Vintage 1964 Gibson ES-335 Sunburst with Bigsby

Guitar Shop Taiwan公司珍藏品釋出。

1936年，Gibson發表了他們第一款Electric Spanish Archtop Guitar ES-150西班牙拱形吉他，搭配了一組單線圈拾音器，而ES就是Electric Spanish的縮寫。時間到了1938年，價格更低廉的ES-100(ES-125)取代了ES-150，隨後更推出頂級的ES-250與ES-300。Gibson因ES系列創下銷售佳績，電吉他也在這時開始成為主流的彈奏樂器。在二次大戰後，Gibson開始對ES電吉他的設計做更改與加強，1948年除了原始就有的ES-125、ES-150、ES-300以外，Gibson首次增加了雙P90拾音器在ES系列上，這一做法使電吉他有了史無前例的創新，而Gibson當年的總裁Ted McCarty更將ES-175、Super 400、L-5等當年熱銷的空心電吉他也都增加了雙P-90拾音器。1952年，Gibson正式推出了第一款搭配雙P-90拾音器的Les Paul Goldtop實心電吉他，而在1954年，Gibson的電吉他銷量首次超過了空心吉他，隨後幾年再陸續推出Junior、Special與Custom系列的電吉他。

而ES-335的歷史可以追溯到1957年，1957年初，Gibson總裁Ted McCarty找到了首席木工工程師Larry Allers，請他創建一款以ES系列為基礎，但中央有實心木塊，一種介於實心與空心之間的薄型吉他。因為ES系列的設計經驗，使ES-335從Gibson位於密西根州卡拉馬祖的工廠僅花了一年便被設計完成並實現量產。Ted McCarty與Larry Allers共同的解決方案非常巧妙，他們使用經過刻槽切割(Kerf Cut)的雲杉木條，使條狀木材可以自由彎曲，並將其黏在琴身中心木塊的前後兩側。這些條狀木材能夠隨著層壓而形成琴身的面板與背板的拱形弧度。而琴身的面板與背板、側板最初是採用楓木、白楊木、楓木的三層層壓設計，內外兩層楓木的木紋方向相同，為了增強結構，中間的白楊木層方向則為90度，這就是1958年首次問世的ES-335。

這是一支具有歷史意義的吉他，真正1964年製造的ES-335，眾所皆知的Eric Clapton Crossroads ES-335也是1964製造，琴頭後方貼著相同的Krishna Stamp以致敬Eric Clapton。而1964年的ES-335是持續到今年都還被原廠所復刻量產的經典年份。而1964年的ES-335因為以59的琴頸輪廓而聞名，非常順手好彈。楓木琴面與背板、實心的中心楓木塊、桃花心木琴頸、巴西玫瑰木指板搭配自1962年後才有的經典Block Inlay。一組原始的PAT拾音器，構造與PAF相似，基於Gibson在1962年中順利取得拾音器專利，所以自1963年起，拾音器後方的PAF貼紙皆改為PAT並印有2,737,842的專利號。ES-335的基本音色比全實心的吉他更加自然，但又少了全空心吉他那種過於混濁的共鳴，中央的實心楓木塊設計使吉他在高音量時有效抑制回授，中頻突出、音色清晰不尖銳，音域也相當廣泛，而整整六十年以上樹齡的木材，使得鋼弦與琴身完美共振，擁有特別乾爽又空靈的音色，動態非比尋常，與現代復刻琴截然不同的音色。

以Vintage吉他的狀態分級來說，這把吉他處於Excellent Condition，Sunburst漆面狀況極佳，六十年的老琴，沒有明顯的褪色，琴身各處有著些許小傷痕與天然的Weather Checking，但沒有大面積的損傷與琴頸維修，連琴背也沒有過多的使用痕跡，相當罕見。除了Fret與上弦枕因耗損更換過以外(原廠品皆有保留)，琴身上的弦鈕、Knobs、ABR-1琴橋、Bigsby、Sprague Black Beauty電容、未解焊過的Pots、Custom Made標牌等皆為100%原裝，Fret為8成新，原始的琴盒也保留著。

在這物價持續通膨的世代，收藏古董琴真的是最好的投資選擇，只要是被Gibson原廠再次復刻過的50至60年代經典型號，依舊每年都在漲價，且能找到原汁原味、狀況又好並不容易。Gibson的歷史運輸紀錄顯示，1964年的ES-335生產了892支Cherry Red，而Sunburst只有349支，考量到歷經超過半世紀，Sunburst配色在市面上僅存的可能更少，導致這些真正1964年製的ES-335成為了最有收藏價值的型號之一。而此琴也被收錄在元年琴權威圖鑑「The Burst Believers-ES Believers」中，收藏價值極高。

