Vintage 1967 Gibson ES-335TDC Cherry With OHSC

It also marks a big transformation in the guitar industry.  The boom of the mid-60's was fading and companies were trying to find new footing.  For Gibson, that meant a focus on traditional models with post 1965 specs, including thinner nut widths.  The ES-335 was introduced in 1958 and has remained in production since.  It still stands as one of Gibson's most iconic models.  In 1967, traditional tonewoods like Brazilian rosewood and Honduran mahogany were still standard before tighter regulations took effect.

As we approach the 60th anniversary of the legendary year of 1967, we are excited to present this vintage ES-335 in Cherry.

Here we have an all-original specimen from that year, as well as a factory installed Bigsby.  The Cherry finish is original as well, and looks great - over the years, it's aged nicely, resulting in a beautiful patina.  There have been no mods or repairs.  Our vintage expert and head luthier inspected the guitar to give it a full vetting.  He found that the neck heel has what appears to be a factory overspray; you'll see that it's darker in this area.  Black light shows no repairs or discoloration, so we're thinking that Gibson found an anomaly while building the guitar and decided to refinish that area.  The vintage checking is uniform throughout the guitar (including the neck heel).  Overall, this '67 ES-335TDC is in great condition, with mild wear on the headstock.  The frets still have a lot of life left in them.  So, what you're looking at is an all original, great playing and of course fantastic sounding example of the iconic model.

The ES-335 is a semi-hollow laminated maple top, back and sides, and a solid maple block running through its center, so it retains the open tone of a hollow body while reducing feedback.   You get a mahogany neck topped with a rosewood fingerboard that's adorned with pearl block inlays.  As mentioned, the specs in this era include a narrower nut width - it has a thinner profile too - so the feel is very slim.  It's not for everyone but for those that love skinny necks, this guitar is a dream come true.  

Sonically speaking, this guitar really stands out.  You get dual Patent Number humbuckers, wired with independent volume and tone controls and a 3-way toggle switch.  These pickups are well balanced, slightly less hot than earlier PAF pickups, and perfect for a variety of styles but especially blues rock.  They bring a woody, articulate tone that has enough punch to cut through the mix without being overbearing.  We found the neck pickup to be quite warm, with deep lows and an excellent clarity that would be ideal for jazz and clean blues.  The bridge pickup brings a punchier, snappier sound with a brightness that you don't often hear with a guitar like this.  You can combine them to get a truly special sound - full, rich and articulate, with a lot of sustain.

All of the hardware - bridge, tuners, pickguard, knobs, etc. - are original to the guitar.  Also, the original case is included, as well as an aftermarket case to be utilized for shipping (better protection).  The guitar has been setup to play perfectly, with low action but without buzzing.  It's ready to go.