1977 Gibson ES-335 TD Walnut

Gibson's ES-335 model was introduced in 1958 and has enjoyed continuous production since then. Gibson company president Ted McCarty and his design team nailed a revolutionary new design that incorporated a solid Maple center block with hollow wings to achieve all the benefits of a solid body with the warmth and vibe of classic Gibson archtop hollowbodies. The model went through various changes but 1977 was the first year of the factory coil tap switch. Players now had the added versatility of a single coil sound at the flick of a switch.

Make and Model: Gibson ES-335 TD Walnut finish

Year: 1977. Serial "7xxx7xx" (first and fifth digits indicate the last two digits of the year). This is the first year of the factory coil tap switch

Specifications: 8lbs 9oz total weight with Bigsby, neck width at the nut = 1 9/16", neck depth at the first fret = .78", neck depth at the 12th fret = .98".

Originality: All parts original to the guitar except the Bigsby B3 vibrato tailpiece and the strings.

Condition: Very good. This has just come out of the house of the original owner where it was hung on a wall. The screwed three screws to the upper back of the headstock and two screws on the back of the body, one on each upper horn. The finish is clean but has ambered and shows light checking. 

Playability: Excellent! It's ready for the stage or studio. There is some light fret wear in the first five frets but nothing that affects playability. The neck is straight and the truss rod works as intended (I adjusted the neck relief to a comfortable .005"). The Bigsby tailpiece is smooth but still has rock solid tuning stability. 

Notes: I was immediately drawn to this killer Gibson ES-335 because it looked nicely preserved and had Joe's name on the truss rod cover. It still had its old flat wound strings installed when I received it. It needed a fair amount of cleaning and adjustment after being neglected for decades but the result is astounding. The finish cleaned up really nicely, electronics work like new, and the neck and frets feel pretty close to playing a brand new guitar. It does not currently have a case but will be fully protected in shipping. I'm confident you'll love this killer '77 Gibson ES-335 with Bigsby B3!