I bought a 1957 ES-5 Switchmaster when I was 16 in 1986. Everyone who sees it falls in love with it. It is truly the most remarkable guitar I've ever seen and I am very lucky to have it. The frets are so low it's almost fretless. I have always played flatwound strings and the tone is amazing. And yes, I have played it under full overdrive in front of a huge crowd and she will sing in any octave.
The Gibson ES-5 Switchmaster is the First Electric Guitar that came out in 1949 that had three Pickups and a Volume and tone Control Knob for each Pickup, plus a 4-way Selector Switch for each individual pickup plus one for all pickups! So, it's the other way around , the Stratacastor Sounds like This Beautiful Gibson ES-5 Switch Master you're playing, listen, you said it has a Strat sound but the Stratocaster wasn't Even invented yet, However, it's Really the Gibson Sound! That's why Rock N Roll Started out with the Gibson Archtop Guitar s like "The Classic ES-400, L-4's & L-4's, Scotty Moore's Gibson ES-249 Archtop, Bill Haley and the Comets use the Combination of the Brand New Gibson Les Paul Classic 3-Pickup Ebony Black Gold Hardware Guitar & Pickups and The Classic ES-400 Archtop Gibson Guitars to get that Unique Classic Rock N Roll Sound Way Before Fender Ever Came out with the Telecaster or Stratocaster! So it was Gibson Guitar Company along With Les Paul Invented The First Solid Body Electric Guitar with Both the The Single Coil (P-90) Pickups and The 1955 PAF Humbucker Pickups That Still Rule Every Jauderer of Music hall to this Day! A Fender Telecaster or Stratocaster will never have "The Powerful Stage Presents or Studio Special Affects Sound Of A Gibson Les Paul or any Other Electronic Guitar Gibson Manufacturers! Man, look at all the Legendary Electric Guitars that are Gibson Classical and Desired Collectable Guitars from The Gibson Archtop Guitars L-4'S, L5's, Classic ES-400, ES-175, ES-249, ES-Acoustic Guitars, The J-Series Acoustic Guitars, The Awesome Solid Body Guitars " The King of Hill "The Gibson Les Paul Guitar", The Futuristic Guitars of Gibson's President! He Designed in 1957 and Produced The "Gibson Flying V Guitar, The Gibson Explorer, and The Gibson Firebird! These three are The Most Awesome Sounding Rock N Roll Axes of All time, Plus Like The Gibson Les Paul they're very Valuable! Man, Stop fooling around with the Cheap Fender and other make of Guitars buy "The Real Musicians Instrument". Buy a "Gibson Les Paul or any of Their Awesome Guitars,Period! It's worth the Extra money!
These are beautiful sounding guitars. I played one at a shop when I was getting some strings, and couldn't get the sound out of me, so I just bought one. Arrives next week. Nice playing BTW.
Underwound or at least not overly hot humbuckers, plus that middle pickup added to the mix for "Stratocaster-ish" bell-like tones with two pickups together in parallel. Great guitar!
I was privileged to see Gibson’s Demonstrator Bruce Bolan ,back in the late 70s I think . Remember being Entranced both by the Iconic Gibson Archtops and Bruce’s brilliant playing. Your Awsome. Technique takes me right back to that time .
My dad had a 1955 Switchmaster {natural finish} with p-90s, just like the one Carl Perkins used to play back in the 50s. He traded it for a Browning Sweet sixteen shotgun back in the 70s. Turned out to be a VERY bad trade for dad! But he loved that shotgun, so as long as he was happy. Today he is 86 and doesn't play guitar or hunt pheasant and quail.
This one is super versatile, way cool, man. I heard that “coo” sound similar to a Strat; that’s fascinating coming from a Gibson hollow. I really like this one. I had a ‘94 Mexican Strat, a Fender, single coil pickups. This Gibson obviously has more bass tones coming out of it. It’s a baritone coo. Great demo, some cool playing.
