Gibson ES-295 Model Arch Top Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1954), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, gold lacquer finish, laminated maple body, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original blond tolex hard shell case.
A fine example of one of Gibson's all-time flashiest arch-tops. Finished in gold with a cream-colored floral decorated pickguard, the ES-295 has been long recognized as one of the iconic guitars of the 1950's. Equipped with double P-90 pickups with white plastic "dog ear" covers and the classic four-knob control array with amber "hatbox" knobs, the 295 combined looks and sound in a unique package.
The top is triple bound, back and fingerboard are single-bound. The 19 fret rosewood fingerboard has double parallelogram inlays, the headstock has a crown inlay. The Gold-plated hardware and a clear Lucite back-painted pickguard enhance the cosmetics. The ES-295 has the same laminated maple body and mahogany neck as an ES-175 with the finish of an all gold Les Paul. A similarly Bigsby-equipped ES 295 was the guitar played by Scotty Moore on the earliest Elvis Sun records, and is often considered the ultimate Rockabilly guitar. Also used by Danny Gatton, among others.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/4 in. (8.3 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.). A great playing example; a lot of wear to the back of the neck (this guitar saw a lot of use!); some patches of finish missing on the sides but top and back overall quite nice looking, with some typical heavy checking. All original except switch tip (old but not 1950's vintage), added strap button at the heel and an old (early '60's) Bigsby. The Bigsby bridge is an very rare 1954 style first-era variant with a black painted base an rocking posts, almost never seen in use. This likely indicates this guitar was fitted with an original fixed-arm Bigsby when new, and later updated to a swing-arm unit. Includes and original (worn but functional) brown case. Overall Very Good + Condition.
