In the spring of 1958 Gibson changed the course of Western Music again by introducing the famous ES-335 thinline (semi-hollow) double cutaway which took the world by storm (whatever that means). Some people would find it interesting to know that in the first year Gibson shipped 267 ES-335s in sunburst and 50 in natural, just 317 guitars, which has a lot to do with why they are so valuable. The next year, 1959, Gibson shipped 592 ES-335s and in 1960 in all three colors they shipped 514. The first year for the ES-355, fancier by far with an ebony fingerboard inlaid with real mother of pearl and gold-plated hardware was 1958. In 1958 Gibson shipped 10 ES-355s (total) and in 1959 Gibson shipped 177. In 1960 they shipped 315. This is not a lot of guitars. In fact it is WAY less than the number of ES-335s made in the same period (1,423 ES-335 in the first 3 years, 502 ES-355 in the first 3 years). But let us eschew the statistical and talk about this instrument. The Gibson ES-355 of this time came with two Gibson original "Patent Applied For"sticker humbucking pickups. This guitar has its original pickups - each of them called "Zebra" because it has one white coil and one black coil. At some point in the history of this example, the gold-plated metal covers were removed and then resoldered back on. The truss rod cover screws are presently slothead, they should be Phillips. In addition, on this guitar, the nut was, in the past, replaced. Our world-class workshop has replaced the nut with an appropriate nut which is stained to the right vintage color, set it and executed a professional restringing.
The first year ES-355 (1958) was monaural but in the second year (this year) Gibson introduced stereo electronics which separates the two pickups and requires a "Y-cable" to be played in mono through a single amplifier. This was connected to a Vari-Tone control on the face, located between the Bigsby and the four black high-hat control knobs in the lower treble bout. This Vari-Tone control has the pointed nose (not unlike my Uncle Mendy). The pickguard is tortoise shell color celluloid at its center and bordered with four plies of black and white. The pickguard extends below the bridge (correct for this year and done this way until early 1961). The top is bordered in 6 plies and the back in 2 plies. The crème bound ebony fingerboard is inlaid with 10 mother of pearl block markers; the black bell-shaped truss rod cover is bordered in white and does not (at this time) say "Stereo." The polished ebony headplate bears the now yellowed "Gibson" pearl inlaid block logo and the five-piece "split-diamond" headstock decoration. Tuners show gold wear but show the "Grover Pat. Pend. USA" legend expected for this time; tailpiece shows less plating wear than do the pickup covers and tune-o-matic bridge. Although the Gibson catalog of its time said that this had single-ply binding on the f-holes, neither this ES-355 nor the 1962 example we also have in stock has this feature. This happens, transitions occur. This neck joins the body at the 19th fret. Although the orange oval label states "ES-355" there is a tiny letter "T" after the serial number; then - to the right of the label, rubber stamped into the wood on the back, is the word "Stereo." This guitar epitomizes the beauty, vintage authenticity and induplicable sound quality that one can find only in an actual 1959 example. It blows the mind.
WAS originally $20,995 but NOW ON SALE for: