguitarshop@gmail.com
Mon to Fri 12 to 8, Sat 10 to 8, closed Sunday

Got something in a case under the bed? That is usually how the good ones turn up.