The Vintage Gibson ES-335 Value Guide: 1958 - 1969
This appraisal guide for vintage Gibson ES-335 guitars will help you understand how they are evaluated by year, color, features, condition, and originality. Written by a 16 year veteran vintage guitar appraiser and dealer, this thorough guide will fill in the gaps that a written appraisal may not include. This guide covers the most important vintage years for the ES-335: 1958 through 1975.
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John Shults is a 16 year veteran vintage guitar appraiser and dealer, but a life-long passionate player and collector. This guide is helpful to get informed on the value of your guitar, but there's no substitute for a custom market value appraisal by an experienced expert.
The Most Important Factor for ES-335 Value: The Year
Since Gibson slowly updated their models throughout the years, the year itself is the most important determinging factor of value for vintage ES-335s and most vintage Gibson guitars. The year of manufacture is the category of value that a subject guitar sits in, and everything else is generally a subcategory. If you quote a year to a guitar collector, they'll generally know what specifications were common to that year. Guitar collectors are looking for the combination of features that make up their dream guitar, so they'll often be searching for a year or group of years that often have those features.
But the demand is only half of the calculation for the value of vintage guitars. The supply side of the equation can be estimated via the shipment totals from Gibson. While imperfect to estimate exactly how many exist from a certain year, we can certainly gauge the ballpark amount of supply in comparison to other years. You'll find that ES-335s from the early 1960s were produced in less than half the numbers that were produced in the late 1960s. Early 1960s ES-335s have both the desirable features collectors are looking for and far less supply when compared to those made in the early 1960s, which accounts for most of the difference in value between the two categories.
Your vintage guitar appraiser will begin the process of evaluating your guitar by determining the year of manufacture. Vintage guitar experts can ballpark the year by sight, but you can use the serial number to find out what year your Gibson was made. You can use the Lookup below to quickly determine the year of manufacture for your guitar or read more at the How To Read Gibson Serial Numbers.
Use My Lookup Tool To Find The Year of Your Gibson ES-335
The first step to determine the value of a vintage Gibson ES-335 guitar is to identify the year of manufacture. Professional vintage guitar appraisers can do this in an instant by sight, but you can use my custom made Gibson Serial Number lookup tool to find out for yourself. I personally built this tool to help people without vintage guitar experience read a Gibson serial number without decades of experience in identifying vintage guitars. Gibson serial numbers are notoriously difficult to read because they reused the same serial number ranges multiple times throughout the decades.
Enter your Gibson serial number into the tool below to find out what year your Gibson ES-335 was made. You may be asked questions about your guitar by the tool, so take a moment to read each one carefully. The tool will only ask the questions which are relevant to separate ranges which are repeated by Gibson multiple times. Once you receive an answer, you can click the link to "How To Read This Serial Number Range" to get more information about it.
You can read more about dating vintage Gibson ES-335 guitars at this page: How to date a vintage Gibson ES-335.
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Thinking of selling a high end vintage Gibson ES-335? I'm John Shults and I play, buy, sell, and appraise vintage guitars primarily made by Gibson and Fender. I buy vintage Gibson ES-335s worldwide, so if you're considering selling and would like a qualified buyer, feel free to reach out to me here:
Sell a GibsonVintage Gibson ES-335 Guitar Appraisal
If you're unsure about how much your late 1950s or 1960s Gibson ES-335 is worth, I recommend getting an appraisal. A appraisal will come with proper identificat of the model, the year of manufacture, a description of the condition, and a list of any features which would be relevant to establishing its value. You may also receive an offer based on the estimate of its value.
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The First Year of the ES-335: 1958
1958 is the first year for the amazing Gibson ES-335, but the guitars from that year are not the most valuable mostly as a result of some teething issues. The majority of 1958 ES-335s have the necks set at a very shallow angle which results in the bridge sitting so low that it contacts the top. Many of them have the bottoms of the bridges shaved in order to go even lower, and some have ABR-1 bridges that were made at half the thickness of the standard version made for the Les Paul of the same year. Shaved and half height bridges are even more prone to collapsing in the middle which causes improper string height across the fretboard. A shallow neck angle can also cause the strings to sit too close to the pickups which results in undesirable tone.
