How old is this 335

[PeteAnderson]

Hi there - a friend of mine recently sadly lost her brother who left her and her sisters a number of guitars including a couple of nice Gibsons. One is a 335 which the receipt states is an 1989 model (the year it was bought). I'm pretty sure it's much older given the condition of the Klusons and the serial number A30648. Would I be right in thinking that dates it in the early 1960s. It's ebony but may have been refinished as there's evidence of a modification just behind the bridge. Difficult to see in the photographs but there is a slightly raised rectangular section with two slightly raised circles to each side just behind the bridge - would this be evidence of a Bigsby being there at some time or simply that the bridge has been moved (I can't think of any other reason why it might have been).

Wondered if anyone might be able to give any idea of value. The receipt says both guitars were purchased in early 1990 for around £1000 each.

Both were purchased at a fantastic but sadly long gone guitar shop in Stockport, UK, that at the time was run by Eric Haydock, formerly the bass guitarist in The Hollies, who has signed the receipt. Also posted details of the other guitar a Les Paul Custom on the LP forum.

Thanks for any thoughts. Peter. Hope these pics are viewable. Sorry can't remember how to make them visible in the post. http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a199/PeteAnderson390/?action=view&current=PC131904.jpg

http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a199/PeteAnderson390/?action=view&current=PC131905.jpg

http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a199/PeteAnderson390/?action=view&current=PC131906.jpg

http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a199/PeteAnderson390/?action=view&current=PC131907.jpg

[PeteAnderson]

Well as far as I can see from the Gibson site, the 335 is most likely from 1958 which is interesting to say the least! Site says 1958 numbers start from A 28880 and 1959 A 32285. Can anyone confirm or give an opinion about value for insurance purposes?

[56flh]

Hi there - a friend of mine recently sadly lost her brother who left her and her sisters a number of guitars including a couple of nice Gibsons. One is a 335 which the receipt states is an 1989 model (the year it was bought). I'm pretty sure it's much older given the condition of the Klusons and the serial number A30648. Would I be right in thinking that dates it in the early 1960s.

 

Based on my '59 ES345 serial number it would place your 335 in the same 1959 production year.

[PeteAnderson]

Thanks 56flh - someone else posted some information (see below) about it possibly being put together from an EB2 body and later neck and I don't know enough to argue against the theory which seems plausible. But only initial thought would be that the orange identification sticker inside the body specifies it's a 335 model as does the 1990 receipt.

 

Here's that earlier post which seems to have disappeared (possibly posted on the Les Paul section)

 

'I think it began its life as a Gibson semi hollow EB-2 bass guitar - due to the plugged hole from the bass bridge and the use of wrong wires inside the guitar (can be seen thru the f-hole).

The toggle switch is in a wrong location - and that's because existing holes in the EB-2 top is used along with new drilled holes.

The bass neck is gone - and it's renecked with a guitar neck - but unfortunately the machine heads is placed in the wrong position on the peghead - they are too close to the edge.

It's NOT a 1958 - ES semis did not have the pointed body horns in 1958 (the year of Mickey Mouse ears on ES 335s). It can be everything from 1963 and until they stopped producing EB-2. The neck might be older - but not that old. In 1958 there were no serial numbers on the head stock.

 

Having another look I'm not so sure about my own theory... '

[5965]

Although I'm not that familiar with the details, I tend to agree that the neck looks incorrect for some reason, and the tuners are off. One possibility would be that the guitar was built up from other parts; the other would be that it was torn down for them. I would have expected the wiring visible in the f-hole to be shielded, and it seems likely that whatever electronics were originally in the body have been replaced.

 

Nevertheless, some of the parts (tuners, for example) might be valuable.

 

The only way to tell would be to inspect them individually. You might be able to get an inspection mirror in the f-hole to look at pots dates, for example, and the pickups would have to be pulled.

 

Search gbase for pictures of similar guitars and the internals, and post at the les paul forum dot com. That's probably the real enthusiast hangout. No offense intended to anyone.

 

Don't know if Gibson can tell you what the s/n started life as. Some companies can and will.