Need help identifying deceased uncle's Gibson

[David101joker]

HELLO. My uncle recently passed away and I am trying to identify his Gibson. The gold colored part that holds the strings at the bottom of the guitar (Forgive me for my ignorance when it comes to guitar part names) says "ES -350-t". The serial number inside the F hole starts with a Y which I believe indicates 1953. So when I search that model and year I do not find the same looking guitar. Inside the guitar case was another one of those things that holds the strings that is silver colored with no engravings. I will attach pictures. Please HELP!!!! Thank you for your time.

[Dave F]

Not a 350. Maybe a 125 modified a bit. 

[JimR56]

8 hours ago, Dave F said:

Not a 350. Maybe a 125 modified a bit. 

Yes, it looks like it might have been an ES-125.   Here's an image of a 1953 ES-125:

First of all, the metal piece you refer to is called a tailpiece.  Your ES-350T tailpiece is nice, but it's not original to that guitar.

The original single P-90 pickup (with the black plastic cover, shown above) was removed, and two humbucking pickups (a type that wasn't introduced on Gibsons until 1957) were installed.  You can still see the P-90 mounting holes and the shadow of the P-90's outline in the finish adjacent the humbucker closer to the neck.  The volume and tone knobs all came from a Gretsch (brand) guitar, and a switch was added.  The way it was done, the  location of the knobs no longer conforms with what you would normally see on a stock two-pickup Gibson archtop guitar of this type.

You still have a nice old musical instrument there, it's just not as valuable or collectible due to the modifications.  The exception to this would be if your humbuckers are vintage "paf" (patent applied for) models, dating from 1957 to around 1962.  If they are original paf's, then they are quite valuable.  Also, your 350T tailpiece and Gretsch knobs will have considerable collector's value on their own, to the right people.

Edited July 19, 2019 by JimR56

[mdmoore255]

Oh man, can you imagine if they are a pair of late 50's PAF pickups???

David, dont be overtrusting with that instrument, I would hate for dishonest person to swap pickups on you if they happen to be valuable...  If you let on you don't know anything about the guitar and that is was your late uncle's...  they may be tempted to take advantage of you.  The pickups alone could be worth 5K.