Gibson ETB-150 Charlie Christian 1941

The ETB-150 is technically a banjo in name (Electric Tenor Banjo), but its construction is much closer to that of a hollow-body guitar. It has no head or resonator, but rather a solid maple body with a diameter of 11 inches. The body is fully bound all around and is in very good condition.

The maple neck has recently been refinished (the serial number is clearly legible) in the correct style, after having been stripped down to a natural finish in the past (no cracks). The neck is straight and plays well, and has been completely refretted. The fingerboard is rosewood with characteristic “stairstep-block” mother-of-pearl inlays. The tuning machines are not original, but they function properly. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

The most striking feature of this model is the original Charlie Christian pickup. The controls consist of a volume and tone knob, strategically placed on either side of the body. From sharp and cutting to warm and jazzy: the range is surprisingly wide.

This 1941 Gibson ETB-150 is a rare and unique instrument from an experimental period in Gibson's history. It comes in its original Geib Aeroplane Cloth case.