✨2013✨ Gibson Memphis ES-139 Black Semi Hollow~ P94 P’ups~ Rare USA + Case/COA

✨ 2013 Gibson Memphis ES-139 Black – Gibson P-94 Pickups – Rare USA Semi-Hollow ✨

 

One of the more unusual guitars to come through Chordplay recently, and a model you simply don’t see very often.

 

This is a 2013 Gibson ES-139, built in Memphis, USA. The ES-139 was an interesting short-lived Gibson design that essentially took the familiarity of a single-cutaway solidbody and combined it with a lightweight semi-hollow construction, creating something that sits somewhere between the worlds of a Les Paul and an ES.

 

Finished in classic Black with cream binding, it has an incredibly clean, understated appearance with no F-holes, and at just 6lb 15oz it is remarkably light for a full-size Gibson.

 

These were only produced for a relatively short period before disappearing from the Gibson catalogue, and examples now seem to surface very infrequently.

 

This particular guitar has also been upgraded from its original BurstBucker Pro humbuckers to a pair of genuine Gibson P-94 pickups, giving it a fantastic combination of humbucker-sized convenience and that more open, raw P-90 style character.

 

The ES-139

 

The concept behind the ES-139 was genuinely clever.

 

Rather than following Gibson’s traditional ES recipe with a larger double-cutaway body and visible F-holes, Gibson created a compact single-cut guitar with a familiar silhouette and a weight-relieved centreblock semi-hollow construction.

 

That construction gives the guitar a more open and resonant feel than a conventional solidbody while still retaining plenty of sustain and resistance to feedback.

 

For anyone who loves a Les Paul style instrument but doesn’t enjoy the weight, this is a particularly interesting alternative.

 

The original Gibson specification included:

 

* USA construction in Memphis, Tennessee

* Lightweight single-cutaway semi-hollow body

* No F-holes

* Weight-relieved centreblock construction

* Quarter-sawn maple neck

* Rosewood fingerboard

* Trapezoid inlays

* Cream body and fingerboard binding

* ABR-1 style bridge

* Stopbar tailpiece

* CTS potentiometers

* Orange Drop capacitors

* Simple one-volume, one-tone control layout

* Three-way pickup selector

 

Originally the ES-139 was fitted with a pair of BurstBucker Pro humbuckers.

 

Gibson P-94 Pickup Upgrade

 

This example has instead been fitted with Gibson P-94 pickups.

 

The P-94 is Gibson’s humbucker-sized take on the classic P-90 concept, allowing that unmistakably lively single-coil character without modifying a humbucker-routed guitar.

 

They suit the ES-139 beautifully.

 

There is plenty of warmth and body available from the neck position, while the bridge pickup has excellent definition and bite. Add some gain and there is a wonderfully gritty, immediate response that works brilliantly for blues, classic rock, indie, garage and alternative styles.

 

Combined with the semi-hollow construction, they give this guitar a character quite different from a conventional Les Paul.

 

Exceptionally Lightweight

 

One of the standout features of this particular example is the weight.

 

Actual weight: 6lb 15oz

 

That’s remarkably light for a Gibson single-cutaway guitar and makes the ES-139 extremely comfortable both seated and standing.

 

If you’ve always liked the idea of a Les Paul but found traditional examples too heavy, this deserves serious consideration.

 

Condition

 

This is a used 2013 guitar, and we’ve photographed the condition carefully.

 

The black gloss finish naturally shows play wear more readily than lighter colours and there are various light scratches, polishing marks and surface swirls visible across the guitar.

 

There are also areas where the gloss finish has become flatter or slightly hazy, particularly across sections of the back and around the lower area of the front. These areas become considerably more obvious when the guitar is deliberately angled beneath strong lighting, as we have done in our detailed photographs.

 

In normal viewing they are much less dramatic than some of the close-up photographs may suggest.

 

We would describe this as cosmetic ageing/wear to the finish rather than structural damage.

 

There are also the usual minor marks associated with a guitar of this age and some ageing/tarnishing to the hardware.

 

The fingerboard and frets present well, and overall this remains a very smart-looking guitar with bags of character.

 

Please study the photographs carefully as they form part of the description.

 

Case & Paperwork

 

The guitar is supplied in the Epiphone hard case pictured.

 

The case has previously been rebadged with Historic-style Gibson graphics, but to be completely clear, this is an Epiphone hard case and not an original Gibson Historic case.

 

It fits the ES-139 well and provides considerably more protection than a gig bag.

 

The guitar is also supplied with the paperwork shown in our photographs.

 

Specification

 

Model: Gibson ES-139

Year: 2013

Made in: Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Finish: Black

Construction: Semi-hollow single cutaway

Body: Lightweight semi-hollow construction with centreblock

F-holes: None

Neck: Quarter-sawn maple

Fingerboard: Rosewood

Inlays: Trapezoid

Binding: Cream

Pickups: Gibson P-94 pair, upgraded from original BurstBucker Pros

Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone, 3-way selector

Bridge: ABR-1 style

Tailpiece: Stopbar

Electronics: CTS potentiometers / Orange Drop capacitors to original specification

Weight: 6lb 15oz

Case: Epiphone hard case included

 

A Very Unusual Gibson

 

The ES-139 is one of those Gibson models that makes considerably more sense once you’ve actually picked one up.

 

It has the visual familiarity of a classic Gibson single cut, weighs less than many Stratocasters, offers the extra resonance of semi-hollow construction and, in this example, has the added character of genuine Gibson P-94 pickups.

 

Production was relatively short lived, and they are now genuinely difficult guitars to find, particularly here in the UK.

 

For somebody wanting something recognisably Gibson but considerably less predictable than another Les Paul or ES-335, this is a very cool piece of Gibson Memphis history.

 

What’s Included

 

This guitar is supplied with the Epiphone hard case and paperwork pictured.

 

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International Buyers

 

We are happy to ship internationally.

 

Please note that all import duties, customs charges, local taxes and any associated fees are the responsibility of the buyer. These charges are determined by the destination country and are not included within our advertised price or shipping cost.

 

We recommend checking any applicable import charges before purchasing.