Still, even with the aforementioned issues with the introductory year neck angle, it's the most desirable year for this collector. I personally love the fattest neck profile, the skinny frets, the lack of binding on the fretboard (referred to by collectors as "unbound"), and most importantly: the light body build and thin top. 1958 Gibson ES-335s are constructed slightly differently in that they feature a piece of solid Spruce on top and beneath the solid Maple block that joins the top and back to the block. Guitars from later years are constructed with a softer wood that's kerfed to make it easier to shape to the arched top and back.
Gibson's shipment totals indicate that 267 Sunbursts and 50 Natural finished ES-335s shipped in 1958. Even with so few produced, the '58s have less demand, so the 1958 ES-335 value range is typically $40,000 - $60,000 (higher for Naturals). No Cherry Red examples are listed in the shipment totals for 1958, but it's possible they exist.
You can read more about Gibson ES-335s made in 1958 here: 1958 Gibson ES-335.
1959: The Most Valuable Year of the Gibson ES-335
The most value year of the Gibson ES-335 is 1959 because it has the perfect neck angle (more on that in 1958 section), the perfect neck profile (medium-fat), the legendary long magnet PAF pickups, often a very lightly constructed body (thin top), and a fit and finish among the best they ever did. 1959 Gibson ES-335s can sell in the $40,000 - $100,000 range with Sunburst examples occupying the low end, Cherry Red in the middle to upper range (although extremely uncommon!), and Natural (Blonde) finishes in the upper end of the range.
Gibson's shipment totals indicate that 521 Sunbursts and 71 Naturals for a total of 592 ES-335s shipped in 1959. That's not very many examples to go around to all the players that want them! Notice how there are no Cherry Red examples listed in the shipment totals. Cherry Red wasn't a catalog option for the ES-335 until 1961, but there are examples made in 1959 that exist.
You can read more about 1959 Gibson ES-335s here: 1959 Gibson ES-335.
The Dawn of a New Decade: 1960
The most important update across Gibson's entire range for the 1960 production year is the slim neck profile. By early 1960, the majority of the neck profiles measure in the 0.80" - 0.90" range, which collectors consider fully "slim". Most players have determined that it's a little too slim and that the feel of the guitars is wholly different from the late 1950s fat profile. Additionally, the already fragile Gibson neck and headstock are even more so with less wood supporting the back of the neck.
Aesthetically, little changes from the previous year, except for the 21 examples shipped in the new translucent Cherry Red color. The ES-345 and ES-355 were available in Cherry Red since early 1959, but the color wasn't offered for the ES-335 until early 1961 in Gibson catalog and price list. it's for this reason that the "Cherry / Long Guard / Stop Tail" ES-335 is excedingly rare, since the pickguards were shortened to end of the bridge pickup in early 1961. Other changes are far more subtle such as the "reflector" style knobs in place of the bonnet shaped knobs.
Gibson's shipment totals indicate that only 405 Sunbursts, 21 Cherry Reds, and 88 Naturals for a total of 514 ES-335s shipped in 1960. 1960 ES-335s typically sell in the $30,000 - $55,000 range for Sunburst, but far more for Natural and Cherry examples.
1961 & 1962: Dots To Blocks and Short Guards
1961 & 1962 finish up the highly coveted "dot neck" era (1958 - 1962) of the Gibson ES-335. As early as January 1961, the pickguard is shortened from the end of the bridge up to the end of the bridge pickup. The slightly more austere dot fretboard markers are updated to fancier block shaped markers at the end of 1962. The majority of the guitars in these years still feature "Patent Applied For" stickered pickups, although they're slightly different from the late 1950s long magnet pickups. Cherry Red is now available as a catalog option, but Natural is removed. No naturals are listed in the shipment total records after 1960.
