Up for sale, a 1951 Gibson CF-100E in excellent condition and in perfect working order, complete with a vintage chipboard case. A highly unique Gibson acoustic, the CF-100E is essentially an LG-2 with the same X-braced construction and 14 1/8" wide lower bout, featuring a Florentine cutaway and loaded with factory electronics including a P-90 pickup mounted between the fingerboard and soundhole. This CF-100E has received all the maintenance due an acoustic of this vintage, with a new carved bone nut and saddle, and a full refret with slender vintage-spec fretwire.
Tonewoods include a spruce top, Honduran mahogany back and rims, and a mahogany neck capped with a bound Brazilian rosewood fretboard. This CF-100E delivers a bold bark and punch. The trebles are sweet and snappy, and the low end is focused and rich with a wooly warmth when digging in hard. The P-90 pickup has a midrange forward cut and glassy treble detail. This CF-100E weighs 4lbs 2oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 12-53 nickel strings and easy-playing action.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Honduran mahogany
-Shape: Medium C, measuring .860” 1st fret, .970” 9th fret
-Fretboard: Brazilian rosewood, trapezoid inlay
-Frets: Slender, refret, no wear
-Scale Length: 24 3/4”
-Nut: 1 11/16”, bone (replaced)
-Tuners: Kluson Deluxe single-line strip (modern, vintage-spec)
Body Specs:
-Wood: Spruce, Honduran mahogany
-Bracing: X
-Bridge: Brazilian rosewood, new carved bone saddle
-Plastics: Tortoise pickguard, tall speed knobs
-Serialization: Factory Order Number stamp on heel block
The original Sunburst nitro lacquer finish exhibits broad lacquer checking, some pick scuffing across the soundhole, and various small marks consistent with light use across the body as a whole. There is one extremely small repaired split on the outside edge of the cutaway, and the guitar is otherwise crack-free. The smooth nitro gloss is retained on the profile carve, free of palm wear, with some lacquer checking and a few shallow marks that don’t distract the palm while fretting.
A vintage Gibson faux alligator chipboard case is included. The case is in great shape, with its original molded handle and functional latches.