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1951 Gibson ES-350

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Factory Order #: 7880-5

Body size at lower bout: 17". Scale length: 25 1/2" Nut Width: 1 11/16"

Finish: Original sunburst finish, nitrocellulose lacquer type.

Materials: Arched highly figured maple body; solid maple neck with walnut centerstripe; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with split-parallelogram mother of pearl inlays; solid bone nut.

Hardware: Original hardware includes twin P-90 pickups; gold Kluson Deluxe tuners with single-ring tulip keys, compensated adjustable rosewood bridge; beveled 5-ply pickguard; gold trapeze tailpiece. Extra set of hand antiqued gold barrel knobs installed, originals in case.

Notes: A scarce and highly desirable instrument, the twin pickup ES-350 was introduced in 1949 and produced for only seven years, until 1956. A favorite of jazz greats including Barney Kessel and Tal Farlow, the ES-350 incorporated a full size body with classic P-90 pickups, and the coveted long scale neck. But too few were made to meet modern demand, which has skyrocketed in recent years. Just 70 examples of the ES-350 were made in this model year, in the classic burnished sunburst finish.

An unusually handsome specimen, this guitar shows tiger flame figure on top, back sides and neck. Maintained in immaculate condition in a fine private collection, the instrument shows a masterfully shaded original sunburst finish without pick, thumb, or buckle wear. The neck has the classic '50's gentle C profile, and the action is low and smooth over excellent original frets.

With its original three-knob configuration, each pickup has its own volume control, with a master tone control on the cutaway horn: all original wiring, pots and cap are undisturbed. The original twin P-90 pickups perform flawlessly, with clear detailed response, measuring 7.14K at the neck and 7.27K at the bridge respectively. The original Gibson brown Lifton hardshell case with pink plush lining is every bit as stunning as the guitar itself. In virtually under-the-bed condition, the guitar shows excellent neck angle and bridge height, with no structural cracks or repairs. (A tiny veneer check near the jack, almost universal in this era, does not extend into the wood.)

A magnificent example of one of our most sought-after models. It's been a long time since we've seen one this nice: call now.

Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, recrowned and polished; trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation strobe tuned; string slots at nut and bridge inspected and recut as necessary; bridge foot contour inspected and fit to top as necessary; bridge radius inspected and recurved as necessary; bridge wheels and tuners lubricated; fingerboard and bridge oiled; body and neck cleaned and hand polished.

This instrument is strung with medium gauge nickel flatwound strings (.013-.056). The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 5/64" to 6/64" at the 12th fret, with moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.

Case: Original deluxe Gibson brown Lifton hardshell case with pink plush lining.

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