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GIBSON | THIN ELECTRIC ACOUSTIC | ES-335TD

Gibson ES-335TD

Thinline semi-acoustic guitar

Gibson ES-335 description | Chronology and shipping figures | ES-335 controls
1965 Gibson ES-335TD
1965 Gibson ES-335TD vibrato tailpiece
1965 Gibson ES-335TD bridge humbucker
1965 Gibson ES-335TD heel
1965 Gibson ES-335TD body reverse
1965 Gibson ES-335TD headstock front
1965 Gibson ES-335TD headstock reverse
1965 Gibson ES-335TD with Bigsby vibrato tailpiece

Gibson ES-335TD catalog appearances

Gibson 1958 Electrics Catalogue
The ES-335T was first announced in the 1958 Gibson Electrics catalogue

...the ES-335T presents a striking appearance and sensational response. New body construction, with solid fitting neck, pickups and adjustable bridge, provides the solidity essential for clear, sparkling, sustaining tone
Gibson 1960 guitars and amplifiers catalogue
1960 Gibson guitars and amplifiers

A wonderful instrument with truly magical tone
Gibson 1962 guitars and amplifiers catalogue
1962 guitars and amplifiers catalogue

A newsmaker from it's first appearance, this model offers outstanding performance for ensembles, recording, radio and TV
Gibson 1964 Electrics catalogue
1964 Electrics

the new thin-body Gibson electric guitars provide new body-hugging comfort, plus unusually responsive action and free-playing performance
Gibson 1966 Full Line catalogue
Sales of the 335 were good in the latter part of the 1960s, with 1967 being the peak year. 1966 Gibson full line catalogue
Gibson 1975 thinline catalogue
The 1975 thinline catalogue with bluesman BB King on the front.
1978 Gibson catalogue
The minimalist 1978 electrics catalogue entitled Quality / Prestige / Innovation
1980 Gibson catalog
The 1980 'Gibson Guitar' catalogue was the last US Catalog appearance (excluding reissues by the current owners) of the ES-335TD, and the last to show Kalamazoo-built instruments
1981 Rosetti (UK) Gibson catalogue
The ES-335 was shown in the 1981 Rosetti (UK) Gibson catalogue alongside the 335 Dot and the 335 Pro

The Gibson ES-335 TD is one of those flagship models that spawned a thousand imitators, yet never lost its position amongst them. It was manufactured from 1958 until 1982, however various reissues and artist signature models have meant that it has effectively stayed in production ever since. Usually just referred to as a '335', the correct name ES-335TD, stood for Electric Spanish 335 thinline double pickup. Gibson ES guitars are great looking, superb playing instruments, and vintage ES-335TDs are highly prized amongst musicians and vintage guitar collectors alike.

Gibson ES-335 construction

The major innovation that made the 335 the ground-breaking instrument it was, was hidden in it's construction. Rather than being completely hollow, the guitar had a central maple block running the length of the guitar, below the pickups and bridge. This gave the bridge posts something to anchor into, increasing sustain, and giving some of the brighter tonal qualities of a solid body, whilst still retaining some of the mellow character of an acoustic. Furthermore it reduced feedback which had always been a problem with hollow bodies when turned up loud.

Gibson ES-335 specifications

The following description is taken from the 1970 Gibson thinline catalogue

Gibson ES-335 TDC

An outstanding performer for ensembles, recording, radio or TV and it sells for a very modest price. The thin double cutaway and fast, low-action neck allows easy access to upper register.

FEATURES: Curly maple arched top and back, chrome-plated metal parts. Slim, fast, low-action neck joins body at 20th fret. Laminated neck, adjustable truss rod. Rosewood fingerboard, pearl block inlays. Adjustable Tune-O-Matic bridge. Twin Humbucking pickups with separate tone and volume which can be pre-set. Three-position toggle switch to activate either or both pickups. 16" wide, 19" long, 1 ¾" thin; 24 ¾" scale, 22 frets.

ES-335TD - Sunburst finish
ES-335TDW - Walnut finish
ES-335TDC - Cherry finish

519 - Faultless plush-lined case
304 - Archcraft plush-lined case
ZC-19 Zipper cover for 519 case

1980 Gibson ES-335TD with coil tap switch
1980 Gibson ES-335TD with coil tap switch

In 1976, the ES-335 was given a coil-tap switch, allowing the pickups to work in single-coil or humbucking modes, see the 1978 Gibson catalogue.

