Gibson EM 150?

A good friend, bandmate and luthier has been taking some time to bring back to life a few longtime shop projects. He let me take a few of them home to play a bit, as they haven't been in a playable condition for some time. They are all interesting and somewhat rare, I think, so thought to show them to our mandolin cafe community and see what the sage and knowledgeable folks here might be able to pass onto us about them. This is the first one I'm posting (more probably next week). Looks like a Gibson EM 150, with a Charlie Christian style blade pickup. No label, FON or numbers of any kind can be found. I believe non-original bridge and pickguard. The case seems original (I can post pics if anyone wishes to see it). The pickup wiring visible is cloth-wrapped. So, this afternoon, I plugged it into my amp, and the pickup works wonderfully, putting out clean and clear tone. It plays easily, even with the low bridge height.

When would this one have been made? Other pertinent details?

Any and all insight from the community is appreciated.

-Bill

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It's an EM-150 from 1937-'39. Like you said, the pickguard and bridge aren't original. Beautiful mandolin!

Yes, that's the earliest version of the model, introduced in 1936. By 1941, the pickup type and knob position were different.
I don't think many were made with the Charlie Christian pickup.
The control knobs have also been changed.

I've got lots of photos of its twin sister here, a '37. I believe mine has a factory order number stamped inside, and I think it has the original control knobs but not the original bridge.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/PkFUwup2xiJg7hMM7

Does it have the original tweed Charlie Christian style case?

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Originally Posted by j. condino

Does it have the original tweed Charlie Christian style case?

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My case is black — but it is a redline case; could it be original?

The first CC EM150 I owned did in fact have one of those tweed cases.

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Originally Posted by snakehead_a2z

The case seems original (I can post pics if anyone wishes to see it).

-Bill

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Yes, we'd like to see your case.

Here is the case. I haven't seen any markings on it so far, but the stripes sure are cool.

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I don't think that the knobs on the OP's are original. I believe they should be bakelite like Martin's and my ex-EM150 below.

I had one. I decided to sell it but it stayed in an excellent vintage store for a few years and never sold. It finally sold last year. I also owned the ES-150 and ETG-150 both with CC p-ups. Loved the sound of that guitar, too.

I played it through a good tube amp and it sounded great. The right amount of "dirty."

Mine was 100% original when I bought it but the pickguard crystallized so I had a repro made.

Also it had the CC tweed case. Sorry, James...

Thanks to all for the great info on this neat mandolin. It looks like Jim's case is in lots better condition than this one, but they have the same style and patterns.

Later the P90 pickup was closer to the bridge..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by snakehead_a2z

Here is the case. I haven't seen any markings on it so far, but the stripes sure are cool.

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yeah, that is an original tweed racing stripe case. Yours is a bit thrashed but it's still desirable.

Thanks, good to know