Gibson ES-355TD-SV Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1961)
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Gibson ES-355TD-SV Model Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1961), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # A-36082, cherry lacquer finish, laminated maple body; mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, original brown hard shell with cover case.
We VERY rarely describe a vintage guitar as near mint, but this ES-355TD-SV from early 1961 comes awfully close. If not for a little wear to the gold plated pickup covers, light scuffing here and there and some very minor fretwear there would be little to show this guitar ever saw much play time. The original case and the rare original cover are extremely clean as well; overall this is one of the most beautifully preserved period Gibsons we have seen in a long time.
The ES-355TD-SV was the flagship, top end model of Gibson's most successful late-1950s innovation -- the semi-solid electric guitar. Following quickly on the heels of the ES-335, the 355 brought high-end features to the line including a bound ebony fingerboard, pearl block inlay, multiple bindings and gold plating topped off by the Super 400-style split-block headstock inlay. The gold Bigsby vibrato was a standard fitting when the guitar was introduced in late 1958.
This early 1961 guitar has two beautiful untouched "Patent Applied For" humbucking pickups with the Stereo/Varitone wiring that was a common option on the model at the time. The stereo wiring routes the pickups to different sides of a split cord allowing the use of two amplifiers, or more commonly two channels of the same amp. This creates a sort of pseudo-stereo separation, allowing different tones or effects on each pickup.
The gold Varitone knob activates a six-position choke designed originally primarily country pickers to get a brighter, thinner sound out of Gibson's thicker-toned humbucking pickups. This system was introduced with the ES-345 model, supposedly at the behest of some Nashville players. Gibson promoted this at the time claiming it could "produce any sound you've ever heard from ANY guitar!" While these features were later regarded by some as gimmicks and have sometimes been removed, many players at the time seemed to like them. The more expensive "SV" version of the 355 consistently outsold the mono throughout the '60s, and some well-known players (including Freddie King and Hollies guitarist Tony Hicks) got signature sounds out of the system.
The brilliant and bright cherry-red finish on this guitar was one of Gibson's flashy new looks for the 1960s, replacing the 1950s natural blonde. Other features include the "no-wire" gold ABR-1 bridge with metal saddles, Grover Rotomatic tuners and a bound tortoise celluloid pickguard. The neck has the fairly thin and flat round-backed profile common to 1960-61 Gibsons.
This particular guitar carries TWO serial numbers, a quirk of being finished out just as Gibson was switching over to the new 1960s universal numbering sequence. A very early four-digit serial number (1590) is impressed on the back of the headstock, while one of the very last '50s-style "Artist" numbers (A-36082) is ink-stamped on the orange label. Both of these indicate the instrument shipped out in February 1961, one of only 174 Stereo ES-355s sold that year. This is sit second guitar from this particular dual-numbered batch we have had.
In 1961 this guitar listed at $645, up from $600 in 1959. The #519 "Faultless" case added $50 plus another $30 for the ZC-19 canvas zipper cover. This 355 was bought new by a player in the Midwest who was so impressed he wrote a letter to Gibson suggesting they print their catalog in full color to better show it off. Gibson sales manager Clarence Havenga replied with a letter reading in part "Producing a color catalog is very expensive but we have this in mind". He added that Gibson HAD printed up a special full-color postcard to promote the model, and included one from their "depleted supply". The immaculately preserved letter and card are still with the guitar. Gibson featured the same picture on the color cover of their 2-tone 1963 catalog; a copy of that is included as well but has some insect damage to the cover.
This guitar was obviously this player's pride and joy; it has seen some careful light use but remains in exceptionally fine condition. Designed primarily with jazz and country players in mind, the ES-355 is a very versatile player's instrument that has long been considered a classic electric blues and R&B guitar. Virtually from its introduction it has been standard equipment for some seminal players in that genre, notably B.B. King and Chuck Berry. This one is a truly beautiful example, one of the finest we have seen and ready to play "Everyday I Have The Blues" on everyday, or pretty much anything else!
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This truly beautifully and 100% original guitar has seen some light play time over the last 60+ years but remains a lovely example, appearing babied since the day it was first bought in spring 1961. This one-family instrument was purchased new by a relative of the family that operated a Midwest music store, and has never been offered for sale until now.
The cherry finish is lighter and brighter than later '60s examples and retains a rich color with virtually no fade or the typical checking. There is some very minor scuffing and handling marks but really not much in the way of even small dings or dents overall. The back of the neck is very clean, showing virtually no wear even from hand contact.
The gold plated original hardware shows the only real wear on the instrument, most noticeably partially worn away on the lower corner of the bass pickup cover, with light loss and disturbance to the PU covers overall. The bridge ends, tuner buttons and Bigsby handle show very light loss. The gold paint on the Varitone knob is nearly perfect. The tortoise celluloid pickguard is original and shows no signs of outgassing or deterioration.
The beautiful PAF Pickups are untouched; the "Patent Applied For" sticker on the underside of the neck PU was applied at a very oblique angle, something no "PAF faker" would ever do! We were apparently the first ones to even dismount the pickups for inspection. The electronics are original and unaltered in the original Stereo/Varitone configuration, with two-channel output requiring a dual-tip cord and the 6-position Varitone engaged and functional. Many of these guitars have been rewired to mono in the past, but this ES-355 is still as it left Kalamazoo.
The original large frets show some very minor wear in the lower positions, the ebony fingerboard is very clean as well. This is simply a superlative example, not only the cleanest we have seen in a long time but an excellent player as well with a very fast neck. It still carries period flatwound strings and resides in the almost incredibly clean original 1950s style brown HSC, which in turn is in the original deluxe fabric cover that has protected it since 1961, with the 1961 letter from Gibson and an original stereo cable in the pocket. This is simply a stellar find in a one owner, high end Gibson from the company's golden era for electrics. Overall Excellent + Condition.
