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1974 Gibson ES-335TD Ebony
This 1974 ES-335 is a completely original, unmodified, and well-preserved vintage Gibson guitar. The Ebony finish shows light crazing throughout, minor wear around the edges of the F-holes, and a handful of tiny chips and dents throughout. There are small area of worn-away finish on the back of the neck behind the 3rd and 5th frets. Free of structural repairs, this guitar has never broken at the headstock or heel. A few small finish chips on the instrument’s bass-side have been coloured with black paint or marker, but there is no evidence of finish touch up or overspray anywhere on the guitar. Original and unaltered electronics throughout, with visible pot codes dating to the 1st week of 1974 (137 7401).
This ’74 335 is equipped with a pair of original Bill Lawrence-designed Super Humbucking pickups, colloquially dubbed "Tarbacks" by the guitar community on account of the black epoxy coating on their baseplates from the potting process. These pickups deliver powerful and full-bodied humbucker tones with excellent bass to treble balance. Expect a punchy and open voice from the bridge pickup with a pronounced mid-range bloom that lends itself wonderfully to lead lines. The neck humbucker offers a warm and dynamic response with beautiful, vocal-like clarity as the volume knob is rolled back.
With a standard mid-'70s neck carve that features Gibson's narrow string spacing, this ES-335 delivers a fast and slick playing experience that is incredibly fun. The original frets, while low, play well across the fingerboard. A player who prefers tall frets may opt to have this guitar refretted in the future, but we have chosen to leave this up to the next owner. Weighing in at a mere 7lbs 1oz, notably lighter than some PAF-era 335s that we have encountered, this 1974 Gibson ES-335TD can be played comfortably for hours on end without any protesting from one's shoulder.
All in all, this early '70s ES-335 offers incredible feel, tone, and looks in one unique package.
Scale length of 24.75", nut width of 1-9/16", 1st fret depth of 0.766", and 12th fret depth of 0.943". Pickup DC values of 5.6K in the bridge and 7.36K in the neck.
With modern Gibson hardshell case.