I played a 57 p90 version of this, the bridge pickup is magnetically out of phase, so if you set it to ALL and roll off the middle pickup you get crazy out of phase tones like early BB King or T Bone Walker, I was hoping to hear you touch on the out of phase settings to see if the modern ones do that.
I don't know his last name - but I totally agree that he has great integrity and is an excellent player; perfect for these types of video demos. Refreshing! Also, some great reasonable and knowledgeable comments coming from people like yourself.
@@kbrown4ou the E5 Switchmaster used, costs nearly as much as L5CES..I would spring for the L5 being they are both so expensive assuming it was do able. Though it sure would be nice to own both as it's sure is a beauty : )
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I bought a 1957 ES-5 Switchmaster when I was 16 in 1986. Everyone who sees it falls in love with it. It is truly the most remarkable guitar I've ever seen and I am very lucky to have it. The frets are so low it's almost fretless. I have always played flatwound strings and the tone is amazing. And yes, I have played it under full overdrive in front of a huge crowd and she will sing in any octave.
Shane P hopefully flatwound technology has improved a bit since the 70’s.
Does under the laminated top have a solid block across the inside center like a ES335 ?
@@merseybeat1963 yes
@@shanep5121 thank you
God, I can't believe how good it sounds. I did not think three pickups all together could be that good
Finally a great presentation that does a justice to this awesome guitar!! I got one and I can't get enough of it.
What a stunning instrument. Nice playing too to show it off. Who wouldn't want one of these?
The Gibson ES-5 Switchmaster is the First Electric Guitar that came out in 1949 that had three Pickups and a Volume and tone Control Knob for each Pickup, plus a 4-way Selector Switch for each individual pickup plus one for all pickups! So, it's the other way around , the Stratacastor Sounds like This Beautiful Gibson ES-5 Switch Master you're playing, listen, you said it has a Strat sound but the Stratocaster wasn't Even invented yet, However, it's Really the Gibson Sound! That's why Rock N Roll Started out with the Gibson Archtop Guitar s like "The Classic ES-400, L-4's & L-4's, Scotty Moore's Gibson ES-249 Archtop, Bill Haley and the Comets use the Combination of the Brand New Gibson Les Paul Classic 3-Pickup Ebony Black Gold Hardware Guitar & Pickups and The Classic ES-400 Archtop Gibson Guitars to get that Unique Classic Rock N Roll Sound Way Before Fender Ever Came out with the Telecaster or Stratocaster! So it was Gibson Guitar Company along With Les Paul Invented The First Solid Body Electric Guitar with Both the The Single Coil (P-90) Pickups and The 1955 PAF Humbucker Pickups That Still Rule Every Jauderer of Music hall to this Day! A Fender Telecaster or Stratocaster will never have "The Powerful Stage Presents or Studio Special Affects Sound Of A Gibson Les Paul or any Other Electronic Guitar Gibson Manufacturers! Man, look at all the Legendary Electric Guitars that are Gibson Classical and Desired Collectable Guitars from The Gibson Archtop Guitars L-4'S, L5's, Classic ES-400, ES-175, ES-249, ES-Acoustic Guitars, The J-Series Acoustic Guitars, The Awesome Solid Body Guitars " The King of Hill "The Gibson Les Paul Guitar", The Futuristic Guitars of Gibson's President! He Designed in 1957 and Produced The "Gibson Flying V Guitar, The Gibson Explorer, and The Gibson Firebird! These three are The Most Awesome Sounding Rock N Roll Axes of All time, Plus Like The Gibson Les Paul they're very Valuable! Man, Stop fooling around with the Cheap Fender and other make of Guitars buy "The Real Musicians Instrument". Buy a "Gibson Les Paul or any of Their Awesome Guitars,Period! It's worth the Extra money!
These are beautiful sounding guitars. I played one at a shop when I was getting some strings, and couldn't get the sound out of me, so I just bought one. Arrives next week. Nice playing BTW.
