Gibson ES-335TDC Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1964)
LOADING IMAGES
Gibson ES-335TDC Model Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1964), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 70716, cherry lacquer finish, laminated maple body, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
This is a beautiful and nicely original example of one of Gibson's absolute classic electric guitars -- an ES-335TDC from 1964. It is one of 892 cherry finish ES-335s shipped out that year, by which time the more traditional sunburst finish was being heavily outsold by the new-for-the-'60s bright cherry livery. As the '60s progressed, this flashier finish became the popular look most associated with the model. Eric Clapton's famous "Cream" ES-335 was a cherry stoptail from this year, which has given this exact version of the model an extra cachet. This particular guitar shares an "out of sequence" 5-digit serial number with Clapton's 335; a run of numbers in the 6xxxx through 7xxxx series were applied in early 1964 after Gibson had already run up well over 100,000 in 1963. This one is also marked with the small stamped "2" on the back of the headstock designating it as a second, although as usual we can see no noticeable factory defect.
Along its vibrant red finish, this ES-335TD shows other typical 1964 features. The most notable is what is NOT there; there is no vibrato, the configuration many players in the 1970s and beyond have strongly preferred. In the mid-'60's most players wanted a vibrato; you could not play many hits of the day without it! This makes an original "stoptail" 335 from this period comparatively something of a rarity. The fingerboard is inlaid with the small pearloid blocks introduced in 1962 as a style upgrade, replacing the dots used since 1958. The neck profile is fairly slim for this year but deeper than the flat and shallow "1960 neck" used into 1962. By 1964 this had evolved to a somewhat rounder profile again, though this one feels less "meaty' than some.
All hardware including is original including the nickel-plated Patent # pickups, ABR-1 bridge with retaining wire, laminated pickguard and Kluson Deluxe tuners with keystone buttons. The pickups are early "Patent number" humbuckers which are technically identical to the final PAF's. The Patent sticker is intact on the bridge pickup but missing from the neck unit; they are however an exact match including the specific tooling marks on the baseplate mounting flanges. These pickups are the heart of the guitar and sound spectacular.
This cherry gem shows some honest play wear but remains a fantastic veteran guitar, used but not but not altered or abused. It plays great and sounds amazing for everything from straight jazz to funky blues to flat-out screaming rock. Even not plugged in it has a real ring. It is housed in the original classic 1960s pebble-grained gold-lined black Gibson hard shell case.
Overall length is 41 3/4 in. (106 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
Overall this is a lightly played-in but original guitar with a "lot 'o'soul". The finish shows light typical checking but not much fade, retaining a strong cherry color over the entire instrument. There is some general wear to the finish with mostly smaller chips, dings and scrapes, with one noticeable dink to the top above and behind the neck pickup. There is minor belt-buckle scratching to the back with several areas of curly-cord burn, but no really heavy loss. The back of the neck is worn down over a decent part of its length from play; it looks like a VERY thin clear lacquer overfinish may have been added to the back of the neck long ago, but this does not impede the feel, and is partially worn through again. The headstock edges have a few minor dings and chips.
The hardware is all original and complete showing typical wear to the nickel plating, mostly visible on the pickup covers and tuner housings. There is some odd wear to the edges of the orange label, looking like possible insect chewage; we don't know what else to suggest! The original frets are still intact, crowned down just slightly; some of the slots in the original nut were widened at some point but this does not impede play. This is an excellent playing and truly fine sounding 335, with a great vintage vibe and the killer sound these are renowned for. The original yellow-lined hard shell case is included, showing some external wear but still quite attractive, solid and fully functional. Overall Excellent - Condition.
This is a beautiful and nicely original example of one of Gibson's absolute classic electric guitars -- an ES-335TDC from 1964. It is one of 892 cherry finish ES-335s shipped out that year, by which time the more traditional sunburst finish was being heavily outsold by the new-for-the-'60s bright cherry livery. As the '60s progressed, this flashier finish became the popular look most associated with the model. Eric Clapton's famous "Cream" ES-335 was a cherry stoptail from this year, which has given this exact version of the model an extra cachet. This particular guitar shares an "out of sequence" 5-digit serial number with Clapton's 335; a run of numbers in the 6xxxx through 7xxxx series were applied in early 1964 after Gibson had already run up well over 100,000 in 1963. This one is also marked with the small stamped "2" on the back of the headstock designating it as a second, although as usual we can see no noticeable factory defect.
Along its vibrant red finish, this ES-335TD shows other typical 1964 features. The most notable is what is NOT there; there is no vibrato, the configuration many players in the 1970s and beyond have strongly preferred. In the mid-'60's most players wanted a vibrato; you could not play many hits of the day without it! This makes an original "stoptail" 335 from this period comparatively something of a rarity. The fingerboard is inlaid with the small pearloid blocks introduced in 1962 as a style upgrade, replacing the dots used since 1958. The neck profile is fairly slim for this year but deeper than the flat and shallow "1960 neck" used into 1962. By 1964 this had evolved to a somewhat rounder profile again, though this one feels less "meaty' than some.
All hardware including is original including the nickel-plated Patent # pickups, ABR-1 bridge with retaining wire, laminated pickguard and Kluson Deluxe tuners with keystone buttons. The pickups are early "Patent number" humbuckers which are technically identical to the final PAF's. The Patent sticker is intact on the bridge pickup but missing from the neck unit; they are however an exact match including the specific tooling marks on the baseplate mounting flanges. These pickups are the heart of the guitar and sound spectacular.
This cherry gem shows some honest play wear but remains a fantastic veteran guitar, used but not but not altered or abused. It plays great and sounds amazing for everything from straight jazz to funky blues to flat-out screaming rock. Even not plugged in it has a real ring. It is housed in the original classic 1960s pebble-grained gold-lined black Gibson hard shell case.
Overall length is 41 3/4 in. (106 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
Overall this is a lightly played-in but original guitar with a "lot 'o'soul". The finish shows light typical checking but not much fade, retaining a strong cherry color over the entire instrument. There is some general wear to the finish with mostly smaller chips, dings and scrapes, with one noticeable dink to the top above and behind the neck pickup. There is minor belt-buckle scratching to the back with several areas of curly-cord burn, but no really heavy loss. The back of the neck is worn down over a decent part of its length from play; it looks like a VERY thin clear lacquer overfinish may have been added to the back of the neck long ago, but this does not impede the feel, and is partially worn through again. The headstock edges have a few minor dings and chips.
The hardware is all original and complete showing typical wear to the nickel plating, mostly visible on the pickup covers and tuner housings. There is some odd wear to the edges of the orange label, looking like possible insect chewage; we don't know what else to suggest! The original frets are still intact, crowned down just slightly; some of the slots in the original nut were widened at some point but this does not impede play. This is an excellent playing and truly fine sounding 335, with a great vintage vibe and the killer sound these are renowned for. The original yellow-lined hard shell case is included, showing some external wear but still quite attractive, solid and fully functional. Overall Excellent - Condition.