1965 Gibson ES-355 Mono Cherry

1965 Gibson ES-355 Mono Cherry
Serial Number: 306030
Weight: 9.18 lbs.
Condition: Excellent vintage condition, 1965 model. Guitar shows some wear consistant with age. Body shows some checking, handful of dings, and a handful of indented scratches in the finish. Back of the neck/headstock shows some checking and scratches. Hardware shows some pitting, tarnishing, and some wear through the gold finish, particularly on the pickup covers. At some point it was fitted with a stop tailpiece, then returned to its stock Lyre Vibrola. A newer "Custom Made" plaque now covers the stop tailpiece grommet holes. Comes with original Gibson Hardshell case.

This 1965 Gibson ES-355 in Cherry is a factory mono example (Serial #306030). It has no Varitone and no stereo wiring, just Gibson's top-of-the-line ES with a straightforward output. From 1961 on, mono electronics became much rarer on the ES-355, with stereo Varitone wiring standard, so a factory mono '65 is the less common version of this model, and a strong find for players who want an ES-355 without the Varitone. The semi-hollow body is 3-ply maple/poplar/maple with a solid maple center block. It's finished in nitrocellulose lacquer, bound in cream with purfling, and weighs 9.18 lb. This is a used vintage guitar in excellent condition for its age. At some point it was fitted with a stop tailpiece, then returned to its stock Lyre Vibrola. A newer "Custom Made" plaque now covers the stop tailpiece grommet holes. The finish shows checking, a handful of dings, and some indented scratches, and the back of the neck and headstock show checking and light scratches. The gold hardware has pitting, tarnish, and wear-through, most visibly on the pickup covers.

The mahogany set neck has a C profile (.825" at the 1st fret, .965" at the 12th). It's slim in the first position and fills out as you move up the neck. The set-neck joint gives a solid, resonant connection between neck and body. You get a white-bound ebony fretboard with mother-of-pearl block inlays, a 12" radius, 22 medium frets, a 24.75" scale, and a 1.645" nylon nut. The headstock carries the mother-of-pearl Gibson logo and split-diamond inlay with cream binding and purfling. Hardware includes an ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge, Gibson Lyre Vibrola, gold Kluson Waffleback tuners, and a tortoise pickguard.

Two Gibson Pat. No. sticker humbuckers run through two volumes, two tones, and a 3-way toggle into the factory mono jack. There's no stereo cable or Varitone to work around: plug in and play. The neck pickup is warm and round for jazz and blues, and the bridge has the bite for rock and R&B. The ES-355 is the model B.B. King made famous. Whether you're a blues player chasing that sound, a jazz guitarist who wants a vintage semi-hollow, or a collector looking for a factory mono '65, this one delivers. (Serial #306030) It comes with its original Gibson hardshell case. Order today from Brian's Guitars, your authorized Gibson dealer.

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Body
Type: Semi-Hollowbody
Shape: ES
Top Material: 3-ply Maple/Poplar/Maple
Body Material: 3-ply Maple/Poplar/Maple
Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Color: Cherry
Body Binding: Cream w/ Purfling

Neck
Material: Mahogany
Shape: C
Dimensions: .825" at the 1st fret, .965" at the 12th fret
Joint: Set-Neck
Fretboard Material: Ebony
Neck Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Headstock: Mother of Pearl Gibson Logo and Split Diamond Inlays, Cream Binding with Purfling
Inlay: Mother of Pearl Blocks
Radius: 12"
Frets: 22, Medium
Scale Length: 24.75"
Nut Width: 1.645"
Nut Material: Nylon
Fretboard Binding: White

Hardware
Bridge/Tailpiece: Gibson ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic Bridge, Gibson Lyre Vibrola Tremolo
Tuners: Kluson Waffleback
Hardware Finish: Gold
Pickguard: Tortoise

Electronics
Neck Pickup: Gibson Pat. No Sticker Humbucker
Bridge Pickup: Gibson Pat. No Sticker Humbucker
Controls: 2 x Volume, 2 x Tone, 3-way Toggle Pickup Selector
Special Electronics: Factory Mono Output Jack

Other
Case/Gigbag: Original Gibson Hardshell Case