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1958 Gibson ES-225TN

FON #: T3810-27

Body size at lower bout: 16". Scale length: 24 3/4" Nut Width: 1 11/16"

Materials: Solid Honduras mahogany neck; slab-cut maple top back, and sides; solid Brazilian rosewood fingerboard.

Hardware: Original hardware includes black cover P-90 pickup and beveled 5-ply pickguard. Vintage correct hardware includes aged Kluson Deluxe tuners, gold bell tone and volume knobs. Period Gibson nickel trapeze tailpiece, adjustable compensated rosewood bridge.

Notes: Before the ES-335, 345, 355. Before the ES-330, and the humble 125T. Before any of the legendary series of Gibson thinlines that changed guitar design forever, there was this slim blonde beauty, where it all began.

Inspired by a guitar Elmer Stromberg had built for Nashville session ace Hank Garland, in 1955 Gibson introduced three new models, hollow body electric archtops with a slimmed depth profile unprecedented in the marketplace. The Byrdland and its laminate counterpart the ES-350T were both protoyped with a single example each. But a new popularly priced model was rushed into a production run of over 600 units. With its simple, elegant design the ES-225 was targeted at a mass audience, and was massively popular. Over 2200 of the new Florentine cutaway thinlines shipped in the first two years of production alone.

This gleaming beauty is one of just 123 examples in the natural blonde finish produced in 1958, just before the model was retired the following year. The slim depth body offers superior feedback resistance, P-90 pickup is clear and detailed, and the fast 24 3/4" scale makes for a highly versatile and playable combination. Similar to a thinline version of an early '50s ES-175, the model is ideal for jazz, blues, rockabilly and traditional guitar styles of all types.

Preserved in exceptional condition, the guitar has been maintained without pick, buckle or thumb wear, and the original blonde finish has ambered to a warm glow over the attractive slab-cut maple body. A featherweight wonder, this example weighs in at a bare 5lb. 3oz. and is an absolute delight to hold and play. The neck is the coveted late 50's shape with a generous C profile, and the full 1 11/16" fingerboard width. The tone is clear, detailed and responsive, and the action is smooth and low over fine original fretwork and a fresh high precision setup. And unlike many which shipped in flimsy fiber cases, this handsome guitar is supplied with its original Gibson Faultless arched black hardshell case.

A handsome and versatile player, the ES-225 occupies a pioneering position at the dawn of the modern electric guitar. One only: call now.

Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, recrowned and polished as required; trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation set; string slots at nut and bridge inspected and recut 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. The guitar is strung with nickel roundwound strings (.011-.049), with action set at 4/32" to 5/32" at the 12th fret.

Case: Original deluxe Gibson Faultless arched black plush lined hardshell case.