售價$1,150,000，附原始Gibson Case、The Burst Believers-ES Believers與Guitar Shop Taiwan專屬保固卡。本公司商品都經過嚴格檢驗與專業調整，一年保固、免費保養與完整的售後服務，安全有保障。歡迎刷卡、分期付款 (刷卡與分期服務僅限線上)。

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In 1936, Gibson introduced their first Spanish Electric Archtop Guitar, the ES-150, which featured a single-coil pickup. The "ES" stands for Spanish Electric. By 1938, the more affordable ES-100 (ES-125) replaced the ES-150, followed by the launch of the high-end ES-250 and ES-300 models. With the success of the ES series, electric guitars began to emerge as the mainstream instrument. After World War II, Gibson started making changes and improvements to the design of the ES electric guitars. In 1948, in addition to the original ES-125, ES-150, and ES-300, Gibson introduced the first double P-90 pickups in the ES series, which brought unprecedented innovation to electric guitars. At the time, Gibson's president, Ted McCarty, also added double P-90 pickups to other popular hollow-body electric guitars, such as the ES-175, Super 400, and L-5. In 1952, Gibson officially released the first solid-body Les Paul Goldtop electric guitar with double P-90 pickups. By 1954, electric guitar sales surpassed those of hollow-body guitars, and Gibson introduced the Junior, Special, and Custom series electric guitars in the following years.

The history of the ES-335 dates back to 1957. Early in that year, Gibson president Ted McCarty enlisted chief woodworking engineer Larry Allers to create a guitar based on the ES series but with a solid center block—something between a solid and a hollow-body guitar. Thanks to the design experience with the ES series, the ES-335 was completed and went into production just a year later at Gibson's factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan. McCarty and Allers' solution was ingenious. They used spruce wood strips with kerf cuts, which allowed the wood to bend freely. These strips were glued to the front and back sides of the guitar's central block. The lamination of these strips formed the arched top and back of the body. The body’s top, back, and sides were originally made with a three-layer laminated design consisting of maple, white poplar, and maple. The grain of the inner and outer maple layers ran in the same direction, while the middle layer of poplar was oriented at a 90-degree angle, enhancing the guitar’s structural integrity. This was the design for the ES-335, which was first released in 1958.

This guitar holds historical significance. The 1964 ES-335, in particular, is well known, with the famous Eric Clapton Crossroads ES-335 also being a 1964 model. The 1964 ES-335 remains a classic year that is still being faithfully reissued today. The 1964 model is renowned for its neck profile, which is based on the 1959 shape, making it extremely comfortable to play. The back of the headstock bears a Krishna Stamp in tribute to Eric Clapton, as seen on his Crossroads ES-335. The maple top and back, solid maple center block, mahogany neck, and Brazilian rosewood fingerboard are paired with the classic Block Inlay, which was introduced in 1962. It also features original PAT pickups, which are similar in structure to the PAF pickups. Since Gibson successfully patented the pickup in mid-1962, the PAF sticker was replaced with a PAT sticker and the patent number 2,737,842 was printed starting in 1963.

The ES-335's tone is more natural than that of a fully solid guitar, while avoiding the overly muddy resonance of a fully hollow guitar. The solid maple center block effectively suppresses feedback at high volumes, while the midrange is prominent, the tone is clear without being harsh, and the frequency range is broad. The wood, aged for over sixty years, provides a unique, dry yet ethereal sound with exceptional dynamics, which sets it apart from modern reissues.

In terms of vintage guitar condition grading, this guitar is in Excellent Condition. The Sunburst finish is in excellent shape with no significant fading, and while there are some minor dings and natural weather checking on the body, there are no major damages or neck repairs, and the back shows minimal signs of use, which is quite rare. The frets and nut have been replaced due to wear (but original parts are preserved). The tuners, knobs, ABR-1 bridge, Bigsby, Sprague Black Beauty capacitors, unaltered pots, and custom-made label are all 100% original. The frets are about 80% new, and the original case is also preserved.

In this era of ongoing inflation, collecting vintage guitars is truly one of the best investment options. Classic models from the 1950s and 1960s that have been reissued by Gibson continue to increase in value every year, and finding one in original condition is not easy. According to Gibson's historical shipping records, 892 Cherry Red ES-335s were produced in 1964, while only 349 Sunburst models were made. Considering that more than half a century has passed, the Sunburst version is likely even rarer on the market, making these original 1964 ES-335s one of the most valuable collectible models. This particular guitar is also featured in the authoritative catalog "The Burst Believers - ES Believers," further solidifying its high collectible value.