How can I tell if a guitar is an Historic model of the 335?

[joek86]

Says it all.............

[spitball]

*EDIT* Somehow I had Les Pauls on my mind when I posted this. Some of this applies to ES guitars too, so I'll leave it.

 

There are many Historic and non-Historic models out there, and all have gone through changes over the years, so I'm not sure if any particular spec can differentiate them 100% of the time. That said, Historics usually have an inked (not pressed) serial number and no "made in USA" stamp. The binding in the cutaway is more often thin on Historics, exposing the maple cap, if present. If you pull out the neck pickup, the neck tenon is usually visible in a Historic. The neck binding is thinner on a Historic.

[Tim Plains]

335s are not my specialty...

All ES-335s have long neck tenon. Not sure when Gibson started doing this but historics are made in Nashville and non-historics are made in Memphis. Easiest way to tell them apart is to probably look at the sticker in the F-hole or the serial number. Regular production 335s have the 8-digit serial number. I believe historics have a serial number beginning with A.

 

Les Pauls are my specialty...

Just looking at them, the bridge on a Les Paul gives it away. Regular models have a Nashville bridge, historics have the ABR-1. The serial number format is also different. Regular LPs have the 8-digit s/n, historics have the X XXXX or XXXXXX format. That info is available on gibson.com. Just do a search for serial number and it's the first link.

 

Then, there are more subtle differences. Such as the pickups on a historic are flush with the brackets, the truss rod cover looks different, "Les Paul" is closer to the nut. Then you get into construction and it's a whole 'nuther ball game...