From the beginning of 1979, a slightly more expensive version ($100 more, 1/1/79), and a guitar perhaps more suited to the times, the ES-335 Pro was launched. It had a stop tailpiece, speed knobs, dot (rather than block) position markers, and high-output 'dirty fingers' pickups.

The ES-335TD and ES-335 Pro were both withdrawn, their last inclusion in price lists being April 1981, with a replacement, the ES-335 dot (based on the 1961 ES-335TD) being launched the following year. As the name suggests, this had dot neck markers, and a more traditional Gibson mahogany neck.

Famous ES335 players include Eric Clapton, Larry Carlton and Alvin Lee.

Other similar guitars in the Gibson 300 series are the ES-335-12: a 12-string version of the 335, shipped between 1965 and 1970; also the Gibson ES330 with it's single coil pickups. The Gibson ES345, Gibson ES355 and Gibson ES355 stereo varitone were more ornate versions of the 335 - with stereo electronics and/or a number of cosmetic differences. A very similar guitar except for its 3" deep completely hollow body, the ES-150 DC was available from 1969-1979. Mention should also be made of the Epiphone Riviera, which was made with the 335 in the Gibson Kalamazoo factory, using the same tooling, techniques and quite a lot of the same components.

Other similar non-Gibsons include the Guild Starfire, Hagstrom Viking, Hofner Verithin

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Gibson ES-335TD guitars for sale

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1967 Gibson ES-335 TD Vintage Electric Guitar

1967 Gibson ES-335 TD Vintage Electric Guitar

Loveland, Ohio, 451**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$10400

1967 Gibson ES-335, Tobacco Sunburst, Rosewood fingerboardwith block inlays, Kluson tuners, Pat number sticker humbuckers, Trapezetailpiece, Low action, Lively instrument, EC, Original hard case
... more
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Vintage 1960s Gibson ES-335 mono wiring harness ES335 Es-345 Es-355 1966 1967

Vintage 1960s Gibson ES-335 mono wiring harness ES335 Es-345 Es-355 1966 1967

Chicago, Illinois, 606**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$595

Vintage Correct Parts is proud to offer, for your consideration, a fantastic:
Vintage Gibson 1967 ES-335 Wiring Harness
Correct for your mid 1960's Mono ES Gibson Restoration!
This harness is 100% original and in fantastic shape. It does not have any tone caps installed. Ready for the caps of your choice! The pots are all matched, the solder and wiring is all factory original to 1965. Pots date to early 1967 (137671x). Original switchtip and switch nut. Original pointer washers... more
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Gibson  ES 335 1968 Cherry

Gibson ES 335 1968 Cherry

Rochester, New York, 146**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$7999

1968 Gibson-made ES 335 in fantastic playing, sounding, and aesthetic condition. This features a stunning cherry finish, block inlay, trapeze tailpiece, and original hard shell case. The only non-original parts found on this guitar are simply the strap buttons, as well as reissue tuning machine heads. Light scratches / dings can be found on the finish from its obvious age, the only significant flaw would be a slight crack on the back headstock tip (as pictured) not affecting the guitar's ... more
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Vintage 1960s Gibson Witchhat Knob Set Witch Hat SG Standard ES-335 ES175 1968

Vintage 1960's Gibson Witchhat Knob Set Witch Hat SG Standard ES-335 ES175 1968

Chicago, Illinois, 606**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$245

Vintage Correct Parts is proud to offer, for your consideration,
A completely original and fantastic
Vintage Gibson 1967 - 1979 "Witchhat" knob set(Silver Inserts)
Rare and correct for that awesome 1966-1969 Gibson! This is an awesome matched set in super nice shape. Please note - the font on the "VOL" knobs is slightly different on the inserts. The number font is the same and this set is matched from the same guitar - thank you!
No damage, No cracks, no splits
Correct ... more
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Vintage Gibson 1965 Chrome Patent Sticker PAF pickup cover set 1966 68 ES-335 SG

