1982 Gibson ES-335

This is a factory prototype of the ES-335 Reissue and the serial number indicates it was made in the now-defunct Kalamazoo factory on 2 February 1982. The back of the headstock is stamped "second" because of the paint job: the back of the body is solid brown rather than sunburst. The ES-335, introduced in 1958, is one of the most influential and innovative electric guitar designs of all time. The thin, laminated maple body has a solid maple block down the center, under the strings, into which the tailpiece and bridge are mounted, giving the guitar the sustain of a solid body. But the hollow chambers and f-holes give it a rich resonance.

This particular guitar differs from the production reissue in several ways that make it more like a late fifties guitar. The neck is quite fat, like a late fifties 335 or Les Paul, whereas the reissue has the thinner, tapered neck of an early sixties instrument. The knobs are like those used from 1955 to 1960, rather than the metal-capped knobs in use since 1961. The pickguard and pickup rings on this were not original when I bought it; they have since been restored. The only real difference from a late fifties 335 now is the tuners, which are Grovers, rather than the original, poor-quality Klusons. All the metal parts are nickel and were quite tarnished when I got this.

I have always wanted an ES-335 and this a great one. Other details: laminated maple body with single binding; maple center block with spruce shims; fat mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard and headstock veneer; humbucking pickups; nitrocellulose lacquer finish. It is strung with Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys (10-46).

Copyright © 1999 Gary DeWitt

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