Do you still have it? If yes, still in love with it?
@@J00PIE Yep. fantastic. Superb sound. plays wonderfully/.
@@DwainDwight Nice man.
Great review, informative and sensible; and great playing too. Well done!
I agree! Informative and sensible indeed. I second your "well done."
@@harseybaber yeah, its such a relief to hear a demo where you can actually hear the sound of the guitar!
I just bought a 1961 Florentine Switchmaster. Great guitar, awesome sound, stellar playability
Underwound or at least not overly hot humbuckers, plus that middle pickup added to the mix for "Stratocaster-ish" bell-like tones with two pickups together in parallel. Great guitar!
You sir, have one of the greatest jobs on the planet.
I was privileged to see Gibson’s Demonstrator Bruce Bolan ,back in the late 70s I think . Remember being Entranced both by the Iconic Gibson Archtops and Bruce’s brilliant playing. Your Awsome. Technique takes me right back to that time .
My dad had a 1955 Switchmaster {natural finish} with p-90s, just like the one Carl Perkins used to play back in the 50s. He traded it for a Browning Sweet sixteen shotgun back in the 70s. Turned out to be a VERY bad trade for dad! But he loved that shotgun, so as long as he was happy. Today he is 86 and doesn't play guitar or hunt pheasant and quail.
Amazing guitar and demo
Gorgeous guitar. And some tasty playing there, young sir. I want one. Yikes, $5,500!
This one is super versatile, way cool, man. I heard that “coo” sound similar to a Strat; that’s fascinating coming from a Gibson hollow. I really like this one. I had a ‘94 Mexican Strat, a Fender, single coil pickups. This Gibson obviously has more bass tones coming out of it. It’s a baritone coo. Great demo, some cool playing.
Gorgeous tone.
Sounds really good this thing
I played a 57 p90 version of this, the bridge pickup is magnetically out of phase, so if you set it to ALL and roll off the middle pickup you get crazy out of phase tones like early BB King or T Bone Walker, I was hoping to hear you touch on the out of phase settings to see if the modern ones do that.
There’s one of these available for auction I’m looking at it. Sounds fantastic I wonder if the one for sale is so amazing like this one
Was that "cowgirl in the sand" around 4:30? :)
WOW... what a tone-machine.
Now That's what I'm talking about,yes!!! Ohhhhoooo!!!
I used to have a photo of Zappa picking on a Switchmaster...
A tone master, savings breaker.. but what can i say
It has it all 🙂😃
That is just fkn
Killer!
4:46 that's a great tribute to Robben Ford.
Sounded awesome. Sounded like he was playing a little Neil Young there at one moment
Great guitar I'll never be able to afford one .
A good demo done by someone who obviously knows what he's doing - what's the name of this fine player??
Brian Baggett i think
I don't know his last name - but I totally agree that he has great integrity and is an excellent player; perfect for these types of video demos. Refreshing! Also, some great reasonable and knowledgeable comments coming from people like yourself.
Brian Bagget - plays jazz out of I think Kansas...
Garcia might’ve appreciated this!
Can I order it with accustic transducer for more versatility,bet will sell it faster than you can imagine. Your friend "E" from PR.
imagine this guitar being split coil
But..laminated back & Sides ? At that price ?
almost 10k
@@kbrown4ou the E5 Switchmaster used, costs nearly as much as L5CES..I would spring for the L5 being they are both so expensive assuming it was do able. Though it sure would be nice to own both as it's sure is a beauty : )
does this guitar sound any good acoustically?
WHAT YEAR IS THIS GUITAR|
Peerless makes the same thing for about $1000.
Sound like steve howe
Let's see. Back pick up heavy distortion. He Blasphemes!!! Stone him! No really, good video. I'm just really old school!
greatvanzinni Lol how could not go distortion on that beauty Ted Nugent would have a hay day