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late 60's ES-355

gitman

Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2007
Messages
96
the correct dating of this one is a bit difficult : the serial-number 90xxxx puts it in 1969 but the narrow f-holes, the open G and b and the dotted i in the logo tell me it's pre-69....
it's got the narrow but fat neck profile, a factory Bigsby, one-piece mahogany neck sans volute and sans "Made in USA", rounded horns (not the mid-60's more pointed shape) and the kicker : the pot-code on the lead tone-pot reads week 20, 1967 !
so, could this be the scenario : the guitar was finished in late 68/early 69 , using parts made
as early as 1967.
this is her in all her royal redness ! :jim
P1050225.jpg

P1050209.jpg
 
R

red59dot

Guest
ES 355's can be tricky to date in part, because they sold so few of them. The guitar could have been built in 67-68 but not stamped until much later when it was distributed. The knobs show that its no earlier than 67. The body shape suggests 68. The pots can lead the manufacture by a year or more. I would be inclined to call it a 69 with 68 features or a 68 with a 69 serial number.
 

gadzooka

New member
Joined
Feb 14, 2002
Messages
1,612
So classic!

Those amp-style knobs were introduced sometime in 1967. The roundish shape of the horns, the Gibson logo, and the neck having a deep profile with narrow fretboard all sound 68-ish to me.

Given the above with the pot code and the serial, you must be looking at a late 67 to early 69 date of manufacture. Tough to narrow it down further.

I assume it has the standard "long" tenon?
 

keef

Active member
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,006
Great looking guitar. The horn shape is also found on '67s.

Mail your serial no to Gibson customer service - they can inform you when the guitar shipped out.
 

S. Weiger

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 25, 2002
Messages
1,744
Mighty fine git! :salude
Is the bigsby original? I guess there was not a lot factory bigsby'ed in the late 60's?
And very nice how the horns looks rounded -almost like pre -63.
 

gitman

Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2007
Messages
96
yes, the Bigsby is a factory original ! i also like these rounded horns better than the pointed shape that was used in the earlier 60's although Gibson used at least 3 different shapes during those years .... who knows what went down in those workshops back then ;-)
 
B

bigsby'd

Guest
Does it have a merely implied neck? I have a '67 ES-355 in mono that sounds amazing, but has a toothpick for a neck. I love it, in spite of the neck.
 
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