This 1966 Gibson ES-335 is a beautiful guitar which is mainly original with some worthwhile changes. It’s almost player grade but given the finish is original and most of the changes are cosmetic, we feel its more like a modified original, and despite being the narrow nut version, it plays beautifully.
A stop tail piece was added at some point in it’s life but done professionally. It makes the guitar easy to intonate and allows for a low action. It has the correct ABR-1 with a retaining wire and metal saddles. There are some marks on the lower bout where the trapeze tail piece was removed, but these have been well repaired. The original tuners are long gone and as was the custom in the day, have been replaced with stable and reliable Grover tuners. There are markings on the underside of the headstock from the original tuners. The wiring harness has been upgraded to a Vintage Inspired wiring loom with modern bumble bee capacitors and Vintage Inspired pots. The completely original wiring loom comes with the guitar. We suspect one of the pots may have been errant. This could easily be reinstalled in the guitar. The case is a later 70s form fit case and in good condition. The guitar has been re-fretted, but done professionally and it plays beautifully. The nut has been replaced as well. The pickups are original to the guitar we have been told, with one being a PAF, the other a Patented, they sound amazing.
In terms of the date of this guitar, as a lot of you would know, Gibson ES-335 serial numbers were doubled up over a few years, 1966 and 1969 in particular. The pots on this one date to 1966 so we are confident we have the correct date.
Overall a lovely guitar that anybody looking for a very cool older 335 would be proud to own.
