1957 Gibson ES-140TN, Natural, Ex-Martin Barre
Regular price
- Unit price
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At a Glance:
Model: ES-140TN
Year: 1957
Finish: Natural (1 of 57 made)
Body: Laminated maple thinline hollowbody
Neck: One-piece mahogany
Fingerboard: Rosewood with pearl dot inlays
Scale Length: 22¾"
Pickups: Original P-90 (neck position)
Controls: Volume & Tone
Bridge: Original rosewood bridge with compensating saddle
Tailpiece: Original nickel trapeze tailpiece with raised diamond motif
Tuners: Later double-line Kluson Deluxe tuners
Pickguard: Original tortoiseshell celluloid with bracket
Knobs: Correct amber bonnet knobs
Frets: Original
Nut: Original
Case: Original Gibson brown card case
Condition: Excellent overall
Notes: Ex–Martin Barre. One of only 27 Natural examples shipped in 1957 (57 total Natural models produced 1956–58).
We are not box shifters, we take your packing and shipping very seriously..!
We have to. You're considering spending a lot of money with us and you would obviously like your valuable musical instrument to arrive at your door, without drama, fuss or damage.
We have many years (stretching way back in to the last century) of packing and shipping fragile musical items all over the world - in fact the number of sometimes priceless, vintage instruments we have shipped is in the thousands.
When you buy a vintage or second hand item from us, it will be hand packed by one or more of our specialist, in house staff and then shipped in our own custom made cardboard boxes (If applicable).
We normally ship via our preferred carriers UPS, DPD, Parcelforce and Royal Mail for smaller items such as straps and leads. Tracking numbers are always provided.
Shipping prices vary by item and by location, please see the individual products for details but as a guide, prices for a guitar is usually:
UK - £50
Mainland Europe - £75
USA - £200
Rest of World (rates can vary a lot depending on country) - £250
How can I pay?
All our base prices are in £GBP Sterling and exclude delivery.
Payments can be made by bank transfer (up to any amount) or credit/debit card through our website (up to £10,000.) Due to fraud risks we do not take payment by phone. We accept and use many online payment services that work by way of bank transfer and recommend Wise.com who will in generally offer far better exchange rates than banks.
Do your prices include VAT?
All prices include UK VAT but most used or vintage guitars are sold under the UK marginal scheme for secondhand goods which means you will not get an invoice with the VAT amount shown separately, neither will you be able to claim this VAT element back if you are VAT registered, and the VAT element cannot be deducted for export sales.
For new items such as some guitars, pedals, straps, cables etc 20% UK VAT is included and if you are in an export country, which since Brexit now includes Europe and of course the US, this 20% VAT will automatically be deducted at checkout for you. You may have to pay local taxes and duties when your goods arrive in your home country, we advise you to check with your local customs office to be sure.
Can I reserve or put an item on hold?
Yes you can. Items can be put on hold for a deposit payment of 10%. This will hold the item for up to 30 days but this deposit payment is non refundable in the event of the buyer failing to complete the sale.
A further 10% payment at the end of the initial 30 day period will extend this period for another 30 days and subject to individual approval, this arrangement can be extended at our discretion. ATB Guitars holds title to the goods until paid for in full and if the buyer should change his/her mind for any reason, a restocking fee equivalent to to 15% of the total purchase price will be deducted from any refund given.
Do you have a mailing list?
The best way to get on our mailing list is to submit the form at the bottom of every page on our website. Also follow us on Facebook and Instagram @ATBguitars as most new items are posted there as soon as we buy them and before they go on the website. If you are searching for a specific guitar then send us an email and we will attempt to alert you once one has been found.
1957 Gibson ES-140TN, Natural, Ex-Martin Barre
Regular price
- Unit price
- / per
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1957 Gibson ES-140TN, Natural, Ex-Martin Barre
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Description
A very cool, exceptionally rare piece from Gibson’s golden era, this natural finish 1957 Gibson ES-140TN is not only a seldom-seen model but also carries the added interest of previous ownership by Martin Barre. The ES-140T was introduced in 1956 as a replacement for the earlier deeper body ES-140, offering a slimmer thinline construction while retaining the shorter scale that made the model popular with players looking for a lightweight, compact hollowbody.
Examples finished in Natural are exceptionally scarce. Production records indicate that just 57 Natural ES-140TNs were produced between 1956 and 1958, with only 27 shipped in 1957. By comparison, several hundred sunburst versions were produced in the same year, making the Natural finish variant one of the rarer Gibson electrics of the period and a model that is very seldom encountered, particularly here in the UK.
The guitar features the classic ES-140T construction with a compact laminated maple thinline body and pointed Florentine cutaway. The Natural lacquer finish has aged beautifully over time, mellowing to a warm amber hue that highlights the grain beneath. Overall condition of the body is excellent, with the finish showing a lovely vintage patina, presenting as a very clean and well-preserved example.
