Gibson Byrdland N Model Thinline Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1959), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, natural lacquer finish, laminated maple body, spruce top; maple neck with ebony fingerboard, original brown hard shell case.
Overall length is 40 3/4 in. (103.5 cm.), 16 7/8 in. (42.9 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 2 1/4 in. (5.7 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 23 5/8 in. (600 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.). This is a lovely example of this rare Gibson gem (all of 34 shipped this year) that has seen some play wear and minor repair work over the years but remains an exceptional player. The natural lacquer has ambered beautifully with moderate checking mostly to the top and sides. There is an old and attractively executed jack repair that shows only a very minor crack and an inset pearl dot (with an amber lacquer over-finish) that looks very "Gibson-esque". There is a spot of fairly deep wear into the wood on the top between the pickups, likely the result of some thumb or thumb pick action long ago; there is also a repaired crack to the spruce top just by the treble tone control. The top also several dings through the finish, and some general wear to the finish overall. There is an added strap button to the upper bout side and the small filled hole on the side of the neck heel from what we call a "D'Angelico strap button" (an eyehook on the side of the neck) that was long ago removed. All hardware is original except the pickguard is an excellent hand-built replica hand-made (and signed by) Chris Mirabella. This is an extremely fine playing and sounding guitar, and as an added point of interest comes with a letter from noted guitar builder Paul Reed Smith attesting to his prior ownership and describing it as "the best sounding jazz box "has ever heard. Overall Excellent - Condition.
