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What ES model is this?


gnappi

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  • 3 weeks later...

Unless he is a really big guy - it looks smaller than a 335 or others you mention. But not sure what model would not have anything on the headstock? Was thinking it could be a 336 or 339, but they have markings on the headstock [confused]

 

 

Looks to old to be a ES-339 imho

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  • 11 months later...
On 1/27/2020 at 7:03 AM, christophe said:

A late 1960's Gibson ES-335, 12 String converted into a 6 string.

 

Top marks!  Shame they don't discuss the guitar.

Many thanks for your post.  [thumbup]

Edited by jdgm
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Very interesting.  I had seen Don interviewed before, and I think I had seen this guitar before, but I'm not sure I remember hearing anything about it being a converted 12-string.  I wasn't sure where christophe got the information, so I remained a bit puzzled until I watched the above video at Norm's.  At one point, the light reflects off the headstock in such a way that you can see the "ghost" or "shadow" of the original 12-string head inlay which was painted over.  For those who don't know what that inlay looked like, here's an image...

335-12hs.jpg

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I had a 1968 ES 335-12. With the 1 9/16" nut, they were not a lot of fun to play as a 12 unless you only want to strum them. Apparently, a fair percentage of them were converted to six-strings. You could string them as a six, but the string spacing is off slightly if you do.  Same thing goes at the saddles and the original trapeze tail.

Proper conversion is significant surgery: cut down and re-shape the long, heavy headstock, cut a new nut, replace the saddles, and either replace the trap tail with a six trap tail, or convert to a stop bar tailpiece.

Mine was virtually un-played when I got it, and I didn't play it much, either. It's the only guitar I've ever lost money on when I sold it.

Gibson did a modern re-issue ES 335-12 a few years ago. It had a wider neck, and I suspect is a lot easier to play.

For me, an electric 12 was just a passing fancy. I almost never play my '59 Historic ES 335, either. 

Just an acoustic guy with rock n' roll dreams at heart, I guess...

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  • 2 weeks later...

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