Vintage Gibson 1965 Chrome Patent Sticker PAF pickup cover set 1966 68 ES-335 SG

Chicago, Illinois, 606**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$295

Vintage Correct Parts is proud to offer, for your consideration,
A fantastic and original
Vintage c 1965 Chrome Patent Number PAF humbucker cover set
REAL DEAL AND IN AMAZING SHAPE
Killer 50+ year old patina!
This is a standard spaced cover set - amazing shape with a killer vintage patina
These are correct for your 1965 thru 1969 ES-335, SG Standard, ES-175 and many others!
Get it back to stock, get it VINTAGE CORRECT
WE SHIP WORLDWIDE... more
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Vintage 1990 Gibson ES-335 "Dot" Reissue, Nashville Made ES-335tdc Original Case

Vintage 1990 Gibson ES-335 "Dot" Reissue, Nashville Made ES-335tdc Original Case

Chicago, Illinois, 606**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3450

Vintage Correct Parts is proud to offer, for your consideration:
Vintage 1990 Gibson ES-335 "Dot "
These are a true classic - Gibson got it's mojo back pretty hard in the late 80's and early 90's
These killer 59-reissue 335's were some of the first guitars to roll out of the newly christened Nashville plant, and boy were they incredible. Highly consistent and very faithful recreations of the holy grail 1959 ES-335 dot neck. These early Dot reissues are now 35 years old and have... more
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Vintage! 1974 Gibson ES-335TD Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar Walnut + Case

Vintage! 1974 Gibson ES-335TD Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar Walnut + Case

Thousand Oaks, California, 913**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4995



Vintage! 1974 Gibson ES-335TD Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar Walnut + Case

Google us! Lovies Guitar Shop
Lovies Guitars is excited to offer up this 1974 Gibson ES-335TD Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar with a Walnut Finish! Like the Les Paul, the ES-335 stands as one of Gibson's all-time most iconic models. The ES-335 is a semi-hollowbody guitar which means that it has a solid block of wood running through its center with hollow wings on either side. This construction style maintains ... more
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GIBSON ES-335 TD 1980 Kalamzoo Original

GIBSON ES-335 TD 1980 Kalamzoo Original

Highlands, New Jersey, 077**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$8500

Gibson ES 335 1980Serial Number 83030007Kalamzoo MI
... more
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1976 Gibson ES-335TD ES-335 Thinline Archtop Electric Guitar

1976 Gibson ES-335TD ES-335 Thinline Archtop Electric Guitar

Benicia, California, 945**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2850

This guitar plays great. You'll definitely love this guitar and won't want to put it down. The pickups are not original. Unsure of the brand of pickups as they just say "N" and "B" with braided wire as the lead wires. They sound really good though.
If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, Feel free to give us a call and check it out in person!
Layaway plans are also available. Message us for details.

Fast shipping! We ship, same day or next business day. Feel free to message ... more
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Vintage 1950s Gibson Aluminum Strap Buttons ES-335, Les Paul SG Standard!

Vintage 1950's Gibson Aluminum Strap Buttons ES-335, Les Paul SG Standard!

Chicago, Illinois, 606**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$55

Vintage Correct Parts is proud to offer, for your consideration,
A completely original and fantastic
Vintage original 1950's - 1960's Gibson Strap Buttons
Correct for your 1950's through early / mid 1960's Gibson Guitar
Models include: Es-335, SG Standard, Les Paul SG, Les Paul Junior, ES-175 and many others
Rarely available for sale!
WE SHIP WORLDWIDE
Check our feedback and bid with confidence
... more
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Vintage 1960s Gibson ES-335 mono wiring harness ES335 Es-345 Es-355 1967 1966 68

Vintage 1960s Gibson ES-335 mono wiring harness ES335 Es-345 Es-355 1967 1966 68

Chicago, Illinois, 606**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$595

Vintage Correct Parts is proud to offer, for your consideration, a fantastic:
Vintage Gibson 1967 ES-335 Wiring Harness
Correct for your mid 1960's Mono ES Gibson Restoration!
This harness is 100% original and in fantastic shape. It does not have any tone caps installed. Ready for the caps of your choice! The pots are all matched, the solder and wiring is all factory original to 1967. Pots date to the 20th week of 1967 (137672x).
Perfect functioning condition!
This is ... more
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1958 Gibson ES-335 TDN Vintage Semi-Hollow Blonde Thin Top w /  PAFs, Case

