1959 Gibson ES-335 Natural Stoptail
 

A one owner 100% original natural stop tailpiece ES-335TDN in exceptionally fine (9.5) condition. This guitar has recently taken the journey from under the bed to this marketplace. The guitar has a notarized letter from the original owner in the Midwest who bought it new in 1959 when he was in seventh grade and played it until his sophomore year in high school then the guitar stayed in its original case until the present (see photo). Many natural finished dot necks came with Bigsbys but this ES-335 has its original stoptail as well as all of its original parts with no real wear or checking. The guitar weighs in at a light 7 pounds 12 ounces and everything is stock as it left Kalamazoo from the tuners down to the switch tip with its white plastic strap buttons. Much rarer than sunburst Les Pauls of the same era and almost equally or as rare as the Flying "V" with the ES-335 being a natural with a stoptail. Plugged in, the original PAF pickups (8.30 ohms neck - 8.48 ohms bridge) make this simply one of the best sounding guitars ever. The neck profile has a 61/64" depth from the first to the 12th fret with a 1 11/16" nut width (the 1959 neck to have). The tuner buttons have deteriorated with remnants of the buttons on their shafts. The tuners are kept in the pocket of the case (see photo of the tuners). The remnants were not removed from the shafts of the tuners so that the new owner has the "right of ownership" to do with the tuners what they may and also to keep the full integrity of this original guitar. There is a proper reissue set of aged Kluson tuners on the guitar now. Comes with its original clean brown 4-latch Lifton hard case. The condition and originality of this guitar puts it in the top 1 to 5 percent of the Stoptail ES-335TDN's left on this planet. A rare find that leaves us breathless to be able to hold and play. Truly a spectacular guitar!