Gibson's shipment totals indicate that 466 Sunbursts and 420 Cherry's for a total of 886 ES-335s shipped in 1961. Shipments drop slightly in 1962 with 266 Sunbursts and 610 Cherry Reds for a total of 876 ES-335s shipped in 1962. Dot neck guitars are almost always preferred by collectors and will command higher prices than later examples with block inlays. I've found that 1961 ES-335s typically sell in the $22,000 - $45,000 range and block logo guitars with PAFs in the $20,000 - $40,000 range.
1963 & 1964: Fatter Necks and Pointy Horns
The Gibson ES-335s made in 1963 and 1964 are some of the greatest value in vintage Gibson electric guitars in this author's opinion! The neck profiles get fatter in 1963 almost to the range of those from 1959, but slightly slimmer. Block fretboard inlays remain as well as nickel hardware (for now). The pickups now typically have the patent number stickers, but remember that the patent number isn't for the pickup, it's for the by-then-defunct trapeze Les Paul tailpiece!
The most significant aesthetic change that happens in the 1963 era is the shape of the horns of the ES-335: the once more rounded "Mickey Mouse" ears are now sharper at the top. There's not an exact difference in value between the two, but given the choice between two identical guitars except the horns, most collectors will prefer the earlier style rounded horns.
Gibson's shipment totals indicate that 349 Sunburst ES-335s shipped in 1963 and 349 again in 1964. 807 Cherry Red ES-335s shipped in 1963 and 892 in 1964. Combined, 1,156 ES-335s shipped in 1963 and 1,241 ES-335s shipped in 1964. 1963 and 1964 Gibson ES-335s typically sell in the $18,000 - $38,000 range.
At the end of 1964, a new signature model debuted which was essentially an upgraded variant of the ES-335: The Trini Lopez Standard. Structurally, it's identical to the ES-335 except for the 6-on-one-side headstock (which debuted on the Trini) and the diamond shaped sound holes instead of the F shaped sound hole. Aesthetically, only split diamond inlaid fretboard markers, a trapeze tailpiece, and a thick piece of rosewood with an engraved plaque separated it from the Cherry Red ES-335 (the Trini Lopez Standard was not offered in Sunburst). The shipment totals indicate that only 3 Trini Lopez Standards shipped in 1964 which makes it an extremely uncommon find. Since the neck widths were made skinnier the following year, wide neck Trini Lopez Standards are particularly uncommon.
1965: The Skinny Neck Marks a Great Divide In Value
1965 is the year that so many things changed for Gibson. Production was ramping up as fast as possible to meet the growing demand for younger folks looking to learn guitar. In response, the neck width of nearly all Gibson guitars was made skinnier than the standard 1 11/16" neck that had been standard since about 1947. At first it nearly matched the Fender neck width (1 5/8"), but by the end of the year, they went even further down to 1 9/16" wide. This likely did make it easier for entry level players, but professional players nearly all agree that the "skinny neck" of the mid to late 1960s is far too skinny to be comfortable to play.
But Gibson didn't stop there. The standard ES-335 stop bar tailpiece was updated to a trapeze style that anchored to the rim of the body in the end pin area. The string vibrations which formerly engaged the body via the studs placed deep inside the solid maple block may have been too labor intensive compared to the inexpensive trapeze installation. Guitarists love the way that the stop tail reacts with the body construction and anchors the tuning with little room for error. The trapeze tailpiece of the late 1960s works, but it's not the one the players want.
The last major change is solely aesthetic, but it makes quite the difference in the way a collector looks at a Gibson: chrome hardware. Prior to 1965, the metal parts were nickel plated. The nickel plating was prone to oxidation and wear overtime which resulted in a gray hazy look. Gibson may have been looking at Fender hardware which was already chrome plated and followed suit. And they achieved the desired result: the chrome hardware doesn't tarnish (but that's the problem). The rest of the guitar wears and ages over time, but the chrome hardware continues to look gaudy and distracting. When a buyer sees nickel hardware on a 1965 ES-335, their interest is piqued.
The shipment totals reflect the increase in demand likely caused by the onset of The Beatles on Television. The ledgers indicate that 712 Sunbursts and 1038 Cherry Reds for a total of 1,750 ES-335s shipped in 1965; an over 40% increase from the year before. Values for 1965 ES-335s range more widely with trapeze/skinny neck examples selling in the $5,000 - $10,000 range and wide neck/nickel examples in the $10,000 - $16,000 range.