1958 Gibson ES-335 TDN Vintage Semi-Hollow Blonde Thin Top w / PAFs, Case

Seattle, Washington, 981**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$85000

Up for sale, a 1958 Gibson ES-335 TDN in excellent condition and perfect working order, complete with its original PAF pickup pair and Lifton hardshell case. This golden age Gibson ES-335 hails from late in the first year of production, boasting a highly coveted early feature set including the three-ply Thin Top construction, rounded "Mickey Mouse Ear" body horns, dot inlay on the bound Brazilian rosewood fretboard, a one-piece Honduran mahogany neck with long tenon joint, and a pair of PAF ... more
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1979 Gibson ES-335 - Sunburst Finish - Original Case

1979 Gibson ES-335 - Sunburst Finish - Original Case

Columbia, Maryland, 210**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4199

Here is an all original 1979 Gibson ES-335. Sunburst Finish, Dual Humbucking Pickups, Factory Coil Split Switch on the Treble Horn for a Variety of additional Tones, Witch Hat Knobs, and Trapeze Tailpiece. Very Good ++ Vintage Condition displaying some small dings and light play wear. Marked a Factory Second with no visible defect. No cracks or repairs. An excellent playing 335. Included is the Original Black Tolex Hardshell Case
Contact us with any questions... more
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Vintage 1959 Gibson PAF Cover NICKEL Les Paul Standard Burst Es-335 Dot 1958 57

Vintage 1959 Gibson PAF Cover NICKEL Les Paul Standard Burst Es-335 Dot 1958 57

Chicago, Illinois, 606**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1195

Vintage Correct Parts is proud to offer, for your consideration,
A completely original and fantastic
Vintage Gibson late 50's / early 60's Nickel PAF cover
Correct for your Burst, ES-335 dot and others
This cover and it's mate (available in our other listings) are a fantastic example of the highly sought after nickel plated PAF covers
This one has a nice medium patina with some very cool and unique natural wear from over 63 years of use!
The old alloys of these thin covers... more
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Vintage 1960s Gibson Black VOLUME Knob ES-335tdc SG Standard Custom 1961

Vintage 1960's Gibson Black VOLUME Knob ES-335tdc SG Standard Custom 1961

Plano, Texas, 750**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$195

Clear plastic , black skirt, white numbering, silver reflector cap ??volume ??, normal light vintage wear , passes the black light test , nice original 1960 era USA Gibson. Thanks for looking
... more
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1970 Gibson ES 335 TD 12 String Guitar signed by BB King

1970 Gibson ES 335 TD 12 String Guitar signed by BB King

Anna, Illinois, 629**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$16500

1970 Gibson ES 335 TD 12 String Beautiful vintage Guitar signed by BB King This is a very rare ES 335 TD 12 String. Vintage all original Beautiful condition with the aged old lacquer. I have owned this guitar for a long time Met BB king many years ago at his concert on New Years Eve at the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago. I was invited up to his room with his daughter. I saw him numerous times after that. I spent a lot of time in Memphis introducing my own guitars zuniguitars com and worked with... more
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1959 Gibson Light weight Stop Tail piece Burst ES-335 Original 58 59 Super rare

1959 Gibson Light weight Stop Tail piece Burst ES-335 Original 58 59 Super rare

Ladera Ranch, California, 926**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3750

1959 Gibson Light weight Stop Tail piece Burst ES-335 Original 58 59 Super rare 50's early 60's original not a reproduction, no issues Buyer pays all shipping.... more
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Vintage Gibson 1960s ABR-1 Chrome Bridge Patent Number Brass 50s saddles ES335

Vintage Gibson 1960's ABR-1 Chrome Bridge Patent Number Brass 50's saddles ES335

Chicago, Illinois, 606**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$345

