An ultra-rare 1951 guitar that became a stepping stone to Gibson’s Golden Era and a Goldtop Les Paul that “stops you in your tracks” – Gibson’s new Certified Vintage drop has landed

Gibson’s Certified Vintage program is designed to satiate the appetite of guitar collectors by offering collectible vintage models authenticated and certified directly by the guitar giant, with a new limited lifetime warranty, straight from the Gibson Garage in Nashville.

And among the tasty lineup – which includes a 1956 Gibson ES-350T, a 1957 Gibson Les Paul Standard Goldtop, a 1965 Gibson Everly Brothers J-180, a 1971 Gibson Flying V Medallion #145, and a 1972 Gibson ES-345TDSV – is a 1951 Gibson CF-100E in sunburst finish.

Introduced in 1950, the historic model was Gibson's first attempt at electrifying a flat-top acoustic guitar. It was the beginning of Gibson President Ted McCarty's golden era, during which virtually all of Gibson's classic electric designs emerged, bringing about great innovation in the guitar space.

Featuring a cutaway mahogany body, spruce top, a cutaway body and a P-90 pickup mounted directly to the top, it's safe to say it was well ahead of its time.

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The Gibson CF-100E has since since found favor with the likes of Bob Dylan and Jackson Browne and, in more recent years, J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr.

“It’s the same neck as a Goldtop – that’s why I got into them,” Mascis told us in 2021. “When Gibson did their [Centennial Collection] anniversary series, they had a different acoustic every month for a year and I got a [1994 Gibson 1950 CF-100E]. That was the first one I got. Now I have five altogether.”

As such, they’ve become a bit of an unsung hero of the vintage market, but they remain rare.

This particular CF-100E is described as being in “great condition for its age, with playwear throughout and a ton of small-body charm.” The original “no line” tuners were swapped with a later set of vintage “double line” tuners, while the guitar itself was serviced by Glaser Instruments and comes fully equipped with a reglued bridge and braces, and a re-fretted fretboard.

Speaking about this prestigious selection, Gibson Certified Vintage Manager Mitch Conrad says, “This batch is a perfect reminder of why we love doing this.

“From a 1957 Goldtop that stops you in your tracks, to a 1972 ES-345TDSV that’s just a blast to play, every piece brings something special. The 1956 ES-350T feels like the quintessential vintage Gibson, and the 1965 Everly Brothers J-180 is as cool as flat-tops get. It’s a lineup that shows exactly why vintage Gibson guitars are so collectible, playable, and endlessly inspiring.”

Gibson's Certified Vintage program launched in 2023 and has since graced guitar collectors with rarities such as a ’59 Les Paul Standard, a 1961 Les Paul SG Standard, and a 1982 Moderne.

To find out more about the models, head to Gibson Certified Vintage.