1966: Goodbye Ted, Hello Custom Colors
Ted McCarty, the legendary Gibson president who oversaw the invention of some of the most iconic solid and semi-hollow body electric guitars ever made including the ES-335, began his tenure as president in 1948 and concluded his time at Gibson in 1966. Not much changed for the ES-335 from late 1965, but a new custom color chart from Gibson in 1966 intended for the Firebird range did spill over into some of the ES-335s (although custom color options for the ES-335 were not mentioned in the price list or the catalog). This example finished in extremely uncommon Heather Poly finish is the only ES guitar publicly known to exist, but examples can be found in Black, White, Pelham Blue, Sparkling Burgundy, and presumably any color on the 1966 Gibson Custom Color chart.
Gibson's shipment totals indicate that 1,468 Sunburst and 1,056 Cherry Reds for a total of 2,524 ES-335s shipped in 1966. Custom colors were not always listed as such in the shipment ledgers, so we don't know how many examples exist in anything other than Sunburst and Cherry Red. 1966 Gibson ES-335s typically sell in the $5,000 - $10,000 range for standard colors. Custom colors will certainly bring at least double that of a standard Cherry or Sunburst, but the exact value depends on the rarity and demand for that color.
1967: Witch Hat Knobs and Logo Pickguards
Gibson ES-335 guitars from 1967 closely resembled those made in the previous year, but with two asethetic update. A new finish option appeared as a standard catalog and price list option: Sparkling Burgundy. Often mistaken for a custom color, Sparkling Burgundy was a standard option and never appeared in a Gibson custom color chart. Additionally, a new knob style initially introduced on the amplifiers became standard across the Gibson range: the witch hat style knob.
Gibson's shipment totals indicate that 2,596 Sunbursts and 3,122 Cherry Reds (may also include Sparkling Burgundy) for a total of 5,718 ES-335s shipped in 1967. That's an amazing at least 120% increase from the year before! As a result of much higher supply, 1967 Gibson ES-335s typically sell in the $3,500 - $8,000 range.
1968: Enlarged Sound Holes
It's easy to spot the difference between a 1967 and 1968 ES-335 when placed side by side. Compare the widths of the sound holes and you'll find that the '68s have a wider aperture.
Gibson's shipment totals indicate that 2,294 Sunbursts and 1,466 Cherry Reds for a total of 3,760 ES-335s shipped in 1968. That's a 34% decrease from the year prior, which may reflect the waning surge in demand from new players for electric guitars. The value range is largely the same as that from the year before. 1968 Gibson ES-335s typically sell in the $3,500 - $8,000 range.
1969: Norlin's Aquisition of Gibson Parent Company CMI
Big changes were coming to Gibson as the parent company CMI was aquired by Norlin Industries, but the ES-335s remained largely in the prior year's configuration. The pearl logos lost and refound the dot over the "i", and the necks began to grow a small but of wood on the back of the neck under the headstock known as a volute.
Gibson's shipment totals indicate that 1,055 Sunbursts and 1,142 Cherry Reds for a total of 2,197 ES-335s shipped in 1969. That's a 41% decrease from the year before and an over 60% decrease from the high production year in 1967. 1969 Gibson ES-335s typically sell in the $3,000 - $6,000 range.
The Second Most Important Part of Vintage ES-335 Value: Color & Features
Once you've identified the year of your vintage Gibson ES-335, the next most important considerations to find the value are the color and features. Most vintage guitars were offered in a standard color, or in the case of the ES-335, two or three primary finishes. These were updated over time and some finishes are far more common than others. After the finish, the features become very important to determining its value. The tailpiece style is extremely important on vintage ES-335s. The vast majority of players consider the stop bar tailpiece to be the best.
Finishes: Sunburst, Natural, Cherry Red, or Custom Color
The color of your vintage ES-335 is more or less relevant to its value depending on the time period. Some finishes, like Natural, were only listed in the catalog and price list between 1958 and 1960, so they're very rare highly desirable to collectors.
