Gibson ES-137 – Blueburst

Some guitars look best behind glass. This one makes you want to cancel your evening.

A Gibson ES-137 in Blueburst, with figuring that runs across the front and back like something you could stare at longer than you’d care to admit. Deep blue through the centre, dark around the edges. Cream binding tracing that big, single-cutaway body. Gold hardware with a little wear to take the ceremony out of it.

It’s a hell of a thing to open a case and find.

The appeal is in the details: twin covered humbuckers, two f-holes, a bound fingerboard with trapezoid inlays, and a black pickguard that knows when to stay out of the way. Four knobs and a three-way switch. Plenty to work with. Nothing that needs a software update.

There’s something wonderfully stubborn about the shape. A little formal, a little disreputable. You can picture it under stage lights in a room where the floor sticks and the band is much better than the money. The Blueburst gives it its own identity without making the whole thing a costume.

Condition

Please look closely through the photos. They show visible wear and tarnishing on the gold hardware, along with surface marks on the finish. The close-ups are there so you can judge the details for yourself.

If you’ve been looking for a Gibson with a substantial presence and a finish that rewards a second look, this deserves your attention.

Then, ideally, an amplifier.