Vintage Correct Parts is proud to offer, for your consideration,
A fantastic and completely original
Vintage Gibson 1966 - 1969 ABR-1 Bridge
Correct for your mid to late 60's Les Paul Goldtop Standard, ES-335 or SG Standard!
Excellent condition, no sag ready to rock!
This one is cool as it has 1950's style nickel plated brass saddles!
Original thumbwheels!!!
The chrome finish has very cool vintage patina and wear
Saddles are in fantastic shape on this one, NO double ... more
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1967 Gibson ES-335 TDC

1967 Gibson ES-335 TDC

Loveland, Ohio, 451**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$13295

1967 Gibson ES-335 TDC, From Gary??s personal collection, Cherry Red, Super clean guitar bought from the wife of the original owner, Hardly any signs of use, Gorgeous color, Original patent number sticker pickups, Kluson tuners, Sounds resonant acoustically, Fantastic guitar in near mint condition with an original Lifton hard case... more
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1981 Gibson ES-335 "Moog Prototype" Big Blonde Bad Boy 1 of a kind & Minty !

1981 Gibson ES-335 "Moog Prototype" Big Blonde Bad Boy 1 of a kind & Minty !

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 333**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$8495


... more
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Find more Gibson ES-335TD guitars for sale at vintageguitarsforsale.co

There are 4 comments on this article so far. Add your comment

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dan paves Comment left 2nd October 2018 00:12:54 reply
Have Gibson ES335TD E-8335TD, Serial number 523044 Would like to know year of manufacture.
Nate Decay Comment left 2nd March 2022 19:07:36 reply
Your Es335 is either a 1968 or a 74-75. If there is a "Made in USA" stamp under the serial its a 74-75. If it doesn't you can probably find more accurate info, but the 70's used randomized serial numbers and it makes accurate dating almost impossible.
lawrence Comment left 19th October 2016 09:09:04 reply
I have a relative that has 2 Gibson guitars. One is a 1976 ES-335 in walnut and the other is a 'BLONDE' ES 320 FROM 1972-73. I HAVE SEARCHED FOR INFO ON THE ES-320 BUT CANNOT FIND ANY INFO ON THAT ONE . any help would be great.
Nate Decay Comment left 2nd March 2022 19:07:58 reply
if you still have these guitars I can help you with info, I just need more info like the serial and condition etc. But as far as quick info, reverb has 2 1972 320's listed for about 3k. depends on the condition and color and all that. if you still are looking for info feel free to email me, I love diving into this stuff.

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1971 Selmer guitar catalogue

1971 Selmer guitar catalogueScan of 1971 Selmer guitar catalogue showing the range of electric and acoustic guitars distributed by the company: guitars by Gibson, Yamaha, Selmer, Hofner and Suzuki. 1960s Selmer had always placed Hofner at the front end of their catalogues, no doubt these were the better sellers - but into the 1970s Hofner were slipping somewhat and only appear at the tail end of this publication, pride of place going to Gibson, and to a lesser extent Yamaha. In fact this is the last Selmer catalogue to include the many Hofner hollow bodies (Committee, President, Senator etc) that had defined the companies output for so many years - to be replaced in the 1972 catalogue by generic solid body 'copies' of Gibson and Fender models. A number of new Gibson models are included for the first time: the SG-100 and SG-200 six string guitars and the SB-300 and SB-400 basses.

1968 Selmer guitar catalogue

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1961 Hofner Colorama I

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1971 Commodore N25 (Matsumoku)

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1971 Epiphone 1820 bass (ET-280)

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1971 'Pick Epiphone' Catalog

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1981 'Gibson Specials' Pre-Owners Manual

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1963 Vox Super Ace

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1966 Vox Symphonic bass guitarThe Symphonic bass was built in the UK, by Vox parent company JMI. It was the Vox equivalent to the Fender Precision bass, and was one of the most expensive Vox guitars produced. It was actually a great playing bass, rather similar to the Precision in feel and sound, but was probably just too expensive compared to an actual Fender and consequently sold poorly. When Vox hit financial problems in 1968, unsold guitars and basses were passed on to Dallas Arbiter, who briefly sold the excess Symphonic bass stock as model 4537. This bass, although with a neck date of February 1966, was most likely one of the unsold Vox guitars sold on by Dallas Arbiter. Check out the bass, and the two video demos through 1960s Ampeg and WEM amplifiers.

