Gibson USA ES-335 50s Ebony Original

An ES-335 Designed as a Return to the 1958 Fundamentals

The ES-335 holds a special place in Gibson's history: the balance between the resonance of a hollow body and the precision of a solid body electric. This ES-335 50s version draws inspiration from the very first series introduced in the late 1950s, the ones that established the model as an essential reference. You'll find the understated aesthetics of the "dot neck," plastic details on the pickguard, but also a playing philosophy focused on feel: a fuller neck, a rounder response, and a "living" guitar sensation under the fingers.

Finished in Ebony gloss with nitrocellulose lacquer, the guitar combines timeless elegance and stage presence, while letting the semi-hollow character speak: depth in chords, precise attack in single notes, and that airy quality unlike anything else.

For Which Guitarist and Which Styles?

The Gibson ES-335 50s is aimed at musicians seeking a high-end electric guitar capable of performing in many contexts: studio, stage, home studio, rhythm or lead. The Rounded C profile will particularly appeal to those who like to "fill the hand": perfect for chord playing, solid bends, and a very natural sense of control.

Style-wise, it excels in blues, classic rock, soul, jazz, and indie. With the 3-position selector, two volumes, and two tones, you can quickly switch from a velvety neck sound to a sharper bridge tone, all while keeping that ES signature: a blend of warmth, clarity, and harmonic definition.

A Semi-Hollow Tone: Sustain, Openness, and Feedback Control

The core of the sound comes from the typical ES three-ply maple/poplar/maple construction combined with a maple center block. This architecture provides a wider projection than a solid body while maintaining excellent note sustain: the center block enhances sustain and significantly reduces feedback risks when pushing the amp.

The Custombucker Alnico 3 pickups aim to capture the character of the late 1950s "Patent Applied For" humbuckers: very touch-sensitive dynamics, singing mids, smooth highs, and a firm low end without being overpowering. Hand-wired circuitry, 500k potentiometers, and Orange Drop capacitors promote a musical tonal response: you can darken without muffling, clean up crunch with the volume, or thicken a solo without losing definition. Add to that the ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic and Stop Bar aluminum hardware duo, and you get precise attack, finely adjustable intonation, and a very responsive string feel.

Recommended Compatible Accessories

To get the best out of this ES-335, a set of electric guitar strings (gauge of your choice, for example 010-046 for balance or 011-049 for more tension) is perfectly suited to its Tune-O-Matic bridge and Stop Bar tailpiece. A guitar stand and a quality strap ideally complete the setup for stage and studio use.

Technical specifications

Category	Hollow body	Nbr of strings	6
Left handed	No	Color	Black
Strings	Steel

Type	semi-hollow body	Scale length	24.75" / 628.7 mm
Shape	ES-335	Bridge	ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic
Wood	maple/poplar/maple	Tailpiece	Stop Bar
Finish	gloss nitrocellulose lacquer	Tuners	Vintage Deluxe with keystone buttons
Binding	single-ply cream, top and back	Knobs	Gold Top Hats with dial pointer markers
Profile	Rounded C	Pickup covers	nickel
Construction	set neck	Plastics	black
Fingerboard	rosewood	Neck pickup	Custombucker, Alnico 3
Inlays	dots	Bridge pickup	Custombucker, Alnico 3
Fingerboard binding	single-ply	Controls	2 volumes, 2 tones
Frets	22, medium jumbo	Wiring	hand-wired with 500k potentiometers
Nut	Graph Tech	Capacitors	Orange Drop
Radius	12" / 304.8 mm	Selector switch	3-position toggle