Mark's Guitars

I have a passion for Gibson Hollow Body (Archtop) guitars, especially those manufactured up to the mid-1960's. I collect good or rare examples from that period. (Some I don't e.g. ES335/345/355's since they are just too expensive and - horror of horrors - I have never really liked them). I can't keep everything I buy. I sell some so that I can buy others.

I'll only ship within Australia (maybe New Zealand - convince me!) and I prefer you come and play them before purchase, but that is not mandatory. I only accept Direct Bank Transfer or a Personal Cheque (with your first born child left here as security...), or Paypal if you are willing to pay the extra 3% that they charge me.

If you have never owned a vintage guitar before then be aware that they are not "new" (they are better than new, I think). Some have small chips in the finish, there may be fret wear, there may be finger marks in the fretboard, most will have scratch marks from being played, they will all be faded to some degree, the metal work will be tarnished (that's what nickel does after 40 to 70 years) and just about everyone I've owned has some "old man", musty smell of wood that has been stored for decades. If you want new then go and buy a brand new Gibson for, possibly, less. I would not recommend buying an old Gibson unless you already had other guitars to play away from safe storage - my rare ones only stay at home and when I play outside I use others.

Prices are firm. It's hard enough letting them go (and the money goes to a worthy cause i.e. buying more guitars...) so I'm more than happy to wait and sell them next year when they will be worth 10% to 25% more. My philosophy with these guitars is that they aren't making any more 1950's Gibson Archtop guitars and the numbers for sale each year are getting less - guitars disappear into private collections never to be re-sold, for one reason. The other advantage of (good) old over new guitars is the price will increase over time if you take care of your investment and don't do anything silly, like change something. However, there may be some (small) discount if you come and pick your guitar up since it is very time consuming to pack an old guitar so it can be safely transported by guys that are going to throw it in the back of a van.

Contact me by email in the first instance.
Copy this address into your email program: mark@endsongs.com

Some from my collection are listed below (including some non-Gibson and some non-Archtops). Guitars for sale have a price (those without a price are just for you to look at).

Also... Some of these guitars can be bought through ebay Australia from time to time.

Some guitars for sale

ES-125T 1964 Price: A$2550 non-original HSC
This is a thin bodied 16 inch Gibson. This variation was made from 1956 to more...

ES-300N 1948 Price: A$4900 original HSC
I love these old full bodied 17 inch Gibson's more...

Some guitars recently sold

ES-125 1954 Price: SOLD
Excellent condition ES125 from right in the middle of the 50's. more...

ES-125T 1958 Price: SOLD
This is a thin bodied 16 inch Gibson. This variation was made from 1956 to more...

ES-150 1954 Price: SOLD
This is a full bodied 17 inch Gibson. These more...

ES-130 1956 Price: SOLD
You don't see many of these - probably very few people more...

Guild D35NT 1981 Price: SOLD
A flat-top acoustic, spruce top and mahogany back and sides with a rosewood more...

Maton ElectroAcoustic EM225C 1995 Price: SOLD
Excellent condition. I bought this guitar around more...

Some old guitars not for sale

ES-330T 1960 NFS
This guitar is as close to mint as you could get for more...

ES-295 1952 NFS
This is a rare guitar! Produced only more...

ES-5 Switchmaster 1957 NFS
The "ultimate" electric guitar when it was introduced in 1949 more...

ES300 1946 NFS
I love these old full bodied 17 inch Gibson's more...

ES300 1951 NFS
How beautiful is this guitar! I love these old more...

L7CNED 1950 NFS
Is this the rarest commercial production more...

L7CED 1951 NFS
This is a really beautiful guitar. There are very few of more...

L5 1937 NFS
This is an L5 from 1937. Beautiful guitar more...

Super 300 1950 NFS
This model could be the rarest Gibson production model more...

GA20 Amplifier 1951 NFS
Not a guitar, obviously, but I thought it may be interesting to know more...

Some newer guitars not for sale

ES-175 Steve Howe 2002 NFS
What more can be said about a guitar like more...

ES-137C 2006 NFS.
I think this would have to be my favourite "playing" guitar more...

Fernandes Monterey Elite w Sustainer 2006 NFS
I use this guitar for the ambient music. I bought it new more...

Les Paul Standard 2005 NFS
I bought this guitar to use for the ambient music. I had been using more...

RD Artist 1977 NFS
The first year of this model. These guitars are, generally, not liked but more...

Matsuoka Classical No. 30 1972 NFS
This guitar was bought brand new. It is the guitar I have played the most more...