1968 Shaftesbury 'Electric Guitars' catalog

1968 Shaftesbury catalogThe 1968 Shaftesbury 'Electric Guitars' catalog was just four pages long, and contained four guitar models: the six string Barney Kessel-style 3264; and three Rickenbacker-styled semi-acoustic models: the six-string 3261, the twelve string 3262 and the 3263 bass. Shaftesbury was the house-brand of major UK distributor Rose-Morris, and seems to have been launched as a response to the company's loss of it's distribution deal with Rickenbacker. The guitars were mid-priced, and built in (initially) Japan, and later Italy, by Eko

1970 Rose-Morris 'Exciting Electrics Wonderful Westerns Celebrated Classics' catalog

1970 Rose_Morris catalog1970 Rose-Morris catalog, dated April 1970. It featured 6 electric guitars, 32 acoustic guitars, 3 basses and 1 steel guitar. It contains the following instruments, over 20 pages: Electric guitars: Shaftesbury 3261, 3262, 3264, 3265, 3400; Top Twenty 1970; Bass: Shaftesbury 3263, 3266; Top Twenty 1971; Acoustic guitars: Eko Rio Bravo, Rio Bravo 12, Ranchero, Ranchero 12, Colorado, Ranger, Ranger Folk, Ranger 12; Aria 1674, 1675, 1676, 1679, 1680, 1695, 'John Pearse' Jumbo, 'John Pearse' Folk; Rose-Morris 15-11, Kansas, Georgian, Florida; Suzuki 1663, 1664, 1665, 3054, 3055, 3060; Tatay 1713, 1714, 1715; Peerless 3052; Steel guitar: Aria 3425

1971 Rose-Morris 'Exciting Electrics Wonderful Westerns' catalog

1971 Rose_Morris catalogThe sixteen-page 1971 Rose-Morris catalog featured electric guitars by Rose-Morris' own brand, Shaftesbury, and budget brand Top Twenty; aswell as acoustics by Eko, Aria, and for the first time Ovation. The catalog contains the following instruments: Electric guitars: Shaftesbury 3261, 3264, 3265, 3400, 3402; Top Twenty 1970; Bass: Shaftesbury 3263, 3266; Top Twenty 1971; Acoustic guitars: Ovation: Balladeer, 12 String, Glen Campbell, Glen Campbell 12 string; Eko Rio Bravo, Rio Bravo 12, Ranger, Ranger Folk, Ranger 12, Colorado, Ranchero, Ranchero 12, Studio 'L'; Rose-Morris Florida; Aria 'John Pearse' Jumbo, 'John Pearse' Folk

1972 Fender Precision bass

1972 Fender PrecisionA detailed look at an early 1970s Fender Precision bass guitar in custom black finish, with rosewood fretboard. 1972 list price, $307.50. The Fender Precision had been shipping since at least very early 1952 - with just one re-design circa 1957. This example, then, shows a model already two decades old, but barely changed since the '57 revamp. Fender got it right first time around, and although there are numerous minor cosmetic differences, the essence of this bass is effectively the same as it was in '52: a simple, single pickup instrument with a GREAT sound. Check out the demo video through an old Ampeg B15. It's no wonder this is the bass that everybody wants!

1967 Vox Stroller

1967 Vox StrollerThe Vox Stroller was the brand's entry level electric solid body guitar, fitted with just one pickup and a fixed tailpiece. Although aimed at student guitarists, it wasn't a terrible instrument, but did lack somewhat in adjustability, having no accessible truss rod and only a floating rosewood bridge. But this example is actually quite an improvement on earlier versions, with a standard 1/4" jack and a solid mahogany body. 1967 price £18 2s. JMI ceased UK guitar production in late '67, and combined with decreasing demand for the Stroller, this surely must be one of the last examples shipped.