1958 - 1960 ES-335 Finishes
The only catalog finish options for ES-335s made from 1958 - 1960 are Sunburst and Natural, but other colors like Black and Cherry Red do exist from these years. The most common and least valuable is Sunburst. Natural (or stometimes called Blonde by collectors) is far less common for all years of 1950s and 1960s, and it's highly prized by collectors. Buyers will easily pay 50% more for a Natural finished ES-335 than they would for a Sunburst example with all else being equal. Cherry Reds from this time period are far more rare than Naturals from these years, but the demand is lower since at least halff the ES-335s that came after 1960 are Cherry Red. Black ES-335s are the most rare, and would like be valued about double that of a comparable Natural ES-335 from the same year.
1961 - 1965 ES-335 Finishes
1961 marks the end of the Natural finish option and the beginning of the Cherry Red option for the ES-335. I've noticed a slight preference from buyers for Cherry Red for this time period, but only slightly. Custom colors from this time period are truly excedingly rare, and should be evaluated on a case by case basis.
1966 - 1969 ES-335 Finishes
The two primary finish options (Sunburst & Cherry Red) continue for 1966, but the new custom color chart starts to spill over into the ES-335. Sparkling Burgundy becomes more common in 1966, but makes its way into the Gibson catalog and price list as a standard option in 1967.
Custom colors don't appear as a catalog or price list option, but colors like Pelham Blue and Black show up much more often in the late 1960s than they do in the early 1960s. This 1966 Gibson ES-335 in Heather Poly custom color finish is the only example of this color ever publicly found as an original finish on an ES Gibson. Custom color ES-335s should be evaluated on a case by case basis.
Stop Bar, Bigsby, or Trapeze?
The stop bar tailpiece remains king in the eyes of players amongst the many tailpiece options for the ES-335, but was only avaialble from 1958 through late 1964. Most players are looking for both tuning stability and the tonal coloration resulting from the engagement of the string vibrations to the body in any tailpiece.
Stop Bar Tailpiece 1958 - 1964
The stop bar tailpiece is the standard tailpiece for the ES-335 until the end of 1964, but it's also the most desirable. A factory stop tail that's never been modified with a vibrato is typically more valuable than a comparable guitar with vibrato tailpiece by 20-30%. This preference by buyers typically comes from the solid tuning stability and direct transfer of energy to the solid center block.
Bigsby Vibrato Tailpiece
Many vintage Gibson ES-335s were factory made with a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece, but they are more common beginning in 1960 and onward. Factory Bigsby installations until the end of 1964 typically have the "CUSTOM MADE" engraved plaque covering the stop bar stud holes since these were typically already drilled by the time the instrument was slated for a vibrato tailpiece (this pattern does not follow for the ES-345 or ES-355).
While the Bigsby vibrato is a fine tailpiece, guitars with Bigsbys are less desirable than "factory stop tail" guitars. Most players prefer the stability and tone of the stop bar tailpeice. But since stop bars weren't available after 1964 and the trapeze tailpiece is far less desirable, Bigsby tailpieces are preferred for late 1960s ES-335s.
Trapeze tailpiece 1965 - 1970s
The trapeze tailpiece replaced the stop bar tailpiece as standard equipment on the ES-335 in 1965. It's seen as less resonant and less stable than both the stop bar and the Bigsby tailpieces. Not only that, but since there are more than double the supply of ES-335s made in the late 1960s with trapeze tailpieces, it's far more common. The trapeze tailpiece is the least valuable tailpiece of the commonly available options.
About the Author
John Shults is the owner of True Vintage Guitar, a high-end vintage guitar shop based in Birmingham, Alabama. He specializes in buying, selling, and appraising collectible Fender and Gibson guitars from the 1950s and 1960s all over the world.
With over 16 years of experience and millions of dollars in vintage guitar transactions, John has sourced instruments worldwide—often working directly with original owners and their families to uncover exceptional guitars like the many vintage Gibson ES-335 guitars pictured in this article.
Learn more, request an appraisal, or sell a vintage guitar at TrueVintageGuitar.com .
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