Gibson ES Artist in Phoenix, Arizona For Sale

xxxx Gibson ES Artist
Probably now the rarest of all Gibsons - a completely original, unmolested ES Artist in perfect working condition! The only thing wrong with this unusual model from Gibson's past is that the pick guard was aging and cracked. I removed the pick guard but the mounting hardware is included. Richard Beck (Beck Guitars in Tempe) informs me that it will cost approximately $125.00 dollars to replace the pick guard.
This guitar has active electronics by Moog, including active tone controls and compression, brightness, and expansion switches. Note the dot markers to the side of the neck. It also has a very unusual headstock inlay.
Gibson made only a handful of ES Artists back in xxxx and 80. Most of those have now been modified and so very few, perhaps as few as 10 worldwide, retain their original, MOOG active circuitry which this one does.
ES Artists were played by Steve Howe, Steve Kahn and other ground-breaking guitarists of that era. This guitar offers a rare opportunity to re-create those iconic sounds of the 80's. Pure Steely Dan!
The ES Artist was based on the late '70s ES335, but with added active electronics. These were based on the circuits originally developed by Moog Music for the RD Artist solid body in the late '70s.(Gibson Moog at the time was owned by Norlin.) When the RD Artist proved to be a poor seller Gibson tried using the circuits in more conventional guitars, and produced Artist versions of the Les Paul, SG, and even Sonex as well as the ES Artist. The only "name" player to have much connection with the ES Artist is Steve Howe, who made extensive use of them as a founding member of Asia on their first two albums and tours.
Gibsons' top of the line in the evolution of the ES guitar line in xxxx. Beautiful sunburst with vintage finish checking, gold hardware. Narrow semi-hollow body with figured arched maple top & flame maple sunburst neck.
22 fret bound ebony fretboard in pearl offset inlays. Tune-0-matic bridge with tuneable stop tailpiece. Bound headstock with Gibson custom pearl logo.
Dual Gibson humbucking pickups, 2 volume/1 tone control, 3 position switch-active electronics with 3 miniature toggle switches, including stereo output, makes for an incredibly versatile tone machine.
Neck is laminated maple construction. Ebony finger board with Mother of Pearl inlays. Multiple bound headpiece. 22 nickel silver frets 24 1/2" scale length. 1 11/16 width at fingerboard nut. Brass fingerboard nut .5 inch neck pitch, 14 inch head pitch. Gold plated enclosed Schaller machine heads.
Arched highly figured maple top. Arched highly figured maple back with matching maple rims. Double venetian cutaway offers easy access to upper playing register. Top and back bound in multiple black/white binding. Adjustable gold plated TUNE-A-MATIC bridge solidly mounted to 2 individual 5/8 inch brass studs for added sustain. Body size length is 18 5/16", Width 16" and depth 1 3/4"
Master volume control. Special potted HUMBUCKING pickups. Pre-amped circuitry. Built in power supply (9 volt battery). Pickup covers are tarnished.
For those not familiar with the ES Artist, it has a Moog card in the body, that gives the player access to "Active Electronics", which means the sound is processed through the Moog card giving many variables as you look for the sound you want. The three brass mini toggle switches are for, "Compression", "Expansion" and "Bright", and they work just fine. Combined with the potted Humbuckers and the Tune-o-matic bridge with "Sustain Sisters" mounted on 5/8 studs the Artist can range from soft Jazz to Country to Rock with ease. It has a TP-6 tailpiece so there is a strong anchor with no induced distortion, and the guitar is built on a Maple body with black and white binding, Maple rims and a full Maple center block. The neck is five piece Maple with a bound ebony fingerboard and the Mother-of-Pearl inlayed dots are off center - very cool. The side dots are black shell.
It is not an exaggeration to say they don't build them like this anymore, and they never will again.
You may see more photos at: http://sxxxx.photobucket.com/user/chdattic45/library/Gibson%20ES%20Artist
Asking only $1,495.00 or best offer (OBO) in order to sell quickly.
Contact: (480) 528-xxxx