1963 Vox Clubman Bass (left handed)

1963 Vox Clubman Bass left handedA nice example of the Vox Clubman II bass, built by JMI in Dartford, Kent in 1963. This is a lightweight bass, short (30") scale and very easy to play. It is an early example, and as such has a thin black scratchplate and side mounted, coaxial output jack. JMI offered left handed examples of their solid body Vox guitars and basses at 10% premium. Production numbers are unclear, but left-handed examples rarely come up for sale

1977 Gibson ES Artist 'prototype'

1977 Gibson ES Artist prototypeNot to be confused with the Gibson ES Artist launched by Gibson in 1979; this ES Artist was an early model designed by the Gibson research and development team in Kalamazoo in 1977, the instruments themselves constructed by Gibson artist Chuck Burge. It was planned for launch as a high end semi acoustic with 335-style construction (central maple block) and innovative circuitry - but was pulled at the last minute, being deemed too expensive. Apparently, several examples were produced with varying specifications, though exactly how many actually left the Kalamazoo plant is unclear. Certainly two guitars were sold to LaVonne Music by Gibson in around 1980. Read more about the development of this guitar, with details from Chuck Burge and the story of it's sale to LaVonne music

1959 Hofner Committee

1959 Hofner CommitteeThe Hofner Committee was a truly beautiful guitar produced in Germany, primarily for the UK market. It was a large bodied (initially 17 1/2") guitar with a carved spruce top, available as an acoustic or electric guitar. By the early sixties the carved top was replaced with a laminate, and although still a very fine guitar, the earlier carved top examples, with frondose headstock (like the example shown here) are far more highly prized amongst musicians and vintage guitar collectors.

1965 Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean

1965 Gretsch Chet Atkins TennesseanThe Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean, or model 6119 was Gretsch's best selling hollow body of the 1960s. This wonderfully faded example from 1965 was originally Dark Cherry Red, but has turned a mid-orange brown. The original color, however, can be seen underneath the pickup surrounds. 1965 specs: maple body, two-piece neck, Brazilian rosewood fretboard and Hi-Lo 'Tron single coil pickups. Nickel plated Gretsch Bigsby tailpiece.

1965 Gretsch 'For the Spectacular Sound of the Times' guitar and amp catalog

1965 Gretsch catalogThe 1965 Gretsch catalog, or catalog #32, featured 10 hollow body electric guitars, including the newly launched Gretsch Viking; four solid body electrics, including the Astro Jet - making it's only catalog appearance; just one bass, the single pickup PX6070; nine acoustics and 12 tube amplifiers. Pride of place went to the Chet Atkins Country Gentleman that adorned both the front and back covers. 24 pages, six of which are in full color.

Guitar Repair: fixing fret buzz and sharp fret ends

Guitar Repair: fixing fret buzz and sharp fret endsLoose frets are especially problematic in certain old guitars, but are generally very easy to fix. You'll be amazed at the difference you can make with just a few tools, a bit of knowledge, and a little time. Fixing loose frets can eliminate fret buzz, remove sharp fret ends, and greatly improve the tone of any guitar. If your luthier bill will be greater than the value of your guitar, definitely time to have a go yourself!

1966 Hagstrom 'worlds fastest playing neck' catalog (Merson USA)

1966 Hagstrom guitar catalogHagstrom guitars were distributed in the mid-1960s United States by Merson of USA. This eight page 'worlds fastest playing neck' catalog, printed in two-colors contained six solid body electrics, three solid body basses, two electric acoustic guitars, two electric acoustic basses and five acoustics.

1965 Hofner President

1965 Hofner PresidentThe President was produced by Hofner in Bubenreuth, Germany, specifically for Selmer, who distributed the brand in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and other commonwealth nations. The President was a hollow body electric acoustic, available as a full body or thinline, and with blonde or brunette finish. It was a great playing guitar that sold fairly well in the second half of the 1950s, throughout the 1960s, and into the very early 1970s. The example shown here is a full-body depth guitar in blonde - and as a 1965 guitar, one of the last to feature the rounded Venetian cutaway. From late 1965 until 1972, the President sported a sharp Florentine cut. Naturally, such an electric acoustic suggests jazz and blues, but many of the original British Hofner President players were part of the rock 'n roll, skiffle and beat scenes of the late 50s and early 60s.

1963 1964 Fender catalog

Fender 1963 catalogue"The Choice of Professional and Student Musicians Everywhere" This eight page catalogue was included as an insert in the 1963 annual "school music" issue of Downbeat magazine (September 1963). As well as keyboards and pedal steels, this catalog contains seven guitars, three basses and ten amplifiers - from student guitars such as the Musicmaster and Duotone to professional models like the new Jaguar.