⚌Reduced‼ Gibson ES-335TD CRS Country Rock Stereo Sunburst, 1979

Here we are treated to a real rarity! In 1979, the Gibson ES-335TD CRS – Country Rock Stereo – appeared in a limited run of 300 pieces. These were hot-rodded versions of the standard 335.

A less elaborate version, the Country Rock Regular was also sold, with standard mono wiring and stop tailpiece.

This example is in good condition with light fret and play wear, but a few marks to the back finish. It plays well, and the electronics setup offers a wide range of tonal options.

Based on the standard ES-335TD (Thinline, Double pickup), the Gibson ES-335TD CRS model added or restored several features. The construction followed the standard pattern, with Maple Laminate for the top, sides and back with solid center block. The neck is three-piece Mahogany with a Volute and reduced head pitch, and it carries a bound Indian Rosewood fingerboard with small block acrylic position markers. The Gibson logo and crown are Mother of Pearl, and the truss rod cover is engraved ‘ES-335 CRS’

From its 1958 introduction, the ES-335 was fitted with a stop tailpiece. In 1965, this changed to a trapeze tailpiece. For this 1979 model, the stop tailpiece was not only restored but a TP-6 Fine Tuning Tailpiece was installed.

For regular production models, the stop tail did not return until 1981. On the upper treble horn, a second coil-split switch was added.

The most significant change, though, was the addition of a second jack on the lower treble bout to allow the guitar to run in ‘Stereo’. In practice this meant that each pickup could be routed to its own amplifier or mixer channel. One of the jacks is wired as ‘Mono’, and receives both pickup signals when the second jack is not used.

For hardware, a set of Grover Roto-Matic tuners with metal ‘tulip’ buttons appear at the head along with a brass nut, with the TP-6 tailpiece and a ‘Nashville’ style bridge at the body. The electronics start with a pair of Bill Lawrence designed ‘Dirty Finger’ pickups, sometimes known as ‘Tar Backs’. These are wired to the coil split switch, a pair of individual volume controls and a master tone, the pickup selector, and then to the two jacks.

A black, arched top period hard shell case is included.