The one-piece mahogany neck is paired with an unbound rosewood fingerboard carrying pearl dot inlays. With its short 22¾" scale length and neck-to-body join at the 14th fret, the guitar has a lively and very comfortable feel. The neck finish remains in great shape and the instrument plays well with its original nut and original frets.
Electronics are centred around the original P-90 pickup in the neck position, controlled by volume and tone knobs mounted on the lower bout. This pickup delivers exactly the kind of clear, woody and articulate voice that small hollow Gibsons are known for, being warm and open at lower gain but with plenty of bite when pushed.
Besides the changed tuners, all hardware remains correct. The guitar retains its rosewood bridge with compensating saddle, the correct nickel trapeze tailpiece with raised diamond motif, and the distinctive tortoiseshell celluloid pickguard with original bracket. The amber bonnet knobs are also correct.
A superb, rare example, in excellent condition, this ES-140TN - particularly with its connection to Martin Barre - is a highly collectible and unusual Gibson that is rarely encountered on the market. This one won’t last long!
Comes complete with its original Gibson brown card case.
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At a Glance:
Model: ES-140TN
Year: 1957
Finish: Natural (1 of 57 made)
Body: Laminated maple thinline hollowbody
Neck: One-piece mahogany
Fingerboard: Rosewood with pearl dot inlays
Scale Length: 22¾"
Pickups: Original P-90 (neck position)
Controls: Volume & Tone
Bridge: Original rosewood bridge with compensating saddle
Tailpiece: Original nickel trapeze tailpiece with raised diamond motif
Tuners: Later double-line Kluson Deluxe tuners
Pickguard: Original tortoiseshell celluloid with bracket
Knobs: Correct amber bonnet knobs
Frets: Original
Nut: Original
Case: Original Gibson brown card case
Condition: Excellent overall
Notes: Ex–Martin Barre. One of only 27 Natural examples shipped in 1957 (57 total Natural models produced 1956–58).
We are not box shifters, we take your packing and shipping very seriously..!
We have to. You're considering spending a lot of money with us and you would obviously like your valuable musical instrument to arrive at your door, without drama, fuss or damage.
We have many years (stretching way back in to the last century) of packing and shipping fragile musical items all over the world - in fact the number of sometimes priceless, vintage instruments we have shipped is in the thousands.
When you buy a vintage or second hand item from us, it will be hand packed by one or more of our specialist, in house staff and then shipped in our own custom made cardboard boxes (If applicable).
We normally ship via our preferred carriers UPS, DPD, Parcelforce and Royal Mail for smaller items such as straps and leads. Tracking numbers are always provided.
Shipping prices vary by item and by location, please see the individual products for details but as a guide, prices for a guitar is usually:
UK - £50
Mainland Europe - £75
USA - £200
Rest of World (rates can vary a lot depending on country) - £250
How can I pay?
All our base prices are in £GBP Sterling and exclude delivery.
Payments can be made by bank transfer (up to any amount) or credit/debit card through our website (up to £10,000.) Due to fraud risks we do not take payment by phone. We accept and use many online payment services that work by way of bank transfer and recommend Wise.com who will in generally offer far better exchange rates than banks.
Do your prices include VAT?
All prices include UK VAT but most used or vintage guitars are sold under the UK marginal scheme for secondhand goods which means you will not get an invoice with the VAT amount shown separately, neither will you be able to claim this VAT element back if you are VAT registered, and the VAT element cannot be deducted for export sales.
For new items such as some guitars, pedals, straps, cables etc 20% UK VAT is included and if you are in an export country, which since Brexit now includes Europe and of course the US, this 20% VAT will automatically be deducted at checkout for you. You may have to pay local taxes and duties when your goods arrive in your home country, we advise you to check with your local customs office to be sure.
Can I reserve or put an item on hold?
Yes you can. Items can be put on hold for a deposit payment of 10%. This will hold the item for up to 30 days but this deposit payment is non refundable in the event of the buyer failing to complete the sale.
A further 10% payment at the end of the initial 30 day period will extend this period for another 30 days and subject to individual approval, this arrangement can be extended at our discretion. ATB Guitars holds title to the goods until paid for in full and if the buyer should change his/her mind for any reason, a restocking fee equivalent to to 15% of the total purchase price will be deducted from any refund given.
Do you have a mailing list?
The best way to get on our mailing list is to submit the form at the bottom of every page on our website. Also follow us on Facebook and Instagram @ATBguitars as most new items are posted there as soon as we buy them and before they go on the website. If you are searching for a specific guitar then send us an email and we will attempt to alert you once one has been found.
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ATB Guitars has been trading since the '90s and we've sold thousands of guitars to date. We pride ourselves on our in-depth descriptions, detailed photography, honesty and transparency. We also accept no questions returns within 14 days so you can buy with confidence! Read more about our history below...
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