Author Topic: 1969 Gibson ES-355 with lo-z pickups  (Read 3929 times)

Basvarken

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1969 Gibson ES-355 with lo-z pickups
« on: August 30, 2016, 02:02:13 PM »
What do you guys make of this?

At first I thought it looked like one of those prototypes that Les Paul built. With all the little control plates and the oval black lo-z pickups.
But when I looked again I think the fretboard looks all wrong. Like a bad photoshop job?

https://www.gbase.com/gear/gibson-es-355-1969-natural




Dave W

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Re: 1969 Gibson ES-355 with lo-z pickups
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2016, 02:42:25 PM »
That's beautiful. Here's the album mentioned Rudy's Gbase listing, the front cover is too dark to tell but it's clearly visible on the back cover. You can even see the controls even though it's laying flat. I don't think Rudy's would fake it.


chromium

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Re: 1969 Gibson ES-355 with lo-z pickups
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2016, 04:56:26 PM »
That is something, innit?  Wonder if they'd come down to 38.5K...  :mrgreen: :o

The bright-white binding edge kinda does make it look photoshopped, but I can see some yellowing along the edge.

Basvarken

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Re: 1969 Gibson ES-355 with lo-z pickups
« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2016, 02:34:27 AM »
Yes I see that too. Like there is an extra layer of yellowed binding under the bright white binding.
But there is also something going on with the angle of the fretboard. Or is that optical illusion caused by the angled pickups?

Alanko

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Re: 1969 Gibson ES-355 with lo-z pickups
« Reply #4 on: August 31, 2016, 02:47:52 AM »
The geometry at the end of the neck looks odd, but this might be because of the slope of the neck pickup? Cool guitar, sort of reminds me of the Gibson Crest.

Rob

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Re: 1969 Gibson ES-355 with lo-z pickups
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2016, 01:48:47 PM »

Dave W

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Re: 1969 Gibson ES-355 with lo-z pickups
« Reply #6 on: August 31, 2016, 02:40:21 PM »
It's probably a custom ordered Crest variation. He was a well known jazz studio guy in New York and I wouldn't be surprised if he knew Les Paul well.

I saw him a few times as a guest on Carson back when the Tonight Show was in  New York, but I only remember him playing an acoustic. That was probably before this guitar was built.

Here's another image of him with this guitar, seems to be from a Brazilian release of his greatest hits.

Basvarken

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Re: 1969 Gibson ES-355 with lo-z pickups
« Reply #7 on: August 31, 2016, 02:54:57 PM »
They knew each other well. Here's a nice anecdote:

http://mahwahmuseum.org/tony-mottolas-les-paul-story/

Dave W

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Re: 1969 Gibson ES-355 with lo-z pickups
« Reply #8 on: August 31, 2016, 03:02:08 PM »
Les' mind was obviously still sharp.  :mrgreen:

Alanko

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Re: 1969 Gibson ES-355 with lo-z pickups
« Reply #9 on: September 01, 2016, 01:04:17 PM »
Looks like a Crest bridge, body and pickguard. Looks like the same finish! The Crest's necks joined the body around the 15th fret, whereas the guitar in the first post looks more like a typical ES355 in that regard. Same headstock layout as on a Crest, albeit with a 'Custom' TRC.

Apparently this is a massively reworked Crest:


D.M.N.

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Re: 1969 Gibson ES-355 with lo-z pickups
« Reply #10 on: September 14, 2016, 11:02:12 PM »
I actually saw that guitar in person earlier this year while I was in NYC. It is really something else. The finish has such depth, and the grain is absolutely gorgeous. It is flat out one of the most beautiful instruments I've ever seen.

Granny Gremlin

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Re: 1969 Gibson ES-355 with lo-z pickups
« Reply #11 on: September 16, 2016, 08:11:19 AM »
OMG.  I think I just soiled myself.
Robert Plant and Jimmy Page (drummer and bassist of Deep Purple, Jake!)