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1990 Gibson ES-165 Herb Ellis
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Serial #: 9040026466, white oval label
Body size at lower bout: 16". Scale length: 24 3/4". Nut Width: 1 11/16" Neck depth, 1st/10th frets: .84/.98
Materials: Highly figured tiger flame maple laminate body; solid mahogany neck; solid rosewood fingerboard; dual-parallelogram mother of pearl fingerboard inlay and thistle peghead inlay; triple bound top, bound back.
Hardware: 100% original gold hardware, including Grover Rotomatic tulip key tuners: T-bar trapeze tailpiece; compensated Tuneomatic bridge; Gibson 490R humbucking pickup; beveled 5-ply pickguard; gold speed knobs.
Notes: How many guitar players have gone from Glen Gray and His Casa Loma Orchestra to the Joe Pass Quartet? Texas jazz guitar legend Herb Ellis has, achieving international renown with his bluesy, soulful sound. A disciple of the great Charlie Christian, Ellis is perhaps best known for his tenure with the Oscar Peterson Trio, a hair-raising job for any sideman.
The Gibson Herb Ellis model was introduced in 1991 as a tribute to the celebrated player, and was produced in limited quantities until it was discontinued in 2011. The design harks back to the original 1949 ES-175, which was fitted with a only a single pickup until 1951. By 1971 the single pickup model was dropped altogether, making the originals highly prized by jazz purists.
This example is from the original series, complete with the built-in humbucking pickup. As versions from 2004 and later were fitted only with a floating pickup, these originals offer superior sustain and feedback resistance, and have become much sought after by discerning players and collectors alike.
The guitar shows truly exceptional tiger flame figure, and is in excellent condition, free of pick, buckle, thumb, or fingerboard wear, with all-gold hardware. Apart from some fogging on the plating and some incidental finish nicks, the guitar shows little more than typical use. The mahogany neck produces an instrument that is notably well balanced, and the guitar has smooth low action over a fresh high precision setup, on a gentle C profile neck. The 24 3/4" scale is fast and nimble, the pickup is warm and sweet, and the 16" body is easy to cradle and substantially resistant to feedback.
A great instrument in a distinguished lineage: a fitting tribute to a true jazz legend. Call now.
Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, recrowned and polished as needed; trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation set; string slots at nut and bridge inspected and recut as necessary; bridge foot contour inspected and fit to top 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. The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 4/64" to 5/64" 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 arched Gibson logo plush hardshell case.
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