1967 Gibson ES-335 TDC, Cherry
Super clean, stunning condition Cherry 1967 ES-335TDC in amazing condition. A superb example of a 60s ES-335 with two killer sounding original PAT No. pickups, original chrome hardware and a fast playing neck. It looks fantastic with its vibrant cherry finish that shows a lovely figuring to the Maple thinline body. Impeccably preserved, there is minimal checking to the lacquer, headstock edges are crisp, frets show next to no wear and parts and electronics are original throughout.
The guitar features a single piece Mahogany neck with pearl inlayed Gibson logo and Crown to the headstock face, the Rosewood fingerboard is punctuated with small pearl block markers. The nut and frets are original. Tuners are double line, double ring Kluson Deluxe. The serial number matches the 'Union Made' label. The original finish is excellent throughout there are no breaks, repairs of touchups. There is minimal fading and very little checking and despite being a played instrument the guitar has been well cared for. Electronics are stock, the two Pat. No Sticker pickups have never had the chrome covers removed and inside the wiring is very neat and undisturbed. Measuring at 7.51K in the neck and 7.9K they balance well. The hardware is in great condition with next to no tarnishing to the chrome plating and the 3-ply bevel edged pickguard has resisted warping or curling. Knobs are the black reflector type used before the switch to the Witch hat type synonymous with the later sixties and seventies era of 335 production. The original tailpiece is the only tailpiece to have been fitted. The chrome ABR-1 is the correct Patent number version used for this era and still has the nylon saddles fitted.
The neck has a tight, rounded C profile with a hint more shoulder towards the body that suits this guitar perfectly. Gibson guitars released between mid-1965 and 1969 feature a slimmer neck and were advertised as faster playing necks. The nut width, although narrower than the traditional Gibson nut width feels far less restrictive than it can on some other instruments. Nut width is 40.01mm and the neck measures 20.75mm at the 1st fret and 25.34mm at the 12th. The original frets have plenty of height and play well. We elected to string the guitar with 10-46 D’Addario strings that in combination with the pickups give the guitar a solid feel acoustically and amplified.
The guitar sounds excellent; the Pat. No Sticker Humbuckers are are consistently great sounding pickups and at 7.5lbs (3.43kg) it has a loud, resonant acoustic ring that translates into a powerful amplified voice. A great looking and playing package, the guitar comes complete with it's original Gibson case in equally good condition.