Built from 1991 to 2003 in Memphis, the Gibson ES-135 P100 was a single florentine cutaway, semi-hollow thinline with a pair of P100 hum-cancelling pickups. From 1956 to 1958, the ES-135 existed as a renamed ES-130, a full-depth, single-cutaway archtop with one or two P-90 pickups. The ES-130 was introduced in 1954, renamed in 1956 to the ES-135, and discontinued in 1958.
Trapeze Tailpiece
Here’s another rarity – the Gibson ES-150D, a double cutaway, full depth hollow body electric archtop built as late as 1974 at the unionized Kalamazoo plant during the Norlin years. Drawing inspiration from the venerable ES-150 model – introduced in 1936 with the ‘Charlie Christian’ pickup and built until 1956 – the Gibson ES-150D is unusual.
The highly innovative Gibson ES335TD was an immediate hit when it was introduced in 1958, blending the resonance, attack and decay of an archtop with the sustain and feedback resistance of a solidbody. This feedback resistance was becoming extremely important both to guitarists and guitar designers as amplifiers became ever more powerful and stage volumes rose. These new models – the ES-335, ES-345 and ES-355 – also sported the new, Seth Lover designed Humbucking pickup.
This instrument has sold
MORE →The single cutaway, thinline Gibson ES135, built from 1991 to 2004 started out as a quite different guitar – the 1954 ES-130 non-cutaway archtop electric, renamed the ES-135 in 1956 and discontinued in 1958. For 1991, Gibson blended the ES-334 concept with the ES-175 body shape and added a pair of P-90 or humbucking pickups and either a trapeze or stop tailpiece. The model was discontinued in 2004. The Gibson ES135 shares many construction features with other ES (Electric Spanish) thinline models.
This instrument has sold
MORE →The Gibson Memphis ES330 VOS model is now discontinued, along with the Memphis plant, but is a great re-creation of a late 1950’s ES-330. Introduced in 1959, the ES-330 took visual cues from the new and very successful ES-335, but is uses a fully hollow body without a solid center block. A pair of under-wound P-90s provide great tone. Until about 1963, the ES330 and its cousin the Epiphone Casino set the neck joint at the 16th fret but subsequently the joint was shifted to the 19th fret, allowing easier access to higher frets.
This instrument has sold
MORE →Here’s a rarity – the Gibson ES 150D, a double cutaway, full depth hollow body archtop electric built around 1972 at the Kalamazoo plant during the Norlin years. Drawing inspiration from the venerable ES-150 model – introduced in 1936 with the ‘Charlie Christian’ pickup and built until 1956 – the Gibson ES-150D is unusual. In 1958, the all-new thinline, semi-hollow ES-335 and 345 were introduced and started the final decline of the popular full depth archtop.
This instrument has sold
MORE →