DESCRIPTION:
Here we're looking at a Gibson ES-335TDC Thinline archtop electric guitar built during 1966 at Kalamazoo, Michigan, sporting a Cherry finish, block position markers and a trapeze tailpiece. This guitar has been played and used as intended! Typical for the era, this example has a 'small' neck with a nut width just under 1.6 inches (1 9/16th).
While largely original, the neck pickup has been reversed. This is sometimes done to give a neck pickup a bit more brightness (or mellowness if done to a bridge pickup) without altering phase or output levels.
As expected for a guitar now 59 years old, the nitrocellulose lacquer finish has a fair amount of natural, expected checking. There is a small amount of 'buckle rash' on the back and a mark that's likely from the back support of a short stand. The neck finish is most worn on the back of the neck between frets three and seven. The treble side binding feels like it was reglued, possibly while a small headstock break was repaired. The frets appear to be original and are quite low. Over the years the binding 'nubs' have been worn almost completely away.
The original hard shell case is included and contains a strap and cable, along with the card from a set of D'Addario Chromes in 10-52.
Revolutionary when introduced in 1958, the ground-breaking Gibson ES-335TDC thinline archtop electric solved a number of very real stage performance problems. Though solidbody electric guitars had been available for almost a decade, many 'serious' players valued the tonality offered by a hollow body.
However, as larger audiences in bigger venues demanded ever more powerful amplifiers, stage volumes went up and so did feedback. Ted McCarty's idea to create a semi-hollow guitar by thinning the hollow body and adding a solid block to the center satisfied everyone.Feedback rejection was excellent at any volume, the guitar had enough of the hollowbody tone and 'thump' for most jazz players yet were still crisp enough for country. Finally, these guitars have a very classy look especially in the higher end versions, the ES-345 and ES-355.
The 'TDC' designation and other variants began appearing on Gibson labels around 1961. It expands to Thinline, Double Pickup, Cherry finish. Alternately, labels might have just a T for a thin single pickup model with a sunburst, or TD for a thin two pickup guitar in any finish other than Cherry.
Over the years slight changes were made to the model. Originally using dot position markers, in 1962 these were changed to rectangular blocks, and the round at the tips of the cutaways was reduced. In 1965, the original stop tailpiece was replaced with a standard trapeze tailpiece, with the stop bar re-appearing in 1981. Also for 1965 the neck narrowed at the fingerboard, a trend reversed in 1968 and important in dating this model. Gibson reused serial numbers in 1966 and 1969, so dating relies on other features including the nut width. This example has a nut width around 1 9/16th inches, while 1969 models had nuts up to 1/8th inch wider.
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |
DETAILS:
- Instrument Model: ES-335TDC
- Instrument Manufacturer: Gibson
- Instrument year: 1966
- Instrument Finish: Cherry Nitrocellulose Lacquer
- Instrument Class: Thinline Archtop Electric
- Instrument serial number:
- Country of Origin: USA
- Instrument Condition: Good
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Playing Condition: Good
- Right-handed
- CITIES Documentation Required: No
- Instrument Weight Imperial: 7.964 lbs
- Instrument Weight Metric: 3.62 kgs
- Scale Length Imperial: 24.685 in
- Scale Length Metric: 627mm
- Nut Width Imperial: 1.569 in
- Nut Width Metric: 39.85 mm
- Case included: Yes
- Case original: Yes
- Case Type: Hard
- Items in Case: Strap, Cable
- Consignment: Yes
- Product ID: 190497
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |