Gibson ES 335 1959

by Russ
(Boulder, CO)

serial # on this baby is A29942, which puts it early 1959.The number is on a orange label, with no numbers on the headstock.
the FON starts with T and also places it 1958 ish.
it is sunburst with stop tail, and PAFs.
it has been kept beautifully and is almost mint, (excellent or excellent+ ?)
BUT it has a rosewood fretboard with block pearl inlays.
could be a 355 fretboard? or a replaced fretboard? or a custom order?

this is a beautiful guitar and I have been asked to sell it for a family friend. what is it worth?

ANSWER

Hi, Russ--

The 355 fretboards are ebony, so we can probably eliminate that possibility. It seems that if the guitar is in that good of overall condition, a replacement neck would not be likely, but it is certainly possible that some misfortune caused the neck to have to be replaced. Only a qualified luthier or repair person would be able to tell for sure. The block inlays became standard in 1962.

Here is the Blue Book pricing info:

1958-1960 Pearl Dots PAFs
Mint $45,000
Exc.+ $35,000
Exc. $30,000+
Avg.+ $25,000
Avg. $20,000
General $15,000

If the neck is not original, it will lower the value of the guitar by quite a bit--hard to say how much without seeing the guitar.

Of course ANY guitar is worth exactly what someone will pay you for it.

Lynne