Gibson ES-300 1949 Vintage Archtop Electric Guitar – Near Mint -76 Made in 1949

No sales tax for customers outside California.

The Gibson ES-300 from 1949 is one of the rarest post-war archtop electric guitars ever produced, with only 76 made that year. This vintage treasure represents Gibson’s early experimentation with electric jazz instruments and carries historical significance.

This example is in near mint condition.  It is truly a stunning piece in person.  The woods are all of the highest quality with beautiful grain.  The fretboard looks untouched.  The truss rod has room for future neck relief adjustments, and the guitar set up perfectly for us.

The original Geib case is in stunning condition as well, with the case key still in the original envelope.

 With its elegant sunburst finish, distinctive large single-coil pickup, and carved spruce top paired with maple back and sides, the ES-300 delivers the rich, warm tones that defined late 1940s Gibson craftsmanship.

Its wide tonal palette makes it a favorite for jazz, blues, and swing players who crave the resonance of a true vintage archtop. Collectors will appreciate not only its scarcity but also its place in the evolution of Gibson’s ES line, which later birthed some of the most iconic models in guitar history.

At Mahar’s Vintage Guitars, we document every detail with professional photography and transparent condition reports, so buyers can invest confidently in rare pieces like this.

• Color: Sunburst
• Weight: 6lbs 7oz
  
• Top: Bound Arched Maple
• Body: Bound Maple
  
• Neck: Mahohany
  
• Neck Profile: C
• Fretboard: Bound Brazilian Rosewood
• Inlays: Mother of Pearl Double Parallelogram
• Frets: Original
• Fret Count: 20
• Nut: Original
• Nut width: 1-3/4"
  
• Radius: 12"
• Scale: 25-1/2"
• Neck thickness at 1st fret: .87"
• Neck Thickness at 9th Fret: 1.01"
• Action 1st String at 12th Fret: 2/32"
• Action 6th String at 12th Fret: 3/32"
• Overall Length: 41-3/4"
• Lower Bout: 17"
• Waist: 10-3/8"
• Upper Bout: 12-5/8"
• Body depth/thickness outside edge: 3-1/2"
• String gauge: 10-46
• Hardware Color: Nickel
  
• Neck Pickup/Brand: Gibson P-90
• Pickup Reading: 10.11k
• Original?: Yes
• Pickguard: Original
• Bridge: Original
• Tuners: Original
• Knobs: Original
  
• Pots/Codes: Original
• Case: OHSC Gieb
• Notes: 

Shipping policy:

There are multiple shipping cost options for purchases made on our site.  Select Ground, 3 Day, 2 Day, or Next Day Air Saver.  For Reverb purchases, there is one cost option for these Eastern states and shipment will be made by UPS three-day-air.  Shipments will require signature on delivery, no exceptions.  If there is damage, the buyer must retain all packing materials intact and picture them immediately and send them to sales@maharsvintageguitars.com.  Less than 1% of our shipments are damaged in transit, and we are committed to making sure your item arrives safely, but we are taking these additional measures to make sure you are happy with your purchase.