1969/1971 Gibson ES-335 w Factory Bigsby watermelon Cherry

So what are we looking at and why the 2 different years?

Well, our best guess is that this guitar was custom ordered (as it has a Bigsby and no stud holes) at Gibson in 1969 just before Gibson was taken over by the Norlin Corporation. Maybe they messed up with the sales portfolio. Maybe the customer backed out of the sale hearing about Norlin. Who knows. What we do know however is that this is unmistakably a mid-late 1969 Gibson ES-335 guitar with 1971 electronics. And as the pickups, wiring loom and pots are all sold together with unbroken solder joints, it is highly unlikely these were put in there aftermarket.

We bet this guitar was left behind at Gibson and put to rest on a shelf waiting for another customer order for a Bigsby'd 335, or waiting for some manager said: "Anything on the shelf we can sell to our dealers and convert into cash? Get it out!!" And so they did. We have seen several of these guitars before and they were all ES types or Les Paul Customs with either leftover parts or unfinished husks straight from the Gibson factory.

The specifications

This guitar has a nice typical 1969 three piece mahogany neck with NO volute, a beautiful fretboard, 40.5mm nut, big headstock, Gibson logo with the open "b" and "o" and the "o" touching the "n' on the bottom and no dot over the "i", has some filled spots on the fretboard between the nut and the first and second fret. The frets (refretted) have been dressed by our luthier and it plays absolutely effortlessly. The 6 digit serial number on the back of the headstock reads 619128 and matches perfectly the inconsistence around the late 60's early 70's serials when Norlin took over. Also there's no MADE IN USA beneath the serial, consistent with 1969 and earlier serial identification. The tuners have been replaced but the originals are in the case and could be put back.

The maple body has the typical pre-1969 burnt orange oval label made in Kalamazoo, Michigan U.S.A. with a very fainted writings and serial number. However the serial number can be read and it matches the serial number on the headstock so the neck and body were absolutely together from the start. The neck pickup cavity has a short tenon and the finish inside seems to be original and untouched. The heel has a light separation as the neck joint fish glue dried out over 55 years, leaving a small opening in between the joint. It was touched up and oversprayed lightly. Our luthier checked it and found it 100% stable, no movement whatsoever. The back maple has a light and lovely flame on the upper half and the finish shows a very cool craquele all over the front, back and sides!

The original patent number sticker pickups, wiring and pots have unbroken solder except for a replaced capacitor on the neck pickup, which is now an original late 50's Bumblebee. The harness, electronics, loom and pickups belong to each other and the pots read week 15, 1971. All the hardware from the trussrod cover, nut, pickguard, bridge and B7 Bigsby to the pickups, pots and knobs is original to this guitar.

The sound

As you can guess this thing sounds amazing. It has a very open and woody sound and it rings and roars! Playing open chords makes it shine and ring like a bell and when pushed it can rock and scream without losing definition. It can sound jazzy and warm but also powerful with a good mid punch. Think Eric Clapton with Cream, Johnny Marr, Alex Lifeson and Alvin Lee. And it has the looks of the famous Rich Robinson ES-335 with Bigsby as well!!

The guitar comes in a 1990's very worn but functional Gibson ES-335 case