Gibson ES-335-12 TDC 12 String Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1967)
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Item # 11902
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Gibson ES-335-12 TDC Model 12 String Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1967), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 306316, cherry lacquer finish, laminated maple body; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black chipboard case.
Gibson's first single-neck electric 12-string, the ES-335-12 was introduced in mid-1965 in response to the 12-string craze which followed George Harrison's featuring of a Rickenbacker 360/12 in the prior year's "A Hard Day's Night". The model was a straight adaptation of the standard 335 design, with only an extended headstock and 12-string tailpiece as alterations. The 12-string ES-335 was fairly successful over the next couple of years but was phased out of production in 1970, so is now not nearly as plentiful as its 6-string sibling.
This cherry-finished example was built during 1967, the model's production peak with 597 shipped out of Kalamazoo. After that production dropped off rapidly as 12-string electrics quickly became rather unfashionable in the oncoming "Heavy Music" era. This guitar sports a deep cherry finish with minimal fade and lots of grain showing through, chrome-plated hardware and the later '60s amp-style plastic knobs. This one has the "Custom" engraved truss rod cover that turns up randomly on a lot of not particularly custom instruments in this period. The neck is quite slim by older Gibson standards but comparable to the Rickenbackers that were its primary competition.
This model was never hugely popular but did see some high-profile use; one was famously used by Robbie Krieger on the Doors' "Love Her Madly"; we sold that guitar some years back. The most prominent regular user was Richie Furay of the Buffalo Springfield, but the model can also be seen in the hands of the Beau Brummels and a number of other period folk-rock acts. The ES-335-12 remains one of the 1960s' better-sounding and playing electric 12s; a very fine instrument, even if not generally considered an all-time Gibson classic.
Overall length is 43 3/4 in. (111.1 cm.), 15 3/4 in. (40 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 9/16 in. (40 mm.).
This is a relatively clean and original guitar, with some general wear overall. The cherry finish shows some light fade and checking mostly to the face and small dings and chips overall. The back of the neck for some reason is more dinged up than the rest of the instrument, with some feelable dinks mostly in the higher positions. There is a small scrape down to the wood on the treble side between the neck and first fret, and several more in the 9-15th fret region but nothing too distracting.
All hardware is complete and original with some light scuffing here and there, mostly to the pickguard. The guitar appears to have been refretted some time ago with wire comparable to the original, the guitar is quite playable with a low easy action for a 12-string. This ES is housed in the original red-lined Gibson chipboard case which is well preserved and still quite solid. Overall Excellent - Condition.
Gibson's first single-neck electric 12-string, the ES-335-12 was introduced in mid-1965 in response to the 12-string craze which followed George Harrison's featuring of a Rickenbacker 360/12 in the prior year's "A Hard Day's Night". The model was a straight adaptation of the standard 335 design, with only an extended headstock and 12-string tailpiece as alterations. The 12-string ES-335 was fairly successful over the next couple of years but was phased out of production in 1970, so is now not nearly as plentiful as its 6-string sibling.
This cherry-finished example was built during 1967, the model's production peak with 597 shipped out of Kalamazoo. After that production dropped off rapidly as 12-string electrics quickly became rather unfashionable in the oncoming "Heavy Music" era. This guitar sports a deep cherry finish with minimal fade and lots of grain showing through, chrome-plated hardware and the later '60s amp-style plastic knobs. This one has the "Custom" engraved truss rod cover that turns up randomly on a lot of not particularly custom instruments in this period. The neck is quite slim by older Gibson standards but comparable to the Rickenbackers that were its primary competition.
This model was never hugely popular but did see some high-profile use; one was famously used by Robbie Krieger on the Doors' "Love Her Madly"; we sold that guitar some years back. The most prominent regular user was Richie Furay of the Buffalo Springfield, but the model can also be seen in the hands of the Beau Brummels and a number of other period folk-rock acts. The ES-335-12 remains one of the 1960s' better-sounding and playing electric 12s; a very fine instrument, even if not generally considered an all-time Gibson classic.
Overall length is 43 3/4 in. (111.1 cm.), 15 3/4 in. (40 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 9/16 in. (40 mm.).
This is a relatively clean and original guitar, with some general wear overall. The cherry finish shows some light fade and checking mostly to the face and small dings and chips overall. The back of the neck for some reason is more dinged up than the rest of the instrument, with some feelable dinks mostly in the higher positions. There is a small scrape down to the wood on the treble side between the neck and first fret, and several more in the 9-15th fret region but nothing too distracting.
All hardware is complete and original with some light scuffing here and there, mostly to the pickguard. The guitar appears to have been refretted some time ago with wire comparable to the original, the guitar is quite playable with a low easy action for a 12-string. This ES is housed in the original red-lined Gibson chipboard case which is well preserved and still quite solid. Overall Excellent - Condition.