We VERY rarely describe a vintage guitar as near mint, but this ES-355TD-SV from early 1961 comes awfully close. If not for a little wear to the gold plated pickup covers, light scuffing here and there and some very minor fretwear there would be little to show this guitar ever saw much play time. The original case and the rare original cover are extremely clean as well; overall this is one of the most beautifully preserved period Gibsons we have seen in a long time.
The ES-355TD-SV was the flagship, top end model of Gibson's most successful late-1950s innovation -- the semi-solid electric guitar. Following quickly on the heels of the ES-335, the 355 brought high-end features to the line including a bound ebony fingerboard, pearl block inlay, multiple bindings and gold plating topped off by the Super 400-style split-block headstock inlay. The gold Bigsby vibrato was a standard fitting when the guitar was introduced in late 1958.
This early 1961 guitar has two beautiful untouched "Patent Applied For" humbucking pickups with the Stereo/Varitone wiring that was a common option on the model at the time. The stereo wiring routes the pickups to different sides of a split cord allowing the use of two amplifiers, or more commonly two channels of the same amp. This creates a sort of pseudo-stereo separation, allowing different tones or effects on each pickup.
The gold Varitone knob activates a six-position choke designed originally primarily country pickers to get a brighter, thinner sound out of Gibson's thicker-toned humbucking pickups. This system was introduced with the ES-345 model, supposedly at the behest of some Nashville players. Gibson promoted this at the time claiming it could "produce any sound you've ever heard from ANY guitar!" While these features were later regarded by some as gimmicks and have sometimes been removed, many players at the time seemed to like them. The more expensive "SV" version of the 355 consistently outsold the mono throughout the '60s, and some well-known players (including Freddie King and Hollies guitarist Tony Hicks) got signature sounds out of the system.
The brilliant and bright cherry-red finish on this guitar was one of Gibson's flashy new looks for the 1960s, replacing the 1950s natural blonde. Other features include the "no-wire" gold ABR-1 bridge with metal saddles, Grover Rotomatic tuners and a bound tortoise celluloid pickguard. The neck has the fairly thin and flat round-backed profile common to 1960-61 Gibsons.
This particular guitar carries TWO serial numbers, a quirk of being finished out just as Gibson was switching over to the new 1960s universal numbering sequence. A very early four-digit serial number (1590) is impressed on the back of the headstock, while one of the very last '50s-style "Artist" numbers (A-36082) is ink-stamped on the orange label. Both of these indicate the instrument shipped out in February 1961, one of only 174 Stereo ES-355s sold that year. This is sit second guitar from this particular dual-numbered batch we have had.
In 1961 this guitar listed at $645, up from $600 in 1959. The #519 "Faultless" case added $50 plus another $30 for the ZC-19 canvas zipper cover. This 355 was bought new by a player in the Midwest who was so impressed he wrote a letter to Gibson suggesting they print their catalog in full color to better show it off. Gibson sales manager Clarence Havenga replied with a letter reading in part "Producing a color catalog is very expensive but we have this in mind". He added that Gibson HAD printed up a special full-color postcard to promote the model, and included one from their "depleted supply". The immaculately preserved letter and card are still with the guitar. Gibson featured the same picture on the color cover of their 2-tone 1963 catalog; a copy of that is included as well but has some insect damage to the cover.
This guitar was obviously this player's pride and joy; it has seen some careful light use but remains in exceptionally fine condition. Designed primarily with jazz and country players in mind, the ES-355 is a very versatile player's instrument that has long been considered a classic electric blues and R&B guitar. Virtually from its introduction it has been standard equipment for some seminal players in that genre, notably B.B. King and Chuck Berry. This one is a truly beautiful example, one of the finest we have seen and ready to play "Everyday I Have The Blues" on everyday, or pretty much anything else!
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This truly beautifully and 100% original guitar has seen some light play time over the last 60+ years but remains a lovely example, appearing babied since the day it was first bought in spring 1961. This one-family instrument was purchased new by a relative of the family that operated a Midwest music store, and has never been offered for sale until now.
The cherry finish is lighter and brighter than later '60s examples and retains a rich color with virtually no fade or the typical checking. There is some very minor scuffing and handling marks but really not much in the way of even small dings or dents overall. The back of the neck is very clean, showing virtually no wear even from hand contact.
The gold plated original hardware shows the only real wear on the instrument, most noticeably partially worn away on the lower corner of the bass pickup cover, with light loss and disturbance to the PU covers overall. The bridge ends, tuner buttons and Bigsby handle show very light loss. The gold paint on the Varitone knob is nearly perfect. The tortoise celluloid pickguard is original and shows no signs of outgassing or deterioration.
The beautiful PAF Pickups are untouched; the "Patent Applied For" sticker on the underside of the neck PU was applied at a very oblique angle, something no "PAF faker" would ever do! We were apparently the first ones to even dismount the pickups for inspection. The electronics are original and unaltered in the original Stereo/Varitone configuration, with two-channel output requiring a dual-tip cord and the 6-position Varitone engaged and functional. Many of these guitars have been rewired to mono in the past, but this ES-355 is still as it left Kalamazoo.
The original large frets show some very minor wear in the lower positions, the ebony fingerboard is very clean as well. This is simply a superlative example, not only the cleanest we have seen in a long time but an excellent player as well with a very fast neck. It still carries period flatwound strings and resides in the almost incredibly clean original 1950s style brown HSC, which in turn is in the original deluxe fabric cover that has protected it since 1961, with the 1961 letter from Gibson and an original stereo cable in the pocket. This is simply a stellar find in a one owner, high end Gibson from the company's golden era for electrics. Overall Excellent + Condition.