VINTAGE VIBES: 1957 GIBSON ES-5 SWITCHMASTER

We put our quarantine masks to good use and broke into Nathaniel’s bedroom to leave him a little present: a 1957 Gibson ES-5 Switchmaster. This ES-5 marks a historical development in the legacy of the L-5 when Gibson decided to electrify the acoustic jazz box with three P-90 pickups. In 1955, they introduced a four-way selector switch, adding Switchmaster to the name, and in 1957 began substituting PAF humbuckers in place of the P-90s. This ES-5 Switchmaster sold quickly, but before it goes, we asked Nathaniel to give this rare model the full @zepelinbarnatra treatment it deserves.