Gibson ES-225TDN Thinline Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1956)
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Item # 8743
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Gibson ES-225TDN Model Thinline Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1956), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, natural lacquer finish, laminated maple body, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original brown tolex hard shell case.
This is an extremely clean and all original example of the ES-225TDN, the most desirable variant of the 1950s mid-line 225 series models. A great if somewhat overlooked Gibson guitar, the ES-225 was the first "down-market" thin-line archtop from Kalamazoo. Introduced in 1955, the instrument features a single cutaway thin fully hollow body with two P-90 pickups and the patented Les Paul metal tailpiece/bridge unit. The bound rosewood fingerboard has pearl dot inlay and the headstock carries a pearl Gibson logo and individual enclosed Kluson Deluxe tuners with plastic buttons. The combination of the thin body, heavy bar metal bridge, and P-90 pickups results in a more solid feel and a sharper tone than most other '50s hollowbody guitars mixed with plenty of P-90 "meat" and growl.
The ES-225 is a great guitar for blues, honky tonk, rockabilly or early rock'n'roll stylings, and can mellow down to a jazzy ambiance as well. The neck on this example has quite a chunky "C" profile with a very solid feel, typical of this year. The model was most memorably used by Crickets rhythm guitarist Nikki Sullivan on early Buddy Holly recordings. The natural-finish double pickup version is not only the most spectacular-looking variant but is also quite rare. This is one of 23 shipped out in 1956, the initial production year, out of a total of only 542 spread over the 4 year production run. This truly spectacular first-year example comes complete in the original brown hard case and we can't imagine there are many more out there as nice as this one!
Overall length is 40 5/8 in. (103.2 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 15/16 in. (4.9 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 5/8 in. (625 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This is simply a superbly clean, all original guitar, with no real negatives to report. The beautiful natural finish has a few very small dings, dents, and scrapes and some light edge wear but hardly any checking. Really this 225 looks perhaps three years old, not 63! Everything on this guitar is original and there are no alterations or repairs. The original small narrow frets have only some very light wear, and the guitar plays and sounds fantastic; a beautiful blonde time capsule from the mid-'50s. The original brown HSC has more external wear but is still in very good shape as well. Apparently whoever purchased this guitar in 1956-7 never got much use out of it, but the atomic age's loss is our gain today! Excellent + Condition.
This is an extremely clean and all original example of the ES-225TDN, the most desirable variant of the 1950s mid-line 225 series models. A great if somewhat overlooked Gibson guitar, the ES-225 was the first "down-market" thin-line archtop from Kalamazoo. Introduced in 1955, the instrument features a single cutaway thin fully hollow body with two P-90 pickups and the patented Les Paul metal tailpiece/bridge unit. The bound rosewood fingerboard has pearl dot inlay and the headstock carries a pearl Gibson logo and individual enclosed Kluson Deluxe tuners with plastic buttons. The combination of the thin body, heavy bar metal bridge, and P-90 pickups results in a more solid feel and a sharper tone than most other '50s hollowbody guitars mixed with plenty of P-90 "meat" and growl.
The ES-225 is a great guitar for blues, honky tonk, rockabilly or early rock'n'roll stylings, and can mellow down to a jazzy ambiance as well. The neck on this example has quite a chunky "C" profile with a very solid feel, typical of this year. The model was most memorably used by Crickets rhythm guitarist Nikki Sullivan on early Buddy Holly recordings. The natural-finish double pickup version is not only the most spectacular-looking variant but is also quite rare. This is one of 23 shipped out in 1956, the initial production year, out of a total of only 542 spread over the 4 year production run. This truly spectacular first-year example comes complete in the original brown hard case and we can't imagine there are many more out there as nice as this one!
Overall length is 40 5/8 in. (103.2 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 15/16 in. (4.9 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 5/8 in. (625 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This is simply a superbly clean, all original guitar, with no real negatives to report. The beautiful natural finish has a few very small dings, dents, and scrapes and some light edge wear but hardly any checking. Really this 225 looks perhaps three years old, not 63! Everything on this guitar is original and there are no alterations or repairs. The original small narrow frets have only some very light wear, and the guitar plays and sounds fantastic; a beautiful blonde time capsule from the mid-'50s. The original brown HSC has more external wear but is still in very good shape as well. Apparently whoever purchased this guitar in 1956-7 never got much use out of it, but the atomic age's loss is our gain today! Excellent + Condition.